Skin problems, hair loss. incontinence, insomnia, weight gain/loss. Add Cannabis products now to the already huge list of supplements that we seniors gobble up as we try to slow the aging process or dramatically improve it. My recent purchase of CBD Gummy Bears puts me on the sucker list. Although, who knows. Maybe they will work.
Sadly, too many seniors believe what they read or hear, Lon. I have a friend who buys everything she hears about. I am unable to convince her that she's throwing good money after bad. Age as gracefully as you can naturally.
I don't take any supplements other than a multivitamin, and that is sporadic. I bought some magnesium tablets for something but after a couple of days I didn't bother with them so more money wasted.
Given that, as we get older, things come up with our health situations that the doctors have given up on, either because they think we should just die and get it over with, our health plans don't cover the treatment, or there really isn't anything else that they can do, I think it's reasonable for someone to not give up on themselves even when the healthcare system has done so. The danger is that some of these supplements can be more dangerous than the stuff we're trying to get rid of, so I would look at the possible dangers, and let that help me to exclude some things. Otherwise, there are some things that I take. I've tried grape seed capsules because I couldn't see any harm in it, other than the cost, and that wasn't too high. I don't know if I'll buy another bottle because, although I forget why I was taking them, I don't think it's done any good. I take CBD oil every day, and occasionally even put some on my arthritic fingers because I don't see any harm in that either, except that it's awfully expensive. I suppose that if I got cancer again, and it was something untreatable, which I think is what they tell you when you're approaching seventy and not rich, I'd probably try whatever else came my way because, after all, why not?
I think if someone chooses to take something for pain or insomnia, then they can tell if the products works or not. But, when people buy all sorts of supplements because they may just think they need them, then they can, as @Ken Anderson stated, end up making themselves feel worse than when they started. Getting older is like a car with lots of miles, it just doesn't run the same way it did off of the showroom floor. It's probably best to adjust your diet or lifestyle instead of trying to prop it up with social security sucking supplements.
I totally believe in taking supplements, but I don’t think that just taking one because someone on television is promoting it as a cure-all to help it sell, is a good way to determine the effectiveness of any supplement. When I am reading about a vitamin or mineral that can help something that I have some kind of an issue with, then I will try that supplement and see if it helps. Magnesium is one of the most important minerals that there is for our hearts, and especially it helps to combat a-fib. After I read the book, Magnesium Miracle, then I started taking 400-500 mg twice a day, and it has been helping my heart. Even though I still have heart issues, I am completely out of heart failure, and my ejection fraction is the highest that it has been in the last 20+ years, so I believe the magnesium has been helping me. Niacin is another wonderful vitamin, and it helps with memory problems, opens blood vessels , lowers bad cholesterol (and blood pressure), as well as pretty much stopping foot pain from neuropathy right in its tracks; so (after not taking much for a while) I am now back taking my niacin each day, and going to build it up to a therapeutic dosage. Each person has to decide for themself whether they need any kind of supplementation. If you have no health problems, exercise regularly, and eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, and lots of greens in your diet; then it might be unnecessary for a person to take supplements.
I made a post long time ago on supplements and I will repeat some of the high lights here. First do plants need supplements yes healthy plants need fertilizer because after millions of years the minerals they took from the soil for good health have diminished. Plants only need very few minerals for good health normally they put on NPK nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium also minor elements like magnesium, calcium, sulfur, iron, and boron. Second do animals need supplements well look at your pet food a good pet food will have twenty to forty different vitamins and minerals added. A good farmer will add minerals to the livestock feed and place a salt block out for his animals. Third humans the medical system tries to tell you, you are so special that all you don't need supplements just eat well and all your problems are solved but stop in next week for your next prescription. Some foods they put supplements in because they know thing are lacking check your cereal box. There is many ailments and diseases that are caused by deficiencies of minerals and vitamins some medical science know but changes the name of the ailment and claim there is no cure. The supplement that I take are expensive but I would rather pee out a few $ worth than have the ailment it will cause by not having it.
While I'm too old to be worrying about the benefits of supplements, I have taken them for years and over time medical advice has changed regularly. Now we are advised to take vitamin D because of the shortage of sunshine in Britain. The advice is that if you eat a healthy diet supplements are unnecessary but who eats five portions of vegetables and fruit every day? When children are given vegetables at an early age they love them for life but I fear those children are in the minority, so what is their future?