As a family medicine doctor, I rely on just three supplements backed by solid clinical research:
1. Omega-3 (≈1 g/day)
The VITAL trial in 25 871 adults over 5.3 years showed a 28 % lower risk of heart attack with 1 g/day of marine n-3 fatty acids (doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1811403). But high-dose (4 g) omega-3 in the STRENGTH study raised atrial fibrillation risk by 69 %, so I stick to ~1 g to lock in heart benefits while minimizing harm. On the brain front, the OmegAD study found omega-3’s cognitive perks hinge on adequate B-vitamins for DHA/EPA transport (doi: 10.3233/JAD-181148).
2. A clean multivitamin/mineral (based off the COSMOS trials)
I couldn’t find an off-the-shelf option with the right forms at sensible doses, so I created MicroVitamin, now also as MicroVitamin+ Powder (with added collagen peptides, creatine monohydrate, psyllium husk, and taurine). It covers my bases without the mega-doses or unnecessary fillers you often see.
3. A bedtime sleep blend
Timing matters. My Sleep formula has a low dose of melatonin plus magnesium and glycine.
Just because I take a supplement does not in any way mean that you should as well