Tired, Foggy, Inflamed? These 6 Supplements Can Help You Bounce Back

There is hope to escape the fog

Created by Christopher Caffrey, ACNP, PMHNP

April 3rd 2025

It feels like most of us are barely functioning humans just trying to get through the day without collapsing into a Netflix coma. You wake up tired, work tired, eat like a vending machine snack addict, and then wonder why your body’s giving you the finger by 3 p.m.

Here’s the truth bomb: your body isn’t broken. It’s just under-supplied. And no, that $12 multivitamin from the grocery store that smells like an old tire isn’t fixing anything. If you want to actually feel better, you need to start with the basics. I’m talking foundational supplementation.

This isn’t meant to be medical advice—just me sharing what I’m passionate about in hopes it opens up some new options or ideas for you. Doses should be individualized with the oversight of a doctor or medical practitioner.

The Loophole They Don’t Want You to Know (But It’s Legal, Promise)

Look, the U.S. healthcare system is basically a twisted game of Monopoly where you need a decoder ring just to use your own damn money. Enter: FSA (flexible spending accounts) and HSA (health savings accounts)—those magical buckets of pre-tax cash you can use for “qualified medical expenses.”

Sounds great, right? Until you realize the IRS has the imagination of a potato and limits you to stuff like bandages and prescription meds. Want to use your FSA or HSA for supplements that actually help your gut, brain, or energy levels? Too bad—unless you’ve got the golden ticket: a Letter of Medical Necessity (LMN).

That’s where FlexUp Wellness comes in. We’re a telehealth service that connects you with licensed providers who evaluate your health and, if it makes sense, issue LMNs so you can use your pre-tax dollars on high-quality supplements (among other things). Translation? Less money to Uncle Sam, more money toward feeling like a functioning human being. Also, there is no affiliation with the brands recommended.

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Ok, back to the supplements! Here’s the baseline stack that does actual work in your body:

1. O.N.E. Multivitamin (“Pure Encapsulations”) – Because Food is Not Nutritious Anymore

We like to think we’re eating healthy. But even your kale is tired. Thanks to soil depletion, shipping, herbicides, insecticides, disrupted plant biome and your microwave addiction, you’re not getting the nutrients you think you are.

O.N.E. Multivitamin is basically the Rolls Royce of multivitamins. High-potency. No fillers. All the necessities, Methylated B-vitamins, CoQ10, sufficient dose of zinc, inositol for anxiety, alpha lipoic acid for blood sugar control, and more. It’s what your body would order if it could talk.

Benefits:

• Fills in micronutrient gaps from diet (because life is busy and your lunch was beige).

• Supports energy, cognition, immune function, and detoxification.

• Contains methylated B12 and folate, which your body can actually absorb and use (especially important if you’ve got that MTHFR gene mutation).

• Supports thyroid function with key nutrients like selenium, iodine, and zinc.

• Helps reduce homocysteine levels, lowering cardiovascular risk.

• Supports eye health with lutein and zeaxanthin (built-in screen time insurance).

• Improves cellular repair and antioxidant defense with vitamins A, C, E, and trace minerals.

  
  

Pathophysiology (aka Nerd Stuff): Vitamins and minerals act like the oil and spark plugs of your body’s engine. When you’re low, stuff breaks. O.N.E. keeps your mitochondria from filing a resignation letter.

Dose: 1 capsule/day

Cost: ~$45/month

2. Vitamin D3 + K2 (“Now”) – The Dynamic Duo That Keeps You Alive

Let’s be real—you’re not getting enough sun unless you’re a shirtless farmer. And your arteries? Yeah, they’re probably catching some stray calcium.

D3 + K2 is your tag team of hormone-like vitamin and artery bodyguard. D3 tells calcium where to go. K2 makes sure it listens.

Benefits:

• Promotes immune regulation, mood stability, bone health, and heart protection.

• D3 helps absorb calcium; K2 stops it from killing you by shuttling it away from your arteries.

• Supports muscle strength and function, reducing risk of falls and frailty (especially in older adults).

• Reduces risk of autoimmune diseases like MS, Type 1 diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis (especially when D levels are optimized early).

• May improve insulin sensitivity and metabolic function, helping to stabilize blood sugar.

• Improves dental health by directing calcium and minerals into teeth enamel (K2 is big here).

  
  

Pathophys Breakdown: D3 acts like a genetic switchboard operator for over 1000 genes. K2 tells calcium to take a hike when it tries to settle in your arteries and return to your bones.

Dose: 2000–5000 IU D3 + 100–200 mcg K2

Cost: ~$15/month

3. Magnesium Glycinate (“Douglas Labs”) – For Sleep, Poop, and Sanity

Low magnesium is the silent epidemic no one talks about. You’re stressed, wired, and your leg twitches at night like a haunted marionette. Coincidence? Nope.

Benefits:

• Sleep, muscle relaxation, digestion, nerve health, headache prevention, improve mood and anxiety.

• Regulates blood sugar and improves insulin sensitivity—helpful in prediabetes and metabolic syndrome.

• Supports heart rhythm and blood pressure—magnesium is key for cardiovascular stability.

• Reduces PMS symptoms—cramps, bloating, mood swings, the whole emotional rollercoaster.

• May help reduce symptoms of restless leg syndrome (RLS)—your legs deserve peace too.

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Pathophys Nerdery: Magnesium is a cofactor for over 300 enzymatic reactions. It literally calms your nervous system and muscles. Low magnesium? Say hello to anxiety, cramps, and chronic constipation.

Dose: 200–400 mg/day

Cost: ~$20/month

4. Time-Release Vitamin C (“Solaray”) – Not Just for Pirates

Vitamin C is the Swiss Army knife of antioxidants. Except it usually floods your bloodstream and leaves after 30 minutes. That’s like watering your plants with a fire hose.

Time-release means slow, steady release = actual benefit.

Benefits:

• Supports immunity like a Boss, joint and skin health, adrenal function.

• Antioxidant protection like a personal bodyguard for your cells.

• Speeds up wound healing (your skin’s emergency repair kit).

• Enhances iron absorption from plant-based foods (key for preventing anemia).

• Helps regulate histamine levels, reducing severity of allergies.

• May reduce the duration and severity of colds—not a cure, but it shaves off suffering time.

  
  

Science-ish Explainer: Vitamin C is a water-soluble antioxidant that donates electrons to free radicals (a.k.a. inflammation’s angry little minions). Time-release means less pee and more function.

Dose: 500–1000 mg/day

Cost: ~$10/month

5. Omega-3s (“Ayush”) – Brain Fuel and Inflammation Fire Extinguisher

If your brain feels like dial-up internet, there’s a good chance you’re low on Omega-3s. Your body needs EPA and DHA. It cannot make them. And no, that flaxseed oil isn’t cutting it.

Benefits:

• Improves mood, focus, inflammation, joint function, triglycerides.

• Good for your heart and your ability to not rage-quit your life at 2pm.

• Improves mood, focus, reduces inflammation, supports joint function, and lowers triglycerides.

• Boosts heart health and reduces the odds you’ll rage-quit life at 2pm.

• Supports brain development and memory—so you stop forgetting why you walked into a room.

• Helps reduce symptoms of ADHD and depression, naturally.

• May reduce autoimmune flare-ups and improve skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis.

• Supports eye health and helps prevent macular degeneration (aka future-you can keep scrolling TikTok).

• Improves sleep quality by supporting melatonin release and reducing nighttime inflammation.

• Supports metabolic health, including insulin sensitivity and blood sugar regulation.

• Reduces liver fat—especially helpful in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

• Improves fertility in both men and women by enhancing sperm quality and egg health.

• Helps with menstrual cramps—shown to reduce prostaglandin production (those are the jerks responsible for cramps).

• Reduces anxiety symptoms, especially when combined with other mood-supportive strategies.

• Protects against age-related cognitive decline and diseases like Alzheimer’s.

• Improves bone strength by enhancing calcium absorption and reducing bone breakdown.

• Supports healthy aging by lengthening telomeres (yes, literally helping your cells live longer). 

…sold on it yet?

Nerd Mode: EPA/DHA slot into your cell membranes and tell inflammatory molecules to calm the hell down. They also help with neurotransmitter function. 

Translation: happier, calmer, smarter, healthier, sexier.

Dose: 1000–2000 mg EPA/DHA/day

Cost: ~$35/month

6. Broad-Spectrum Probiotic (Florassist Balance by “Life Extension” or Seed) – Gut Health or Bust

Your gut is the control center of your health. It handles digestion, immunity, mood, even your skin. And it’s been under attack since you were force-fed antibiotics in 4th grade.

Florassist or Seed are broad-spectrum, science-backed probiotics that are acid resistant to survive the stomach. Otherwise, it is estimated only 7% of microbes survive the stomach acid in standard probiotics.

Benefits:

• Balances gut flora, supports digestion, and helps regulate mood by influencing the gut-brain axis.

• Helps with IBS, bloating, and the post-burrito regret spiral.

• Supports immune health by enhancing the gut’s barrier function and training immune cells to chill the hell out (reducing inflammation and autoimmunity).

• Improves bowel regularity—helps with both constipation and diarrhea (nature’s reset button).

• Reduces severity and duration of respiratory infections (some strains like Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Bifidobacterium have shown this).

• Enhances nutrient absorption, especially B vitamins and short-chain fatty acids like butyrate—your colon’s favorite snack.

  
  

How It Works: Probiotics regulate the immune response in the gut and prevent leaky gut syndrome (aka the gateway to chronic inflammation). The good bugs keep the bad bugs in check. It's the Game of Thrones of your digestive system.

Dose: 1-2 capsules daily

Cost: ~$50/month for seed, ~$28/month for Florassist Balance

💸 Let’s Talk Money (Because Supplements Ain’t Free)

Buying all this out of pocket? Yeah, it adds up. But you don’t have to go broke trying to be healthy. This is where Flexup Wellness steps in like a financial fairy godparent.

Here’s the cheat code:

• Do a quick online health evaluation with Flexup Wellness.

• Get up to 3 Letters of Medical Necessity for supplements or other requested coverage.

• Use your HSA/FSA like a boss to cover more health treatments.

• On average, Save ~30% by using the HSA/FSA.

• Also get Fullscript access (15% off everything + free shipping over $50. Plus an option for an additional 10% off with customized auto shipping).

  
  

It’s legit. It’s legal. And it’s kind of genius.

Final Thought: Your Health Is an Investment, Not a Charity Case

You don’t need to be perfect. But if you’re showing up to life with an empty nutrient tank, you’re not giving yourself a fighting chance. These supplements are baseline—not "extra."

So if you’re ready to stop feeling like a tired, bloated, mildly depressed being, maybe it’s time to level up.

Start with the basics. Use your pre-tax dollars wisely. Get your FlexUp evaluation, and stop pretending that caffeine is a long-term health plan.