If you’ve ever walked down the supplement aisle at a drugstore, you’ve seen the dizzying array of options available in your medicine cabinet. According to the Council for Responsible Nutrition’s 2022 Dietary Supplement Consumer Survey, 75% of Americans use dietary supplements, most on a regular basis.
It’s important to remember that supplements are just supplements. While they help give you a little boost when you’re lacking in certain nutrients, the best way to get the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants you need is through a healthy, nutritious diet.
“Supplements will never give you what real, real food will,” says Cara Bernstein, RD, a nutrition educator at Pritikin Longevity Center. “They just help you. They are not intended to replace meals.”
However, Bernstein acknowledges that there can be setbacks from relying solely on food for optimal nutrition, and there are times when supplements can be a boon.
“It would be great if we all ate all our fruits and vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins and got everything we need from food, but unfortunately our food supply is sometimes not the highest quality either,” she says. . “So we could do a lot of good things and not get all our nutrients from food.”
According to her, with age this deficiency can become even more pronounced.
“We are machines, so as we get older, things that worked well start to not work so well. That’s when we may have to turn to supplements more.”
Not all supplements are suitable for everyone. Before you start taking any supplements, you should always check with your doctor to make sure they won’t interact with medications you take or put you at risk for other problems. But for most people approaching their golden age, Bernstein recommends this:
Calcium for bone strength
Calcium does a lot for you: it plays an important role in blood clotting, helps muscles contract, and regulates normal heart rhythm and nerve function. It also builds and maintains strong bones. When you don’t get enough calcium, your body borrows it from your bones to keep everything running smoothly. Daily intake of calcium will help you replace this calcium and keep bones healthy.
As you reach age 50, your daily calcium requirement increases. Until then, 1,200 milligrams per day will be enough, but when you reach the half-century mark, it’s time to increase the dose to 1,500 milligrams per day. Women who have gone through menopause are at greatest risk of infection osteoporosisa disease that makes bones weak and brittle. Calcium deficiency further increases these chances.
Bernstein says if you know you’re not getting at least two servings of a calcium source each day, taking a calcium supplement is a good idea. But supplementation is only one piece of the puzzle.
“In addition to calcium, I also recommend that you eat at least two servings of dairy or eat plenty of green leafy vegetables, and do resistance training, which protects bones more than anything else.” she says.
Vitamin D for immunity (and bone strength)
Speaking of healthy bones, your body can only absorb calcium when vitamin D present. In addition, vitamin D has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and neuroprotective properties. It supports immune health, muscle function and brain cell activity.
Your body doesn’t make vitamin D, so you have to get it from outside sources. These include food, sun or nutritional supplements. Until age 70, your daily requirement is 600 IU. After 70 years it increases to 800 IU. In your later years, your body may need support to achieve these goals.
“As we age, most of us stop absorbing vitamin D,” Bernstein says. This may be especially true if you live in an area with little sun or regularly wear sunscreen.
Probiotics for Gut Health
New research suggests that supplementing with probiotics—the “good” bacteria that live in your digestive system and help control “bad” bacteria—may help counteract age-related changes in your gut microbiota, improving your immune health and helping healthy digestion with age.
“We know that if we have good gut health, everything else follows: inflammation, brain fog, weight loss, sleep, depression,” Bernstein says. “Our gut is connected to almost everything.”
Like most nutrients, probiotics are best obtained from the food you eat. You can get them through fermented foods such as yogurt, kefir, kombucha, refrigerated sauerkraut, kimchi, tempeh and miso. But a supplement is not a bad idea.
Some supplements contain more than 50 billion CFUs (colony-forming units), which may seem like a lot, but Bernstein says your body only absorbs 20% to 30% of that amount.
“Taking supplements helps create this diversity and huge population of probiotics in the gut, which helps us stay healthy, lose weight and lower cholesterol,” she says.
Magnesium for mood
Magnesium is involved in immune function, enzymatic reactions and plays a role in reducing inflammation. It is also a key player in mood stabilization. Magnesium levels decline as you age, putting you at risk for mental health problems.
“People low in magnesium tend to experience more severe depression,” Bernstein says. Chronically low levels can also increase your chances of high blood pressure, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and osteoporosis.
Anyone over 30 should get 320 to 420 milligrams per day, but Bernstein says not all magnesium supplements are created equal.
“For example, you can take magnesium carbonate, but you can also take something called magnesium glycinate, which is a little easier on the stomach,” she says. “The combination of how it’s worded causes different reactions.” Talk to your doctor about which magnesium formula is best for you.
Multivitamins for cover the bases
Taking a daily multivitamin, while not a cure-all, can give you an overall nutrient boost. At least, Bernstein says, it won’t hurt.
“I always say that multivitamins are like an insurance policy,” she says. “I would recommend a general multivitamin at any age.”
Most brands are the same, but for peace of mind, look for the USP symbol. This Seal of Approval recognizes brands that have consistent quality, precise ingredients in the potency and quantity stated on the label.
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