The supplements older adults actually need and the ones they don't
Key takeaways
- The use of dietary supplements has increased sharply in recent years.
- For people who already have adequate nutrition, many supplements offer little or no measurable benefit.
- For older adults, however, the picture is more complicated.
Why this matters: new research or scientific developments with potential real-world impact.
The use of dietary supplements has increased sharply in recent years. Vitamins, minerals and other nutritional products are often marketed as simple ways to boost energy, support immunity, protect brain health or even promote longevity. For many people, taking supplements can feel like a sensible, proactive health habit.
But this perception can be misleading. For people who already have adequate nutrition, many supplements offer little or no measurable benefit. Some are simply an unnecessary expense. Others are not risk-free: high doses of certain vitamins and minerals can cause toxicity, interfere with medications or produce unintended health effects.
For older adults, however, the picture is more complicated. The most useful question is not simply whether supplements are good or bad , but whether someone is actually deficient, what might be causing that deficiency and whether a supplement is the safest way to address it.