Supplements Can Offset Nutritional Deficiencies and Extend Metabolic Efficiency
By Najla Zaidi | 29 Jul, 2025

Today's nutritional supplements can help ensure sufficient nutrition and also help extend your health span by compensating for age-related cellular deficiencies.

Your plan A for optimal health should always be eating a healthy diet that provides all the vitamins and minerals you need.  However, as we age and go through life’s challenges, along with busy lifestyles, we tend to fall short of getting the nutrients that our bodies need.  That’s where supplements come in. 

There are literally hundreds of supplements available on the market in every form from pills to powders.  Supplements are also added to fortify foods and beverages.  The key is to know what you need or don’t need and when to take it.  Before you start taking any vitamin or mineral, make sure to consult your physician or pharmacist to ensure that it’s safe for you and doesn’t interact with any other drug or supplement you may be taking. 

RESTORING NUTRIENTS

Vitamins are absorbed and stored by your body in two different ways, many dissolve in water and are described as water-soluble, the others are fat-soluble so are better absorbed when accompanied by a little oil or fat.

Water-soluble vitamins include vitamins C, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12, biotin and folate. Except for B12, these vitamins only remain in the body for a short time before being excreted by the kidneys which means you need to take these on a regular basis. 

Vitamin C plays a vital role in maintaining healthy cells, repairing tissues, and supporting your immune system.  Vitamin C can be taken in the morning on an empty stomach with plenty of water.  If it upsets your stomach, it can be taken with a little bit of food, or a buffered C version is easier to digest. 

B vitamins are a group of eight water-soluble vitamins that support metabolism, red blood cell production, and nerve function, among other essential roles.  Vitamin B supplements are available as individual micronutrient supplements as well as B-complex supplements that contain all eight. 

Vitamin B12 is unique among water-soluble vitamins because it can be stored in the liver for long periods, sometimes years, so it’s important not to take more than your healthcare provider recommends.  Some experts suggest taking B12 in the morning as it is thought to offer an energy boost.  To avoid reducing effectiveness, however, do not take vitamin B12 supplements at the same time as vitamin C. 

Other B vitamins can be taken at any time of day.  Food doesn't affect absorption but taking it with a meal may reduce nausea or upset stomach.  Watch your caffeine intake because it’s a diuretic and it may cause you to excrete water-soluble vitamins.  Also, too much vitamin C at once can cause diarrhea, and an excess of vitamin B6 can lead to nerve damage.

The four fat-soluble vitamins are A, D, E, and K.  These vitamins are best taken with food that includes some fat, such as nuts, avocado, or olive oil.  Fat-soluble vitamins are stored in your body for later use, specifically in your liver, fatty tissues, and muscles.  Unlike water-soluble vitamins, they are not washed away in your urine.

Most people get enough of these vitamins from food and natural sources without adding supplements.  Be aware that excessive amounts of fat-soluble vitamin supplements can build up and become toxic so check with a health professional before adding them to your diet. 

Vitamin A is essential for vision, immune health, and reproduction and can be taken any time of day.  Watch the amount of what’s called preformed vitamin A.  If you’re pregnant, doses over 10,000 IU a day can cause birth defects.  High levels of both A and the usually safe beta-carotene, a substance the body coverts to vitamin A, may raise your chances of having lung cancer if you’re a smoker, and even if you’re a former smoker.

Taking vitamin D in the morning may be more effective, as some evidence suggests it can interfere with melatonin (a hormone that regulates your circadian rhythm) production and affect sleep if taken at night.  Lower levels of Vitamin D have also been linked to poor sleep quality and fewer hours of sleep. 

Vitamin D also plays a crucial role in aiding calcium absorption, making it a common pairing with calcium supplements.  If your supplement contains calcium and vitamin D, it’s best taken with food.  Taking too much vitamin D can be harmful, raising the risk of kidney stones, digestive upset, elevated calcium levels, high blood pressure, and other complications.  Your health care provider can test your blood levels to find out if you’re deficient. 

Vitamin E helps maintain healthy skin and eyes and strengthens your immune system. Whereas Vitamin K is key for blood clotting and bone health.  As with other fat-soluble vitamins, they should be taken with meals that include some fat for better absorption.  If you take a traditional blood thinner like warfarin, just a small amount of vitamin K can cut its strength.  Taking more than 1,000 mg of vitamin E per day can raise your risk for bleeding.

Multivitamins combine water- and fat-soluble vitamins, and many also contain mineral nutrients.  It’s best to take it with a meal to aid the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins and prevent an upset stomach.  Drinking plenty of water along with your multivitamin also helps promote absorption of the water-soluble ingredients.  Many multivitamin products also contain minerals, such as calcium and magnesium.  Minerals can bind to certain medications, like some antibiotics, and reduce their absorption.  And if you take thyroid medication, taking calcium, magnesium, or iron within 4 hours can cut its strength.  To prevent interactions, it’s best to take them a few hours apart and always consult with your provider or pharmacist. 

BEYOND NUTRITION

Aside from the normal vitamins and minerals, there are a host of new health extension supplements that are making waves in the health community.

Nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) is a precursor to nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+), a compound in your cells that is necessary for many functions.  Taking an NMN supplement may increase NAD+ and support overall health and anti-aging.  NAD+ levels naturally decline with age, which can increase the risk of age-related diseases like type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer's disease.  Daily doses of 300–900 milligrams of NMN for 60 days have been shown to increase NAD+ blood levels significantly.  NMN has also been shown to increase NAD+ in older, overweight adults.  In addition, increasing NAD+ with NMN supplements may improve physical performance.

N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) is a supplement form of cysteine, a conditionally essential amino acid.  NAC has many health benefits, including replenishing antioxidants and nourishing your brain.  NAC is valued primarily for its role in antioxidant production.  Along with two other amino acids, glutamine and glycine, NAC is necessary to make and replenish glutathione.  Glutathione is one of your body’s most important antioxidants, compounds that help neutralize free radicals that can damage cells and tissues.

NAC plays an important role in your body’s detoxification process.  It can help prevent side effects of environmental toxin exposure.  NAC also has applications for liver diseases thanks to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits.  By regulating glutamate levels in your brain, NAC may alleviate symptoms of mental health conditions and reduce substance use and cravings.  NAC’s antioxidant and expectorant capacity can improve lung function by decreasing inflammation and breaking up mucus as well. 

In Europe and Japan, CDP-choline or Citicoline isn't sold as a dietary supplement.  Instead, it's a prescription drug.  According to researchers who reviewed 14 studies, there's decent evidence that it can benefit memory in elderly people who already have memory problems.

Citicoline seems to increase a brain chemical called phosphatidylcholine.  Citicoline might also increase the amounts of other chemicals that send messages in the brain.  It was originally used as a drug to help improve memory and brain function after a stroke.  Taking citicoline by mouth or by IV seems to help with memory loss in people over 50 years old.  Taking citicoline by mouth, as a shot, or as eye drops might improve vision in some people with glaucoma.

SOME PRECAUTIONS

Keep in mind that vitamin supplements are regulated as food, not drugs, so they are not evaluated for safety or efficacy in the same way medications are.  Therefore, look for brands that have been “verified” by one of the three companies that test supplements in the U.S.: Pharmacopeia, Consumer Lab, or NSF International.  These testing organizations verify that what’s on the label is in the bottle in the right amounts. 

Note that the term “natural” doesn’t always mean safe.  Some all-natural botanical products, for example comfrey and kava, can harm the liver.  A dietary supplement’s safety depends on many things, such as its chemical makeup, how it works in the body, how it is prepared, and the amount you take.

Know the lingo.  RDA (recommended daily allowance) is the daily amount of a nutrient you should get, based on sex and age.  DV (daily value) is the percentage of a nutrient that a supplement or food serving adds to the average daily diet for all ages.  UL (upper limit) is the most of a nutrient you should get in a day.

Make sure to shop for formulas geared to your age and sex.  For example, many vitamins for seniors have more calcium and vitamins D and B12 than younger people need.  As you get older, your body doesn’t do as good a job of absorbing B12.  Women often need extra calcium and vitamin D after menopause to protect bones.  Men’s formulas leave out the iron.  

Always keep in mind that the value of any supplement is tied to your individual physical condition, activities and diet, as well as various factors that may impact the level of stress on your body.  Also, the quality and efficacy of any supplement is dependent on the integrity of its producer.  There can be dramatic differences in the amount of active ingredients, ranging from the full promised value to literally zero.  

By doing your homework, you can maximize the effectiveness of your supplements and ensure you're getting the most out of your nutritional choices.