Supplements After Midlife: A Thoughtful, Informed Approach
Food First, Supplements When They Make Sense
Over the years in my practice as a Nurse Practitioner, one of the most common questions I've been asked is some version of this:
What do you really think about supplements? In a nutshell, my answer is fairly simple:
Supplements aren't a substitute for nourishing food, movement, sleep, stress management, or appropriate medical care.
Thoughtfully chosen supplements can sometimes fill a gap or provide targeted support when there is a clear reason for using them.
The important words there are thoughtfully chosen and clear reason.
When I was a Fellow in Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona, I had the great good fortune to study with and learn from some of the best minds in the field. In particular, when it came to herbs and dietary supplements, I learned from Dr. Tieraona Low Dog, a nationally recognized expert in integrative medicine, botanical medicine, and dietary supplements.
Dr. Low Dog served on the White House Commission on Complementary and Alternative Medicine Policy and has held leadership roles for decades on dietary supplement and botanical expert committees for the United States Pharmacopeia (USP).
Some of my favorite memories from fellowship are of small groups of us sitting together a couple of evenings a week for “Tea with T”, while she talked with us, teaching while not lecturing; not simply telling us which herbs and supplements to recommend, but teaching us how to think about them.
That distinction has stayed with me.
The questions she encouraged us to ask about even the most familiar herbs and supplements provide a useful framework for anyone trying to decide whether supplementation makes sense.
Five Questions to ask:
1. Is there actually a reason to supplement?
This is the place to begin. Because there are so many factors that matter.
Age matters, because nutritional needs can change over time. Diet matters, because some eating patterns restrict or eliminate important nutrients. Prescription medications matter because supplements can interact with medications, sometimes significantly.
Laboratory findings may identify a true deficiency. Gastrointestinal conditions or other absorption problems may make it difficult to obtain or absorb adequate amounts of certain nutrients. Lifestyle factors, including alcohol use, can also affect nutritional status.
In other words, the question isn't simply: Is this supplement good for me?
A better question is:
Is there a reason this supplement might be useful for me, given my unique health history?
That's a much more individualized question, and usually a more meaningful one.
2. What does the evidence say?
This gets complicated quickly.
Randomized controlled trials are an important tool in medical and nutritional research, but nutrition and lifestyle research can be notoriously difficult to conduct well.
When I'm looking at the evidence behind a supplement, I'm interested in more than whether someone can point to some study.
How large was the study? Who participated? What dose was used? How long were participants followed? What outcome was being measured? Was that outcome actually meaningful? Have other researchers found similar results?
And, importantly, what are the limitations of the evidence?
"Research shows" can be a powerful phrase in marketing; good science requires us to look a little more closely.
3. Is it safe for this person?
Natural does not automatically mean harmless.
Medications, diagnoses, kidney and liver function, bleeding risk, upcoming surgery, pregnancy or lactation, and duplication with other supplements can all matter.
This is one reason you'll frequently see the written advice to “check with your healthcare provider or pharmacist before beginning a new supplement”. That advice isn't simply legal-ese. Supplements can interact with medications and with one another, and an appropriate product for one person may be inappropriate for someone else.
4. Does quality matter?
Absolutely.
Unlike prescription medications, dietary supplements are not individually approved by the FDA for safety and effectiveness before they reach the market. That makes manufacturing quality and independent verification especially important.
Look for reputable manufacturers and meaningful third-party verification rather than relying solely on advertising claims.
For example, products that earn the USP Verified Mark undergo manufacturing-facility audits, review of quality-control documentation, laboratory testing, and continuing off-the-shelf testing.
Other reputable independent organizations, including NSF International, also test and certify dietary supplements for factors such as whether the product contains what its label says it contains and whether harmful levels of certain contaminants are present.
Quality isn't the most glamorous part of choosing a supplement, but it may be one of the most important.
5. Is it doing anything?
This may be my favorite question of all.
Before spending our hard-earned money, and putting something into our bodies every day, shouldn't we know why we're taking it?
Before beginning a supplement, consider:
What am I hoping this will accomplish?
How long should I try it?
How will I know whether it's helping?
And when will I stop?
Sometimes the answer can be measured with a laboratory test. Sometimes we're looking for a particular symptom or outcome. And sometimes, after a reasonable trial, the answer is simply:
I don't think this is doing anything for me.
That's useful information, too.
Are There Supplements Worth Considering After Midlife?
Yes, I think there can be.
But I find it more useful to think about supplements in categories rather than as a universal shopping list.
Correcting an identified need
Sometimes there is a clear reason for supplementation: laboratory testing identifies a deficiency, a medical condition interferes with absorption, dietary intake is inadequate, or age or another health circumstance changes nutritional needs.
Vitamin B12, vitamin D, iron, calcium, and other nutrients may all have an appropriate role under particular circumstances, but the important point is that there is a reason for using them.
Targeted support for a specific goal
Other supplements may be considered for a particular purpose.
In some situations, for example, low-dose melatonin may have a role in supporting sleep or circadian rhythm. Magnesium may be worth considering when intake is inadequate or when there is another specific reason for its use. Omega-3 supplementation may make sense for some people who don't obtain adequate amounts through food.
And then there are the areas where the science is still emerging.
Creatine, once associated primarily with athletes and bodybuilders, is now receiving renewed research interest for its possible role in brain health and cognitive function. The evidence is still evolving; and it's an area I'm watching with interest.
Which brings us to the question I hear perhaps most often.
What about "brain health supplements"?
I wish there were a capsule, or even a carefully curated handful of capsules, that could guarantee a healthier brain.
There isn't.
No supplement substitutes for the fundamentals of brain health we've been discussing here: nourishing food, regular movement, restorative sleep, cognitive engagement, meaningful connection, stress management, and attention to cardiovascular and metabolic health.
That doesn't mean supplements have no role in supporting brain health. It means they belong in the larger picture.
And because that science continues to evolve, I'll keep reading, questioning, and bringing you what I learn.
I encourage you to remain curious, too.
My Bottom Line:
My philosophy has always been rooted in supporting the body's remarkable capacity to maintain health when we give it what it needs.
Food first doesn't mean supplements never.
It means supplements have a job to do; and we should understand what that job is before we ask them to do it.
Perhaps that is the lesson from those fellowship evenings that has stayed with me most clearly.
Not simply what should I take? But:
Why am I taking it? What does the evidence tell me? Is it safe and high quality? And how will I know whether it's helping?
Those questions aren't nearly as exciting as the latest headline promising better memory, more energy, or healthier aging in a bottle.
But they're much more likely to lead us toward thoughtful choices, and toward the kind of informed, individualized care I believe in.
Maybe the healthiest thing we can do is give ourselves permission to rest.
In the Golden Clarity Protocol™, Sleep & Rest is Phase 4; not because it's the end of the journey, but because it's one of the foundations that allows everything else to flourish. When we nourish our brains, move our bodies, and truly restore ourselves, we create the conditions for clarity, resilience, and healthy aging.
If you'd like practical, science-based guidance for building those habits one gentle step at a time, I'd love to have you join us.
Because the path to better brain health isn't about doing everything perfectly.
Sometimes it begins by doing one simple thing.
Stepping outside.
Taking one slow breath.
Trusting your remarkable brain to do what it was designed to do.
And allowing yourself to rest.
What’s In My Brain Health Toolkit?
In many ways, I structure my life around the change of the season. I do certain house cleaning and maintenance things on or near the equinoxes and solstices, not entirely because of any ritual or belief, but because it makes it easy to remember! I change the filters in my air purifiers, my water filters, wash throw rugs … you get the picture.
Relating to our topic today, I clean out my “medicine cabinet” and safely dispose of unwanted items. And I take stock of what supplements I’m taking and what I think I need.
Sometimes I use the calendar reminder to make an herbal remedy for the upcoming winter season … but let’s talk about that more next time, closer to the Autumnal Equinox, shall we?
For now, I’ll just reiterate what I said last month in our sleep discussion - that I am pretty much a minimalist when it comes to my “toolkit”. A cup of Sleepytime tea, a little melatonin when I hit a rough patch regarding sleep, and some magnesium. These are my standbys.
An Invitation:
If this perspective resonates with you, if you’ve been looking for a more thoughtful, grounded approach to brain health, especially after Midlife, I invite you to explore the resources and services I offer at www.jansoloy.com, including the Golden Clarity Protocol.
Not as something you have to take on or master, but as a way to better understand what already matters.
I look forward to walking this path with you.