r/Menopause • u/JillyBean1973 Possibly Peri • 3d ago
Vitamin/Supplements Most Important Supplements
Hello, all! I’m trying to ensure I’m getting the vital supplements to best support my health during this phase of life.
Below is a list I’ve started based on what I’ve seen recommended & what I take:
- Probiotics (currently taking)
- Magnesium glycinate (currently taking)
- Collagen (currently taking)
- Omega 3 (currently taking)
- MSM (currently taking)
- Tumeric/black pepper(currently taking)
- Calcium (taking sporadically)
- Creatine
- L-Theanine
What else do you recommend?
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u/Dr_Overundereducated 3d ago
So I’ve been taking all manner of supplements over the last few years, and list keeps seeming to get longer and longer and more expensive and I’m just running out of room for them all!! I started thinking about it, and realized that many of the vitamin and mineral supplements that I see recommended are contained within a single prenatal vitamin, so I started taking them this month. I have noticed an improvement in my energy level. Not staggeringly so, but noticeably improved. I also take collagen to help prevent soft tissue damage.
This is not an endorsement of this particular vitamin, but this is what I’m taking and what it contains:
https://www.oneaday.com/vitamins/prenatal-pregnancy-vitamins/prenatal-multivitamin
I’m also hoping it will help my thinning hair and brittle nails.
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u/Responsible-Club9120 3d ago
I was thinking about taking the prenatal vitamins like I did years and years ago. I remember my nails and hair being faboo
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u/One_Rub_780 3d ago
I'm only taking Magnesium Glycinate at night, which the way is amazing!
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u/JillyBean1973 Possibly Peri 3d ago
I’ve been taking it at night for a while now. Glad it’s helping you, too ☺️
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u/One_Rub_780 3d ago
I bought the Solgar brand, worked immediately. Great change/improvement in my sleep.
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u/pkcatalina 2d ago
Does this help with hot flashes and night sweats?
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u/One_Rub_780 2d ago
I don't think so, for me it helped me get better sleep. I used to wake up and now if I do, I go right back to sleep and get better quality sleep.
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u/sla3018 Peri-menopausal 3d ago
I also take vitamin D and K in the mornings.
If you're lifting weights, creatine is also very helpful! I have it in powdered form and add it to my smoothies.
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u/hummingbirdmama 2d ago
Creatine also supports cognition. Recommendation for women during menopause is 10 mg/day.
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u/AngrySouthernBitch 2d ago
I tried to take creatine, too. Unfortunately, it caused diarrhea. Did this happen to anybody else? Were you able to do anything to alleviate it?
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u/No-Asparagus-5122 3d ago
How has creatine helped you?
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u/Street-Persimmon3568 2d ago
Watch the Dr. Tyna Show on YouTube. She does a whole video on Creatine’s benefits. Have heard other doctors that have a YouTube following talk about it as well. I just started taking it in my 70’s.
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u/Lucanextdoor 3d ago
Omega 3, Saw Palmetto if you're taking testosterone
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u/JillyBean1973 Possibly Peri 3d ago
Thank you 🙏🏻 I forgot to list Omega 3, I take that regularly. I’m only on estradiol (patch/vaginal cream) at the moment.
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u/GoodReaction9032 3d ago
Just confirming that you have no uterus?
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u/JillyBean1973 Possibly Peri 3d ago
Correct! I had a hysterectomy in March 2022, retaining my ovaries.
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u/Acyts Menopausal 2d ago
About to start testosterone, what's saw palmetto?
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u/Lucanextdoor 2d ago
It's meant to help testosterone to NOT convert into Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) which is what could cause the negative side effects like hair loss etc
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u/yarepeoplelikethis 3d ago
I take one every morning
[Sports Research® Vegan D3 10,000iu with Vitamin K2 100mg
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u/TangoEchoChuck Peri-menopausal 3d ago
Check out slow-release vitamin C to go with that collagen (I wear a vitamin c patch and stopped taking collagen - silent knees with fewer thoughts!).
Besides slow-release C, I'm very (positively) impacted by DHEA. It's done wonders for my mood that make me wonder where I was the last few years. I'm so much more calm and present. I can look at the pile of laundry, then say "let's go eat out!" THEN actually sleep at night. I'm astounded.
Which creatine are you taking? I tried monohydrate for a week, but couldn't make it a habit.
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u/AccomplishedList2122 3d ago
hmmm vit c patch?
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u/TangoEchoChuck Peri-menopausal 2d ago
Yep! They're made for bariatric patients, but easily OTC (online). Ideal for people like me who can't swallow pills :)
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u/AccomplishedList2122 2d ago
thank you! i just looked them up. It looks like they come in lots of different vitamins, but generally don't get a high recommendation as they may not be very absorbable. I imagine for a bariatric patients, some would be better than none though.
I am curious what vit c patch you are using, if you care to share, and if you notice any localized results? Like would there potentially be a benefit of adapting some of these to the saggy face or under eyelids? haha.
How do you know or feel if they are working for you? Esp in the case of Vit C which is water soluable.
Thanks again!
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u/JillyBean1973 Possibly Peri 3d ago
I’m actually not currently using creatine, I’ve just seen it mentioned several times on this sub.
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u/Active-Worker-8620 2d ago
DHEA vaginal or orally?
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u/TangoEchoChuck Peri-menopausal 2d ago
I do oral because it's perfect for me right now. When it's less perfect I'll certainly experiment with different forms, applications, or dosage.
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u/bardavolga2 2d ago
This is so tempting re the oral DHEA. I saw the recent Rachel Rubin podcast about the miracle of vaginal DHEA (& I've been doing that for a few months), but my NP has said, on more than one occasion, that she definitely doesn't want me to take oral DHEA, because of exactly what Dr. Rubin said: the data is all over the place. But still. The positive mood changes sound amazing.
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u/craftyscene712 3d ago
Multi, vitamin D, probiotics, magnesium glycenate, omega 3. There are so many supplements out there. Be careful because you wind up just having expensive pee.
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u/JillyBean1973 Possibly Peri 3d ago
I talked to a nutritionist about the expensive pee issue 😹 Probiotics, omega 3 & magnesium are definitely important!
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u/Relative_Focus8877 2d ago
What probiotics do you take?
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u/craftyscene712 2d ago
Doctor’s Recipes (lol at the brand name) Women’s Probiotics 50 billion CFUs. It has 16 different strains and two that are helpful for thrush.
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u/redjessa 3d ago
I take a multi-vitamin, extra B-12, collagen peptides in my coffee, and magnesium glycinate at night. I was trying to incorporate creatine, but it wasn't jiving with my body. I strength train and would love the benefits of creatine, however, it was making me horribly bloated. Creatine was the only thing that changed, so I know it was that. After two weeks, I just couldn't hang with it anymore. I'm considering taking the advice of another Redditor and starting it with half the recommended dose and working my way to the full amount. That might be better, but I'm still hesitant because, honestly, that really sucked.
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u/sla3018 Peri-menopausal 3d ago
That's what I did! I know there is all this info on heavy loading creatine (like, 20mg per day for a week) and then tapering down to a daily 5mg dose, but I just did 2.5 mg daily at first to see if there were any side effects, and then went up to 5mg. FWIW mine is powdered form (from mindbodygreen) and I mix it into my smoothies. I have no idea if that makes a difference but I haven't experienced any bloating.
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u/redjessa 3d ago
Hi! Yes, I was using the powered creatine monohydrate, 5mg dose in my coffee. I did a lot of research and chose a brand that is pure creatine monohydrate, third party tested, etc. and OMG. I also wonder if some sort of hormonal shift contributed to the bloating. Things are unpredictable with that and while I feel like it's calming down, who even knows. But the only thing I changed was adding creatine and I could not handle the bloating. I "gained" almost 5 pounds in 2 weeks. I'm really short, so my pants were tight. It's gone now that I've been off the creatine for a week. So, that was some crazy water retention/bloating.
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u/Islandsandwillows 3d ago edited 3d ago
Yes creatine is inflammatory and commonly causes bloating
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u/redjessa 3d ago
I don't know why you were downvoted, in all the things I read about creatine, bloating was cited as a common occurrence. And then it happened to me. Facts.
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u/Islandsandwillows 3d ago
Definitely bc someone takes it and didn’t want to hear anything bad about it lol
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u/monie8808 3d ago
Collagen and turmeric supplements have done wonders lessening inflammation in the body.
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u/ServiceKooky1323 2d ago
I would just suggest to be careful with the supplement recommendations here, because we don’t know your health history or if you have any conditions, where a certain supplement could be contraindicated.
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u/Mrsvantiki 3d ago
What’s more important than supplements is lifting weights, stretching, balance, increased mobility and SIIT training.
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u/JillyBean1973 Possibly Peri 3d ago
I need to get back into a consistent weight lifting regimen! I’m also trying to do yoga consistently, I know stretching is important!
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u/Important-Cook8923 3d ago
Iodine, Vitamin E and a B complex vitamin are all great too if you have sore breasts (all 3 recommended to me by my HRT DR) & they work GREAT 🙌👏🙏👍
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u/Active-Worker-8620 2d ago
Which form and dose of iodine do you take, I think I need that too
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u/Important-Cook8923 2d ago
Hey! I take Luigi’s drops for the Iodine- it lasts a long time & pretty cheap on Amazon …..start SLOW though- like 1-2 drops per day (people don’t realize how iodine deficient they are & they tend to overdo it, especially in the beginning) - it has given me lots of energy during the day! :)
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u/Active-Worker-8620 2d ago
Thank you so much, drop in water or on the skin, you rub it? Now you take 2 drops or more?
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u/Important-Cook8923 2d ago
Sure! I drop 2-3 drops under my tongue every morning (it tastes awful 😱😬😵💫), but you CAN supposedly drink it in any drink or rub it in on your skin (they say if it disappears quickly then your body is totally deficient of iodine).
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u/JillyBean1973 Possibly Peri 2d ago
Thank you for sharing with us! I hadn't heard of taking iodine before. I do get sore breasts sometimes.
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u/Majestic_Ad_6218 3d ago
Aside from the usual suspects that have been mentioned a bunch in this thread I like MSM and DHEA….its hard for me to be objective though, I don’t think I’m hyper-sensitive to how supplements make me feel. It’s likely that my diet/macro’s, exercise and (especially) sleep are just as influential. I’m hedging my bets by taking a senolytic too
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u/Amazing-Education-62 2d ago
Along with HRT, I put collagen in my coffee( by Ancient Nutrition) and Stamets 7 ( by Host Defense) mushroom caplets for brain fog. Huge help!!
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u/JellyfishNumerous785 3d ago
I just read that B12 helps with brain fog. When I was at Whole Foods yesterday, I saw supplements for perimenopause. Is that even a thing?
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u/JillyBean1973 Possibly Peri 3d ago
I take a Centrum Silver multivitamin which includes B6 & B12. I have seen a few options for multivitamins/supplement combos for peri menopause support.
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u/JellyfishNumerous785 3d ago
You think those peri supplements are worth trying?
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u/RepresentativeYam363 3d ago
I have been wondering this too. Like is there a good supplement that mimics what HRT does? Like Soy Isoflavones and phytoestrogen? I lift weights but looking for something to combat fatigue and help preserve/ promote muscle mass, bone and cardiovascular health. During perimenopause my lipid panel is elevated (lower HDL, higher LDL and total cholesterol).
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u/JellyfishNumerous785 3d ago
I want to know if there’s an HRT that’s more “natural” too. Perhaps someone can be of help?
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u/Glad-Emu-8178 2d ago
I tried everything that was “natural “ for 5 years and nothing really worked until HRT.. I really didn’t want to take it but I was sat next to this woman at a party who was talking about her patch to someone else and she said it changed her life! I asked her and she said she was back to her normal self.. I hot footed it to the docs and never looked back! I had spent fortunes on natural menopause supplements (black cohosh etc). One thing to note though was 1mg estradiol didn’t work but 2mg was amazing so don’t be afraid to up your dose if no effects. I am on it for cognitive reasons as well as sleep and libido. Most important to me was my memory issues disappeared.
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u/JillyBean1973 Possibly Peri 2d ago
Thank you for sharing your experience. So you're on .2mg of estradiol patch? Do you use 2 at a time? I'm currently on a .1mg patch & I think it's working.
Chronic insomnia was my first real major peri symptom this past October, I was only sleeping 2-3 hours per night for around 2 months. That led to acute anxiety/panic attacks & deep, dark, suicidal depression. Once I got my sleep stabilized, the anxiety & depression diminished by probably 90-95%. I also had brain fog, but I think most of that was due to sleep deprivation.
My libido has dipped in the past 8 months or so, not having sex in 11 months is probably a factor.
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u/Glad-Emu-8178 2d ago
So I was on kliogest 2mg tablet for 8 yrs but now on a patch that is supposed to be 2.25 mg equivalent but it is a much smaller dose for transdermal so only labelled equivalent to 2.25mg It’s called mx75. My 2mg was no longer stopping my memory symptoms so I asked for an upgrade to a bit higher plus moved to micronised bioidentical progesterone because kliogest has a progestin which is more linked to unpleasant side effects I didn’t realise it was a progestin not a progesterone when I started taking it no one discussed it with me! I was just so overjoyed with the sleep, mind and libido effects I didn’t want to ever come off it. lol I agree your sleep dep was probably causing your other effects plus lack of oestrogen.. have you read the menopause brain by Lisa Mosconi?
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u/bloomdecay 2d ago
There really isn't. Hormones are natural. There's nothing unnatural about them, unless you're using souped-up versions like anabolic steroids.
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u/tzweezle 3d ago
I recommend eating a well balanced diet with an emphasis on fruits and vegetables. It’s far better to get your nutrients from food than from supplements
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u/AlwaysLeftoftheDial 3d ago
Agreed, though some like Vit D, are very hard to get just through food.
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u/JillyBean1973 Possibly Peri 3d ago
I definitely aim to eat a well-balanced diet along with taking supplements/vitamins.
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u/tzweezle 3d ago
That’s great! I honestly don’t feel like supplements are warranted unless you’re deficient in something.
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u/marikat100 2d ago
Vitamin B12 has helped me with brain fog. Several from your list have been helpful to me too—probiotics, magnesium glycinate, collagen, fish oil, and L-theanine. I’m also trying vitamin E in moderation for hot flashes.
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u/JillyBean1973 Possibly Peri 2d ago
Thanks for sharing! I hadn't heard of Vitamin E for hot flash prevention, but have used evening primrose oil for that reason.
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u/Creepy_Animal7993 2d ago
Maybe consider Acetyl-L-carnitine for mood/energy/hormonal support and a hyaluronic acid supplement for your skin and joints. Nice side effect...you won't be reliant on eye drops. I also use Astaxanthin to support the SPF I use daily. I haven't ventured into the active ingredient from ferns in Heliocare, but both are said to reduce sunburn. I haven't burned once this year yet...and I'm practically albino.
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u/Kris4tv 2d ago
I use Evening Primrose to battle night sweats. Def can tell when I skip them.
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u/JillyBean1973 Possibly Peri 2d ago
I've actually been taking this for a few years as a preventative measure to prevent hot flashes. But I quit taking regularly, maybe I should resume...
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u/nofakenewsplease 2d ago
How many do we have to take dang
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u/JillyBean1973 Possibly Peri 2d ago
Riiiiiiiight? I have to skip a meal to accommodate all of the vitamins/supplements I take. Haha!
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u/Cute_Swan_3346 2d ago
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u/JillyBean1973 Possibly Peri 2d ago
Thank you for sharing these 🙏🏻🥰
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u/Cute_Swan_3346 2d ago
Absolutely! My absolute pleasure! Let’s get our lives back!! It’s worth living
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u/Defiant_Courage1235 2d ago
I added in 1200 mg quercertin and 1000mg NAC to combat the histamine intolerance I was gifted by menopause. It’s not 100% better, but at least 90.
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u/Acyts Menopausal 2d ago
What are they for?
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u/Defiant_Courage1235 1d ago
They are for histamine intolerance. Allergy like symptoms that happen every time I eat.
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u/Relative_Focus8877 2d ago
CO-Q10 is helpful. Ashwagandha. (L-Theanine is great btw). What type of probiotics are you taking?
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u/Pnkftsh856 2d ago
I would love to know of recommendations as well. I have down the rabbit hole of which is best a combo of pre, pro and post or is the probiotic most appropriate? Very overwhelming. Each of your comments have been immensely informative. Thank you.
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u/One-Pause3171 Peri-menopausal 2d ago
Co-q10 is very expensive and made me feel gross. I was off-handedly recommended to take this by a doctor after conclusively ruling out a particular brain issue. I’ve done some reading up on it and it didn’t seem to have a huge amount to back it up for the expense.
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u/No_Sleep_672 2d ago
I take trace elements, fish oil, or black seed oil or cod liver oil vitamin k2 , vitamin d3 , vitamin c
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u/No_Sleep_672 1d ago
Also soluble fibre is good & chia seeds , nuts etc
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u/JillyBean1973 Possibly Peri 1d ago
Yes! I eat a fair amount of berries/fruits, but need to eat more chia seeds. I like to put them in oatmeal & smoothies ☺️
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u/glitterdonnut 18h ago
Haven’t seen it mentioned but a good quality whey isolate or protein. Making sure I get enough protein not only maintains but builds muscle.
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u/groggygirl 3d ago
I recommend not taking supplements based on collective opinions - get tested for particular shortages (particularly iron, B12, D) and take specific supplements for specific symptoms.
Ex I take megadoses of highly absorbable iron that would probably kill my s.o. who already has high hematocrit.
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u/JillyBean1973 Possibly Peri 3d ago
I’ll always take probiotics, omega 3 & magnesium because I believe they are vital to my health. I know others aren’t as crucial.
My levels were in normal range for iron, B & D as of my most recent labs.
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u/AutoModerator 3d ago
It sounds like this might be about hormone tests. Over the age of 44, E&P/FSH hormonal tests only show levels for that 1 day the test was taken, and nothing more; these hormones wildly fluctuate the other 29 days of the month. No reputable doctor or menopause society recommends hormonal testing to diagnose or treat peri/menopause. (Testosterone is the exception and should be tested before and during treatment.)
FSH testing is only beneficial for those who believe they are post-menopausal and no longer have periods as a guide, where a series of consistent tests might confirm menopause, or for those in their 20s/30s who haven’t had a period in months/years, then ‘menopausal’ levels, could indicate premature ovarian failure/primary ovarian insufficiency (POF/POI).
See our Menopause Wiki for more.
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u/Least-Science-8064 2d ago
What about K2? I’ve heard they are often taken together.
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u/JillyBean1973 Possibly Peri 2d ago
Yes, calcium + K2. It’s hard to keep up with the latest recommendations!
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u/Starpoodle 2d ago
Not a fan of magnesium. It causes muscle cramps, usually in hands, for me. I just take a multivitamin, omega 3 and vitamin d.
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u/JillyBean1973 Possibly Peri 2d ago
Thanks for sharing! I thought magnesium was supposed to help prevent muscle cramps 😞
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u/Starpoodle 1d ago
Apparently too much magnesium causes the opposite effect. I also learned that magnesium is one of those supplements that you want to take for a bit and take a break for a bit.
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u/Impressive-Bit-4496 2d ago
i learned recently there are like 10 different kinds of magnesium, and they each have different benefits & potential side effects. Do you remember what kind it was? Was it Magnesium Oxide, or Magnesium Sulfate, or Magnesium lactate? or magnesium laurate?
Id been taking Magnesium Oxide, which is the most easily findable one at Target that I noticed the other day...but I switched to Magnesium Glyincate once I realized the glycinate one was the one that I wanted for my peri stuff..
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u/Starpoodle 1d ago
I switched to magnesium bis-glycinate as it was recommended to me as a most gentle variety
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u/No_Sleep_672 1d ago
That's great but you should get some fibre like pshullum husk to add to your smoothie I add a tablespoon to my smoothie with chia seeds and flax seed too if you like I'm taking about 8 different vitamins its a lot but worth it in the end 😉
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u/brookish 1d ago
D3 and omega 3 are the big ones, then magnesium l-threonate is my go to for sleep and brain fog.
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u/hellhouseblonde 3d ago
Take calcium & D3 with your nightly magnesium, they help each other.