The Supplements That Made It Into My Daily Routine

The supplements I take every day

I never pictured myself becoming someone with a shelf full of supplements.

For years, I grabbed whatever looked good at the store and hoped for the best. I didn't spend much time thinking about ingredients or research. Life was busy. Teaching, raising six kids and keeping the house running left plenty on my plate already.

Then I hit my 40s.

I started paying more attention to my health. I wanted more energy for my family. I wanted my workouts to count. I wanted habits that would serve me well for years instead of chasing the latest trend.

I started listening to podcasts during my commute. I read studies after the kids went to bed. I found experts like Dr. Rhonda Patrick, who has a gift for breaking complicated research into something I could actually understand. Her work gave me a starting point. From there, I kept reading and made my own decisions about what fit my goals.

This page isn't a list of miracle products. It's the routine I've built one choice at a time. Some of these supplements have decades of research behind them. Others are newer and still being studied. I'll always tell you which is which because I think that's important.

Disclaimer: I'm not a doctor, and this page is for informational purposes only. It's not medical advice. Please talk with your healthcare provider before starting any new supplement, especially if you're pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or managing a health condition. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA, and none of these products are intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Affiliate Disclosure: This page contains affiliate links, including Amazon links. If you click through and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I personally use and believe in.

What Each One Does, and the Research Behind It

Fish Oil (Omega-3)

Fish Oil (Omega-3), the one I useShop on Amazon

"This was one of the easiest additions to my routine. I know I don't eat enough fish, so this helps me fill that gap without overthinking it."

People usually take it for:

  • Supporting heart, brain and eye health
  • Filling the gap when fatty fish isn't a regular part of your diet

I don't eat fatty fish as often as I'd like, so this was one of the first supplements I added to my routine. Omega-3s have been well studied, and Dr. Rhonda Patrick has talked extensively about the importance of getting enough EPA and DHA through food or supplementation when needed.

Why I like it: It fills a nutritional gap in my diet with something that's backed by decades of research.

What is fish oil good for?

It supplies EPA and DHA, the omega-3 fats your body can't make efficiently on its own. The NIH describes omega-3s as components of cell membranes with roles in the heart, lungs, immune system and endocrine system, and notes supplements are safe for adults at doses up to about 5 grams a day. Fatty fish is the food source. A supplement is how you close the gap when you don't eat it. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements →

Creatine Monohydrate

Creatine Monohydrate, the one I useShop on Amazon

"The more I learned about creatine, the more I wondered why women aren't talking about it more. There's so much good research behind it."

People usually take it for:

  • Supporting strength, muscle performance and exercise recovery
  • Researchers are also studying its role in healthy brain function

I used to think creatine was only for people trying to build muscle. Then I started reading the research. It's one of the most studied supplements available, which made it an easy choice once I started strength training regularly.

Why I like it: I appreciate that there's so much quality research behind it.

Is creatine safe for women, and does it do anything different for us?

On safety, the International Society of Sports Nutrition's position stand concludes creatine monohydrate is safe and effective. ISSN position stand, Kreider et al. → On the women's side, a 2021 review found women carry roughly 70 to 80% lower creatine stores than men and that estrogen changes how creatine behaves, so supplementation may be especially relevant around and after menopause, with favorable effects on bone when paired with resistance training. Smith-Ryan et al., Nutrients, 2021 →

Collagen Peptides

Collagen Peptides, the one I useShop on Amazon

"If it's easy, I'll stick with it. I throw this in my coffee every morning and don't have to think twice about it."

People usually take it for:

  • Supporting skin elasticity and hydration
  • Joint comfort, which has its own separate research

This one couldn't be easier. I stir it into my morning coffee and move on with my day. Research suggests collagen supplementation may support skin elasticity and hydration in some people and may also support joint comfort when taken consistently.

Why I like it: It's the easiest habit in my whole routine, and easy habits are the ones I keep.

Does collagen actually work for skin?

A 2023 meta-analysis pooled 26 randomized controlled trials covering 1,721 people and found hydrolyzed collagen significantly improved measured skin hydration and elasticity against placebo, with results depending on how long people took it. Worth knowing before you buy: a separate analysis found the elasticity effect showed up in industry-funded studies and did not show up in independently funded ones. Larger independent trials are still needed. Meta-analysis of 26 trials, Nutrients, 2023 → A separate meta-analysis of randomized trials looked at collagen peptides for knee osteoarthritis pain rather than skin. Meta-analysis, collagen peptide and knee osteoarthritis →

Avmacol (Sulforaphane)

Avmacol (Sulforaphane), the one I useShop on Amazon

"This one definitely sent me down a research rabbit hole. I heard Dr. Rhonda Patrick talking about it and ended up spending hours learning more."

People usually take it for:

  • Supporting the body's own detoxification and antioxidant enzyme systems

This is probably the supplement that gets the biggest "What is that?" from people. I first learned about sulforaphane while listening to Dr. Rhonda Patrick explain the research on broccoli sprouts. The science is fascinating, and researchers continue studying sulforaphane's effects on the body's natural antioxidant and cellular stress-response pathways.

Why I like it: I enjoy following emerging research, and this is one area that really caught my attention.

What does sulforaphane do?

It comes from broccoli sprouts and activates the NRF2 pathway, which switches on the body's own detoxification and antioxidant enzymes. In a randomized crossover trial, a broccoli seed and sprout extract measurably increased how quickly participants cleared specific airborne toxins. That is what the study measured. Much of this evidence is still early stage, from animal work and small human studies. Randomized crossover trial, Cancer Prevention Research →

Magnesium

Magnesium, the one I useShop on Amazon

"Sometimes the simplest supplements are the ones that make the most sense. Magnesium earned a permanent spot in my routine."

People usually take it for:

  • Supporting normal muscle and nerve function
  • Bone health
  • Hundreds of other processes throughout the body

Magnesium is involved in hundreds of normal processes throughout the body. Even with a healthy diet, many people don't get enough from food alone, so this is one supplement I feel good about keeping in my routine.

Why I like it: It's one of those foundational nutrients that quietly does a lot behind the scenes.

What does magnesium do for the body?

The NIH lists it as a nutrient needed for muscle and nerve function, blood sugar regulation, blood pressure, and for making protein, bone and DNA. It's in legumes, nuts, seeds, whole grains and leafy greens, and plenty of people fall short of the recommended amount from food alone. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements →

Curcumin Phytosome

Curcumin Phytosome, the one I useShop on Amazon

"When I buy a supplement, I want the version that's been researched well. That's why I chose this form instead of just grabbing the first bottle I saw."

People usually take it for:

  • Supporting joint health and the body's normal inflammatory response

Curcumin is the compound in turmeric that researchers have studied the most. I chose a phytosome version because it's formulated to improve absorption compared with standard curcumin. When I buy a supplement, I want the version that's been researched well.

Why I like it: Healthy aging is something I'm paying more attention to, and this is the researched form.

Why the phytosome form instead of regular turmeric?

Plain curcumin absorbs poorly, so much of what you swallow never reaches your bloodstream. Phytosome versions bind curcumin to a phospholipid, and human pharmacokinetic studies show that raises absorption dramatically compared with standard curcumin. Human bioavailability study → On joint comfort, NIH's National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health notes several studies show modest improvements, while higher-quality research is still needed. NCCIH turmeric fact sheet →

Tru Niagen (Nicotinamide Riboside)

Tru Niagen (Nicotinamide Riboside), the one I useShop on Amazon

"Healthy aging is something I'm thinking about a lot more these days. I'm always interested in where the research is headed."

People usually take it for:

  • Supporting healthy NAD+ levels, which play a role in cellular energy production

Nicotinamide riboside, or NR, is a precursor to NAD+, a molecule your cells use every day. Human studies consistently show NR raises NAD+ levels, and researchers continue studying what that means for long-term health.

Why I like it: I like following where the aging research is headed while keeping my expectations realistic.

Does nicotinamide riboside raise NAD+ levels?

Yes. NR is a precursor your body converts into NAD+, a molecule involved in cellular energy that declines with age, and randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trials in healthy middle-aged and older adults show it reliably raises blood NAD+ and is well tolerated. Keep expectations where the evidence is: these trials establish that it raises NAD+, not that raising NAD+ slows aging. That question is still open. Randomized trial, Nature Communications, 2018 →

GlyNAC-ET

GlyNAC-ET, the one I useShop on Amazon

"I don't mind trying something newer as long as the research looks promising and people are honest about what we still don't know."

People usually take it for:

  • Supporting the body's natural production of glutathione, an important antioxidant

GlyNAC combines glycine and N-acetylcysteine (NAC). The research is still developing, but scientists are studying this combination because of its role in supporting glutathione production, particularly as we age.

Why I like it: I like staying up to date on promising research while keeping my expectations realistic.

What is GlyNAC used for?

It's glycine plus N-acetylcysteine, the two building blocks of glutathione. Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine ran a randomized clinical trial in older adults and reported improvements in glutathione levels, oxidative stress, muscle strength, walking speed and cognition. The honest footnote, from the researchers themselves: the benefits faded after participants stopped taking it. This is a newer combination and the research is still developing. Randomized clinical trial, Baylor College of Medicine →

Prenatal Vitamin

Prenatal Vitamin, the one I useShop on Amazon

"People laugh when they see a prenatal on my shelf. I'm not pregnant. I take it because it's the only one that had what I was actually looking for."

People usually take it for:

  • Supporting increased vitamin and mineral needs during pregnancy
  • Some people also use one, with their provider's guidance, as a comprehensive multivitamin

This one surprises people! No, I'm not pregnant. After comparing different multivitamins, I settled on a prenatal with methylated folate because it fit what I was looking for. It's always worth talking with your healthcare provider about what's appropriate for your own needs.

Why I like it: It gives me a broad range of vitamins and minerals in one supplement.

Can you take a prenatal vitamin if you're not pregnant?

Some people use one as a broad multivitamin for its folate and mineral content, and that's worth running past your own provider. On the folate itself the NIH is direct: folic acid before and during early pregnancy helps prevent neural tube defects, and every woman who could become pregnant is advised to get 400 mcg a day. Timing is the reason, since the neural tube closes within about 28 days of conception, often before anyone knows they're pregnant. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements →

How I decide whether a supplement is worth it

I read the research before I spend the money, and I would rather take four things that hold up than twelve that sound good. If the evidence is thin I say so on the product itself. If a supplement stops earning its spot, it comes off this page.

More of what I actually use: how I work out and how I recover, what earns counter space in my kitchen, and the things that make my life better.

Reviewed and sources checked August 2026.

Deals move fast. I'll send you the good ones.