Injections, transdermal patches, under-the-tongue drops, liposomal liquids and more… supplements are undergoing a radical overhaul. Here’s the lowdown on how to choose the right one for maximum benefit.
Words: Joanna Ebsworth. Images: Shutterstock and various brands.
The days of haphazardly popping multivitamin tablets and hoping for results might well and truly be over. More than ever, busy women are swapping generic “one-size-fit-all” formulas for smart, science-driven supplements that work hard to tackle a multitude of specific health, wellbeing and beauty concerns, from balancing hormones and increasing energy levels to improving sleep quality and even boosting your mood and libido.
Furthermore, women are increasingly demanding measurable outcomes they can actually see and feel. And in doing so, they are paying greater attention to ingredient quality and transparency (no hidden fillers, additives, sugars or sweeteners, thank you!), the precise dosages they receive, and delivery methods that optimise absorption, so the supplement works as effectively as possible.
Which goes a long way to explaining why we are now seeing a plethora of new supplement delivery mechanisms on the market that all claim to work better than the traditional tablets and pills of yesteryear, from intravenous infusions (injections) and patches you stick on your skin (transdermal), to liquids you drop under the tongue (sublingual) and little strips of film you place inside your cheeks (ODF).
But do these innovative delivery systems really deliver better results? Or are these flashy new formats of supplementation simply a marketing ploy designed to get you to part with your hard-earned money?
‘There’s a clear shift away from traditional tablets and capsules as consumers look for faster absorption, higher bioavailability and more intuitive rituals,’ says pharmacist, formulator and homeopath Margo Marrone (former co-founder of The Organic Pharmacy), co-founder of wellness beauty brand Eyeam (eyeamworld.com).
‘Nutrients such as magnesium, for example, often bypass digestive barriers far more effectively when delivered via liposomal liquids, sublingual drops or transdermal systems, meaning these methods reduce gut breakdown, improve uptake and support more consistent dosing.’
This, says Marrone, is why her brand focuses on transdermal magnesium, which absorbs through the skin into underlying tissues to support muscle relaxation, nervous-system regulation, sleep and hormone balance.
‘While research shows that oral tablets often have limited absorption, topical magnesium can offer quicker and more direct uptake – and massage further enhances this effect, making transdermal application both efficient and ritualistic.
‘So, these formats aren’t trends – they’re a smarter, more holistic approach to supplementation’.
Intravenous injections
In a world where busy people want to feel better, faster, intravenous (IV) therapy has become a popular choice with executives, athletes, biohackers and celebrities who don’t want to wait months for their supplements to work.
Often promising immediate and noticeable results, IV therapy rapidly and safely replenishes key vitamins and nutrients in meaningful levels to support cellular repair, strengthen the immune system, reduce inflammation, promote detoxification, enhance hormone metabolism and encourage healthy ageing. But just what makes this method so much more effective than old-school supplements?
‘IV nutrient therapy is one of the most efficient ways to restore micronutrient balance because it bypasses the digestive tract entirely,’ says nurse Kerry-Dene Ihlenfeldt, clinical director of IVBoost UK (ivboost.uk), where Editor-in-Chief Katy Sunnassee recently enjoyed a Myers Cocktail treatment to boost her immune system.
‘Many people – through stress, gut inflammation, medication use or underlying health conditions – absorb only a fraction of what they ingest orally. With intravenous delivery, however, we can achieve optimal blood concentrations immediately, allowing nutrients such as vitamin C, magnesium, B-complex vitamins and amino acids to be used by cells straight away. And this can be transformative for energy, immunity and recovery,’ says Ihlenfeldt.
When selecting an IV provider, she recommends choosing a clinic where mixtures are prepared freshly to order – rather than relying on pre-mixed bags that often contain stabilisers and lose potency over time – and checking that ingredients are pharmaceutical-grade and preservative-free.
Not sure what type of IV nutrient therapy to have? Former cover star Caprice Bourret is a fan of methylene blue IV therapy, which is said to provide a diverse range of benefits including improved brain heath, increased energy and delayed cellular ageing, and editor Katy also recommends the same after having it at the Nuutro Health and Wellness Clinic (nuutro.co.uk).
TRY THIS! Subcutaneous injections
The era of IV NAD+ drips is fading fast as practitioners recognise that, for most people, mega-doses of this longevity-boosting molecule are unnecessary unless there’s a specific, clinically confirmed depletion.
The smart at-home alternative? Try a “little and often” approach using low-dose, high-purity subcutaneous injections that skip the digestive step for maximum absorption.
We recommend the sleek, portable and reusable Bio Atelier Bio Pen Auto-injector (from £245, bio-atelier.co), which delivers pharmaceutical-grade NAD+ in precise microdoses for effective cellular restoration that helps to improve focus, energy and overall wellness.
Transdermal patches
Stick-on supplements are all the rage in the beauty and wellness world right now because they release ingredients through the skin and bypass the digestive system altogether.
‘This has the benefit of avoiding the stomach and any digestive issues which may impair absorption, and avoiding negative interactions with other foods and supplements taken,’ says ex Vogue beauty editor Kelly Gilbert, who launched vitamin patch brand The What Supp Co (thewhatsupp.com) after she found swallowing pills unappealing and inconvenient.
‘Unlike pills, patches don’t come with fillers, binders and other unnecessary ingredients. They are totally portable and flexible in their use, and they don’t need to be timed with meals or taken with water,’ explains Kelly.
Wearing a patch also provides a visual cue to encourage repeat use. It reminds the wearer they are doing something good for themselves, and this encourages compliance, which is crucial. By making supplement-taking easier in this way, it removes the “chore” element from what is a daily habit for millions of women with so much else on their minds.
TRY THIS!
The What Supp Co Protect Your Energy Vitamin Patches
Kind Patches Defence Patches
The Patch Collection Menopause Patch
Sublingual
Meaning “under the tongue”, sublingual supplements – usually in the form of drops and sprays – are absorbed via the capillaries under your tongue, meaning the vitamins and nutrients bypass your gut and go straight into the bloodstream so your body is able to use them faster and more effectively.
Ideal for anyone with digestion issues or difficulty swallowing pills, common sublingual supplements include vitamins B12, C and D. However, Beauty Dropz nutritionist Jacqueline McCusker notes: ‘Edible skincare is a growing trend, which pivots on ingestible beauty supplements, working from the inside out to provide essential nutrients and enhanced skin health.
‘When taken orally, nutrients are delivered to the skin through circulation. This can result in more widespread benefits compared to topical products, which only penetrate the outer layers of the skin.’
TRY THIS!
Bare Biology Beam & Balance Spray
BeautyDropz Niacinamide Vitamin Drops
BlueIron High Strength Iron Drops
Liposomal
Pharmaceutical-grade liposomal delivery uses tiny, fat-like bubbles called liposomes (made from phospholipids, like our cell membranes) to encapsulate vitamins and nutrients and protect them from digestion, helping them cross into the bloodstream for better absorption.
‘By protecting nutrients like vitamin C and delivering them directly to cells almost intact, it offers far better bioavailability than standard supplements,’ says nutritional therapist Jacqueline Newson. ‘And that means rapid and stronger support for immunity and energy, especially when the body needs it most.’
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Altrient Liposomal Vitamin B and Mineral Complex
Natroceutics Vitamin C Complete
Elle Sera Liposomal Magnesium Bisglycinate
Orodispersible film
Looking for a fuss-free way to take your vitamins on the go? ‘Orodispersible films (ODFs) are an innovative oral dosage form designed to dissolve quickly on the tongue without needing water, offering a convenient alternative to tablets or capsules,’ says James Gibson, product manager at IBSA UK (ibsacare.co.uk).
And because key ingredients begin absorbing directly through the mouth’s mucosal tissue where there is a rich blood supply, nutrients can enter circulation more quickly than with traditional pills, which need to break down in the stomach first.
‘This rapid absorption is also particularly valuable for a product designed to be taken just before meals, where speed and timing dramatically influence effectiveness,’ says Earth’s Secret founder Amy Peacock, whose Regulate strips help to slow the breakdown of carbs in the small intestine to reduce sharp post-meal glucose spikes.
TRY THIS!
Earth’s Secret Regulate
IBSA Vitamin D3
Diso B12 Oral strips
TRY THIS! Cutting-edge capsules
The Epetõme Synbiotic Duo Cap (£54.99 for 30 servings, epetome.com) uses a ”capsule-in-capsule” delivery system – said to be 30x more effective than a standard capsule – designed to improve the survival of live bacteria that make it to the gut so they can do their best work.
‘The outer capsule dissolves first in the stomach and releases prebiotic FOS fibre along with vitamin D3, biotin and zinc, while the inner capsule contains 50 billion live bacteria,’ says BSC-qualified nutritionist and Epetõme founder Emily English.
‘The outer shell protects this as it moves through the acidic conditions of the stomach, where standard capsules often get dissolved, resulting in the bacteria not surviving.
‘By shielding the live bacterial strains during this stage, the duo-cap structure helps a higher proportion reach the intestines alive. And once the inner capsule reaches the small intestine, it breaks down and releases the bacteria in an active state’.
