Walk into almost any pharmacy, and you’ll find shelves filled with supplements promising better memory, stronger bones, healthier joints, and improved heart health. For older adults hoping to stay active and independent, those promises can be appealing. But what if some of those bottles are doing less for your health than you think, or worse, interfering with medications you already take?
According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), dietary supplements aren’t approved for safety and effectiveness before they’re marketed in the same way prescription drugs are. Some supplements can interact with medications, create unwanted side effects, or provide little benefit when there’s no medical reason to take them. Understanding supplement risks for seniors could protect both your health and your retirement budget.
