JULY 7, 2026 11:00
Kim Kardashian recently revealed that she takes no fewer than 35 dietary supplements every day as part of her wellness routine. While the confession sparked widespread interest on social media, nutrition experts explain that when it comes to dietary supplements, more is not necessarily better
According to Limor Tal Pony, the chief dietitian of Maccabi Healthcare Services, the extreme wellness trend represented by quite a few celebrities is often based on a misconception. “Many people think that if a supplement does not help, at least it does not harm. In practice, we know that not only is a nutritional deficiency dangerous, but an excess can also cause toxicity and health damage,” she explains
According to her, taking dozens of supplements a day creates a significant burden on the digestive system, liver, and kidneys, which are responsible for the breakdown, absorption, and elimination of substances from the body. In addition, many vitamins and minerals compete with one another for absorption mechanisms in the intestine. “When large quantities of supplements are consumed simultaneously, it is possible that one component will impair the absorption of another essential component,” she says.
According to Tal Pony, the answer is generally yes
“Dietary supplements should be given according to a real need and not as a trend. It is advisable to start with a diagnosis of a nutritional deficiency, such as a lack of iron, vitamin D, vitamin B12, or folic acid, or in special situations such as pregnancy, veganism, absorption disorders, or intense sports activity.”
In cases where high doses of certain supplements are taken, she recommends performing periodic blood tests to ensure that the levels do not reach ranges that could be toxic
According to the expert, overconsumption of vitamins and minerals can cause real health damage
An excess of vitamin A can cause headaches, blurred vision, liver damage, and even increase the risk of fractures in the long term
An excess of vitamin D can lead to a dangerous increase in blood calcium levels, a condition that can cause the formation of kidney stones and calcium accumulation in the blood vessels
Vitamin E as well, which is perceived by many as a safe supplement, can increase the risk of bleeding at high doses
In addition, an excess of zinc can impair copper absorption and cause anemia, while a combination of dozens of supplements simultaneously significantly increases the risk of interactions with prescription drugs
Lilach Serzo, a senior naturopath at the Ecosupp company, believes that the important question is not how many supplements are taken, but rather how effective they truly are. “This is not wellness, it is smart wellness,” she says. “Health is not measured by the number of capsules we swallow every day.”
According to her, the body is incapable of dealing with an unlimited amount of components simultaneously. Some of the vitamins and minerals compete with one another, some reduce the availability of others, and sometimes an unnecessary duplication is created
“The goal is to choose the right components, in a form that the body knows how to utilize optimally, and not to overload with dozens of different products,” she explains
Both experts agree that the foundation for good health should come from the plate and not from the pill bottle
Tal Pony recommends adopting the “food first” approach and basing the menu on vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, and foods rich in natural nutritional components
“It is better to take two or three high-quality, research-based supplements than a cocktail of 35 pills, some of which cancel out the effect of others,” she concludes
The main message of the experts is clear: Before adopting the supplement routine of celebrities, it is worthwhile to check what the body truly needs. Sometimes less is actually more
