By Ashley Abramson
Photo: Gregory Reid
Melatonin to help you sleep and Prevagen to keep you sharp. Fish oil for your heart and probiotics for your gut. In ads and on social media, we’re always hearing about supplements that might help us think more clearly, have more energy, and just generally feel better as we age. But are any of them actually worth taking?
While the claims for many supplements go far beyond what has been proved, some may indeed help you fend off illness, stay strong, and even look good. That’s partly because some people have restrictive diets that make it hard to get enough of certain nutrients from food or have conditions that prevent them from absorbing enough of key nutrients. And just getting older can trigger the need for supplements.
For one thing, we become less efficient at absorbing some nutrients as we age, says Joel Mason, MD, leader of the vitamins and carcinogenesis team at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in Boston. Plus, some of us eat less, just as our bodies need more of certain vitamins and minerals. For example, our ability to generate new bone slows with age, so if you didn’t consume enough dairy when younger or you don’t eat a lot of it now, you might need extra calcium and vitamin D to protect your bones.
It’s best to get nutrients from food—it contains a mix of vitamins, minerals, fiber, protein, and more that no supplement can match, says JoAnn E. Manson, MD, chief of preventive medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. And supplements can pose risks, including potential interactions with medications. So talk with your doctor before taking a new supplement.
Still, even people who eat right can occasionally need something extra. Here are seven supplements that can help some people strengthen their bones, improve their sleep, protect their heart, and more. We also offer advice on the right dosages, plus tips on vetting supplements. Key point: Choose products, such as those highlighted in this story, that have been verified to be free of contaminants and to contain what their labels claim. Finally, we identify three supplements that you probably shouldn’t bother taking.
Calcium: Strong Bone Builder
Why it’s important: The most abundant mineral in the body, calcium is primarily stored in your bones. If you don’t get enough in your diet, your body will start taking it from your bones, resulting in a heightened risk of osteoporosis. Calcium also helps your muscles to move effectively, your blood vessels to send blood throughout your body, and your nerves to send messages to control important bodily functions, such as the release of hormones.
Who should take it: Starting at age 65, women should be screened for osteoporosis. If it turns out you have weak or brittle bones, your doctor will likely prescribe medication and recommend a calcium supplement. You might also want a supplement if you have early signs of osteoporosis, especially if you don’t consume many dairy products because you’re lactose-intolerant, you’re a vegan, or you just don’t like dairy. In fact, any postmenopausal woman who doesn’t regularly consume dairy products should consider supplemental calcium. Most other women, and most men of any age, don’t need calcium from pills. Too much increases the risk of kidney stones and possibly heart disease.
How much do you need? Everyone ages 19 to 50 and men between 51 and 70 need 1,000 mg of daily calcium. Women between 51 and 70 and everyone older than 71 need 1,200 mg. For context, there are about 325 mg of calcium in a cup of skim milk, 173 mg in a single-serve container of nonfat Greek yogurt, and 245 mg in a cup of cooked spinach. When choosing a calcium supplement, consider how much calcium you get from food—then look for one that gets you up to the amount recommended for your age and gender. Supplements with calcium carbonate tend to cost a little less, but those with calcium citrate are a good choice if you take medications to decrease stomach acid, like heartburn drugs.
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Collagen: For Skin and Joint Health
Why it’s important: Collagen is a protein that helps form connective tissue, including skin, bones, cartilage, muscles, ligaments, and tendons. The body makes less of it with age, leading to sagging skin and osteoarthritis, so maintaining adequate levels is important. Collagen is abundant in red meat. And eggs, dairy, and poultry may help the body produce its own collagen because the protein in these foods can be broken down into the amino acids your body needs to make collagen.
Who should take it: While most Americans consume more than enough protein, shortfalls become more common with age as your protein needs increase to counteract muscle loss. In fact, research suggests that close to half of older adults get less protein than they need.
How much do you need? The average adult needs 0.36 gram of protein per pound of body weight, or 54 grams for a 150-pound person. For context, you get to about 50 grams when you add up 3 ounces of chicken breast, 5.5 ounces of Greek yogurt, and a half-cup of white beans. But older adults need about 50 percent more, or about 75 grams a day for a 150-pound person. If you have trouble getting that much from your diet and have arthritis or are worried about wrinkles or sagging skin, a collagen supplement is worth considering.
Pay attention to the type of collagen in your supplement. Type I collagen is used for skin health, while type II is the main constituent of cartilage, so it’s used for joints; type III is found in the skin and internal organs. A 2018 study of 64 women found that taking 1,000 mg of type I collagen improved wrinkles and skin elasticity. And 40 mg of type II collagen helped reduce symptoms of osteoarthritis, in a 2016 study of 191 middle-aged people.
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Fish Oil: For Your Brain and Heart
Why it’s important: Fish oil contains omega-3 fatty acids called EPA and DHA, which your body needs to form cell membranes throughout your body—especially in your eyes and brain. They can also reduce triglycerides, a type of fat in the blood linked to heart disease.
Who should take it: People who don’t eat at least 1.5 servings of fish per week could consider a fish oil supplement containing EPA and DHA, especially if they are at higher risk of cardiovascular disease because of high blood pressure, obesity, or a family history of heart disease, Manson says. (A serving of fish is 2 to 3 ounces, about the size of a deck of cards.) That could lower the risk of heart disease and help prevent dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, research suggests. Anyone who has survived a heart attack or has been diagnosed with heart failure may also benefit, according to the American Heart Association.
How much do you need? The research on supplements reducing the risk of heart disease or Alzheimer’s disease generally used a gram of EPA and DHA a day. If you have a history of heart attack or stroke or are at a very high risk for them, your doctor may suggest a prescription omega-3 pill, which could come in a higher dose and be covered by insurance, Manson says. For people who don’t eat fish, Matthew Badgett, MD, a physician at the Cleveland Clinic in North Ridgeville, Ohio, recommends a plant-derived algae oil supplement due to its similar omega-3 content. Taking either form with meals, he says, can help absorption.
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Magnesium: Healthy Muscles and More
Why it’s important: Your body uses this mineral to regulate blood pressure and blood sugar, make proteins, and ensure healthy muscle and nerve function. Low levels of magnesium may contribute to migraine headaches and muscle cramps. The mineral is naturally found in legumes, nuts, seeds (especially pumpkin), whole grains (especially quinoa), and leafy greens, along with fortified foods including cereal, milk, and yogurt.
Who should take it: Badgett most often suggests magnesium supplements for people who have constipation, insomnia, or chronic migraines. But others might benefit because nearly half of Americans don’t get enough from food. Men older than 70 are especially likely to be deficient, as are people with gastrointestinal diseases and type 2 diabetes.
How much do you need? Men need 400 to 420 mg of magnesium a day, while women need 310 to 320 mg. (Two tablespoons of peanut butter has 54 mg; a cup of cooked quinoa has 118 mg.) Research has found that forms of magnesium that dissolve in liquid may be more effectively absorbed in the body. So a magnesium powder dissolved in a drink, rather than tablets, might be your best bet.
There are different types of magnesium: If you experience side effects—such as stomach cramps and diarrhea—with one type, try another. Magnesium oxide tends to be the least expensive but may be more likely to cause gastric side effects. Magnesium citrate and magnesium bisglycinate are thought to be more easily absorbed.
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Melatonin: For Better Sleep
Why it’s important: Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone that helps regulate your circadian rhythm, the body’s internal clock that tells you when it’s time to go to bed at night or wake up in the morning. Your body releases melatonin as you approach bedtime to make you sleepy, especially if you manage to get plenty of daylight in the morning and avoid too much light at night. When you wake up, your levels of melatonin dip.
Who should take it: There are certain serious, uncommon sleep disorders in adults and children that are treated with melatonin. Beyond that, the supplement is best for episodic (rather than chronic) sleep problems, including periodic insomnia and jet lag. Many people take melatonin routinely before bed, but the evidence isn’t strong enough to suggest it helps for insomnia that lasts longer than a month. In those cases, talk to your doctor or a sleep specialist.
Though taking melatonin is generally thought to be safe and doesn’t usually cause dependence, its long-term effects are not fully known, especially in children. And it’s not a magic fix: According to one 2013 analysis, people with insomnia fall asleep an average of 7 minutes faster when they took melatonin.
How much do you need? In the short term, melatonin can be taken as needed before bed, says Deirdre Conroy, PhD, clinical director of the behavioral sleep medicine program at the University of Michigan Medical School in Ann Arbor. To match natural levels, you’d ideally start with a supplement containing a dose between 0.2 and 0.5 mg; practically, however, doses starting at 1 mg are more widely available. In the U.K., where melatonin is available only by prescription, the country’s health service recommends 3 mg as a treatment for jet lag. You should not exceed 10 mg.
Choosing a product with a third-party seal is especially important with this supplement; a 2023 study found inconsistent melatonin levels in some melatonin gummies.
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Vitamin B12: Important for Nerve Health
Why it’s important: Vitamin B12, one of eight B vitamins, plays a key role in red blood cell formation and nervous system function. Healthy levels of B12 can prevent vitamin deficiency anemia, which can lead to weakness and fatigue, along with nerve damage, memory problems, depression, and heart palpitations. The vitamin is found in animal products, such as fish, meat, poultry, and milk. Plant foods, unless they’re fortified, don’t contain vitamin B12.
Who should take it: People who may need a B12 supplement include older adults, whose lower gastric acid levels make it harder to absorb the nutrient, says Stefan M. Pasiakos, PhD, director of the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.
Vegetarians or vegans can also be prone to low B12 levels. If you have a medical condition affecting your GI tract, such as inflammatory bowel disease or celiac disease, or if you take a medication that interferes with absorption, such as metformin (for diabetes) or a proton pump inhibitor (for heartburn), you may also need to supplement, Manson says. If you present with symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency, your doctor may test your levels.
How much do you need? Not a lot: The recommended amount for adults is 2.4 micrograms (mcg). Typically, Manson says, the amount in a multivitamin is more than enough (and may help you save money on an individual supplement).
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Vitamin D: Bone, Brain, and Immunity Booster
Why it’s important: Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium, which is key for maintaining bone density. Your body also needs it for healthy neuromuscular and immune function. Getting enough may support brain function and decrease the risk of depression. Low vitamin D has also been linked to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Vitamin D is in fortified milk and breakfast cereals, fatty fish, and egg yolks. Your body can also make vitamin D when you are exposed to the sun, though this process becomes less efficient with age. Nearly a fifth of middle-aged and older adults in the U.S. are vitamin D-deficient.
Who should take it: Adults over 75 and those younger than 75 with prediabetes might benefit from supplemental vitamin D, according to the Endocrine Society. Although screening for low vitamin D isn’t recommended for everyone else, it may be a good idea if you have osteoporosis, other bone problems, or little sun exposure, or if you’re concerned you might have very low vitamin D intake in your diet, Manson says. While some lab tests have suggested wearing sunscreen could interfere with vitamin D production, there’s little evidence of this in the real world.
How much do you need? Adults up to 70 need 600 international units (15 mcg) of vitamin D each day, and those 71 and older need 800 IU (20 mcg). To prevent toxicity, don’t exceed the adult upper daily limit of 4,000 IU (100 mcg). Talk to your doctor if you have obesity. Vitamin D is fat-soluble, so you may require a higher dosage, says Michael F. Holick, MD, a vitamin D researcher and professor of endocrinology, diabetes, nutrition, and weight management at Boston University School of Medicine. Some D supplements include vitamin K2, which is thought to help with calcium and vitamin D absorption. Holick says this isn’t necessary unless you’re deficient in vitamin K. (If you eat a healthy diet full of green, leafy veggies, you generate plenty of K in your gut.) Most calcium supplements come with vitamin D, which helps your body absorb the bone-building mineral, so check your supplements to make sure you don’t end up taking too much.
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3 Supplements to Skip
While not everyone needs to take the seven supplements recommended in this article, they can help many of us. The same is not true of these three popular pills. There is either little evidence that they are helpful or very limited situations in which they might be of use.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C deficiency is unusual in the U.S.; only about 7 percent of Americans have it. For the other 93 percent of us, a vitamin C supplement is simply not worth the money. Research has found that it doesn’t reduce the risk of getting the common cold in people who aren’t deficient, despite its common use for that.
For the few people who don’t get enough vitamin C in their diet—it’s plentiful in citrus fruits, peppers, broccoli, potatoes, and more—a regular supplement may shorten the duration and severity of a cold, though this effect is slight. Smokers also may need supplemental vitamin C.
A serious vitamin C deficiency is easy to spot: People often feel so sick with fatigue, aches, and pains that they go to a doctor for testing, says Pieter Cohen, MD, of Harvard Medical School.
Probiotics
There’s little research to suggest that taking a probiotic supplement is beneficial for the general population, even though it sounds promising in theory. Diverse gut bacteria can indeed help promote health in the GI tract and beyond. But JoAnn E. Manson, MD, of Brigham and Women’s Hospital, says there’s not yet enough evidence about the effects of these supplements to make a broad recommendation.
Doctors may recommend taking probiotics to help with very specific health situations, such as ulcerative colitis or a serious bacterial infection known as Clostridioides difficile (C. diff). And probiotic supplements that contain live bacteria are being studied for many conditions, including antibiotic-associated diarrhea, eczema, inflammatory bowel disease, and high cholesterol. But in most of these cases, you’d need a particular amount and strain to benefit. “I wouldn’t be using whatever you find on a store shelf,” Cohen says.
Glucosamine and Chondroitin
Commonly taken together to treat joint pain due to osteoarthritis, glucosamine and chondroitin are key components of cartilage, which arthritis wears down. A large body of research has found conflicting conclusions about whether these supplements are actually effective.
They are known to have a strong placebo effect, so many people who take them experience some relief. But the same is true of people in osteoarthritis studies who are given placebo pills, so you may want to save your money. Manson says she doesn’t routinely recommend these supplements to patients with arthritis. Instead, consider regular exercise, including gentle activities like tai chi or swimming if the pain is severe, losing excess weight, and occasional use of OTC pain relievers.
Photo: Gregory Reid
What About Prevagen?
You’ve probably seen ads for Prevagen, a supplement with a protein derived from jellyfish, claiming it will improve age-related memory loss. Forty-three percent of Americans have heard of it, according to a May 2024 CR nationally representative survey (PDF) of 2,022 U.S. adults. But the Federal Trade Commission and the state of New York have taken actions against the company, saying research shows the company’s product simply does not work.
“I tell my patients not to take Prevagen,” says Matthew Badgett, MD, of the Cleveland Clinic. To stay sharp, focus instead on the same things that keep your body healthy, like managing diabetes and other diseases, and prioritizing a nutritious diet, regular exercise, and sleep.
How We Picked Products
The supplements highlighted in this article were not tested by CR but contain a dosage as close as possible to what’s recommended and in most cases a seal from an independent testing group.
Seals are key because the Food and Drug Administration doesn’t regulate supplements as it does drugs. So a seal “can help ensure you’re getting a quality product that contains the ingredients and doses listed on the label [and] is free from harmful contaminants,” says Stefan M. Pasiakos, PhD, director of the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.
Reputable seals include UL, NSF International, and U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP). Go to the USP website to look up USP Verified supplements. The National Institutes of Health Dietary Supplement Label Database can help compare products.
For our picks, we prioritize the USP seal, because the USP also developed the standards that govern prescription and over-the-counter drugs. In addition, USP buys products off the shelves for periodic spot checks. Many (though not all) Nature Made and Kirkland (Costco) vitamins are USP Verified.
You could also consider buying your supplements from CVS, because the retailer says it requires third-party testing for all the vitamins and supplements that it sells.
Editor’s Note: This article also appeared in the September 2024 issue of Consumer Reports magazine.
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