Are supplements effective or just expensive urine?
this post was submitted on 29 Jan 2026
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Mental Health
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Vitamin D supplementation is one of the most studied out there. It's effective.
You should read the article. That’s what it’s about.
I did. It sounds promising. However, this contradicts what my doctor, friends and family have largely said about supplements. That they are a waste of money. If I can get this benefit from supplements, awesome. If I have to eat salmon, boo.
For most supplements its likely you have to give it time.
I've done everything from trying to enhance my brain using nootropics, enhance endurance, and mitigate mild/moderate depression.
And y'know what I take today after all that experimentation? Lol, Vitamin D, Vitamin B, and a medium quality fish oil supplement.
Supplementation falls within a weird area as it covers a lot of different ground. Some of it is BS, while some of it has some scientific ground to stand on.
Based on my own personal research and consultation with my doctor, I've determined fish oil and vitamin d, and probably vitamin b, are safe supplements to take when closely monitored with regular blood work checks, and are highly likely to have positive benefits when taken regularly.
I'd always default to advice from my doctor, and when I mentioned the high dose fish oil and vitamin d, he simply said my blood work looked fine and asked if I felt good, which I did. We closely monitored my blood work as I continued the regimen, and nothing bad really happened after taking these supplements daily for almost a decade now.
I personally take fish oil/d because it helps to regulates my mild to moderate depressive episodes, and the fish oil noticeably reduces inflammation from exercise. I take vitamin B complex mostly to ensure I get enough B12.
Anyways, that's my 20¢ on the topic.
I’m sorry to hear that. It’s tough with studies like this that are longitudinal, because it’s not like everyone has a uniform response. I’m sorry to hear Vitamin D and Omega 3’s haven’t been effective for you. A good salmon is delicious, though, so pluses and minuses.
That was well written and fun to read
It’s so good! Usually, I see pro-supplement sources that have no relation to the literature, but this directly engages with the science in a way that is enjoyable and easy to understand. Just really great stuff.
Well, that's worth a go, then?! Awesome!
My bull-ride on SSRIs and then SNRIs took years before I gave it up as a failed experiment.
Yeah same. They just made me sit in bed for hours, waiting to fall asleep