You're well aware that you shouldn't take some medicines together, and that some foods and medicines shouldn't be mixed, like eating grapefruit while taking blood thinners. But did you know that taking supplements with some medications can actually help them work better?

A prime example is the supplement CoQ10. "Co-enzyme Q10 or CoQ10 is a naturally occurring substance present within every cell of the body," says neurosurgeon Dr. Russell Blaylock. "Without it we would die.

"The body's supply of CoQ10 is siphoned off through use of hypertensive and antidiabetic medications, statins, and certain antidepressants," says Blaylock, author of The Blaylock Wellness Report.

CoQ10 is a powerful, safe antioxidant, says Blaylock, and protects against many diseases including heart disease, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's. When statins lower levels of CoQ10 in your body, side effects such as muscle pain and liver and kidney damage increase, but supplements can reduce them.

Other supplements that help medications work better include:

EPA. A study conducted by Harvard University and the University of Melbourne found that people with depression who added EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), an omega-3 fish oil, to their antidepressant experienced a significant reduction in symptoms.

The researchers speculated that EPA could possibly alter the activity of neurotransmitters or by reducing inflammation, which is known to be a factor in depression.

Many studies have found fish oil reduces the pain and stiffness associated with arthritis, and doesn't interfere with drugs used to treat rheumatoid arthritis or painkillers.

B vitamins. B vitamins taken with antidepressants can improve depression symptoms. According to a study published in the journal Psychiatry, depressed patients who had low levels of vitamin B6 and had not responded to antidepressants improved when they began taking vitamin B6 supplements.

The B vitamin folate has also been associated with helping boost the beneficial effects of medications, and also of reducing depression in patients who haven't responded to antidepressants.

Vitamin C. Several studies have suggested that birth control pills reduce the absorption of Vitamin C, which is needed in the body's ability to heal and fight disease. Some experts theorize that vitamin C increases estrogen levels and stops breakthrough bleeding associated with the pill.

Probiotics. People who take antibiotics should take probiotics at the same time in order to restore levels of "good" bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract, say experts. The Cochrane Collaboration reviewed 23 randomized trials assessing the effectiveness of probiotics, and found they were effective in preventing diarrhea associated with antibiotics.

Bergamot. Researchers found that bergamot, a bitter citrus fruit grown in Italy, contains flavonoids that interfere with the natural synthesis of cholesterol in the body. An Italian study published in the International Journal of Cardiology found that taking bergamot extract reduced cholesterol from 289 milligrams per deciliter of blood to 191. In patients who were taking statins, doctors were able to cut their dosages in half without lowering their effectiveness.

"Bergamot lowers triglycerides, raises HDL cholesterol, lowers inflammatory LDL, and helps control blood sugar and improve arterial health," nationally known nutritionist Jonny Bowden, author of "Smart Fat: Eat More Fat. Lose More Weight. Get Healthy Now," told Newsmax Health.

Vitamin D and calcium. Vitamin D and calcium are often prescribed with bisphophonates to improve the health of bones in people diagnosed with osteoporosis. A meta-analysis of randomized, controlled studies from the National Osteoporosis Foundation found that vitamin D and calcium supplements reduced hip fractures by 30 percent in older adults.