Do you need these popular supplements? Experts break down 10 common pills you may not actually need
February 21, 2026 at 10:58 PM
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An honest assessment of what you can get from your diet alone, and when to turn to a pill.
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An honest assessment of what you can get from your diet alone, and when to turn to a pill.
Advertisement Wellness Do you need these popular supplements? Experts break down 10 common pills you may not actually need An honest assessment of what you can get from your diet alone, and when to turn to a pill. (Photo: The New York Times) 22 Feb 2026 06:58AM Bookmark Bookmark Share WhatsApp Telegram Facebook Twitter Email LinkedIn Set CNA as your preferred source on Google Add CNA as a trusted source to help Google better understand and surface our content in search results. Read a summary of this article on FAST. Get bite-sized news via a newcards interface. Give it a try. Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FAST FAST Marily Oppezzo, a dietitian and researcher at Stanford, said she was occasionally shocked by the number of supplements her clients take. A “stack” in the morning and another at night, she said – sometimes 20 different types or more.In a 2024 survey of more than 3,000 US adults, more than half of the respondents reported using supplements regularly. And Dr Oppezzo said that many of her clients started taking them after being influenced by podcast hosts or social media.There can be good reasons to use supplements, Dr Oppezzo said – if you have a nutrient deficiency, for example, or are pregnant.But many of the supplements people take are unnecessary, she added, and can even be risky. Supplements can contain contaminants or excessive levels of nutrients, or interact with certain over-the-counter or prescription medications, said Dr JoAnn Manson, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School.It’s usually safer and healthier to get important nutrients from your diet, Dr Manson said. And in many cases, you’re probably already doing so without trying.Here are 10 of the most popular dietary supplements, and what to eat instead to get the same benefits.1. MULTIVITAMINSMany people take multivitamins as a “backstop” just in case they don’t get enough vitamins and minerals from their diet, said Wesley McWhorter, a dietitian in Houston.And while it’s true that some people may benefit from taking multivitamins – including older adults, those on restrictive diets and those who have trouble absorbing nutrients (like those with celiac disease or Crohn’s disease) – most people can get all of the nutrients they need by following a balanced diet, Dr Manson said.This includes eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds, whole grains, dairy products and healthy sources of protein, she said.The more colourfulthe fruits and vegetables you eat, the wider the range of nutrients you’ll get, said Ethan Balk, a clinical associate professor of nutrition at New York University.2. MAGNESIUMMagnesium supplements have been touted for insomnia, migraine headaches, depression, constipation and more.There is some, albeit limited, evidence to back up some of these claims, experts say. But it’s worth seeing if you can get the same benefits from eating magnesium-rich foods first, said Abeer Bader, a dietitian at Massachusetts General Hospital.About half of adults in the United States don’t consume the recommended 310mg to 420mg of magnesium per day.Try adding an ounce of pumpkin seeds (156mg) or an ounce of almonds (77mg) to yogurt or oatmeal. Or incorporate a half-cup of cooked spinach (98mg), black beans (60mg) or quinoa (55mg) into soups or stews.3. PROBIOTICS AND PREBIOTICSProbiotic supplements contain certain strains of “good” bacteria that are supposed to support a healthy gut microbiome, and prebiotics are substances that feed those good microbes to help them grow.We don’t have good evidence that these supplements help most people, however, Dr Oppezzo said. So unless your doctor recommends them, she advised skipping them.To support a healthy microbiome (and get essential nutrients in the process), Dr Oppezzo recommended eating fermented foods like kimchi, sauerkraut, yogurt, kefir and miso. And to ensure your gut microbes are well fed, eat plenty of fibre from plant-based whole foods, Dr McWhorter said.4. FISH OILResearch suggests that people who regularly eat fish – which is rich in omega-3 fatty acids – have better heart health and lower rates of dementia and depression.Large clinical trials have generally failed to find the same benefits of taking omega-3 (or fish oil) supplements, though one trial suggested a reduced risk of cardiovascular events for people who did not routinely eat much fish.If you want to get more omega-3s from your diet, the best sources are fatty fish like salmon, herring, sardines, mackerel and trout, said Whitney Linsenmeyer, an assistant professor of nutrition and dietetics at Saint Louis University. Aim for two servings per week.Flax seeds, chia seeds, walnuts, canola oil and soybean oil are also good sources, she said.5. VITAMIN CMany people take Vitamin C supplements to strengthen their immune systems or ward off viral infections. And while it’s true that Vitamin C plays important roles in the body, including promoting wound healing and protecting again
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