The Supplements Women Are Spending Millions On…But Do They Actually Work?
Our female health expert cuts through the wellness noise on the best supplements for women, perimenopause support, fatigue, collagen and the products you may not actually need.
Scroll social media for more than 30 seconds and you'll be told you need a supplement for almost everything: better skin, less bloating, balanced hormones, more energy, improved sleep, shinier hair, reduced cortisol and a healthier gut.
The global wellness industry is booming, but according to female health GP and fitness expert Dr Athalie Redwood-Brown, better known online as Dr Arm, many women are spending huge amounts of money on supplements without understanding what their bodies actually need.
And in many cases? The answer is far less glamorous than TikTok would have you believe.
"Most women don't need more supplements," says Dr Arm. "They need the right supplements."
Here, the YOUR Personal Training female health expert breaks down the best supplements for women, the truth about collagen, the reality of perimenopause supplements, and the symptoms women should stop ignoring.
Is Collagen Actually Worth It?
"Collagen is more marketing than medicine."
Collagen has become one of the biggest wellness trends in the world, marketed as the answer to everything from wrinkles and joint pain to stronger hair and glowing skin.
"Collagen sounds very targeted, but your body doesn't actually use it that way," Athalie explains. "When you consume collagen, it's broken down into amino acids, just like any other protein source."
In other words, your £50 collagen powder may not be doing anything dramatically different to a balanced diet containing adequate protein.
"There's limited evidence that collagen meaningfully improves skin or joints beyond what a healthy, protein-rich diet already provides," she says. "For many women, it's become an expensive extra rather than a necessity."
It's a timely reminder that when it comes to supplements, expensive doesn't always mean effective.
What Are the Symptoms Women Keep Dismissing As Normal?
"Fatigue isn't always 'just life', it's often a deficiency."
One of the biggest issues Dr Arm sees in clinic is women normalising symptoms that may actually point to nutritional deficiencies or hormone issues.
"Ongoing fatigue, brain fog, hair thinning, feeling cold all the time, poor recovery, or becoming breathless easily are often brushed off as 'just being busy'," she explains. "But they commonly point to iron deficiency, low B12 or low vitamin D."
Around 1 in 5 people in the UK have low vitamin D levels, according to NHS guidance — making deficiency far more common than most women realise. The British Dietetic Association identifies iron deficiency as the most common nutritional deficiency in UK women of childbearing age, yet it frequently goes undiagnosed.
Heavy periods are one of the biggest culprits yet many women simply accept the symptoms.
"Women are incredibly good at minimising what they're experiencing, heavy periods and exhaustion are frequently normalised when they shouldn't be."
If symptoms persist, she advises women to seek proper medical assessment rather than self-diagnosing through social media wellness trends.
What Are the Best Supplements for Women Over 35?
Searches for best supplements for women over 35 and best perimenopause supplements have exploded online in recent years, but Dr Arm says the answer is usually far simpler than women expect.
"Most women don't need a cupboard full of supplements."
If she had to narrow it down to just three commonly useful supplements for women over 35, they would be:
Vitamin D
Particularly important in the UK during winter months or for women with low sunlight exposure.
"Vitamin D supports bone health, immune function and overall wellbeing," says Dr Arm.
Creatine
"Creatine is one of the few supplements that actually earns its reputation."
Creatine is one of the most well-researched supplements, with strong evidence for improving strength, muscle function, and recovery.
"It works by helping cells produce rapid energy, especially muscle. There's also emerging evidence for cognitive benefits…so goodbye brain fog."
The form that's been studied is creatine monohydrate — simple and inexpensive. A typical dose is 3–5g per day, taken consistently.
A 2017 position stand from the International Society of Sports Nutrition confirmed creatine monohydrate to be safe, effective, and one of the most extensively studied sports supplements available, with over 500 peer-reviewed studies on record.
Omega-3
Especially for women who eat very little oily fish.
"Omega-3 can support heart health and brain health, which becomes increasingly important as women age."
Iron, but only when needed
This is where many women go wrong.
"Iron should never be taken blindly," she warns. "But women with heavy periods or diagnosed iron deficiency may genuinely benefit."
The key theme? Targeted supplementation.
"The goal shouldn't be to take more products," says Dr Arm. "It should be identifying what your body may actually be lacking."
Why Supplements Aren't Fixing Your Fatigue
"You can't out-supplement poor sleep and chronic stress."
Perhaps the biggest myth in modern wellness culture is the idea that a single supplement can "fix" low energy, stubborn weight gain or hormonal symptoms.
Real health is rarely that simple.
"The biggest mistake women make is trying to solve complex symptoms with one powder, pill or gummy," she says.
In reality, low energy and hormonal symptoms are often being driven by:
Poor sleep
Chronic stress
Blood sugar instability
Under-fuelling
Burnout
Lifestyle habits
Or underlying medical conditions
"Supplements can absolutely support health," she says. "But they won't override poor recovery, chronic stress or inadequate sleep."
Do Perimenopause Supplements Actually Work?
"Supplements can support perimenopause, but they're not a solution."
With searches for best supplements for perimenopause soaring, the market has responded with an avalanche of powders, pills and hormone-balancing products aimed at women in midlife.
But Dr Arm says women should be cautious about expecting miracles.
"Perimenopause is driven by hormonal changes," she explains. "Some supplements may help support specific symptoms, for example magnesium threonate may help sleep quality, but overall the evidence is often modest."
She believes the most effective approach looks at the whole picture:
Strength training
Nutrition
Sleep
Stress management
Recovery
Hormonal health
Lifestyle habits
"That's why women come to me," she says. "Because they want someone to help them understand the whole picture, not just sell them another supplement."
Are Expensive Supplements Better?
"Price doesn't equal quality."
Wellness branding has become incredibly sophisticated but according to Dr Arm, many premium supplements are expensive because of marketing, not science.
"What matters is the dose, the form of the nutrient and whether the product has been independently tested," she explains.
In many cases, heavily branded supplements are charging more for lifestyle positioning than proven effectiveness.
"Higher cost doesn't automatically mean better results."
The Supplements Dr Arm Actually Takes
For someone working in women's health, her own supplement routine is surprisingly simple.
"I use supplements to fill gaps rather than as a default," she says.
Her personal stack includes:
Vitamin D during winter
Magnesium for sleep and recovery
Occasional B12 depending on diet and energy
Zinc if she feels run down
Glucosamine during periods of heavy training load
"What works for one person may be completely unnecessary for another."
The Bottom Line on Women's Supplements
In an era of wellness overload, women need less noise and more evidence-based guidance.
The best supplements for women aren't necessarily the trendiest, the most expensive or the most heavily marketed.
Often, they're the simplest.
And before reaching for another powder promising to "fix hormones", women may benefit more from asking bigger questions around sleep, stress, nutrition, recovery and whether their symptoms deserve proper medical attention in the first place.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is collagen worth taking for skin and joints?
For most women, evidence supporting collagen supplements is limited. The body breaks down collagen into amino acids just like any other protein — it cannot be directed specifically to skin or joints. A protein-rich diet from whole food sources is likely to be equally effective and significantly cheaper.
What are the most evidence-based supplements for women over 35?
Vitamin D, creatine monohydrate, and omega-3 are among the most well-supported by research. Vitamin D is particularly relevant in the UK given limited sunlight for much of the year. Creatine supports muscle function, strength, and recovery with emerging evidence on cognitive benefits. Omega-3 supports heart and brain health, especially for women who eat little oily fish.
Can creatine help with brain fog and energy in women?
Creatine helps muscle cells produce rapid energy, supporting strength and recovery. There is emerging research pointing to cognitive benefits — including reductions in mental fatigue and improved performance under pressure. It is one of the most studied supplements in sports science with a strong safety record at 3–5g of creatine monohydrate per day.
Why aren't my supplements fixing my tiredness?
Fatigue is rarely caused by a single nutritional gap. Low energy is most commonly driven by poor sleep, chronic stress, blood sugar instability, under-fuelling, or an underlying medical condition. Supplements can support health where genuine deficiencies exist, but they cannot override the fundamentals. If tiredness persists despite good sleep and nutrition, a GP assessment is the most effective next step.
Do perimenopause supplements actually work?
Perimenopause is driven by hormonal changes, and no supplement replicates the effects of hormone therapy where it is clinically appropriate. Some supplements — such as magnesium for sleep quality — may help with specific symptoms, but evidence is generally modest. Strength training, good nutrition, sleep, and stress management tend to produce more consistent improvements.
Should all women take iron supplements?
Iron should not be taken without confirmed deficiency, as excess iron carries its own health risks. Women with heavy periods or a diagnosis of iron deficiency anaemia may genuinely benefit. A straightforward blood test confirms whether iron is needed — supplementing blindly is not recommended.
Expert source: Dr Athalie Redwood-Brown PhD is a Senior Lecturer in Sport Science at Nottingham Trent University, a REPS Level 3 Personal Trainer, and a member of the British Association of Sport and Exercise Psychologists. Her research focuses on exercise, health, and the role of physical activity in managing chronic disease. View her full profile at NTU.