Advice on taking Magnesium, Omega 3, Calcium and Iron Supplements..?

Oh my.... you are good and great questions!!!   I'm close to 50 and I take a calcium pill that has magnesium in it.  I also take fish oil and a few other things in the morning with my smoothie. They also have some Vit D in them..  I have read that Vit D is very important so I take one with 2000 iu's.   I'm anemic at times so I take an iron pill a couple times a week   just to keep my iron up.  I have read that too much is not a good thing so I figured a couple times a week won't hurt.  I also eat spinach everyday which is a good source of iron.   I usually take these in the morning but I do take the iron pill at night.  Don't know why I do this maybe because I feel I take too many in the morning.  I heard that the iron pill shouldn't be taken with milk which is what you said but that's it.   I take a fish oil vit in the morning but I have read that cod liver oil has mental benefits so I switch back and forth with  those two.

Hi Tanz, that's a very good combination you have there. I take all of those except the calcium.

The iron can cause constipation if you take too much of it, so watch out for this. Also, I would add zinc into your list! Take as much vitamin C as you like, as any excess is just flushed out with no side effects.

I would say though, taking supplements is good, but changing your diet is better! Eating as much organic food would be a good idea as the amount of things that go into 'normal' food is so damaging to our body's systems. The best thing you can do is to research which foods contain the supplements you are most interested in taking, and start incorporating  them into your diet. Only the foods you actually like though, otherwise you will give up! It really is true (as boring as it might be) but eating a balanced diet really is the best thing for your health. I have some health problems (including depression/anxiety/stress) and I am taking the supplements while I change my diet. I may continue to keep taking some of them (namely B vitamins, magnesium, vitamin D3...and iodine to protect my thyroid) but I'm intending on getting my diet right, so I can rely on that instead!

Avoid eating from plastic containers/bottles. Many plastic items contain BPA which interferes with hormone receptors, and apparently at least one study has found that a replacement chemical is just as bad.

One last thing I would add. It would be a good idea to start taking pre-biotics (such as inulin) and a high dose probiotic. If you have a healthy stomach and intestines then you will absorb nutrients better. The health of your digestive system itself is vitally important to both your physical and mental health, as what goes on in there affects every other process in your body. And relax! Take half an hour every day just to switch off and do some deep breathing. This will engage your parasympathetic nervous system, which is the 'relaxed' state. And exercise...just a half hour walk in the fresh air, every day, will do. Doesn't have to be hours at the gym! 

So supplements, yes,...but they are not a substitute for a balanced (organic!) diet. Add a little exercise and relaxation in every day, and take those probiotics! Oh yes, and avoid alcohol as much as possible, and not too much caffeine. And if you have to take antibiotics at any time then make sure you take those prebiotics and probiotics along with them, otherwise your gut will get unhealthy again.

I wish I'd had all this info and been doing all this when I was 19!! It's taken me another 20 odd years, but finally I am getting there!