3 supplements a doctor takes for energy and to help him recover when he’s sick

Zinc

Alam takes zinc in the hope it might make him less sick when he’s exposed to bugs from patients.

“Zinc doesn’t stop you from picking up a bug, but it does reduce how bad the bug or the infection could be when you do get it. So it might reduce the length of time that you’re feeling unwell, or it might reduce the delays in your recovery,” he said.

A 2022 review of studies published in the journal Nutrients found zinc appeared to shorten the duration of colds and lessen symptoms, but more research is needed.

Most people in the US get enough zinc from their diets, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements, but Alam thinks taking zinc supplements is “worth a try” because most doses of zinc from shop-bought supplements “aren’t going to cause any harm.”

It’s important to note, though, that taking too much zinc (more than 40 milligrams a day for adults) can lead to nausea, dizziness, headaches, an upset stomach, vomiting, and loss of appetite, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements.

Vitamin D

From September to whenever the weather improves in the spring, Alam also supplements his diet with vitamin D, which is necessary for bone health, calcium absorption in the gut, reducing inflammation, and immune function, according to the US Office of Dietary Supplements.

“Research says if you were to test every person in the UK at the end of a long winter, probably 40% of us would be vitamin D deficient. Especially with our lifestyles nowadays as we’re more indoors,” he said. In the US, about 35% of adults have vitamin D deficiency, according to Cleveland Clinic.

Guidelines on supplementation are different around the world. For example, the UK government advises people to consider taking vitamin D during the fall and winter, whereas The Endocrine Society doesn’t recommend vitamin D supplementation for healthy adults aged 19 to 74, because research doesn’t suggest a clear amount which is effective for preventing disease.

It’s up to the individual to decide whether to take vitamin D supplements, but, like zinc, they are unlikely to cause harm when taken in safe amounts, Alam said.