I wore vitamin supplement patches to boost my energy levels — here's what happened

More studies are needed to prove their efficacy, but for people who find it hard to take pills, wellness patches might be the solution

Adele Miner at her home in Kilbarrack, Dublin. Photo: Gareth Chaney

What if you didn’t have to swallow vitamins, but you could wear them instead? Wearable vitamin patches are the latest wellness trend to hit the market.

Much like patches used to quell nicotine cravings or act as a form of contraception, these transdermal patches claim to increase vitamin intake, improve sleep, boost energy and even help with period pain through the release of active ingredients into the skin and the bloodstream.

Industry experts predict a huge boom in the wearable patch market too, which was estimated at $9.95bn in 2024 — and is expected to grow significantly.

GP Gareth Patterson shares his insights on the trend: “Wellness patches are an innovative idea, and the concept of delivering vitamins and supplements through the skin is appealing, especially for those who don’t like swallowing pills or want a more on-the-go option.”

Patches work via transdermal delivery, meaning the ingredients are absorbed through the skin and into the bloodstream, says Patterson.

“This can, in theory, bypass the digestive system and avoid breakdown in the stomach or liver.”

Brands like The Good Patch and Kind Patches advertise a “steady release system”, saying they deliver nutrients and premium ingredients slowly to the body over the course of eight to 12 hours.

Keen to put them to the test, I tried The Good Patch B12 Awake patches, which the makers say have undergone extensive third-party testing. Containing caffeine, green tea extract, and vitamin B12, these patches are designed to deliver a sustained dose of energy to the body over 12 hours. The manufacturers recommend placing it on the inside of your wrist or any venous area.

What kind of results can I expect to see?

“All the ingredients in this patch are associated with increased alertness and energy,” says Patterson. “If anything is absorbed, the most likely short-term effect might be a mild energy boost due to the caffeine content. However, how much is actually absorbed through the skin, especially B12, a large molecule, is unclear.

“The effects might be subtle or placebo-driven for some people.”

Adele Miner, waering a wellness patch

With four patches per pouch, I trialled them for four consecutive days. The first issue I faced was the obvious eyesore of the patch.

I placed it on the recommended spot on my wrist, and particularly when wearing a t-shirt, I felt conscious of it being highly visible on my arm. I’m no stranger to transdermal patches as I use the Evra contraceptive patch; however, the Awake patch felt slightly awkward on my arm. I was acutely aware of it on my skin, though it didn’t cause pain or discomfort.

I certainly felt like I had a lot more energy on the days I wore it than on the days I didn’t. Often, I hit a mid-afternoon slump at around 3pm, but after popping on my patch at around 11am, the usual tiredness I feel in the afternoon didn’t hit me. For context, I’m not a tea or coffee drinker, so I usually power through those slower moments. In theory, this makes me more sensitive to caffeine when it does enter my bloodstream, which is potentially what happened with the Awake patch.

Patterson’s “placebo theory” is the most likely explanation for my energy surge. As it turns out, my body wasn’t actually receiving that much caffeine from the patch. A normal cup of brewed coffee typically contains around 80-100mg of caffeine. Each B12 Aware patch contains just 15mg of caffeine. For coffee virgins like myself, the patches could serve as a handy substitute for a small energy boost, but at €24.82 for four patches plus delivery, I think it might be more cost-effective to acquire a taste for coffee.

Most wellness patches are marketed as wellness products rather than licensed medical treatments, says Patterson: “They don’t go through the same level of clinical testing or regulation as medicines. My main concern for wellness patches at present would be the lack of regulation and evidence.”

In 2019, a study was conducted on people with nutrient deficiencies following bariatric (weight-loss) surgery, in which they received a daily multivitamin patch for one year. Compared to bariatric patients who took oral vitamins, they had lower blood concentrations of several vitamins and were more likely to have a vitamin D deficiency.

While the theory suggests that patches can facilitate better nutrient absorption, says Patterson, this is not always the case.

“Our skin is a very effective barrier, and not all nutrients can easily pass through it. With tablets or drinks, absorption is typically more reliable because we understand the digestive process well, and dosage can be better controlled.”

Wellness patches may not deliver all the promised results, but they are certainly something to keep an eye on as they evolve and improve.

Patterson sums it up best: “Patches might appeal to people who have difficulty swallowing pills or who experience digestive upset from oral supplements. But I wouldn’t recommend them as a replacement for traditional vitamins. Patches are an interesting option, but they should be viewed more as a wellness trend than a medical solution — at least for now.”