Distil Supplement Stack Report ← Home
DistilEvidence, not assumptions.
Report · 5a4b3c2d…
26 August 2026
A personalised supplement stack, built for one profile

Your supplement
stack.

Prepared for Rachel, 41.
Compounds
8
Selected from
105 evidence-graded
Hello Rachel, here is your report.
A Note on Your Recommendations
Based on your goals, your reported blood work, and the detail you gave us about your diet and training, we built a stack of 8 compounds. They are sequenced deliberately, one or two at a time, so you can tell what each one is actually doing rather than starting everything at once and guessing.
Foundation The broadest, best-evidenced compounds for your profile. Your ferritin result and your heavy periods make iron correction the clear starting priority here, alongside the vitamin D and B vitamin groundwork most people in the UK benefit from.
Targeted Chosen specifically for the goals you ranked highest: getting to sleep, and building some resilience against stress. These go in once the foundation is settled.
Optimise One addition further out, carrying emerging (Grade C) evidence, flagged clearly on its own card.
If cost is a consideration, the Foundation tier is a complete starting point on its own. Targeted and Optimise are additions rather than requirements, and meaningful benefit is available from Foundation alone.
Thank you for choosing Distil. If anything in this report raises questions, reply to your report email and we will respond directly.
Dietary Baseline

Dietary Baseline

Diet pattern
Omnivore, self-rated as good. Reasonable variety across fruit, vegetables, wholegrains, and protein sources.
Iron
Red meat once or twice a week and heavy menstrual bleeding together put you at real risk of ongoing iron loss outpacing intake. This matches your reported ferritin result directly, and is addressed below.
Vitamin D
Your sun exposure is moderate (15-30 minutes, spring and summer) and your reported level (46 nmol/L) sits just below the UK sufficiency threshold of 50 nmol/L. At UK latitude that gap is common and worth closing, particularly given your indoor, desk-based work.
Omega-3
Oily fish once a week provides a partial but incomplete contribution of EPA and DHA. This is not addressed in the compounds below, as it did not score highly enough against your ranked goals this time.
Magnesium and B vitamins
Nuts and seeds several times a week and a roughly even split of wholegrains and refined carbohydrates gives a moderate dietary base. Your active B vitamin needs are addressed directly below given your training load and reported low iron stores.
Overall baseline
Moderate baseline. No major gaps beyond iron and vitamin D, both of which your own blood work and lifestyle detail already point to directly.
Important Notices
Blood work Your reported ferritin of 18 sits below the level most iron-deficiency guidance treats as adequate for someone with your training load and menstrual bleeding pattern, even though your haemoglobin and full blood count came back normal. Haemoglobin is often the last marker to fall: ferritin (your iron stores) drops well before it does, and 18 is a genuine signal worth acting on. This is why iron is included in your stack below, and it is worth mentioning to your GP alongside your heavy periods, since the underlying cause of the bleeding is a separate question from the iron itself.
Blood work Your reported vitamin D level (46 nmol/L) sits just below the UK sufficiency threshold of 50 nmol/L. It is not a deficiency, but it is worth closing, and worth retesting in around 12 weeks to confirm the dose in your stack has brought you back above the threshold.
Sequencing You told us you would rather not take a handful of things at once, and your stack is built around that: at most two new compounds join in any given week, iron and Ashwagandha each get their own week to themselves, and the sleep compounds are introduced one at a time so you can tell what is actually helping before the next one is added.
Ashwagandha and Rhodiola These two are never introduced in the same week in any Distil stack, and yours keeps that gap: Ashwagandha at Week 7, Rhodiola not until Week 11. Ashwagandha is calming; Rhodiola is more stimulating and can occasionally unsettle sleep or mood if added too early. Giving Ashwagandha time to settle first also makes it easier to tell what Rhodiola itself is doing when it arrives.
⚠️ GP REVIEW REQUIREDYour ferritin (iron stores) was measured at 18, which is low, even though your full blood count came back normal. A normal blood count does not rule out iron deficiency: it is a common pattern to have depleted stores before anaemia shows up on a count. Given your heavy periods, worth mentioning this ferritin result specifically to your GP, since it was not flagged to you at the time and heavy menstrual bleeding is a very plausible explanation worth having on record.
Alcohol and drowsiness Valerian can be sedating. Taking it on the same evening as alcohol may add to that effect, so it is best to keep the two apart.
Stop and seek review Liver: Ashwagandha has rare, idiosyncratic reports of liver injury. Stop taking it and contact a doctor promptly if you develop jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes), dark urine, persistent nausea, marked fatigue, upper-right abdominal pain, or itching. Avoid if you have existing liver disease or raised liver enzymes.
Alcohol and drowsiness Ashwagandha can be mildly sedating for some people. Taking it on the same evening as alcohol may add to that effect, so it is best to keep the two apart.
⚠️ GP REVIEW REQUIREDAshwagandha can alter thyroid hormone levels, including TSH, T3 and T4. If you have thyroid blood tests done in future, at your GP or otherwise, tell whoever is interpreting them that you are taking this, so any effect on the results can be read correctly.
⚠️ GP REVIEW REQUIREDRhodiola is a stimulating adaptogen and is not suitable to combine with certain antidepressants (SSRIs and MAOIs) due to a serotonin syndrome risk, or with a history of bipolar disorder or mania without psychiatric oversight. Based on what you've told us you are not currently on any SSRI, SNRI, MAOI, or mood-stabilising medication, so this does not apply to you, but flag it to your GP if that ever changes.

Your Current Supplements: Reviewed

What to keep, what to upgrade, and what to stop
Supplement Verdict Assessment
Supermarket multivitamin Drop A general multivitamin covers a lot of ground shallowly and duplicates several of the compounds below at doses too low to matter, while giving you no way to control the iron or vitamin D doses your own blood work actually calls for. Stop it once your new stack begins, so you are not guessing what is coming from where.
Magnesium (tried previously, discontinued) Not recommended Magnesium is a reasonable thing to have tried for sleep, but it did not score highly enough against your particular pattern, a difficulty falling asleep rather than waking in the night, to earn a place in this stack. It is not part of what we recommend for you right now, and that is not a reason it was wrong to try: your sleep compounds below (Glycine, L-Theanine, and Valerian Root) are chosen specifically for the onset problem you described.

Your stack at a glance

The shape of the whole report, in one view
By tier
Foundation 3
Targeted 4
Optimise 1
By evidence grade
3
A
Multiple RCTs or a systematic review
4
B
At least one well-designed RCT
1
C
Emerging / mechanistic only
These tiers are a priority order, not a checklist. Foundation on its own is a complete place to start, and Foundation plus one or two Targeted compounds is another. You are not expected to take all 8, and a smaller set you keep up tends to be worth more than a longer one you stop.Weighted to the strongest evidence, with every inclusion chosen for your profile. Selectivity is the point.
Introduction Schedule

Introduction Schedule

Every compound in the order it is introduced. Full rationale follows below.
Foundation Targeted Optimise
Wk 1 Wk 3 Wk 6 Wk 8 Wk 11 Vitamin D3 + K2 (MK-7) Iron (Ferrous Bisglycinate) Vitamin B Complex (Active Forms) Glycine L-Theanine Valerian Root Ashwagandha (KSM-66) Rhodiola Rosea
Full schedule (table view)
Week Compound Daily dose When to take Tier Grade
Week 1 Vitamin D3 + K2 (MK-7) 2,000 IU D3 + 100mcg K2 Morning with breakfast Foundation B
Week 2 Iron (Ferrous Bisglycinate) 28mg elemental, every other morning Morning with breakfast Foundation A
Week 3 Vitamin B Complex (Active Forms) One capsule, active forms, B6 ≤10mg Midday with lunch Foundation A
Week 4 Glycine 3g Before bed Targeted B
Week 5 L-Theanine 200mg Before bed Targeted B
Week 6 Valerian Root 500mg standardised extract (0.8% valerenic acid) Before bed Targeted B
Week 7 Ashwagandha (KSM-66) 300mg twice daily (600mg/day total) Morning with breakfast + evening with dinner Targeted A
Week 11 Rhodiola Rosea 300mg standardised to 3% rosavins + 1% salidroside Morning with breakfast Optimise C
Daily Supplement Schedule

Daily Supplement Schedule

When to take each compound and why.
Compound Meal slot Dose Reason for timing
Vitamin D3 + K2 (MK-7) Breakfast 2,000 IU D3 + 100mcg K2 Fat-soluble Needs dietary fat for absorption. Space at least 2 hours from your Iron dose.
Iron (Ferrous Bisglycinate) Breakfast (alternate mornings) 28mg elemental Absorption Every other morning, not daily. Take at least 2 hours away from your B Complex, tea, or coffee to protect absorption.
Ashwagandha (KSM-66) Breakfast 300mg (first of two daily doses) Split dose Split dosing supports steadier effect through the day.
Rhodiola Rosea Breakfast 300mg Stimulating Mildly stimulating. Morning dosing avoids interfering with sleep onset.
Vitamin B Complex (Active Forms) Lunch One capsule (B6 ≤10mg) Stomach comfort Best taken with food. Placed at lunch to keep at least 2 hours from your morning Iron dose.
Ashwagandha (KSM-66) Dinner 300mg (second of two daily doses) Split dose Evening dose supports the HPA-axis and sleep-related benefit of this compound.
Glycine Before bed 3g Pre-sleep Taken shortly before sleep, in line with how it was studied.
L-Theanine Before bed 200mg Pre-sleep Supports settling before sleep onset.
Valerian Root Before bed 500mg standardised extract Pre-sleep Taken 30-60 minutes before bed alongside the rest of your pre-sleep compounds.
Fat note Fat-soluble compounds (marked above) require 10-15g of dietary fat to absorb properly. Practical equivalents: 1 tablespoon olive oil, a handful of nuts, half an avocado, 2 tablespoons of nut butter, or a full-fat yoghurt.
Recommended Stack
Foundation Three compounds addressing what your blood work already shows: a confirmed ferritin deficiency at 18, alongside the D3 and B-complex base that supports energy metabolism and general repletion. These are introduced first because the iron result is the clearest, most actionable finding in your profile.
Vitamin D3 + K2 (MK-7) Foundation Grade B
Your reported level sits below the sufficiency threshold, and this pairing corrects it while directing calcium properly.
FormCholecalciferol (D3) + Menaquinone-7 (K2 MK-7)
Daily dose2,000 IU D3 + 100mcg K2
When to takeMorning with breakfast
IntroduceWeek 1
Why this compound

Your reported vitamin D result was 46 nmol/L, just below the UK sufficiency threshold of 50 nmol/L (20 ng/mL). That is a modest shortfall rather than a deficiency, but at your latitude, with a desk-based indoor job and moderate sun exposure, it is unlikely to close on its own outside of summer. Vitamin D supports normal immune function, and the evidence here is Grade B: a large individual-patient-data meta-analysis found regular daily or weekly dosing reduced the risk of acute respiratory infections, with the effect present even at levels close to yours.

K2 (MK-7) is paired with D3 because vitamin D increases calcium absorption, and K2 is what directs that calcium toward bone rather than soft tissue. This is a cofactor pairing rather than a separate benefit claim.

Time to effect: blood levels typically take 8-12 weeks to normalise at this dose; retesting then gives the clearest picture.
Safety and watch for

Well tolerated at this dose. Take with a meal containing some fat, since both D3 and K2 need dietary fat for absorption.

You are not currently on any anticoagulant, thyroid, or diuretic medication based on what you told us, so none of the standard vitamin D or K2 cautions apply here. Retest your 25-OH vitamin D level at around 12 weeks to confirm you have reached sufficiency.

Energy + VitalityImmune resilience
What to look for
A combined D3 + K2 capsule stating cholecalciferol (D3, not the plant-derived D2 form) and MK-7 (not MK-4, which has a much shorter half-life). Confirm the label states 2,000 IU D3 and 100mcg K2 per serving so you can match your dose without splitting capsules.
What to avoid
Avoid D3-only products if you can get a combined one at this dose: taking D3 without K2 long-term is not the pairing this recommendation is built on. Avoid vague "vitamin K" labelling that doesn't specify MK-7.
Search: "Vitamin D3 2000 IU K2 MK-7 100mcg UK"
Iron (Ferrous Bisglycinate) Foundation Grade A
Your ferritin of 18 is low despite a normal blood count, which is exactly the gap heavy periods can cause without anaemia yet showing.
FormFerrous bisglycinate
Daily dose28mg elemental, taken every other morning (alternate-day dosing)
When to takeMorning with breakfast
IntroduceWeek 2
Review⚠️ GP review

See Important Notices for the detail on this.

Why this compound

Your reported ferritin of 18 is low, which is what makes iron supplementation appropriate here: it is not something we would ever suggest without a test result like this one. Low iron stores can contribute to the heavier-legged, slower feeling you've described on your runs this year, and to daytime tiredness generally. The evidence for correcting a confirmed deficiency is Grade A.

This is dosed every other morning rather than daily. Iron temporarily reduces its own future absorption for about a day after each dose, so spacing doses out actually gets more iron into your stores over time than taking it daily, with less gut irritation along the way.

Time to effect: many people notice less fatigue within 2-4 weeks, though ferritin itself takes longer to rebuild; retesting at around 12 weeks is the best way to see real progress.
Safety and watch for

Bisglycinate is the gentlest form on the gut, but mild constipation or nausea can still occur. Take with food if you notice this. Stools may turn dark, which is expected and harmless.

Keep iron at least 2 hours away from tea, coffee, dairy and calcium, which can all reduce its absorption, and from zinc and magnesium as a precaution. You don't need to take vitamin C alongside it: it does increase how much iron you absorb from a tablet, but trials comparing iron with and without it found little or no difference in ferritin or haemoglobin. Given your heavy bleeding, it's worth addressing the underlying cause with your GP alongside supplementing, rather than treating iron alone as the fix.

Iron Deficiency + AnaemiaEnergy + VitalityAthletic Endurance + Performance
What to look for
Ferrous bisglycinate specifically: it is the best-tolerated form at a meaningful dose. Confirm the label states elemental iron content (28mg elemental), not just the total compound weight, so you know you're getting the right amount.
What to avoid
Avoid ferrous sulfate if you can, as it tends to cause more gastrointestinal side effects at an equivalent dose. Avoid any multivitamin-style iron product that bundles in calcium or zinc in the same capsule, since these compete with iron for absorption.
Search: "Ferrous bisglycinate 28mg elemental iron UK"
Vitamin B Complex (Active Forms) Foundation Grade A
A comprehensive active-form B-complex supports your energy metabolism and adds real, trial-measured support for everyday stress.
FormMethylcobalamin + methylfolate + P5P (active B forms)
Daily doseOne capsule providing active B forms, B6 no more than 10mg
When to takeMidday with lunch
IntroduceWeek 3
Why this compound

B vitamins are central to how your body produces usable energy from food, which is Grade A evidence when correcting genuine shortfalls, and a comprehensive complex is a sensible foundation given your busy training and work schedule. Active forms (methylfolate rather than folic acid, and P5P rather than plain B6) are used more readily by the body.

There is also Grade B evidence, from two placebo-controlled trials, that B-complex supplementation can reduce measures of everyday stress and occupational strain over 8 to 12 weeks. Neither trial measured cortisol or any other adrenal marker, so there is no evidence either way on that, and it is worth thinking of this as steady support for how manageable stress feels day to day rather than as something that resets your stress hormones.

Time to effect: effects typically become apparent over 4-8 weeks of consistent use.
Safety and watch for

Bright yellow urine from the riboflavin content is normal and harmless. Take with food to avoid mild nausea. Choose a product with no more than 10mg of B6 per serving: this is the UK guidance ceiling, and higher-dose active-form complexes are common on the market, so it's worth checking the label rather than assuming.

Energy + VitalityStress + Resilience
What to look for
A B-complex listing active forms: methylfolate (not folic acid) and pyridoxal-5-phosphate, P5P (not plain pyridoxine HCl). Check the B6 content specifically states 10mg or less per serving.
What to avoid
Avoid "high-strength" or "mega-dose" B-complexes, which often carry 20-25mg or more of B6 per serving, above the UK guidance ceiling. Avoid products using cheap synthetic folic acid instead of methylfolate if you can find an alternative at a similar price.
Search: "active B complex methylfolate P5P B6 10mg UK"
Targeted Compounds chosen for specific goals, conditions, or risk profile factors that the Foundation tier does not fully address. Introduced after the Foundation tier is established so any response can be cleanly attributed.
Glycine Targeted Grade B
Free glycine before bed is linked to falling asleep faster and sleeping more deeply, which is your main sleep complaint.
FormFree-form glycine powder
Daily dose3g
When to takeBefore bed
IntroduceWeek 4
Why this compound

You told us your problem is getting to sleep, not staying asleep, and this is the compound with the most direct evidence for that specific pattern. A dose of free glycine taken shortly before bed has been shown to bring on sleep-related physiological changes acutely: it appears to help lower your core body temperature through increased blood flow to the skin, which is one of the body's natural cues for sleep onset.

The evidence here is genuinely modest in scale. It comes largely from a small number of trials, mostly with subjective or next-day performance measures rather than large sleep-lab studies, so treat it as a reasonable, low-risk thing to try rather than a guaranteed fix. It is best thought of as working alongside good sleep habits, not instead of them.

Time to effect: many people notice an effect on how quickly they settle within the first few nights, since the mechanism is an acute, same-night one rather than a cumulative build-up.
Safety and watch for

Glycine is very well tolerated. The only common effect is mild drowsiness, which is exactly what you want from an evening dose. Take it only before bed, not during the day.

Because you have not started any other glycine-containing product in this stack, there is no need to reduce this dose to account for other sources: 3g is the standard amount used in the sleep studies, and you can take it at that level without any adjustment.

Sleep qualityStress + resilience
What to look for
A plain glycine powder or capsule, ideally labelled simply "glycine" with no proprietary blend attached. Powder is easy to measure to 3g with a standard kitchen scale or the scoop provided, and it dissolves easily in water with a mildly sweet taste.
What to avoid
Products marketed as "collagen" or "collagen peptides" as a substitute: these deliver glycine bound up with other amino acids rather than as free glycine, and the one trial that tested a pre-bed collagen dose found no effect on the temperature-lowering mechanism this recommendation relies on. Also avoid buying it only as part of a large, expensive "sleep blend" if you want to isolate its effect from the other compounds in this stack.
Search: "glycine powder 3g sleep"
L-Theanine Targeted Grade B
A calm-inducing amino acid from tea that has a modest, consistent effect on how long it takes you to fall asleep.
FormL-theanine (taken from green tea)
Daily dose200mg
When to takeBefore bed
IntroduceWeek 5
Why this compound

L-Theanine is best known for promoting a calm, settled state without sedation, and the sleep-specific evidence, pooled across 18 trials, shows a small but consistent benefit for how long it takes to fall asleep and how refreshed you feel the next day. Given that your goal is specifically about the time it takes you to drop off, this makes it a reasonable addition alongside Glycine.

Be realistic about the size of the effect: the trials describe it as small and mostly self-reported, not a dramatic change. It is one part of a layered approach rather than the single answer.

Time to effect: some people notice a calming effect on the first night; the sleep-onset benefit is best judged over 1 to 2 weeks of consistent use.
Safety and watch for

L-Theanine is extremely well tolerated, with drowsiness only really appearing when combined with other sedating compounds at higher doses. Response varies: some people notice a clear calming effect straightaway, while others do not notice much difference at all, which is worth knowing before you judge whether it is working for you.

You are also taking Valerian Root and Glycine in the evening as part of this stack, both of which have their own calming or sedating effects; the combination is intended, but if you feel unusually groggy the next morning, that combined effect is worth noting.

Sleep quality
Sourcing
L-Theanine is widely available as a standalone capsule. Confirm the label states 200mg of L-Theanine per capsule and that it is taken from green tea, which is the form with a settled position in food supplements here.

Search term: "L-theanine from green tea 200mg UK"
Valerian Root Targeted Grade B
A traditional sleep herb best supported for improving how restful your sleep feels, rather than for speeding up how fast you fall asleep.
FormStandardised root extract
Daily dose500mg standardised extract (0.8% valerenic acid)
When to takeBefore bed
IntroduceWeek 6

See Important Notices for the detail on this.

Why this compound

Valerian Root is one of the most studied herbal sleep aids, and it is included here to build on the other two sleep compounds already in your evening routine. It is worth being precise about what the evidence actually supports: when researchers have measured the time it takes people to fall asleep directly, valerian has not shown a meaningful difference from placebo. Where it has shown benefit is on subjective sleep quality, meaning people are more likely to rate their sleep as better overall.

Given that your main complaint is the time it takes to get to sleep, valerian is included as a supporting layer for overall sleep quality rather than as the compound targeting your onset problem specifically. Glycine and L-Theanine are doing that job.

Time to effect: allow 1 to 2 weeks of nightly use before judging whether it is adding anything, and it is not intended for continuous use beyond 4 to 6 weeks without a short break.
Safety and watch for

Mild morning grogginess and vivid dreams are the most commonly reported effects. You reported drinking 4 to 7 units of alcohol per week: avoid combining valerian with alcohol on the same evening, as the sedating effects are additive.

Response varies quite a bit with this compound: some people find it clearly helpful and others notice nothing, which is consistent with how mixed the trial evidence is. Do not use it continuously for more than 4 to 6 weeks without a short break.

Sleep quality
What to look for
A standardised extract stating 0.8% valerenic acid content on the label, which is the marker used to ensure a consistent, trial-comparable dose. Look for 500mg per capsule taken 30 to 60 minutes before bed.
What to avoid
Unstandardised valerian root powder or tea with no stated valerenic acid content: potency in these products varies widely and makes it hard to know whether you are taking an effective dose.
Search: "Valerian root extract 500mg 0.8% valerenic acid"
Ashwagandha (KSM-66) Targeted Grade A
A well-evidenced stress-lowering herb that also carries a mandatory thyroid safety note for anyone having thyroid blood tests.
FormKSM-66 standardised root extract
Daily dose300mg twice daily (600mg/day total)
When to takeMorning with breakfast + Evening with dinner
IntroduceWeek 7
Review⚠️ GP review

See Important Notices for the detail on this.

Why this compound

Ashwagandha has strong, consistent evidence for lowering perceived stress and cortisol, which fits your Stress + Resilience goal directly. It is also well studied for stress-related sleep disruption, working through a different route from the other compounds in your evening stack, by helping to regulate the body's stress-response system rather than acting directly on sleep chemistry.

It is worth knowing that the certainty behind these findings is rated low by the researchers themselves, even though the direction of effect is consistent across several independent reviews. That is a genuinely common pattern in herbal research and does not mean the effect is not real, only that it has not been pinned down as precisely as, say, a large drug trial would be.

Time to effect: most people notice an effect on stress and mood within 4 to 8 weeks of consistent use.
Safety and watch for

Vivid dreams and mild stomach upset when starting are the most common effects, and taking it with food at breakfast and dinner as scheduled should help with the latter. Drowsiness can occur, so if you feel unusually sleepy during the day, consider whether the morning dose is a factor.

Rare but documented: some people have developed liver injury linked to ashwagandha, ranging from mild and reversible to, in at least one published case, severe enough to require a liver transplant. Stop taking it and contact a doctor promptly if you notice yellowing of your skin or eyes, dark urine, persistent nausea, unusual fatigue, pain in the upper right side of your abdomen, or itching. Do not take it alongside other herbal products or high doses of other supplements that are also processed by the liver.

You reported drinking 4 to 7 units of alcohol per week: avoid combining ashwagandha with alcohol on the same evening, as the sedating effects can be additive.

Stress + resilienceSleep quality
One validated standard
Only the standardised KSM-66 or Sensoril root extracts have been used in the clinical trials behind this recommendation. Raw ashwagandha powder, sold loose or in generic capsules, has not been tested at a known, consistent strength and should not be treated as equivalent.

Confirm the label states "KSM-66" or "Sensoril" by name, not just "ashwagandha root extract".

Search term: "KSM-66 ashwagandha 300mg"
Optimise One compound held back until your Foundation and sleep stack have settled. It targets burnout and adrenal recovery specifically, which is a narrower fit for your moderate, manageable stress than a dedicated stress compound would be, so it sits last and is genuinely optional.
Rhodiola Rosea Optimise Grade C
Once your energy has a floor under it, Rhodiola may help with the sluggish, heavy-legged fatigue you've described this year.
FormStandardised root extract (SHR-5 type)
Daily dose300mg standardised to 3% rosavins + 1% salidroside
When to takeMorning with breakfast
IntroduceWeek 11
Review⚠️ GP review

See Important Notices for the detail on this.

Why this compound

This is introduced last and deliberately so. The evidence base here is one well-conducted trial in adults with diagnosed fatigue syndrome, not a body of research, which is why it carries the more cautious Grade C rather than Grade B or A: it may be worth trying, but it isn't established the way your foundation compounds are.

The trial that supports it measured burnout and attention scores, not general stress or day-to-day resilience, which is a distinction worth holding onto given how you've described feeling this year: run down and heavy-legged rather than acutely wired or anxious. It's introduced after Ashwagandha has had time to settle, by design: the two are never started together, because Rhodiola is stimulating where Ashwagandha is calming, and starting both at once makes it impossible to tell which is doing what.

Time to effect: some people notice a lift in mental fatigue within 1 to 2 weeks; the trial evidence runs to 4 weeks, so give it a fair trial before judging it.
Safety and watch for

Take this in the morning only. It can be mildly stimulating and may disturb sleep if taken later in the day, which matters given sleep onset is your top priority right now.

Response varies: some people notice a clear lift in energy and mental clarity within two weeks, others don't respond meaningfully to it at all. If you notice increased anxiety or restlessness rather than benefit, this is a recognised effect for some people and worth stopping and discussing with your GP rather than pushing through. Cycle this compound: 12 weeks on, then 4 weeks off, rather than continuous daily use.

Energy + vitalityAthletic endurance
What to look for
A product standardised to 3% rosavins and 1% salidroside, which is the ratio used in the clinical research. Confirm both percentages are stated on the label, not just "Rhodiola extract".
What to avoid
Unstandardised Rhodiola root powder or extracts that list only a milligram amount with no rosavin/salidroside percentage: potency varies widely and you can't judge the dose you're actually getting.
Search: "Rhodiola rosea extract 3% rosavins 1% salidroside 300mg"

Considered, Not Included

Everything we assessed for you and left out, and why. We do not hide the rest.

The stack above is what we recommend for you. It is not everything that exists for your goals. Below is what we also assessed and chose to leave out, with the reason for each. We would rather show you the full picture than leave you wondering what we left off.

Left out because your stack already covers itNot worth the extra cost
Good compounds. For your profile they overlap with something already in your stack, so adding them would cost you more without adding much.
Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis)
Ashwagandha already covers stress and resilience for you (Grade A for stress), and Glycine already covers your sleep-onset problem, so this adds little beyond what you already have.
Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata)
Glycine already covers your sleep-onset difficulty and Ashwagandha already covers stress and resilience for you, so this adds little for the extra cost.
Panax Ginseng (Korean / Red Ginseng)
Once your ferritin of 18 is addressed, Iron may ease the tiredness you describe, and Rhodiola already covers energy and fatigue for you with a mechanism that does not overlap with your low iron, so a second energy herb on top is unlikely to add much until the iron itself is corrected.
Other options people often ask aboutNot in your stack, and why
This one comes up a lot. Here is where it stands for you, and why it is not in your core stack.
Creatine Monohydrate
Creatine is one of the most researched supplements there is, and one people ask about often. Its strongest evidence is for strength and power, but there is also growing evidence for memory and mental sharpness when you are tired or under load, and for helping preserve muscle as you get older. Those last two are not limited to people who train, which is why it comes up so often across different goals. We kept it out of your core stack because it was not central to the goals you told us about, but it is safe, inexpensive, and genuinely worth considering.
Everything else we looked atThe shape of the rest
We scored every compound in our database against the goals you gave us. Beyond the compounds named above, 12 more had some evidence for at least one of your goals and did not earn a place in your stack. We have not named them, because a list of supplements we are not recommending is not something you should be shopping from. Here is where they landed instead.
5 compoundsEmerging evidence
These rest on emerging evidence rather than strong or good evidence. We hold those to a higher bar: one earns a place only when your own profile closely matches what it targets, and on the answers you gave us that was not the case.
6 compoundsA lower-ranked goal
These matched a goal you ranked below your top three. You told us what mattered most, and your stack follows that order rather than spreading thinly across everything you mentioned.
1 compoundStudied in a narrower group
The evidence behind this one was gathered in people already diagnosed with a particular condition, and nothing in the answers you gave us places you in that group. A finding in people who already have a condition does not automatically carry across to everyone else, so we ask for a positive answer on the form rather than assume one. If you have a diagnosis you did not mention there, that could change what we would recommend.

One thing worth saying plainly. Nothing was set aside here that carried strong or good evidence for one of your top three goals with no caution against it for you. Anything that clears both of those is either in your stack above or named earlier in this section with its own reason. A shorter stack is what happens when the bar holds, not a sign we ran out of things to suggest.

Interactions Summary

Checked against your current medications and supplements
Compounds / Medication Verdict Notes
Iron + tea or coffee Timing Tannins in tea and coffee can reduce iron absorption significantly if taken at the same time. Leave a two-hour gap between your iron dose and your morning tea or coffee.
Iron + Vitamin B Complex Timing Not a safety concern, but taking minerals and B vitamins in the same dose can modestly reduce iron absorption. Your schedule already separates these, with iron at breakfast and the B Complex at lunch.
Multivitamin + this stack Overlap Your current supermarket multivitamin likely duplicates several of these compounds at lower, less targeted doses. See the Current Supplements review below for what to do with it.
Ashwagandha (KSM-66) GP awareness Ashwagandha can alter thyroid hormone levels (TSH, T3, T4) even in people with no diagnosed thyroid condition. Worth mentioning to your GP, particularly given your ferritin result below, so any future thyroid or iron bloodwork can be read in context.
Ashwagandha + Rhodiola Rosea Staggered These two are never introduced in the same week. Ashwagandha establishes first at Week 7; Rhodiola follows at Week 11, a four-week gap that lets you judge each on its own effect and tolerability before the next is added.
Alcohol (4-7 units/week) + Valerian Root Same-evening spacing Avoid combining Valerian with alcohol on the same evening. At your reported intake this is a mild, additive sedating effect rather than a safety concern, but it is worth keeping the two apart.

Sleep Stack Guidance

Built around your onset problem, not a generic sleep protocol

You told us the problem is getting to sleep, not staying asleep: shattered by ten, then lying awake until midnight. That is a specific pattern with its own compounds, and these three are chosen for onset rather than for sleep in general.

CompoundDoseWhenMechanism
Glycine 3g Before bed Taken as a bolus shortly before bed, glycine has been studied for its effect on how people rate their sleep and next-day alertness. Some of the proposed mechanisms come from animal research, so this is described here as what the human trials measured rather than how it works in your body.
L-Theanine 200mg Before bed An amino acid found in tea, studied at this dose for a calm, non-sedating effect that may support settling at the start of the night.
Valerian Root 500mg standardised extract (0.8% valerenic acid) Before bed A traditional sleep herb. The honest evidence here is about subjective sleep quality rather than a large measured reduction in the time it takes to fall asleep, so it is included as one part of a layered approach rather than a single fix.

These three are introduced one at a time and about a week apart, at Weeks 4, 5 and 6, so you can tell what each one is doing rather than judging them as a single change. Glycine goes in first at Week 4, L-Theanine follows at Week 5, and Valerian follows that at Week 6.

Ashwagandha, established later in your stack from Week 7, is included for stress rather than sleep directly, but a calmer baseline stress response often makes it easier to switch off at night as well.

Worth knowing: for sleep problems that have persisted most nights for three months or more, the treatment with the strongest evidence is cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I), which the European Insomnia Guideline recommends as first-line for chronic insomnia in adults, delivered in person or digitally, and which the NHS says is sometimes offered, either face to face or through an online programme, though how easily you can get it varies by area; these compounds sit alongside that option rather than in place of it. Caffeine has a half-life of five to six hours, so keeping it to before midday may also help with an onset problem like yours.

Reassessment Framework

This report is a starting point, not a fixed prescription

Your stack is introduced gradually over 11 weeks, starting with Vitamin D3 + K2 at Week 1 and finishing with Rhodiola Rosea at Week 11. Reassess at 12 weeks, once the full stack has had time to settle in and the later additions have had a few weeks to show an effect.

What to Track
  • Retest ferritin at 12 weeks. Your GP result in May was 18, which is low even though your full blood count came back normal: ferritin can fall well before haemoglobin does, particularly with heavy periods like yours. Ask specifically for the ferritin number, not just a general iron check.
  • Retest 25-OH Vitamin D alongside it. Your reported level was 46 nmol/L, just below the UK sufficiency threshold of 50 nmol/L, so this is about closing a modest gap and maintaining it through the winter rather than correcting a significant deficiency.
  • Track sleep onset time specifically (how long it takes you to fall asleep, not how you feel in the morning) for the first four weeks after Valerian is introduced at Week 6. This is the most direct way to judge whether the sleep stack is working for you.
  • Note how tired you feel and how your legs feel on your runs over the same 12 weeks. In people with low iron stores but a normal blood count, the trials found tiredness eased while running and fitness tests did not change, so a gradual lift in how you feel is the more likely sign.
  • If Rhodiola (from Week 11) makes you feel wired, jittery, or more anxious rather than more resilient, stop it and get in touch: this is a known response in some people and is not something to push through.
  • Mention your heavy periods to your GP again alongside this reassessment if they have not changed: the ferritin result is a reason to keep that conversation open, not a one-off finding to file away.

Evidence References

Key studies informing this stack
  • [1] B Pasricha 2014 J Nutr, iron supplementation benefits physical performance in women of reproductive age, systematic review and meta-analysis of 22 extractable randomised trials: VO2max improved (overall SMD 0.37, relative MD 2.35 mL/kg/min) and submaximal performance improved (heart rate −4.05 bpm at defined workloads) PMID: 24717371
  • [2] A Low 2016 Cochrane Database Syst Rev, daily iron supplementation for improving anaemia, iron status and health in menstruating women: 67 trials, 8,506 women aged 12-50, anaemia RR 0.39 (moderate quality), haemoglobin +5.30 g/L (HIGH quality, 51 studies / 6,861 women), iron deficiency RR 0.62, improved maximal and submaximal exercise performance and reduced symptomatic fatigue, at the cost of more gastrointestinal side effects PMID: 27087396
  • [3] B Houston 2018 BMJ Open, efficacy of iron supplementation on fatigue and physical capacity in NON-ANAEMIC iron-deficient adults, systematic review of 18 RCTs, n=1,170: self-reported fatigue improved (SMD −0.38, I²=0%) but objective physical capacity did NOT (VO2max SMD 0.11, 95% CI −0.15 to 0.37) PMID: 29626044
  • [4] C Stough 2011 Hum Psychopharmacol, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, 60 participants, 90 days of high-dose vitamin B-complex for occupational stress. Significantly lower personal strain and reduced confusion and depressed/dejected mood at 12 weeks. Its own null result: "There were no treatment-related changes in other measures of mood and anxiety." It measured no cortisol, no adrenal endpoint and no cognitive endpoint PMID: 21905094
  • [5] C Lee 2023 Int J Med Sci, randomised double-blind crossover trial in 32 healthy adults aged 20 to 30 of a B1, B2, B6 and B12 product for 28 days: running time to exhaustion rose 1.26-fold against placebo, with lower blood lactate and blood ammonia during exercise and at rest afterwards. Small, single branded product, and the fatigue measured is biochemical and performance-based rather than self-reported PMID: 37786445
  • [6] B Bannai 2012 Front Neurol, glycine 3g before bedtime reduced fatigue and improved DAYTIME performance after partial sleep restriction in healthy volunteers (RCT) PMID: 22529837
  • [7] B Hidese 2019 Nutrients, randomised, placebo-controlled, crossover, double-blind trial of 200mg/day for four weeks in 30 healthy adults (9 men, 21 women, mean age 48.3) with no major psychiatric illness PMID: 31623400
  • [8] B Bulman 2025 Sleep Med Rev, systematic review and meta-analysis of L-theanine on sleep outcomes: 19 articles, N=897, 18 pooled. Subjective sleep-onset latency improved (SMD 0.15, 95% CI 0.01–0.29, p=0.04), subjective daytime dysfunction improved (SMD 0.33, 0.16–0.49), overall subjective sleep quality improved (SMD 0.43, 0.04–0.83, p=0.03). The authors flag "the lack of studies on 'pure' L-theanine", many pooled interventions are combinations PMID: 40056718
  • [9] B Sarris 2019 J Psychiatr Res, double-blind randomised placebo-controlled trial of adjunctive L-theanine 450–900mg for 8 weeks in 46 adults with DSM-5 generalised anxiety disorder: "did not outperform placebo for anxiety reduction on the HAMA (p = 0.73)" nor on insomnia severity (p=0.35); self-reported sleep satisfaction was better on theanine (p=0.015), with an ISI separation in participants with non-clinical insomnia symptoms (p=0.007) PMID: 30580081
  • [10] B Bent 2006 Am J Med, meta-analysis of 16 studies (n=1093), valerian improved sleep quality vs placebo with statistically significant benefit PMID: 17145239
  • [11] B Fernández-San-Martín 2010 Sleep Med, meta-analysis of 18 RCTs, valerian showed RR 1.37 for sleep quality improvement vs placebo PMID: 20347389
  • [12] A Chandrasekhar 2012 Indian J Psychol Med, KSM-66 cortisol and anxiety RCT PMID: 23439798
  • [13] B Langade 2019 Cureus, sleep quality RCT PMID: 31728244
  • [14] A Akhgarjand 2022 Phytother Res, systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of 12 RCTs, n=1,002, aged 25–48: stress SMD −1.75 (95% CI −2.29 to −1.22) and anxiety SMD −1.55 (−2.37 to −0.74) versus placebo, with a favourable dose-response for stress at 300–600mg/day, which is the dose range we recommend. The authors record that "the certainty of the evidence was low for both outcomes", with heterogeneity of 83.1% and 93.8% PMID: 36017529
  • [15] A Arumugam 2024 Explore, systematic review and meta-analysis of 9 RCTs, n=558: Perceived Stress Scale MD −4.72 (95% CI −8.45 to −0.99), Hamilton Anxiety MD −2.19 (−3.83 to −0.55) and serum cortisol MD −2.58 (−4.99 to −0.16) versus placebo; four of the included studies reported mild to moderate adverse events PMID: 39348746
  • [16] B Olsson 2009 Planta Med, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group phase III trial, n=60, SHR-5 576mg/day for 28 days, in adults meeting the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare criteria for fatigue syndrome. BETWEEN-GROUP significant versus placebo on Pines' burnout scale and on the CCPT-II attention indices omissions, Hit RT SE and variability; the cortisol response to awakening also differed significantly between groups. Quality of life, MADRS and mental health improved in BOTH arms (a placebo effect the authors report as such). Concludes an anti-fatigue effect "in burnout patients with fatigue syndrome" PMID: 19016404
  • [17] B Hung 2011 Phytomedicine, systematic review of 11 placebo-controlled RCTs of Rhodiola rosea mono-preparations across physical performance, mental performance and mental health conditions: "may have beneficial effects", but "there is, however, a lack of independent replications of the single different studies", with only 5 of 10 scoring above three points on the Jadad scale PMID: 21036578
Further reading

Studies on the background, dosing and safety of the compounds in your stack, and on uses other than the goals you chose. We list them so you can check what else we drew on. They carry no grade here, because a grade in this list belongs to the evidence for your own goals.

  • [18] Holick 2007 NEJM, narrative REVIEW of vitamin D deficiency, covering rickets, osteomalacia and osteoporosis; background context rather than a trial (cited for Vitamin D3 + K2 (MK-7): this is a background review of vitamin D deficiency rather than a trial, so it sets the context for this recommendation rather than testing it) PMID: 17634462
  • [19] Zittermann 2019 Anticancer Res, review with meta-analysis of vitamin D and CARDIOVASCULAR disease, reporting that CVD risk markers, events and mortality are "largely unaffected" by supplementation "even in subgroups with 25(OH)D concentrations <50 nmol/l", and concluding that doses beyond the nutritionally recommended 600-800 IU daily "cannot be advised for the prevention of CVD events" (cited for Vitamin D3 + K2 (MK-7): this review looked at heart disease, which is not what this supplement is recommended to you for, and it found that vitamin D did not reduce heart attacks, strokes or deaths) PMID: 31519560
  • [20] Martineau 2017 BMJ, individual-participant-data meta-analysis of 25 RCTs, 11,321 participants aged 0-95: acute respiratory tract infection adjusted OR 0.88 (95% CI 0.81-0.96); protective for daily or weekly dosing (aOR 0.81, 0.72-0.91) but NOT for bolus dosing (aOR 0.97, 0.86-1.10, P for interaction 0.05); effect larger at baseline 25(OH)D <25 nmol/L (aOR 0.30, 0.17-0.53) yet still significant at ≥25 nmol/L (aOR 0.75, 0.60-0.95); body of evidence rated high quality PMID: 28202713
  • [21] Okereke 2020 JAMA (VITAL-DEP), 18,353 adults aged 50+ randomised to 2,000 IU/day cholecalciferol or placebo, the bottom of the dose range we use, median 5.3 years: depression or clinically relevant depressive symptoms HR 0.97 (95% CI 0.87-1.09, P=.62) and mean PHQ-8 change 0.01 points (-0.04 to 0.05), the authors concluding the findings "do not support the use of vitamin D3 in adults to prevent depression" (cited for Vitamin D3 + K2 (MK-7): this large trial gave 2,000 IU a day for over five years and found no reduction in depression, and its authors say the results do not support taking vitamin D3 to prevent it) PMID: 32749491
  • [22] Entrenas Castillo 2020 J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol, PILOT open-label randomised study, n=76 hospitalised COVID patients, of CALCIFEDIOL (25-hydroxyvitamin D, a different molecule from the cholecalciferol we recommend) at 0.532mg: 1 of 50 treated versus 13 of 26 untreated required intensive care. The authors state that "larger trials with groups properly matched will be required to show a definitive answer" (cited for Vitamin D3 + K2 (MK-7): this pilot study used calcifediol in hospitalised patients, which is a different molecule from the cholecalciferol recommended here, and its authors say larger matched trials are needed before drawing a conclusion) PMID: 32871238
  • [23] Palacios 2019 Cochrane Database Syst Rev, Cochrane review of vitamin D supplementation in pregnancy, 30 trials and 7,033 women. Vitamin D ALONE probably reduces pre-eclampsia (RR 0.48, 95% CI 0.30-0.79), gestational diabetes (RR 0.51, 0.27-0.97) and low birthweight below 2500g (RR 0.55, 0.35-0.87), all moderate certainty, and may make little or no difference to preterm birth before 37 weeks (RR 0.66, 0.34-1.30, low certainty). Vitamin D WITH CALCIUM may increase preterm birth (RR 1.52, 1.01-2.28, low certainty) PMID: 31348529
  • [24] Konofal 2004 Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med, CASE-CONTROL (n=80: 53 ADHD children vs 27 controls), ferritin only. Establishes that ADHD children show markedly lower ferritin; it is NOT an intervention trial and cannot carry an intervention grade (cited for Iron (Ferrous Bisglycinate): this study compared iron stores between children who had ADHD and children who did not, and gave iron to nobody, so it reports an association rather than a benefit from supplementing) PMID: 15583094
  • [25] Konofal 2008 Pediatr Neurol, the actual supplementation RCT, n=23 randomised 3:1 (18 iron / 5 placebo), author-described pilot: ADHD-RS improved WITHIN the iron arm and not within the placebo arm, and the abstract reports no between-group test of it, while Conners Parent (p=0.055) AND Conners Teacher (p=0.076) BOTH failed significance PMID: 18054688
  • [26] Murray-Kolb 2007 Am J Clin Nutr, iron treatment normalizes cognitive functioning in young women: blinded, placebo-controlled, n=149 women aged 18-35 of varied iron status; iron-deficient women performed worse at baseline, and after 16 weeks a significant ferritin improvement was associated with a 5-7-fold improvement in cognitive performance PMID: 17344500
  • [27] Stoffel 2017 Lancet Haematol, two open-label randomised trials in iron-depleted women (ferritin ≤25) at 60mg ferrous sulfate: cumulative fractional absorption 21.8% on alternate days vs 16.3% on consecutive days (p=0.0013), total absorbed 175.3mg vs 131.0mg, and twice-daily split dosing raised serum hepcidin without improving absorption PMID: 29032957
  • [28] Stoffel 2020 Haematologica, crossover in 19 women with iron-deficiency anaemia at 100mg and 200mg: fractional absorption 40-50% higher on the alternate-day pattern than on the second consecutive day, with the paper advising twice the daily target given on alternate days where a larger total is needed PMID: 31413088
  • [29] Li 2020 JAMA Netw Open, randomised equivalence trial, n=440 adults with iron-deficiency anaemia, oral iron with or without 200mg vitamin C per dose for 3 months: haemoglobin change 2.00 vs 1.84 g/dL at 2 weeks (difference 0.16, 95% CI −0.03 to 0.35, equivalence met), ferritin no different at 8 weeks (the equivalence margin covered haemoglobin only), adverse events no different (20.9% vs 20.5%) PMID: 33136134
  • [30] Kennedy 2010 Psychopharmacology, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, 215 healthy MEN aged 30–55, 33 days. Improved Perceived Stress Scale, GHQ-12 and POMS "vigour" ratings, better performance on the Serial 3s subtraction task, and lower self-rated mental tiredness. THE INTERVENTION WAS BEROCCA®, a B-complex PLUS VITAMIN C PLUS MINERALS, so no result is attributable to the B vitamins alone. Male-only, so it supports no female-specific claim (cited for Vitamin B Complex (Active Forms): this trial gave a product containing B vitamins together with vitamin C and minerals, so its results cannot be attributed to the B vitamins on their own, and it enrolled men only) PMID: 20454891
  • [31] Kawai 2015 Neuropsychopharmacology, a study in RATS: oral glycine increased non-REM sleep, shortened the time to reach it and lowered core temperature, acting on the brain's body clock; seven of its nine authors work for an amino acid manufacturer (cited for Glycine: this study was carried out in rats rather than people, so it shows how glycine may act rather than what it does for a human reader, and seven of its nine authors work for an amino acid manufacturer) PMID: 25533534
  • [32] Thomas 2024 Eur J Nutr, randomised crossover in 13 physically active young men with sleep complaints: 15g collagen peptides (≈2–3g glycine) 1h pre-bed for 7 nights produced NO core-temperature change and no change in sleep latency, quality or efficiency, but DID reduce awakenings (P=0.028) and improve Stroop accuracy (P=0.009); so glycine taken inside collagen protein does not reproduce the temperature drop seen with free glycine in rats, though it was not without effect on sleep (cited for Glycine: this trial used glycine bound in collagen peptides rather than the free glycine recommended here; it found no change in core temperature or in how quickly people fell asleep, though night-time waking fell) PMID: 37874350
  • [33] Sekhar 2021 J Nutr, a single-author REVIEW, not a trial. PubMed publication type "Review", and its own abstract says it "discusses evidence from published rodent studies and human clinical trials", it is the narrative case for GlyNAC in ageing, not a randomised test of it (cited for Glycine: this is a single-author background review of glycine and N-acetylcysteine in ageing rather than a randomised test of them, drawing on rodent studies alongside human trials) PMID: 34587244
  • [34] Nobre 2008 Asia Pac J Clin Nutr, single 50mg dose against placebo (n=16 vs 19) in healthy young participants, greater increase in alpha-band EEG activity with eyes closed, replicated in a second passive-activity study PMID: 18296328
  • [35] Kimura 2007 Biol Psychol, "L-Theanine reduces psychological and physiological stress responses": 12 participants, four counterbalanced double-blind trials each, acute mental-arithmetic stressor. Heart rate and salivary immunoglobulin A responses to the stressor were reduced against placebo, and heart-rate variability attributed this to attenuated sympathetic activation PMID: 16930802
  • [36] Haskell 2008 Biol Psychol, "The effects of L-theanine, caffeine and their combination on cognition and mood": randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind, balanced crossover of L-theanine 250mg and caffeine 150mg alone and together. L-THEANINE ALONE WAS NEGATIVE ON COGNITION: it "increased 'headache' ratings and decreased correct serial seven subtractions." The faster reaction times, improved RVIP accuracy and reduced mental fatigue belong to caffeine and to the combination PMID: 18006208
  • [37] Zhang 2022 Pharmacol Res, Bayesian network meta-analysis of 29 randomised trials of medicinal herbs for anxiety across 12 herbs: for L-theanine, MD −0.49 (95% CrI −6.54 to 5.57), "did not outperform a placebo for the treatment of anxiety in terms of statistical certainty" PMID: 35378276
  • [38] Kennedy 2006 Phytother Res, valerian + lemon balm combo (cited for Valerian Root: this trial used a fixed valerian and lemon balm product in single doses, so no part of the result can be attributed to valerian on its own, and it measured anxiety under a laboratory stressor rather than sleep) PMID: 16444660
  • [39] Wankhede 2015 J Int Soc Sports Nutr, testosterone and muscle strength PMID: 26609282
  • [40] Sharma 2018 J Altern Complement Med, ashwagandha root extract 600mg/day for 8 weeks normalised TSH/T3/T4 in subclinical hypothyroid patients (double-blind RCT, n=50) PMID: 28829155
  • [41] Björnsson 2020 Liver Int, ashwagandha-induced liver injury case series (Iceland + US DILIN, n=5): cholestatic/mixed pattern, jaundice + pruritus, latency 2–12 weeks; in these five cases liver tests normalised within 1–5 months and none progressed to hepatic failure, but the wider case literature reviewed since includes one case that ended in liver transplantation, so this benign course is a property of this series and not of the risk (cited for Ashwagandha (KSM-66): this is the safety record behind the liver caution in this report, a case series of liver injury, not evidence of benefit) PMID: 31991029
  • [42] Fatima 2024 Hum Psychopharmacol, systematic review and meta-analysis of 5 RCTs, n=254, of Withania somnifera for anxiety and insomnia: HAM-A MD −5.96 (95% CI −10.34 to −1.59, P=0.008) at I²=98%, with significant improvements in sleep-onset latency, total sleep time, PSQI and sleep efficiency, and null for WASO and time in bed PMID: 39083548
  • [43] Darbinyan 2007 Nord J Psychiatry, Rhodiola rosea SHR-5 at 340 or 680mg/day for 6 weeks in mild-to-moderate depression (randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, n=89) showed significant improvement in overall HAM-D, insomnia, emotional instability and somatisation, but NOT self-esteem, versus placebo PMID: 17990195
A
Strong evidence
Multiple RCTs or systematic reviews. Effect replicated across populations.
B
Good evidence
At least one well-designed RCT. Effect is consistent but limited replication.
C
Emerging evidence
Mechanistic data, observational studies, or small trials. Effect plausible but not yet confirmed at scale.

Limitations

What this report cannot do

This report is not a substitute for clinical consultation. It does not diagnose medical conditions, replace blood test interpretation by a qualified clinician, or constitute medical advice. All compound selections are based on peer-reviewed evidence but individual response varies.

Your blood values in this report are as you reported them to us from your GP visit in May. We have not seen or verified the underlying lab result, and levels can change over time. Treat the figures here as a starting point for the retesting conversation with your GP, not as a confirmed current status.

Supplement safety data is drawn from established research populations. Because you take no prescription medications currently, the interaction checks in this report are lighter than they would be otherwise. If that changes, or if you are ever prescribed something new, review this stack against it before continuing.

This report reflects your profile at the time of completion. It is not a permanent prescription. Goals change, blood work changes, and the evidence base evolves. Reassessment at 12 weeks, as set out above, is recommended.

One last note.
Sleep, energy, and the heavier-legged feeling on your runs this year are not three separate problems for you: they are threaded through the same pattern, and this stack is built to address them together rather than one at a time. Supplements can only do part of the work. Keeping your evenings winding down before ten, eating enough around your training, and giving the ferritin conversation with your GP the follow-through it deserves will matter just as much. Track how you feel over the next 12 weeks and get in touch if anything feels off rather than pushing through it.

"Sleep that knits up the ravell'd sleave of care"
William Shakespeare, Macbeth, Act 2, Scene 2

Running three or four times a week while lying awake most nights until midnight is a hard combination to sustain, and it says something that you have kept it up regardless. A ferritin of 18 with heavy periods you have been managing around for years is a real, physical reason for some of what you have been feeling, not something to put down to simply doing too much. Taking the time to build this stack, and to go back to your GP about it, is a genuinely useful step.

Wishing you well, Rachel.
Legal Disclaimer

This report is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and is not a substitute for professional medical advice from a qualified healthcare provider who is familiar with your individual medical history.

Distil is not a medical organisation. The recommendations in this report are based on publicly available peer-reviewed research and are intended as general information only. Individual results may vary and are not guaranteed.

Always consult your GP, pharmacist, or appropriate specialist before starting any new supplement, particularly if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, trying to conceive, have a diagnosed medical condition, are taking prescription medication, or have surgery planned. Some compounds may interact with medications or exacerbate certain health conditions.

The inclusion of a compound in this report does not constitute an endorsement of any specific product, brand, or manufacturer. Verify the legal status and safety of any supplement before purchase. Distil accepts no liability for any loss, injury, or damage arising from reliance on the information contained in this report. Use of this report is subject to Distil's Terms and Conditions at distil.health/terms.

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Evidence, not assumptions.
distil.health
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26 August 2026
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distil.health  ·  Rachel  ·  26 August 2026 Evidence, not assumptions.