It seems that every influencer of longevity has a supplement (or several) that swears to be effective.
Founder of the “Don’t Die” movement [“Não morra”]he takes pills throughout the day, many of which he himself sells. Gary Brecka, host of the “The Ultimate Human” podcast, promotes powders, tablets, drinks, nasal sprays, skin stickers and even injectables on their site. And numerous Instagram and Tiktok profiles guarantee that they have never felt or looked so well, thanks to their favorite supplements (which are often paid to promote).
But is any of these “magical beans” legitimate?
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Half dozen doctors and scientists interviewed for this article pointed out that there are no supplements that have shown a prolonging human life in large clinical trials. As a result, some said the evidence that supports longevity supplements are very weak, and the industry very poorly regulated, to recommend that people spend money on them.
“There is simply no data for all this pile of things that are sold and promoted by influencers and alleged longevity experts,” said Eric Topol, founder of Scripps Research Translational Institute and author of the book “Super Agers”.
Others, however, are optimistic about the potential of supplements to – that is, how long the person lives without serious illness – and claim that pills and powders can play a role in health support as we get older.
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“I see this whole field as an opportunity,” said Eric Verdin, president and CEO of the Buck Institute for Research on Aging. “But also as a space full of dangers for consumers and false promises.”
Supplements promoted for healthy aging usually divide into two groups: traditional vitamins and more experimental products. See below.
Traditional vitamins
Several experts said vitamin D, vitamin B12 and omega-3 are the three nutrients they usually recommend for older adults. This is because it is not uncommon for people to have deficiency of these nutrients, especially with age. Older adults may have difficulty absorbing vitamin B12, and certain medications may aggravate the problem. People living in places with low sun exposure may not receive enough vitamin D, and those who do not consume fish regularly may have low omega-3 levels.
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Studies suggest that low levels of vitamin D and omega-3 increase the risk of various aging-related diseases such as heart disease, cancer and osteoporosis. This motivated research to see if supplementation could help prevent these diseases. However, the results of clinical trials were generally not encouraging.
In two of the most well-known studies, Vital (2018) in the US and the Do-Health (2020) in Europe, thousands of elderly have taken vitamin D or omega-3 supplements (or both) for three to five years. Considering all participants, none of the studies showed benefit of supplements regarding cancer diagnoses, cardiovascular health, bone fractures or cognition.
The results were a little more promising for the group that possibly had omega-3 deficiency. Specifically, people who consumed less than 1.5 serving of fish per week showed a reduction in strokes and heart attacks when taking the supplement. There was no difference for those who had low levels of vitamin D.
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According to these findings, many clinicians adopt a more careful approach by advising patients on vitamins. Alison Moore, director of the Stein Institute for Research on Aging, says she recommends Omega-3, Vitamin D and B12 occasionally if she suspects disabilities. But, he adds, “if the person has a healthy diet, I do not recommend supplements.”
Recent analyzes of vital and do-health studies suggest that supplements can influence aspects of aging, such as telomers shortening (associated with age) and slower biological aging.
Joann Manson, a professor at Harvard Medical School and leader of Vital Study, speculates that these effects may be linked to the anti-inflammatory properties of supplements, but points out that “it is unclear” how this translates into greater longevity.
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Experimental supplements
The experimental – and more commented – category includes substances such as nicotinamide dinucleotide adenine (NAD+), spermidine and urolitin A. Some researchers believe they can improve healthy lifestyle and combat the decline of organs and age function.
Many of these compounds are produced by the body for cellular health and, in theory, may have anti-aging benefits if increased by supplementation. For example, NAD+ is essential for cellular energy production and decreases with age. Sperimidine stimulates autophagia, a process that recycles proteins and damaged cellular parts, which also decreases over time. Urolyin A, produced by intestinal bacteria, can improve the health of mitochondria – the “plants” of the cells.
Tests in rodents, worms or human cells have shown that these molecules can improve negative effects of aging and even prolong life. Supplement companies cite these studies and influencers repeat them as proof of product effectiveness.
Topol called these allegations a “smoke curtain.” There is a big difference between improving a rat’s health or helping to live more and prove the same benefit in humans. In fact, the few clinical studies in existing humans showed minimal or nonexistent improvements.
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