I once counted the supplements a patient brought to her appointment. Twelve. Twelve different bottles, representing a monthly spend I estimated at over SGD 400. Some were duplicating each other. Two were interacting in ways that weren’t helpful. One was for a specific deficiency that her blood tests had never confirmed she had.
She had been prescribed almost none of them by a physician. She had assembled the collection from Instagram recommendations, a health influencer she trusted, and a supplement company’s website quiz.
I’m not going to catalogue the supplement industry’s failures here. What I will do is tell you what I actually recommend, and why — and be honest about the substantial category of supplements that I think are consuming money that would be better spent elsewhere.
The one I recommend most
Omega-3 fatty acids — specifically EPA and DHA, from marine sources. This is not a surprising answer, but it is the correct one, and the depth of the evidence behind it is worth articulating.
Omega-3s reduce systemic inflammatory markers including CRP and IL-6, at clinically meaningful doses (1.5–3g of combined EPA+DHA daily) [1]. They support cardiovascular health independently of lipid effects. They improve skin lipid barrier function — relevant for the dry, dehydrated skin I see constantly in perimenopausal women. They have a growing evidence base in mood support, particularly in women. They support retinal and cognitive function.
The research quality on omega-3s is better than for almost any other supplement category. Multiple large, well-controlled randomised trials exist. The benefit-to-risk ratio is excellent. The formulation matters — triglyceride form is better absorbed than ethyl ester — and the product must be independently tested for oxidation and heavy metals.
I take omega-3s daily. I have for years. I recommend them to virtually every patient as a first supplement priority.
The others with good evidence
Vitamin D. In Singapore, despite year-round sun, vitamin D deficiency is prevalent — particularly in people with Fitzpatrick phototypes IV-VI who spend significant time indoors in air-conditioned environments. Vitamin D deficiency is associated with increased inflammatory markers, bone loss, impaired immune function, and emerging evidence links it to mood disorders and cognitive function [2]. Test your level first; supplement according to the result. Target serum level: 100–150 nmol/L. Most people in Singapore need 2000–5000 IU daily to achieve this.
Magnesium glycinate. Magnesium is a cofactor in over 300 enzymatic reactions and is substantially depleted by chronic stress, heavy exercise, and poor sleep — all common in the demographic I treat. Deficiency is associated with poor sleep quality, muscle cramping, elevated cardiovascular risk, and worsened insulin resistance. Glycinate form is best tolerated and best absorbed. 300–400mg before bed improves sleep quality for many patients and is safe long-term.
Creatine monohydrate. I know this surprises people. Creatine is typically associated with gym culture and men. But the evidence base for creatine in women over 40 is genuinely compelling: it supports muscle protein synthesis, improves high-intensity exercise performance, and has emerging evidence for cognitive support — specifically in perimenopausal women where brain energy metabolism is compromised [3]. 3–5g daily, consistently. Cheap, safe, and effective.
The ones I think are overprescribed or overpriced
Collagen supplements. I’ve discussed these elsewhere — there is evidence, but it is modest and the product quality and dose vary enormously. A well-formulated collagen supplement at adequate dose (minimum 2.5g) is not a waste of money if your diet is low in collagen precursors. But expensive collagen drinks with high sugar content are counterproductive.
Biotin for hair. Unless you have a confirmed biotin deficiency (rare), high-dose biotin supplementation does not improve hair growth in people with normal levels. It is, however, excellent at producing false-positive thyroid and cardiac biomarker results on blood tests — a clinically important issue that most people taking it are unaware of. Tell your doctor if you’re taking it before any blood test.
Most probiotic supplements. The evidence for specific probiotic strains in specific conditions is growing and genuinely interesting. The evidence for general-purpose multi-strain probiotics in healthy adults — which is what most people are taking — is weak. If you’re taking a probiotic for general “gut health” without a specific indication, the science doesn’t strongly support it. Fermented foods are a better evidence-based investment.
Resveratrol. Repeatedly hyped. The human evidence remains weak and inconsistent despite compelling animal data. Bioavailability is poor in standard oral forms. I don’t recommend it and I don’t take it.
Antioxidant megadosing. High-dose vitamin C, vitamin E, and other antioxidants in supplement form have repeatedly failed to show mortality benefit and have in some contexts shown harm — particularly high-dose vitamin E and beta-carotene in smokers. The body’s antioxidant system is enzymatic and tightly regulated; flooding it with exogenous antioxidants does not simply amplify the beneficial effects. Get antioxidants from food.
The Singapore consideration
The supplement market in Singapore is large and inadequately regulated. Some products sold as supplements contain undeclared pharmaceutical ingredients — particularly weight loss and sexual health products. The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) regularly issues alerts about adulterated supplements. Buying from established international brands with third-party testing certification (NSF, USP, or Informed Sport) significantly reduces this risk.
What you can actually do
Test before you supplement. Vitamin D, B12, ferritin, omega-3 index, and magnesium (red blood cell magnesium, not serum) are all assessable from blood. Supplementing without knowing your baseline is guessing.
Prioritise supplements with robust evidence: omega-3s, vitamin D (if deficient), magnesium glycinate, and creatine if you’re strength training.
Be sceptical of anything that claims to address multiple conditions through a single mechanism, anything promoted primarily by people being paid to promote it, and anything that promises results equivalent to clinical interventions.
The supplement industry is very good at being compelling. That is not the same as being evidence-based.
Good supplementation is thoughtful, targeted, and built on actual data. It is the fourth tier of a health strategy, after sleep, movement, and nutrition.
Not the first.
References
[1] Calder, P. C. (2015). Marine omega-3 fatty acids and inflammatory processes: Effects, mechanisms and clinical relevance. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta, 1851(4), 469–484. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbalip.2014.08.010 [VERIFY — confirm before publishing]
[2] Holick, M. F. (2007). Vitamin D deficiency. New England Journal of Medicine, 357(3), 266–281. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMra070553 [VERIFY — confirm before publishing]
[3] Smith-Ryan, A. E., et al. (2021). Creatine supplementation in women’s health: A lifespan perspective. Nutrients, 13(3), 877. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13030877 [VERIFY — confirm before publishing]
