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Take this pill, powder, or infusion, and you\u2019ll live longer<\/a>\u2014at least, that\u2019s what supplement companies and influencers will tell you. Some also recommend piling them together into a so-called longevity stack.<\/p>\n But as great as it would be if the fountain of youth were available online or at your local wellness studio, \u201cthere is no compound, in human beings, that\u2019s been shown to prolong life,\u201d says Thomas Blackwell, M.D.<\/a>, professor of general internal medicine at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston.<\/p>\n However, some supplements may play a role in extending your healthspan, or the number of years you can maintain most of your regular daily function and avoid chronic diseases. And that is, indeed, linked to longevity: \u201cIf you die early of heart disease<\/a> or cancer, which are the two most common causes of death right now, you\u2019re not going to live longer,\u201d says Jennifer Timmons, M.D.<\/a>, longevity physician and founder and medical director of Timmons Wellness, a concierge medicine practice based in Manhattan Beach, CA.<\/p>\n Yet while Dr. Timmons frequently recommends supplements to her patients, she says they\u2019re icing on the cake. What\u2019s far more important for a long, healthy life are daily habits like eating a nutritious diet, sleeping well, and exercising regularly<\/a>.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s how to create the combo\u2014from habits to nutrients\u2014that will actually influence your longevity.<\/p>\n Meet the experts: Thomas Blackwell, M.D.<\/a>, geriatrics specialist, professor of general internal medicine and vice dean, graduate medical education and clinical affairs, at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston; Jennifer Timmons, M.D.<\/a>, longevity physician and founder and medical director of Timmons Wellness, a concierge medicine practice based in Manhattan Beach, California; Elena Volpi, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Sam and Ann Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies<\/a> at UT Health San Antonio<\/a>, the academic health center of The University of Texas at San Antonio<\/a><\/p>\n The Issues With Longevity Supplements<\/p>\n Aging isn\u2019t a disease, but a complex, multifaceted cascade involving a decline in your mitochondria\u2014the tiny energy-producing factories inside your cells\u2014and other processes.<\/p>\n Some supplements aim to address these structures and functions, so your body is working closer to the way it did in your younger years, Dr. Timmons says. But because of the length of a human life, it\u2019s often difficult to prove they truly boost lifespan in randomized controlled trials, the gold standard of medical research.<\/p>\n Some supplements have more evidence supporting their use than others, says Elena Volpi, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Sam and Ann Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies<\/a> at UT Health San Antonio<\/a>. This includes omega-3s, vitamin D, and creatine, to name a few (more on that below). But blanket recommendations don\u2019t account for each person\u2019s unique health profile and medication metabolism.<\/p>\n \u201cThe trend right now in medicine is to go as personalized as possible,\u201d Volpi says; for example, administering genetic testing to determine dosages of drugs like blood thinners<\/a>.<\/p>\n An example, supplement-wise: About 40% of people with a certain genetic variation have trouble converting vitamin B12 or folate into its active form, Dr. Timmons says. They might need a different formula of these nutrients to benefit<\/a>.<\/p>\n So even if a supplement does show some promise in the broad population, knowing whether it\u2019s right for you\u2014and if so, what type and how much to take\u2014isn\u2019t easy.<\/p>\n And then there\u2019s the fact that supplements aren\u2019t regulated by the Food and Drug Administration in the same way as prescription drugs. That means you can\u2019t always be sure that a product contains the correct ingredients or dosages, Dr. Volpi says. You might unintentionally take more than what you need of a given substance or so little it\u2019s a waste of money.<\/p>\n What\u2019s Most Important for Longevity<\/p>\n Meanwhile, other evidence-based techniques will help you live both longer and better, Dr. Volpi says. They\u2019re not exactly easy, but most are inexpensive and have few side effects.<\/p>\n Dr. Timmons uses the acronym MEDS for the habits she says form the foundation of a long, healthy life.<\/p>\n Movement is truly medicine: \u201cExercise<\/a> is the only thing, right now, that\u2019s proven to slow biologic aging<\/a>,\u201d Dr. Blackwell says. The government-recommended 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity<\/a>, or 75 minutes if it\u2019s vigorous, is a good weekly goal. But you don\u2019t have to do it all at once\u2014in fact, moving more throughout the day lets you both accrue the benefits of exercise and offset the risks of sedentary time, such as high blood glucose and low mood, according to a review<\/a> in the journal Healthcare. Plus, it\u2019s easy to stick to.<\/p>\n And don\u2019t forget the second part of the exercise equation: at least two days of resistance training per week, which helps stave off the muscle loss<\/a> that can otherwise occur with aging. \u201cMuscle mass is a longevity organ,\u201d Dr. Blackwell says.<\/p>\n Emotional health includes managing stress and maintaining social connections, the latter of which is critical to longer life, Dr. Timmons points out. In the Harvard Study of Adult Development, an 85-year analysis of happiness and well-being, researchers found<\/a> that people with the strongest relationships and broader networks extended both their lifespan and their healthspan.<\/p>\n Diet and nutrition matter, too. Research links a variety of dietary patterns\u2014including the Mediterranean<\/a> and Nordic diets\u2014with longevity.<\/p>\n A new study<\/a> in Nature Communications found<\/a> there isn\u2019t one that\u2019s superior when it comes to slowing aging. Rather, the thing that matters most is sticking to any healthy eating plan. Your best move is to find one that matches your preferences. Focusing on more whole foods and fewer processed and ultra-processed products is a good place to start, Dr. Timmons says.<\/p>\n Add Prevention as a preferred source in your Google search results.<\/p>\n Use your Google account to add this to your settings.<\/p>\n Add to Google settings<\/p>\n Sleep allows time for your body to repair damaged tissues, reset hormones, and clear waste, all of which support healthy aging<\/a>. When researchers from Oregon Health & Science University delved into a national database, they found an association between getting less than seven hours of sleep and a shorter life expectancy, even when they factored in variables like how much physical activity people did, according to results published<\/a> in Sleep Advances.<\/p>\n In another recent study<\/a>, published in Nature, getting six to eight hours of rest at night was linked to less biological aging across a variety of organs and systems, including the brain, immune system, and liver.<\/p>\n Finally, women beginning menopause may also consider talking to their doctors about hormone replacement therapy<\/a>. \u201cThere are some women who this isn\u2019t appropriate for, but for most women, hormone therapy makes a big difference for dementia, heart disease, and osteoporosis,\u201d Dr. Blackwell says. \u201cThose three big things greatly diminish your quality of life and perhaps your length of life.\u201d<\/p>\n Supplements Worth Consideration for Your Health<\/p>\n Once you\u2019ve nailed the basics, supplements might help you fine-tune and optimize, Dr. Timmons says. Those that are particularly well-studied include:<\/p>\n Omega-3 fatty acids. These vital nutrients benefit heart health, brain health, and mood, and a recent study<\/a> in the journal Current Developments in Nutrition found more than half the U.S. population has low levels. Check the label on the back and make sure the formula you\u2019re choosing has 1,000 milligrams of EPA and DHA (types of omega-3s), Dr. Timmons says.Vitamin D. This hormone-like substance plays a key role in bone health<\/a>, immune function, and some of the shifts that occur in perimenopause and menopause, Dr. Timmons says. And because we\u2019re (rightfully) more cautious about sun exposure than our ancestors, many modern humans are deficient. A formula that combines 1,000 IUs of vitamin D3 with vitamin K2 allows for good absorption, she says.Magnesium. Even people who aren\u2019t running low on this mineral may find taking it helps with mood, sleep, and muscle and joint pain, among other symptoms, Dr. Timmons says. There are several different types<\/a>, each of which has pros and cons, so talk with your doctor about the best formula for you and your health goals.Creatine. Once used primarily in the bodybuilding community, creatine<\/a> has broken through to the mass market in recent years, in large part because it may help you maintain muscle mass that otherwise declines with age. For that purpose, it\u2019s most effective when combined with resistance training. At larger doses\u201410 grams of creatine monohydrate instead of the typical 5\u2014it may benefit brain health, too, Dr. Blackwell says.<\/p>\n Some supplements that were initially hyped as anti-aging compounds didn\u2019t hold up under further study. That includes resveratrol, Dr. Blackwell says, which was initially touted as helping slow aging through its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Others have promising early results in animals or cells but haven\u2019t yet been proven in human studies.<\/p>\n Dr. Timmons places the supplement nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide<\/a> (NAD) in the latter category. \u201cThere is good data to suggest NAD is necessary for mitochondrial health, it does decline with age, and taking the precursors increases your levels,\u201d Dr. Timmons says. But more research is needed to prove that increasing those levels makes a meaningful difference in healthspan or lifespan.<\/p>\n How to Choose and Use Supplements Wisely<\/p>\n First, talk with your doctor. Some supplements aren\u2019t right for people with certain health conditions, and others can interact with prescription medications, Dr. Volpi says. For example, vitamin K contributes to blood clotting, so it can interfere with the effects of blood thinners.<\/p>\n Ideally, your doctor would start by ordering bloodwork to check your levels of important nutrients beforehand, so you know whether and how much of a supplement to take, Dr. Timmons says. But insurance doesn\u2019t always cover these labs, so you might have to pay out of pocket.<\/p>\n Even without those tests, your doctor can help you choose the best formulas and doses to meet your goals.<\/p>\n Then, when you\u2019re shopping, look for brands that have third-party certification from an organization such as NSF or Consumer Lab, Dr. Timmons says. This increases the chances that they\u2019re manufactured in a clean, safe environment and that what\u2019s in the bottle matches what\u2019s on the label.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re already taking supplements, Dr. Volpi recommends taking the bottles to your annual checkup or wellness visit, so your doctor has a full picture of your regimen and can check for interactions and other issues.<\/p>\n How to Spot a Supplement Hoax<\/p>\n \u201cThe supplement market is a multibillion-dollar industry,\u201d Dr. Blackwell says. \u201cEverybody claims how great their product is, and they want to make money.\u201d<\/p>\n So, it\u2019s wise to be a conscious consumer. Any pill or potion that promises you\u2019re going to live to 105 isn\u2019t making a realistic claim, Dr. Timmons says. Be wary, too, of a supplement that purports to treat just about every health condition, rather than describing a more focused, targeted indication like better sleep<\/a> or improved energy.<\/p>\n In addition, look closely at any background research a supplement manufacturer shares. If so-called \u201cstudies\u201d seem more like personal testimonials than experiments conducted by scientists, that\u2019s a big red flag, Dr. Timmons says. Also, be wary if they make big leaps in logic. For example, if a company says something that seems effective in cells or in animals will definitely work in humans.<\/p>\n Take a quick scan, too, of who sponsored the studies, Dr. Timmons says. If all of them seem to have been paid for by the company manufacturing the product, that doesn\u2019t mean they\u2019re necessarily false, but you might be a tad more skeptical than if there were also independently funded trials.<\/p>\n The Bottom Line<\/p>\n![\"Google\"](\"https:\/\/www.prevention.com\/_assets\/design-tokens\/fre\/static\/icons\/social\/google.1467f37.svg\")
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