Taking More Than One Supplement? How to Check for Overlap
Vitamin D, zinc, creatine, turmeric and caffeine can each show up in more than one formula. Here is a simple way to add them up before you combine products.
In short
Before you take two products together, add up any ingredient that appears in both. Pay most attention to vitamin D and zinc, which have official upper limits, and to anything that should not be doubled, like creatine or senna.
The 3-step check
- Lay the Supplement Facts panels side by side (every product page has a photo).
- Circle any ingredient that appears on more than one label.
- Add up the amounts per day and compare with the upper limit, if there is one.
Overlaps in our range
| Ingredient | Where you will find it | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Vitamin D3 | Vitamin D3 + K2 (125 mcg), Immune+ (40 mcg) | Together: 165 mcg (6,600 IU). The NIH upper limit for adults is 100 mcg (4,000 IU) unless your doctor advises more. |
| Zinc | Vision + Antioxidant (40 mg), Immune+ (11 mg), Metabolism + Balance (7.5 mg) | The NIH upper limit is 40 mg a day from all sources. Vision + Antioxidant reaches it alone. |
| Vitamin C | Vision + Antioxidant (250 mg), Immune+ (180 mg), Metabolism + Balance (100 mg) | Well under the 2,000 mg upper limit even combined. |
| Creatine | Creatine Monohydrate (5.6 g), Creatine+ (5,000 mg), and the Starter, Plant-Based Performance and Endurance & Recovery bundles (Creatine+) | Pick one creatine product a day. |
| Turmeric | Turmeric + BioPerine (635 mg root powder), Milk Thistle + Turmeric (300 mg), Glucosamine + MSM (200 mg) | Combining is common, but check with your doctor if you take blood thinners or have gallbladder issues. |
| Caffeine | Mind + Energy | Count your coffee, tea and energy drinks too. |
| Senna | Senna + Probiotics, Senna + Psyllium | Do not take both. Senna is for short-term use only. |
Good pairings
Many products are designed to sit side by side with no overlap, which is why we bundle them. For example, Turmeric + BioPerine and Glucosamine + MSM in the Movement & Mobility Bundle, or Mind + Energy in the morning with Sleep+ at night.
When to ask a professional
If you take prescription medication, are pregnant or nursing, or are combining more than three or four products, show the labels to your doctor or pharmacist. It takes five minutes and they can spot interactions a label cannot.
Keep reading
- Questions to ask your doctor: a checklist for your next visit
- How to read a Supplement Facts panel: every line, explained
This article is general information, not medical advice.
