Nutritional Supplements You Don't Need (And Some You Do)

I recently got an email from Brian who wrote: "In episode #28, you talk about multivitamins and calcium. But what about other supplements, like..." And here, Brian listed 25 different nutritional supplements, literally from A to Z, starting with Ashwagandha and ending with zinc. Maybe you have a similar list.

According to the FDA:

Three out of every four American consumers take a dietary supplement on a regular basis. For older Americans, the rate rises to four in five. And one in three children take supplements.

And we’re spending a lot of money on them. Supplements are a $122 billion dollar industry. And yet, it doesn’t look like we’re getting much of a return on our investment.

The vast majority of the supplements that people are taking are of questionable use.

Supplements don't make us live longer

In 2019, researchers at Tufts University examined survey data on supplement use and health from more than 27,000 individuals, spanning a six-year period. They found that those who reported taking nutritional supplements didn't seem to get any benefit from them in terms of decreased mortality. They didn't live any longer than those who didn't. Those with adequate intake of certain nutrients, including Vitamin A, K, magnesium, and zinc, did live longer than those who didn't, but only if they were getting those nutrients from foods. Those who got them from supplements didn't do any better.

Those with adequate intake of certain nutrients did live longer than those who didn't, but only if they were getting those nutrients from foods.

Now, this particular study is painting with a very broad brush. The researchers didn't look at all the different supplements individually or look in detail at causes of death. But studies on individual nutrients and health conditions—including cancer, heart disease, bone loss, and Alzheimer's—have been largely disappointing. 

Although there are some situations where nutritional supplementation is helpful, the vast majority of the supplements that people are taking are of questionable use.

Which supplements should you take?

I’m not going to go through each of the 25 nutrients in Brian’s list one by one in today’s episode. For one thing, I have talked about many of these nutrients (including collagen, glucosamine, Omega 3s...

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