5 Reasons Your Supplements Aren’t Working (and What to Do Instead)
You’re taking supplements, but you’re not feeling better. Why?
In an initial naturopathic consultation, I will often ask my client what they have tried in the past - what worked, what didn’t and how they feel about their health right now. One of the most common frustration I hear from new clients is around supplements and that they feel like they have already spent a fortune - all for it to feel like a scam.
I get it. You’ve done your research, watched a lot of Tiktok’s and most likely been influenced to splurge on “miracle high-strength” powders and yet, nothing seems to shift. You’re still tired. Still bloated. Still stuck. So what’s going wrong?
The truth is, supplements can be incredibly powerful tools for healing — but only when they’re used appropriately and when they genuinely meet the needs of your body. It’s not just about taking something that’s “good for you” — it needs to be the right form, the right dose, and made with high-quality ingredients. More often than not, that means using practitioner only products that are specifically designed to deliver therapeutic results. unfortunately, most of the advice circulating online is… well, oversimplified at best, and outright misleading at worst.
Here are five common mistakes I see with supplement use, and how to avoid them so you actually get the results you’re looking for.
1. Taking poor quality products in the wrong form or dose
One of the biggest mistakes I see is choosing supplements based purely on price or what’s available at the chemist or supermarket. Unfortunately, these off-the-shelf options often contain cheap, synthetic ingredients in forms your body can’t absorb properly. The dose is also often subtherapeutic — just enough to make a health claim on the label, but nowhere near enough to deliver results.
What to do instead:
Work with a qualified practitioner who can prescribe practitioner-only supplements. These are higher quality, better absorbed, and tailored to your exact needs. A good practitioner who knows about your medical history and what medications you are currently taking will be able to advise you the best supplement to take for your needs right now.
2. Using a one-size-fits-all approach
Just because a supplement worked for your friend or went viral on TikTok doesn’t mean it’s right for you. Your body has unique biochemistry, genetics, and needs — and taking the wrong nutrient (or the right one in the wrong context) can make things worse.
I see this often with hormone-related supplements. A woman starts taking Vitex or DIM because she “heard it balances hormones,” but it ends up worsening her symptoms because she didn’t consider her individual hormone levels, detox capacity, or metabolism. She might also be experiencing a symptom that appears to be related to condition A but is actually more to do with condition B and approaching it in the wrong way makes everything worse.
What to do instead:
Get professional support. I always tailor supplement plans based on pathology, your current symptoms, medication use, and your health goals. No guessing, no wasting money.
3. Using supplements to mask symptoms rather than treat the cause
Supplements can’t override poor diet, chronic stress, poor sleep, or deep underlying dysfunction.
This is something I need to gently remind my clients of often. While supplements can play a valuable role in your healing journey especially when we use them strategically, they are not a substitute for foundational health. If you're living off processed food, drinking too much alcohol, sleeping poorly, running on stress hormones, and ignoring the deeper drivers of your symptoms, no supplement in the world will truly “fix” that.
Yes, you might feel a temporary boost in energy or notice a slight reduction in symptoms. But if you're using supplements to simply get through the day or to mask symptoms without addressing what’s actually causing them, it’s a bit like painting over a mouldy wall without fixing the leak underneath. One day you won’t be able to ignore the truth and the extent of the damage.
When we take the approach of symptom suppression without root cause resolution we can unintentionally prolong the healing process. And while we may have the illusion of progress, underneath, the body is still struggling and that light tap tap at the door will become louder and louder until you have no choice but to properly deal with it.
What to do instead:
True healing happens when we support the whole person. That means looking at your nutrition, stress levels, sleep quality, movement, nervous system regulation, and emotional wellbeing — not just giving you a pill (natural or otherwise) to make a symptom go away.
So while supplements are absolutely part of my toolkit as a naturopath, they are never the only tool. I want them to work for you — not become a crutch. When we pair the right supplements with a deeper, holistic strategy, that’s when we start to see real, lasting change.
4. Not giving them enough time to work
We live in a culture of instant gratification — but the body doesn’t work like that. Most supplements take time to correct deficiencies, restore balance, or rebuild function. If you stop after a week or two because you didn’t feel “something,” you might be missing their full therapeutic potential. And going back to point 3 - you are using supplements as part of your holistic treatment plan. You need to be patient, allow the supplements time to work while also making sure to eat well, drink water, move your body, get fresh air and sunshine and prioritise yourself.
What to do instead:
Be patient. Depending on the issue, it can take weeks to months for supplements to show their full effect — especially when you’re addressing deeper layers like hormonal repair, gut healing, or nervous system regulation.
5. Forgetting to take them altogether
You’d be surprised how often I hear this — and no judgement at all! Life is full, and it’s easy to forget your protocol, especially when it involves more than one product or specific timing.
What to do instead:
I always work with clients to create simple, sustainable supplement routines that feel doable (not overwhelming). And if you’re someone who forgets, it might be a sign we need to strip it back and focus on what’s truly essential. BUT please make sure you communicate how you are feeling with your naturopath. Don’t ever feel guilty if after saying you could handle something - turns out in the day to day it feels too overwhelming for you right now. Your naturopath will be able to revise your prescription and give you some extra support.
So. At the end of the day…….
What I want you to remember is it’s not just what you take, it’s how you take it. The right supplements are tools — powerful ones — but they’re only effective when they’re the right tools, used in the right way for you. That’s why I never take a generic approach. I don’t ever want you to waste your money on ineffective products. Instead I want you to feel like you have clarity on what you are taking and strategic support that works with your body — not against it.
If you’re not sure whether your supplements are really working for you or if you’ve been trying all the things and still not getting results, I’d love to support you. It can feel incredibly confusing trying to figure out what’s actually right for your body, especially when there’s so much conflicting advice out there.
If you’re curious about working with a naturopath, exploring Metabolic Balance®, or want to learn more about how yoga therapy, Reiki or EFT might support your health — you’re very welcome to book a free discovery call with me. It’s a chance to have a proper chat, ask any questions, and work out what approach feels right for you.
You can book your free call HERE, or if you’re feeling ready to dive in, you’re also welcome to book an Initial Naturopathic Consultation so we can start creating a personalised plan to get your health back on track — and have you feeling like yourself again.