Which supplements actually help older adults?
Supplements are marketed to older adults as a shortcut to better health. But for people without a specific deficiency, most of them do nothing. There are two clear exceptions.
An analysis of the evidence on supplement use in older adults concludes that most products are useless for people with no underlying deficiency. The researchers name two clear exceptions: vitamin B12 and vitamin D. Both are commonly low in older adults, and supplementation when a deficiency is confirmed produces measurable health benefits. Without a deficiency, the advantage is minimal or absent.
Vitamin B12 is absorbed less efficiently as the stomach produces less acid with age. That makes deficiency fairly common in older adults, particularly in those who eat few animal products. Vitamin D occupies a separate category: the skin produces it through sunlight exposure, but older adults tend to spend less time outdoors, and the skin’s capacity to synthesise it declines biologically with age.
Protein as the overlooked nutrient
The analysis identifies protein as probably the most overlooked nutrient for older adults. With aging, muscle mass declines in a process called sarcopenia. Adequate protein intake helps slow that decline. Yet many older adults eat too little protein, sometimes because appetite decreases, sometimes because eating habits formed before this was widely understood.
More is not better
The analysis also highlights the risks. Some supplements can be harmful at high doses or interact with commonly prescribed medications in older adults, such as blood thinners. Vitamin K taken alongside anticoagulants is a textbook example. The conclusion is practical: supplements are medical tools, not precautionary measures. People who eat well and have no deficiency gain nothing from taking them.