I take some 50+ multi vitamins - Wellman at the moment. I think it's hard to say definitively what difference they're making, but they are a low effort intervention so I'm sticking with them.
An electrolyte pill. Vit D/K2. Everything else comes from beef and eggs. Never fitter!
71 years old. I take vit D but have a very healthy vegetarian diet thanks to my wonderful wife. To have reached my age and still be fit and healthy is something I am very grateful for and most of the credit goes to what I have and haven't eaten over the past 50 years
"Active", or active?
I'm relatively active (cycling, skiing, skydiving) and take a sport focussed one a day vitamin tablet (I think it has boosted Mg and some other stuff) to back up the coffee and the constant internalised hate. Other than that, I rely on eating a bunch of veg and fruit and drinking water before and during training.
Vit D in the winter plus a general multivitamin tablet. The Vit D has made a noticeable difference to my level of grumpiness. Minimal alcohol, a bit of caffeine and a reasonable diet. As much exercise and time outdoors as I can cope with.
At 51, until I bust my leg a few weeks ago, I'm as fit as I've ever been and the same weight as I was at 21.
I take much the same as the others here, but ive been on holiday for a month so had stopped, now i have a cold for the first time in a few years
And caffeine. Recent research shows caffeine is more effective than micro-dosing psylocibin for
Any links to this research plz?
A decent diet and virtually no highly processed food and a daily vitamin d supplement works for me, I'm 67 and not on any medication and only drink in moderation. I have been retired for 8 years and it does allow me to get a lot more exercise than if I was working
In order of what I perceive as most beneficial:
Healthy Diet - mainly cooked from scratch
Really cut down on alcohol
Multi- vitamin - really only for the vitamin D but they cost the same and the extra vits aren't going to do any harm
Omega oils
Protein shakes - 20g of protein - as much as an afternoon snack replacement as anything
Creatine 3/4g a day
Cod Liver Oil and Iron.
Katie Kookaburra has just done a YouTube video on supplements for cyclists. Can't link at the moment.
Vit D3&K2 liquid drops (allegedly better absorption rate than tablets), Magnesium Glycinate, Omega 3 capsules, Iodine / Selenium tabs. CoQ10 as my mitochondria are gubbed thanks to Fluoroquinolone damage. Recently started on Creatine and Collagen, which seem to be helping both fatigue and aches.
I'm still mid-40s... late-mid 40s... okay I'm late 40s.
Creatine, Omega 3 and Magnesium. I get them all from Nutrition Geeks, I don't know if 'posh' ones are better / worth the money over the normal supermarket stuff, but they make all sorts of claims which if nothing else give a placebo effect.
Creatine has helped me noticeably with recovery after rides etc, Omega 3 I've been taking for years and it has a mental as well as a physical benefit for me. The Magnesium, I'm not so sure on, it's supposedly to help with sleep, but I didn't feel any different, I'm just told none of us have enough.
Other than that, I stretch every day, I don't drink too much and do a bit of resistance training. I try to limit stress in my life. I try to eat well.
I may try some Vit D, I feels like I haven't seen the sky, let alone Sun for months and I feel pretty rough at the moment, could be that.
I'm way past caring about my 'beach body', I'm working to keep doing the things I want to do for as long as possible. I can still 'get away' with most things these days, couple of days riding in a row, late nights, long days in work etc, but at some point I know I'm going to suffer.
So many of my school mates are a wreck already. Poor diet, drinking daily to try to manage their stress, little or no physical activity.
An electrolyte pill. Vit D/K2. Everything else comes from beef and eggs. Never fitter!
No lamb chops?
During covid era started taking vit D, but now I'm just taking a general A-Z multivitamin, lidl own brand.
Thinking from the comments above should maybe be taking more Vit D, the multi's contain 5ug / 100% RDA.
What dose are folks above taking?
My current ones are 100ug - so 2000% RDA.
Helpful info about the requirement for magnesium to usefully use it above I didn't know. I 'think' my diet should be good for magnesium......but it might be worth adding that to my rattle tin too just in case.
I hadn't realised that Creatine was so popular. I assume folk are consuming it in powder form? If so, is is the sort of thing you could just sprinkle over muesli/oats etc?
is is the sort of thing you could just sprinkle over muesli/oats etc?
Yes but I find it easiest stirred into a drink
Creatine is a powder that you dissolve in water.
https://www.theguardian.com/wellness/2025/may/15/what-is-creatine-benefits-drawbacks
Mine is a powder. I just pop it in a small glass of water/juice/squash and swirl it around to get it in suspension and chug it down. Apparently better alongside food and to avoid caffeine around when you take it to help it absorb properly. I used to put it in my morning smoothie but learnt that's not a good idea unless you are going to drink it straight away as it starts to break down. I often don't drink my smoothie for a few hours so seemed like an own goal. Can't see why you couldn't just sprinkle it.
Lots! Mainly plant-based supplements following a prostate cancer diagnosis, the main ones being Salvestrol and Lycopene which have been shown to have positive benefits - my blood PSA has reduced to a level considered ‘normal’ for my age. I also take B, D, magnesium, zinc and milk thistle - haven’t had a cold, flu or COVID all winter despite numerous outbreaks and I work in a shop.
Cod Liver Oil and Iron.
Katie Kookaburra has just done a YouTube video on supplements for cyclists. Can't link at the moment.
Came to mention that, mainly because she had blood tests that identified what she was low in. Not sure whether Vit D, iron, testosterone get tested in the over 50s MOT, would be interested to get that sort of blood test done - preferably by someone not selling the resultant supplements.
... forgot to mention that I get annual blood tests from my GP - mainly to monitor for CVD due to family history, but I get the full monty of blood tests. I don't think they test for testosterone but given how easily I build strength and muscle I'm not sure it's an issue.
I'm actually thinking of paying for DEXA scan to see where I am in terms of visceral fat but mainly because I'm a massive sports science nerd
Also on creatine, a spoonful dissolved in first tea of the day. Not sure if it actually helps but the science seems solid. Nothing else. Wife randomly feeds me a multivitamin about once a month but our diet is generally pretty good with lots of varied fresh veg and fruit (but also a few too many crisps and pastries).
Can you purchase any tasty drinks that contain Creatine?
I've never seen any drinks with creatine, normally it's powder, gummies or tablets.
Can you purchase any tasty drinks that contain Creatine?
I doubt it. It starts to break down once dissolved and needs consuming quickly. once in solution.
To be honest, buying it as an expensive drink would be daft anyway - one of its benefits is how comparatively cheap it is - 3 months supply for a tenner kind of cheap.
Can you purchase any tasty drinks that contain Creatine?
Holland & Barret do some drinks but at £15 for ten servings (and what I'd consider undersized servings at 3g creatine a time) it is a non starter given you can stir some powder into a drink you actually like
Interesting thread.
We seem to be discovering a lot about the human gut biome which it seems to have a massive effect on our health & wellbeing can affect the body across all of its systems (including brain function I believe).
Fibre fuels the gut biome yet it turns out that according the the National Diet and Nutrition Survey, 96% of British people don't get anything like enough. This rather turns the perception of fibre from a boring stool softener into an essential macronutrient (and that's without taking into account the fact that it reduces instances of bowel cancer).
It's perhaps not as sexy as creatine but probably is something we should all be looking at (as a vegan who lives on nuts and beans I hope my intake is reasonable).
I seem to have picked up from somewhere that 30g a day is about where we should be aiming.
“Fibre fuels the gut biome yet it turns out that according the the National Diet and Nutrition Survey, 96% of British people don't get anything like enough. This rather turns the perception of fibre from a boring stool softener into an essential macronutrient (and that's without taking into account the fact that it reduces instances of bowel cancer).”
what absolute trot. Fibre is not a macro nutrient. Fat, protein, carbs and arguably alcohol. That’s it. Fibre is also nutritionally lacking and indigestible. However it’s very good at agitating your gut lining, intestinal tract, colon and ringpiece.
Cheers all interesting food for thought (pun) I'm gonna try a few months of an array of supplements from nutrition geeks and see what happens.
Don't take anything but have tried most things, more protein, Multivitamins, Vit D, Creatine (which just made me constantly thirsty) which made no difference I could see, luckily I'm very very rarely ill (had covid in 2021 but zero illness since) BUT am constantly tired at 49 and have stopped doing a few of the things I enjoy as often as a result hence the trying things to try and improve the situation.
what absolute trot. Fibre is not a macro nutrient. Fat, protein, carbs and arguably alcohol. That’s it. Fibre is also nutritionally lacking and indigestible. However it’s very good at agitating your gut lining, intestinal tract, colon and ringpiece.
'Fibre is not a macro nutrient. Fat, protein, carbs' - fibre is a carb, just an indigestible one.
'nutritionally lacking and indigestible' - yes that's the whole point you muppet. It is not absorbed by the digestion so it's there for the microorganisms in the gut to eat. Try googling 'secondary metabolites'.
'good at agitating your gut lining' - how can that possibly be true (in a normal healthy individual) when human beings have evolved to eat plants since time immemorial?!
Fibre is also nutritionally lacking and indigestible. However it’s very good at agitating your gut lining, intestinal tract, colon and ringpiece.
From the NHS:
There is strong evidence that eating plenty of fibre is associated with a lower risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and bowel cancer.
The study of the gut biome is in it's relative infancy but there is increasing evidence that it is an extremely important part of our immune system. It also seems, perhaps counterintuitively, that it affects our brain, mood and mental health. Even potentially things like Parkinson's disease. Fibre has been shown to be an important substrate on which beneficial gut bacteria thrive and there are new studies all the time suggesting it is vital for our health.
I know from your previous posts you are an avowed vegetable dodger with what many would consider an extreme diet. You eat what you want, but I'd rather base my consumption of fibre on scientific and medical consensus.
The medical co0nsensus is clear and lampchop has a faddy diet that is actively damaging his health. the evidence on fibre is clear.
The work on gut biome is very interesting
60 yr old here...had a few bits and piece removed (half the pancreas, gall bladder, duodenum..bit of stomach...cancer) so I struggle with some foodstuffs but try to eat healthily and it seems to be working well, 5 yrs down the line (wife to thank for the diet) and only take a multi Vit tablet (incl Vit D) Although living in SW France, I've never shown as deficient in vit d over the last few blood tests. I do try to increase my protein intake as I age...but avoiding the 'High in Protein' nonsense stuff that has similar lavels to the 'normal' stuff....(Sleep well, don't drink alcohol, training (pretty effectively I think) to ride LEJoG in 2 months)
Forgot to mention the gut biome thing, as that’s the primary reason for many of the supplements - predominantly eating a veggie diet these days with minimum saturated fats, dairy whilst avoiding HPFs and sugars. We’ve both lost a chunk of weight and do feel better for it,
Interesting article from the Parkinson's Foundation about the "gut-brain axis", it's link to Parkinson's and the importance of a plant rich, high fibre diet.
Try to find those without bulking agent
Daily:
1. Vitamin D 12,000iu
2. Selenium
3. Iodine
Every 3 months or occasionally:
1. Zinc
2. Magnesium citrate
3. Vitamin B complex
4. Vitamin K2
Prevention being better than cure - i started on supplements before 50.
Currently:
Vit D
Complex vit B
Omega 3 Fish oil capsule
Sterol tabs
Tumeric
Ensure taking 160g protein daily. This requires at least 1 protein shake, and to this/these I blend in combination of pumpkin seeds/milled flax seed/walnuts.
*recently started drinking chia seeds and lemon - or tadpoles as they look when pre-soaked !!
I keep a big tub of a 4 seed mix handy. Chia, flax, pumpkin and sunflower. It goes on porridge, muesli in stews and curries and gets sprinkled on roasted vegetables.
which do you see the best benefits from
I go with evidence. I used to take glucosamine until quality studies failed to show more than marginal effect. it's harmless and cheap though.
I do take creatine as I do weights to maintain muscle mass. I take vit D in winter. Er I think that's it. I drink loads of coffee and a bit too much wine, and have a healthy diet. Am over 60. Managed two surfs, one of them shite, and a short bike ride today. Feel like I'm doing okay. For now.
I keep forgetting to take vit D, really need to get into the habit.
Somebody in this thread said they noticed a difference after 2 days. My understanding is that is takes several weeks/months to build up. If that is the case wouldn't it be better to take it all year rather than just in the winter?
Hmm interesting article here on vitamin D
I keep forgetting to take vit D, really need to get into the habit.
Somebody in this thread said they noticed a difference after 2 days. My understanding is that is takes several weeks/months to build up. If that is the case wouldn't it be better to take it all year rather than just in the winter?
15 mins in the sun gives you Vit D of 10k to 25k iu for lighter skin colour.
I take 12,000iu per day and if I can recall it will take a while (8 to 12 weeks) to get to the right level.
There is special prescription in other countries with Vit D of 20,000iu per tablet, which you cannot get in the UK. The ones on prescription is very much better than the over the counter Vit D.
The current over the counter Vit D has a maximum of 4,000iu only at Holland and Barret, and very expensive.
The other vitamin lacking in UK diet is iodine. Unless, you frequently have fish in your diet (twice a week if I can recall as minimum), it is mostly likely that the iodine level might need to be topped up too.
These are the most basic vitamins we should have in our body, but they are also the most lacking type of vitamins for most people in UK.
Please go to YouTube and search for Dr John Campbell on Vitamin D. Plenty of good information there.
This is the latest I think.
john campbell is not a medical doctor and is a charletan
vit d. 400 to 800iu is recommended . 4000iu and above is where you risk toxic side effects
