We all have those amazing friends that help us be our best self — and we do the same for them! But did you know that certain nutrients make dynamic duos too?

 

Some supplement pairings amplify each other’s benefits, and others work to complement and elevate the effects of another to help you achieve optimal wellbeing. Here are a few of our favorite wellness pairings to try.

 

#1 Turmeric + Black Pepper

 

Don’t let their common names fool you! Turmeric and black pepper have plenty of amazing benefits to offer beyond tantalizing your taste buds, and they work better when taken together.

 

Benefits of Turmeric

 

Turmeric is a wellness powerhouse that supports digestion, cognitive health, joints, skin and more. That’s primarily due to a potent antioxidant within turmeric known as curcumin. Curcumin isn’t easily absorbed by your body, but that’s where black pepper can help.

 

Benefits of Black Pepper

 

Unassuming black pepper has a surprisingly varied nutritional profile, containing magnesium, vitamin K, phosphorus, iron, calcium, fiber and small amounts of several other nutrients. Black pepper may also have antioxidant and gastroprotective properties.

 

While you aren’t likely to eat enough black pepper to meet your requirements of those nutrients every day, just knowing that you’re getting a little extra nutrition when you add black pepper to a dish certainly doesn’t hurt!

 

Why Pair Turmeric with Black Pepper?

 

A substance in black pepper known as piperine increases the bioavailability of turmeric. It does so by delaying the metabolic breakdown of turmeric compounds in the gut and liver to allow higher levels of those compounds to stay in the body for longer, thus increasing the amount of time your body has to absorb those compounds before they are eliminated from your body.

 

#2 Prebiotics + Probiotics

 

You may associate probiotics with yogurt, and while it’s true that some yogurts do contain them (if the label says “live active cultures”), there are many other beneficial types and sources of probiotics. Plus, prebiotics help probiotics thrive. Here’s the scoop!

 

Benefits of Probiotics

 

Your body is home to trillions of organisms, both good and bad, and it’s important to maintain balance. Probiotics are the good types of bacteria in your body that aid digestion, help keep your immune system functioning and promote general wellbeing.

 

Taking a probiotic supplement is a great way to reinforce your gut with beneficial bacteria that helps keep your system in check, so the good guys outweigh the bad.

 

Benefits of Prebiotics

 

Prebiotics are a type of dietary fiber that feeds and nourishes the healthy bacteria in your system. This special type of fiber isn’t digested by us, instead it is digested by the good types of bacteria in the gut to help them flourish.

 

Natural sources of prebiotics include chicory root, dandelion greens, garlic, leeks, and barley, but taking a supplement that contains both prebiotics and probiotics can help you get the right ratio in a convenient way.

 

Why Take Prebiotics with Probiotics?

 

Without prebiotics, healthy gut bacteria can’t flourish. Think of it as a garden. Taking probiotics is like adding plants to your garden, and taking prebiotics is like adding fertilizer to your garden. Both are beneficial to the garden, just in different ways. And for the healthiest garden, you add both.

 

 

#3 Calcium + Vitamin D

 

Your body is continuously remodeling your skeletal system through a combination of reabsorbing old bone and creating new. Every ten years, you basically have a completely different skeleton! To keep bones strong throughout those changes, you need a steady supply of bone-supporting nutrition, and calcium and vitamin D are at the top of that nutrient list for bone health. These two nutrients have many other benefits too!

 

Benefits of Calcium

 

When you consume calcium, it’s stored in your bones and teeth and plays a crucial role in building new, strong bones. Calcium is also involved in muscle contraction, nerve signal transmission, hormone release, blood vessel function and more.8 This mineral is absolutely essential for keeping your body healthy.

 

Benefits of Vitamin D

 

Vitamin D promotes calcium absorption in the gut to help us replenish our levels of this vital mineral needed for new growth and remodeling of bones. Vitamin D also plays a role in immune function, modulation of cellular growth, neuromuscular function and more.

 

Why Take Calcium & Vitamin D Together?

 

These two nutrients are more powerful together because without adequate vitamin D levels our bodies won’t absorb enough of the calcium we consume. Taking calcium alone just isn’t enough. Vitamin D also helps us maintain adequate phosphate levels, which is another factor in bone growth and remodeling.

 

Although our bodies make some vitamin D after our skin is exposed to the sun’s rays, lack of sun exposure or wearing sunscreen limits our ability to do so. Also, as we age our skin becomes less efficient at synthesizing vitamin D. So, make sure you get enough of these vital nutrients by taking a combined calcium and vitamin D supplement.

 

#4 Vitamin E + Omega-3

 

Vitamin E and omega-3 supplements are among the most popular nutritional supplements available. These two nutrients are often taken together because they provide some similar and complementary benefits to our health.

 

Benefits of Vitamin E

 

Vitamin E is important for vision, reproduction, and the health of our blood, brain and skin. It also has an antioxidant effect, helping to protect your cells from damaging free radicals. Vitamin E was the very first supplement sold by Swanson® nearly 50 years ago!

 

Benefits of Omega-3

 

Omega-3 fatty acids, including both eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), are most well-known for promoting heart and brain health, but omega-3s also support healthy eyes, joints, bones, and skin. Plus, it may help you sleep better and have a more positive mood.

 

Why Take Vitamin E and Omega-3 Together?

 

Omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E work in combination to promote and protect wellbeing. The protective qualities of vitamin E extend to protecting omega-3 fatty acids in the brain, making these two a winning combo for supporting cognitive health.

 

EPA and DHA are both needed for healthy cognition, and low levels of vitamin E have been linked to memory concerns. Both nutrients also support skin health, including healthy collagen, and vitamin E offers additional skin-calming benefits.

 

#5 Vitamin C + Zinc

 

If you keep your medicine cabinet stocked with vitamin C and zinc, you’re on the right track. These two nutrients are well known for supporting immune health year round and especially during winter months. Let’s explore the benefits of both and why they’re better together.

 

Benefits of Vitamin C

 

Experts say vitamin C is one of the “safest and most effective nutrients,” and it may even support longevity. It offers benefits for immune health and heart health while promoting healthy eyes and skin too. Vitamin C also boasts some anti-aging skin benefits due to its antioxidant effects and its role in collagen production.

 

Benefits of Zinc

 

Zinc is a trace element that helps stimulate at least 100 enzymes in our bodies. It’s best known for supporting immune health, which it does by activating T cells and helping control and regulate immune response. Researchers also say that ensuring adequate levels of zinc may reduce our risk of some age-related health concerns. Zinc also plays roles in fertility, hair growth, brain health and more.

 

Why Take Vitamin C and Zinc Together?

 

Taking vitamin C and zinc together gives your body multifaceted immune health support along with many additional benefits from both nutrients. This is a potent antioxidant combo that reinforces your body’s defenses and overall wellbeing. 

 

Many of the nutrients above are healthy on their own, but when taken in the right pairings they can complement and even enhance the effects of each other. And some of the most beneficial nutrients need a little help to give you optimal support.

 

Just like those stellar nutrient pairings, Swanson strives to be your best wellness partner. We’re here to help educate you on a range of health and wellness topics while providing high-quality nutrition to help you on your wellness journey.