How To Form A Supplement Habit That Actually Sticks

Research shows that more than 90% of Americans fall short of recommended intake levels for one or more vitamins and minerals through diet alone (1), and nearly a third of the US population has at least one confirmed vitamin deficiency or anemia (2). 

This article looks at the nutrients most commonly falling short in US adults and covers practical, research-backed strategies for forming a supplement habit that actually sticks.

The hardest part of a supplement routine usually has nothing to do with the supplement itself. It comes down to one thing: remembering to take it. Unlike a medication tied to a noticeable symptom, supplements work gradually and in the background, which makes them easy to forget when life gets busy.

To learn more, read this article: How To Build A Thoughtful Daily Supplement Routine For Your Family

The good news is that this is a habit design problem, and habit design has simple, practical solutions. The strategies below are the same ones behavioral researchers point to as most effective for building any new daily routine, and they work just as well for supplements as they do for anything else.

It's worth noting that population data consistently shows a gender gap in supplement use. Data from 2017 to 2018 found that 63.8% of women had taken a dietary supplement in the previous 30 days, compared to 50.8% of men (3). Studies from Australia found similar patterns, with 47% of women and 34% of men reporting supplement use (4). Research also shows that women are more likely than men to be consistent supplement users over time (5). These are population-level trends, and there are plenty of exceptions. But if this pattern sounds familiar, the strategies below are worth reading.

Interested in learning more about the different kinds of supplements available? You might like this article: Choosing A Supplement Delivery Method For Your Family

Before getting into habit building strategies, it's worth knowing which nutrients are most commonly falling short amongst adults in the US. 

Roughly 40% of US adults fall below optimal vitamin D levels according to NHANES data (6). People who work indoors, live in northern climates, or spend limited time outside are particularly at risk. Vitamin D supports immune function, mood regulation, and bone density (6).

A large portion of adults fail to meet the recommended daily intake for magnesium (7). Diets heavy in processed foods and low in leafy greens, legumes, and whole grains are particularly likely to fall short. Magnesium supports muscle function, energy metabolism, sleep quality, and stress regulation (7). 

To learn more, read this article: Magnesium 101: Benefits, Food Sources, Daily Needs, and Supplement Types

Many Americans do not consume adequate omega-3 fatty acids, particularly if fatty fish is not a regular part of their diet. Omega-3s support cardiovascular health, brain function, and a healthy inflammatory response (8).

To learn more, read this article: Omega Fatty Acids: Nutritional Sources & Health Benefits Explained

Zinc supports immune function, healthy testosterone levels, and wound healing. B vitamins, particularly B12, are critical for energy production, red blood cell health, and nerve function. Both are commonly found at suboptimal levels in diets low in variety or high in processed foods (8).

When starting a supplement routine from scratch, many people find the most success starting with one or two products that cover a lot of nutritional ground on their own and building from there over time. 

Grass-fed beef liver capsules are about as close to a one-product nutritional foundation as you can get, delivering B12, iron, zinc, vitamin A, and CoQ10 in highly bioavailable, food-based forms. 

As always, speak with your healthcare provider before starting a new supplement protocol.

To learn more, read this article: The Benefits of Beef Liver Capsules for Kids + Three Family Friendly Recipes

Habit stacking is the practice of linking a new behavior to an existing one (9). It works because it removes the need to remember or decide. Your existing habit becomes the automatic trigger for the new one.

The key is choosing an anchor habit that already happens every single day without fail. A few placements that tend to work well:

• Keep your supplements next to your toothbrush. Brushing teeth happens twice a day without thinking about it, which means two built-in daily cues attached to a routine that already exists.
• Keep your supplements next to the coffee maker. If you brew coffee every morning, your supplement is already waiting when you walk into the kitchen. Take it while the coffee brews and it's done before the day starts.
• Keep your supplements next to your water bottle or water filter. Every time you refill, you see it. For people who drink water consistently throughout the day, this one is hard to miss.

Research on behavior change consistently shows that reducing friction is one of the most reliable ways to increase follow-through (9). Supplements buried in a cabinet drawer require excavation. Supplements sitting visible on the counter get taken. Set up your environment so the right choice requires the least effort.

New habits are most fragile in the early weeks before they become automatic. A simple check-off in a habit tracking app or even a tally on a notepad can create just enough accountability to maintain momentum during this period. 

To learn more about building the supplement routine that works for you, read this article: How To Build A Thoughtful Daily Supplement Routine For Your Family

More than 90% of Americans fall short of recommended intake levels for at least one key nutrient through diet alone, and the gap is widest among people who are less likely to supplement consistently. 

The strategies most likely to make consistency stick are simple: start with one or two products that cover multiple nutritional bases at once, attach them to an existing daily habit like brewing coffee or brushing teeth, and reduce environmental friction so the right choice is also the easy one. Small steps, taken reliably every day, add up to real nutritional support over time.

1. Reider CA, Chung RY, Devarshi PP, Grant RW, Hazels Mitmesser S. Inadequacy of immune health nutrients: intakes in US adults, the 2005-2016 NHANES. Nutrients. 2020;12(6):1735. doi: 10.3390/nu12061735. PMID: 32531972. PMC: PMC7352522.
2. Bird JK, Murphy RA, Ciappio ED, McBurney MI. Risk of deficiency in multiple concurrent micronutrients in children and adults in the United States. Nutrients. 2017;9(7):655. doi: 10.3390/nu9070655. PMID: 28672791. PMC: PMC5537775.
3. CDC/NCHS. QuickStats: Percentage of adults aged 20 years or older who had taken any dietary supplement in the past 30 days, by sex and family income. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2021;70(1):32. doi: 10.15585/mmwr.mm7001a7. PMC: PMC7790153.
4. Burnett AJ, Livingstone KM, Woods JL, McNaughton SA. Dietary supplement use among Australian adults: findings from the 2011-2012 National Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey. Nutrients. 2017;9(11):1248. doi: 10.3390/nu9111248. PMID: 29135957. PMC: PMC5707720.
5. Li K, Kaaks R, Linseisen J, Rohrmann S. Consistency of vitamin and/or mineral supplement use and demographic, lifestyle and health-status predictors: findings from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC)-Heidelberg cohort. Br J Nutr. 2010;104(7):1058-1064. doi: 10.1017/S0007114510001728. PMID: 20441685.
6. Tabar V, et al. Prevalence, trend, and predictor analyses of vitamin D deficiency in the US population, 2001-2018. Front Nutr. 2022;9:965376. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2022.965376. PMC: PMC9573946.
7. Vormann J, et al. Magnesium: health effects, deficiency burden, and future public health directions. Nutrients. 2025;17(22):3626. doi: 10.3390/nu17223626.
8. Marra MV, Bailey RL. Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Micronutrient Supplementation. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2018 Nov;118(11):2162-2173. doi: 10.1016/j.jand.2018.07.022. Erratum in: J Acad Nutr Diet. 2019 Feb;119(2):344. doi: 10.1016/j.jand.2018.12.012. PMID: 30366569; PMCID: PMC11792875.
9. Gardner B, Lally P, Wardle J. Making health habitual: the psychology of habit formation and general practice. Br J Gen Pract. 2012;62(605):664-666. doi: 10.3399/bjgp12X659466. PMID: 23211256. PMC: PMC3505409.