Supplement like me

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Actually Good Things is a weekly newsletter from a human woman who makes a living trying, testing, and digesting everything.

This week—while rewatching Judd Apatow’s Love on Netflix, an obvious successor to my recent Girls rewatch and the 2016 nostalgia no one’s talking about—I’m taking stock of my supplement stack.

I’m pretty into supplements, albeit with a healthy amount of skepticism. After researching, reading about, and trying it all, more than a few products have become part of my permanent routine.

Here are actually good things in my supplement stack.*

Ritual multivitamin

I’ve been taking these snowglobe-looking, cool-girl vitamins for a decade. They say women of childbearing age should take a prenatal (or multivitamin—something with folic acid) just in case, even if you have no plans to get pregnant.

You can get them on Amazon, though it’s a better deal to subscribe to monthly deliveries through Ritual.

They have a men’s formula now, too.

Chewable creatine

I’ve basically been convinced of the worthwhile benefits of creatine (especially for women) for a while now. But finding an easy way to take it has been the real hurdle.

I like the chewable tablets from Momentous, particularly the strawberry flavor. You’re supposed to take five a day (5 g), but this is the recommendation for an “average-sized human” (see: man), so I just take four.

Iron

I had low hemoglobin with both pregnancies and was told by my medical team to take iron. Then I had a similar result with a biological age test I did last year. So, now I take iron pills.

(I also wonder if a previous deficiency was thinning my hair—it’s a lot better now.)

Fish oil

I’ve taken fish oil pills for years. My optometrist recommended TG Omega-3 after I had eye surgery last fall.

I also like Sports Research, a bit more affordable per serving.

Grüns

Grüns are little packs of bear-shaped, strawberry-flavored gummy vitamins for people who eat gummy vitamins and go, “Mmmm! I want more”. They’re quite good.

They’re on Amazon, but again, it’s cheaper to subscribe through the brand’s website.

(Related: Did you know the green Haribo gummy bear is strawberry-flavored? This changed everything for me.)

Protein, protein, protein

It feels like the internet is bullying everyone into eating more protein. I resist the peer pressure—but if adding protein doesn’t subtract from the taste or texture, what’s the harm?

This protein creamer goes in my coffee every morning. I go through two pouches a month.

I also like this protein powder in the brown sugar oatmeal flavor. I add it to coffee, mix it into oatmeal, or make protein ice cream with my Ninja Creami. (The Creami’s shaved-ice format allows you to make “ice cream” out of almost anything, even water-based stuff, like diet soda or crushed watermelon. So, I’ve obviously made a watermelon-and-diet-7UP frozen treat.)

After sampling a Built Sour Puff bar at Costco, I bought a whole box. Ingredients? Collagen and chemicals. Taste? Effing awesome—a true win in food chemistry. (The brand also has a chocolate-coated strawberry one reminiscent of the best Charleston Chew flavor.)

NAD+

NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) is a coenzyme in every cell of the body, but levels drop naturally with age. I’ve been doing at-home injections a few times a month since last July-ish.

The research says it can help with energy, sleep, skin, muscle strength, and longevity. From personal experience, I think it’s the real deal.

I order through Shed. It’s a little more affordable than AgelessRx.

Lemme melatonin + magnesium

These taste so damn good and make me feel sleepy and cozy.

Once again, available on Amazon but a better deal if you buy two or more directly from the brand.

Sleepy powder sticks

You can mix these powder packets with water or sparkling seltzer to whip up a “sleepy-girl mocktail.” Or empty a pack onto your tongue like you’re a ‘90s tween enjoying Pixie Stix. The tart cherry flavor is right on the money.

Old-lady pill organizer

I use this pill organizer at home and take this one with me on trips.

Also: At the risk of stating the obvious, I’m not a medical professional—I’m just a one-person experiment talking about products I’ve used and like.

*Some products with affiliate links might earn me a small commission. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

What I’m reading lately:

• Little Children, a novel by Tom Perrotta

• New York Magazine | The Gentle-Parenting Trap

• The Wall Street Journal | The Problem With Sleep Right Now Is Shame About Sleep

What I’ve written lately:

HGTV | Is the Lola Blanket Really Worth the Splurge Price Tag?

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