Stop Wasting Money on Supplements
Stop wasting money on supplements that cancel each other out—check timing and interactions
Have you ever looked at your morning pill routine and wondered if you're just flushing money down the drain? I was spending almost £100 a month on supplements, swallowing 6-7 pills every morning after breakfast, until I realized I was literally wasting money on pills that cancel each other out.
It turns out the supplement industry doesn't exactly advertise when their products work against each other. No packaging can list every interaction, and most people (myself included) just assume more vitamins equals better health.
My £100-a-month wake-up call
The reality hit when I did my blood work and discovered I didn't actually need half the stuff I was taking. But worse—I was mixing supplements that shouldn't go together, reducing their effectiveness or even creating risks.
Before diving deeper, I highly recommend this ZOE podcast episode about whether we really need all these supplements. ZOE does excellent research on nutrition and health:
The interactions nobody talks about
Here are some common conflicts I discovered that might be costing you money:
Iron vs. Everything
Iron is tricky. It shouldn't be taken with zinc or magnesium because they compete for the same absorption pathways. Taking them together can reduce absorption by 40-70%.
Even your morning coffee blocks iron absorption. The polyphenols in tea and coffee bind to iron in your gut, making it less available. I had to separate my iron from coffee by at least 2 hours and pair it with vitamin C instead.
Fat-soluble vitamins need fat
Vitamins A, D, E, and K won't absorb properly without fat. Taking them on an empty stomach is essentially throwing money away. I learned to take these with a meal containing healthy fats.
The bleeding risk combo
High-dose vitamin E with fish oil can increase bleeding risk, especially if you're on blood thinners. Same with vitamin E and vitamin K—they work against each other.
What surprised me most
The biggest insight wasn't just about interactions—it was realizing how much I didn't actually need. Blood work showed I was already sufficient in most vitamins, and proper timing made the few I did need far more effective.
Most supplement conflicts fall into these categories:
- Timing conflicts: Iron ↔ calcium/zinc/magnesium/coffee/tea (separate by 2+ hours)
- Absorption competition: Minerals compete when taken together
- Antagonistic effects: High-dose vitamin E vs vitamin K
- Requirement mismatches: Fat-soluble vitamins need fat to absorb
The honest limitations
This kind of optimization only matters if you're actually deficient or have specific health goals. For most people, a decent diet covers the basics. And supplement interactions are complex—individual responses vary based on genetics, gut health, and existing conditions.
I built a simple checker that cross-references common supplement interactions against what you're taking and when. It's not medical advice, but it can spot obvious timing mistakes that waste money.
Ready to check your routine? Head to the Chat and tell it what supplements you take, when you take them, and any specific conditions (like pregnancy). You can even use voice input—just describe your morning routine and it'll scan for potential conflicts or timing improvements.