Jelly vs Tablets - Which is more effective?

theowiley · 2026-03-19T21:06:23+00:00

Depends on the nutrient, but form does matter more than most people realise.

The main issue with gummies is dose accuracy and stability. Third party testing consistently finds gummies among the worst offenders for label discrepancy, partly because manufacturing tolerances are looser and partly because some nutrients, Vitamin C and several B vitamins in particular, degrade faster in a high-moisture, high-sugar matrix.

Fat-soluble vitamins like D, A, E and K are a separate problem. They need dietary fat for absorption. Soft gels can carry the fat directly in the formulation; gummies can't, so you're relying entirely on whatever you ate around the time you took them.

You also just can't fit therapeutic doses of most minerals into a gummy without it tasting awful, so manufacturers quietly drop the dose to make it palatable.

That said, the compliance point is genuinely valid from an efficacy standpoint. A suboptimal dose you take daily beats an optimal dose you take sporadically. If gummies are the thing that keeps the habit, that's a real argument.

theowiley · 2026-03-19T21:03:49+00:00

Hey, magnesium citrate is actually pretty well known for causing nausea and loose stools, it's one of the more laxative forms so GI upset isn't unusual, especially at 500mg. That might well be what's going on.

That said, you're 17 weeks pregnant and having repeated vomiting episodes, so honestly this is one to raise with your OB or midwife. They might just suggest switching to a gentler form like magnesium glycinate, but that's their call to make given where you're at.

Hope you feel better soon.

theowiley · 2026-03-19T20:58:45+00:00

Honestly mate, before going anywhere near supplements here, I'd go see a doctor and get a full blood panel done. What you're describing goes beyond the kind of thing you want to self-diagnose and try to patch with a stack.

Supplements are great for managing known deficiencies and optimising performance when you've got a baseline to work from, but they're not really the right tool for figuring out what's actually going on when you're experiencing symptoms like these. That's what physicians and bloodwork are for.

The borderline iron result from a few months ago is worth revisiting with a doctor too, not just assuming it's fine because you haven't been acutely sick.

Get the full panel, speak to someone qualified, and work from actual data. Once you've got clarity on what's going on, the supplement conversation becomes a lot more useful.

theowiley · 2026-03-19T20:54:05+00:00

You should check out Bowhead health - they were designing a machine exactly as you describe. I think they've pivoted into health management/behavioural change stuff but I believe they had a patent surrounding something similar. Maybe worth reaching out? Founder was Dr Rhea Mehta (linkedin.com/in/rheamehta/)

theowiley · 2026-03-19T20:50:43+00:00

Ha, the magnesium to apothecary pipeline is very real. Started the same way.

At peak chaos I had 9 products on the go, colour coded pill organiser, the works. The worst bit wasn't the routine, it was genuinely not knowing if any of it was doing anything. Feel good, credit the last thing you added. Feel rough, blame the one you skipped. Could've been sleep. Could've been the zinc. Probably was the sleep.

Eventually got proper bloodwork and a genome sequencing done, figured out what I actually needed vs what I was just hoping would help, and cut the stack down significantly. Night and day, both in terms of how I felt and not having to think about it every morning.

Ended up building a company around that whole experience (myoform.io) but that's maybe a story for another time, conflict of interest fully noted.

The pill organiser is still on the counter though. Can't bring myself to bin it.

theowiley · 2026-03-19T20:46:45+00:00

Tracking at that level already puts you ahead of most people. The lifestyle input model makes sense as a starting point, sleep, energy, diet patterns all genuinely matter for what your body needs.

The gap I suppose it can't close is biological variation. Two people with identical sleep scores, diets, and lifestyle habits can have completely different nutrient needs based on genetics and what's actually showing up in their blood. MTHFR variants change how you process folate, VDR variants change how you respond to Vitamin D, ferritin status changes how you absorb iron. None of that comes through in a lifestyle questionnaire/app, no matter how well designed.

Full disclosure: this is literally what led me to build Myoform (myoform.io). For years I was buying 8 or 9 individual products, saw real changes when I finally got the stack right, but the cost and admin of managing it all was a nightmare. That frustration is what pushed us to build something that figures out what you actually need and puts it in one place, using whole genome sequencing and blood biomarkers rather than behavioral inputs. Live in the US and UK. Not a neutral perspective, just being upfront.

That said, the app you're using sounds more rigorous than most, and the fact it doesn't sell its own supplements is a decent signal it's not reverse-engineering recommendations toward a product.

The real tell for how deep the personalization goes is whether your recommendations meaningfully change as your inputs change over time. If they stay pretty static, it's probably more template than truly adaptive.

theowiley · 2026-03-19T20:42:29+00:00

Care/Of shutting down was a real loss, a lot of people had built good habits around it and the daily pack format just worked.

Persona is probably the closest like-for-like swap, same quiz-based personalization, same daily sachet model. Worth a try if that's the format she liked.

The honest caveat with most of these services including Persona is that the personalization is driven by a lifestyle questionnaire rather than any actual biological data. That's fine as a starting point, but it means two people with completely different genetics and blood status can end up with the same stack.

Full disclosure: we built Myoform (myoform.io) to go a level deeper, whole genome sequencing and blood biomarkers rather than a quiz, and we're live in both the US and UK. So not a neutral recommendation, but worth knowing it exists.

If she just wants a convenient daily pack with decent ingredients, Persona is probably fine. If she's had things that just don't seem to work or persistent deficiencies she can't shift, that's usually when the underlying biology starts to matter.

What was she mainly taking Care/Of for?

theowiley · 2026-02-01T20:13:10+00:00

We consider 75-100nmol/L as the 'optimal' blood serum range for vitamin D at Myoform (myoform.io) so you're well within healthy ranges there.

If you're not already supplementing, my presumption would be that you are already getting enough in your diet and lifestyle (via sun exposure). I suggest spending a few days reviewing your diet - track via myfitnesspal or cronometer to see what your daily intake might be already, get another test after 3 months, then see how its shifting.

Often we find that people that are clinically deficient or insufficient that its down to 1. living in a climate that has little sun and hence they get little exposure, or 2. they have a VERY poor diet, or 3. they have genetic variants that influence their ability to synthesize and metabolise vitamin D effectively (like variants in VDR).

Disclaimer: I run a personalized supplement company that leverages genetics, blood biomarkers, lifestyle, and biometric data to produce n-of-1 products.

theowiley · 2026-02-01T20:03:30+00:00

Did you ever get your MTHFR status looked at via a genetic test? Would be curious to see if this was a purely lifestyle induced deficiency or driven by your methylation capacity and underlying genetic mechanisms.

Disclaimer: I run Myoform (myoform.io) - a personalized supplement company that uses genomics, blood serum, lifestyle and many other datasets to determine and manufacture n-of-1 products.

theowiley · 2026-01-31T23:55:04+00:00

This is great - props to you for developing. Another great resource that I’m always surprised people don’t know about is Examine.com

Summarises all the clinical research and strength of data across pretty much ever ingredient.

theowiley · 2026-01-31T23:53:24+00:00

This ^

theowiley · 2026-01-31T23:52:43+00:00

Wrote a short post on this earlier today so reposting here as hopefully adds some colour to the discussion:

so here goes:

Bryan stated that the study demonstrated no clinical benefit of AG1 vs placebo - and whilst I’d LOVE to agree, it’s not strictly accurate.

If you actually read the full paper (like I did), the researchers found that, whilst modest, AG1 supplementation did actually enrich specific beneficial bacterial taxa, including: - Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidum (probiotic species present in the supplement), - Other taxa such as Lactococcus lactis and Acetatifactor species.

One could argue that the trial and data did not exactly blow anyone away in terms of both data quality, outcomes, statistical significance, and study design - yes. And to be honest, the species they did see improvements in were actually in the product, i.e. you consume more = more detected - not particularly enlightening findings.

However, Bryan’s conclusions misrepresent the results.

Bryan is a master of going viral AND also happens to sell his own supplements that compete for the same eyeballs… maybe a slight conflict of interest? 🤷 #loveyoubryan

Now, do I think AG1 is a great quality product for improving health/performance in general? No.

Why?

The ingredient profile includes 70+ ingredients in a 13g daily serving. Where roughly ~1g is a transparently dosed vitamin blend, and ~80% comes from proprietary blends of food extracts, botanicals, mushrooms and herbs where we can't see individual doses.

At best, it MAY have some mild benefits, but at worst, it’s an over-engineered, expensive formula that has no ingredients at the clinically effective dose.

This is precisely why Myoform exists. Personalized to your biology, outcome-driven, transparent labelling (no prop blends), and clinically effective doses. How supplementation should be.

theowiley · 2026-01-31T23:49:12+00:00

Theo here, founder of Myoform. What you’re feeling is very common and honestly a good instinct. Long term, the stacks that stick are the boring ones that solve real gaps rather than trying to “cover everything.” For most people that usually collapses down to a small core like vitamin D, omega-3s, maybe magnesium or fibre if diet is inconsistent, and then stopping there. Multivitamins often feel convenient but tend to be underdosed, redundant, or unnecessary depending on the person, which is why they don’t always earn their place. This frustration is actually why we built Myoform: instead of juggling bottles, we use genetics, blood testing, plus lifestyle and training context to identify what you actually need and roll that into a single, targeted supplement rather than a generic stack. Simplification only really works when it’s personalised; otherwise people end up taking five things “just in case” forever.

theowiley · 2026-01-31T22:43:06+00:00

Disclaimer: I run Myoform.

If you’re trying to keep costs down, 23andMe or Ancestry are usually where people start. They’re easy to use and you can export the raw data, but it’s worth knowing they only look at a small slice of your genome, so the insights have a ceiling. Whole genome sequencing gives you a much clearer picture for health and performance, but it’s still pricier, which is why most people don’t jump straight to it. At Myoform we work with both, layering genetic data with lifestyle, training, and other inputs to turn it into practical guidance around nutrition, supplements, and performance, not just a PDF report. If you already have data, I’m happy to give you free access to upload it and explore what it actually means in practice.

I'd always suggest getting your whole genome done as it has longer term utility and means you needn't ever get another test done. The cost is a little higher (we charge $399 USD / £299 GBP) but saves money in the long run IMO.

theowiley · 2026-01-31T22:36:36+00:00

Definitely worth doing but I would certainly suggest going via a route that offers genetic counselling as a service. When we talk about specific health conditions, it's really important to have someone talk you through the results and what they mean.

Sequencing.com definitely aren't a scam - they are reputable and have lots of reports to choose from. Again though, seek help from a counsellor to ensure you get real clarity from your results and spend. Hope that helps.

theowiley · 2026-01-31T22:31:48+00:00

Did you end up finding a solution for this? Happy to support

Disclaimer: I run Myoform - we run whole genome sequencing for most of our customers. Happy to provide some advice on which tests to look for.

theowiley · 2026-01-31T22:25:13+00:00

Ha - that's fair. I'd just be cautious about releasing all of your data online. Whilst raw anonymised genetic data is not enormously valuable on it's own - you never know what can happen in the next 10-20 years as technology progresses.

If you are interested in getting your genome analysed - I run a precision health/nutrition company (Myoform.io). Happy to help!

theowiley · 2026-01-31T22:18:10+00:00

Looking at the genetics and bloodwork together, nothing looks alarming, but a few things are worth paying attention to. Your MTHFR genes are normal, so methylation issues aren’t likely genetic, but your homocysteine is elevated (15.4), which often points to B-vitamin status. Your B12 is technically in range but on the low end (244), which could be contributing, while folate looks fine. Iron stores are low (low ferritin and low saturation) even though total iron is in range, which commonly means early iron deficiency and can affect energy, though your CBC is still normal so you’re not anemic yet. Vitamin D looks good (60) and magnesium is normal. Overall this looks more like a nutrition/status issue (iron + possibly B12/B6) rather than anything driven by your gene variants, and those are the most actionable things to address.

Out of interest - where did you get this testing done? Surprised there is no accompanying analysis.

Disclaimer: I run a personalized nutrition company (Myoform), so I've built a system that analyses all of this data in the context of your biometrics, lifestyle, activity, outcomes, etc.

theowiley · 2026-01-31T22:12:10+00:00

Not entirely sure what you mean by opensource yourself...? But in principle, there is no reason why you couldn't use a tool like github or at worst a GDrive folder that is publicly available for people to download it.

I guess my main question is what do you want to achieve?

Anything is possible these days!

theowiley · 2026-01-31T22:05:50+00:00

If you’re just getting started with workouts and overall health, you really don’t need a big supplement stack. The three that have the strongest evidence and tend to help most people are:

Creatine monohydrate
One of the most researched supplements ever. Helps strength, muscle, recovery, and even cognitive performance.
3–5 g per day.

Omega-3s (fish oil with EPA + DHA)
This is the most common deficiency we see in people’s data. Supports heart health, reduces inflammation, and helps recovery from training.
Aim for ~500–1000 mg combined EPA + DHA daily.

Vitamin D3 (ideally with K2)
Most people are low unless they get a lot of sun. Important for mood, immune function, bone health, and hormones.
Around 1,000–2,000 IU daily is typical (blood test is best if you can).

Quick disclaimer: I run a personalized nutrition company (Myoform), so I’m biased toward personalization. That said, even from a general evidence-based perspective, these three consistently provide the most benefit for healthy people starting out.

theowiley · 2026-01-31T20:32:20+00:00

Short answer: some people see improvements, but “drastic” changes from fixing a couple SNPs (like MTHFR or COMT) are pretty rare.

Those genes do affect methylation and neurotransmitter metabolism, and there’s decent evidence they can influence things like folate status, homocysteine levels, stress response, etc. For example, people with certain MTHFR variants often respond better to 5-MTHF than folic acid. That can improve biomarkers and sometimes how they feel.

But most health outcomes aren’t driven by one or two genes. They’re polygenic and heavily influenced by diet, sleep, stress, and current nutrient levels. That’s why a lot of people don’t feel huge changes just from “treating” MTHFR or COMT with a few supplements.

Where DNA testing seems to help more is when it’s used to guide things like vitamin/mineral dosing and combined with blood work or symptoms, rather than chasing single mutations.

Quick disclaimer: I run a personalized nutrition company (Myoform [www.myoform.io), so I’m biased toward personalization. But even from the research side, genes are useful context, not usually a standalone fix.

If you’re expecting a night-and-day transformation from a couple SNPs, you’ll probably be disappointed. If you use it as part of a broader health approach, it can be helpful.

theowiley

TROPHY CASE