Anti-Aging Supplements: Which Ones Have Real Evidence?

Longevity has become a supplement category of its own, with products promising younger cells, more energy and a slower clock. Some supplements do have good evidence for specific benefits in older adults. Many more rest on promising results in mice or in a dish that have not held up in people.

Supplements with solid evidence

Supplement	What it does	Who benefits
Creatine monohydrate	Boosts muscle energy; with strength training, increases muscle and strength	Older adults who lift; anyone training
Vitamin D	Supports bone health; reduces falls in deficient people	Canadians with low levels, especially in winter
Protein	Helps preserve muscle with age	Adults over 60 often under-eat protein
Vitamin B12	Prevents deficiency anemia and nerve problems	Older adults, people on metformin or acid reducers, vegans
Omega-3 (EPA, DHA)	Lowers triglycerides; mixed results for heart events	People with high triglycerides; those eating little fish

Supplements with limited evidence

• Coenzyme Q10: may help muscle pain on statins for some people; little proven anti-ageing effect.
• Collagen: small improvements in skin measures in some trials; joint benefits uncertain.
• Vitamin C and E: high-dose antioxidants have not prevented heart disease or cancer in large trials, and may blunt some training adaptations.
• Magnesium: helpful if your intake is low; little benefit beyond that.

Popular, but unproven in people

NMN and nicotinamide riboside raise levels of a molecule called NAD+ that falls with age. Resveratrol, spermidine and fisetin target other ageing pathways. Each has striking results in animals and small, mostly short human studies with modest or no clinical benefits. Research peptides marketed for ageing, such as epitalon and GHK-Cu, are in a similar position: interesting laboratory findings, little high-quality human evidence, and no Health Canada approval for these uses.

What slows ageing more reliably

Muscle mass and strength fall from middle age onward, and low strength strongly predicts falls, frailty and early death. Lifting weights, getting enough protein and adding creatine is a well-supported combination. Regular cardio improves heart health and VO2 max, one of the most powerful predictors of longevity.

Hormones and ageing

Testosterone and growth hormone fall with age, which has led to their promotion as anti-ageing treatments. In men with genuinely low testosterone, treatment can improve symptoms. Growth hormone in healthy older adults increased lean mass in trials but caused fluid retention, joint pain and higher blood sugar without improving function. Read more in testosterone and growth hormone.

Protein needs rise with age

Older muscle responds less to protein, a change called anabolic resistance. Research suggests adults over 60 benefit from about 1.0 to 1.2 g of protein per kg of body weight a day, more than the basic recommendation, spread over meals with 25 to 40 g each. A practical start is adding a protein source to breakfast, the meal where most people eat the least.

Buying sensibly

• Check for an NPN on the label.
• Prefer single-ingredient products at stated doses over proprietary blends.
• Tell your pharmacist what you take; supplements interact with medicines.
• Spend first on food, a gym membership and sleep; then on the few supplements with evidence.