Anti-Aging Dietary Supplements: Fact vs. Marketing Fiction

Our quest for the fountain of youth is a big business. It has been estimated that the anti-aging products market in the U.S. was over $14 billion in 2020, and it’s projected to be worth over $83 billion by 2027. These products include supposedly anti-aging herbs, vitamins, and other dietary supplements. The anti-aging claims made by some of these products are based on promising (although still very preliminary) research, but many more are fueled mostly by wishful thinking. Let’s take a look at the science behind some popular anti-aging supplements.

Aging and Your Body. Aging is a complex process. It is influenced by many factors, including your diet, physical activity, heredity, environment, stress, and past illnesses, among others. All of the changes we see (greying and thinning hair, wrinkles, age spots, height reduction), feel (lower energy, achy joints), and experience (memory lapses and increases in chronic illnesses like heart disease and diabetes) begin with changes at the cellular level.

For a variety of complex reasons, our cells typically become less able to divide and regenerate with age. The process by which aging cells stop dividing is known as cellular senescence. “Senescent cells become major secretors of inflammatory molecules,” explains Christopher D. Wiley, PhD, a scientist on the Basic Biology of Aging team at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Center on Aging at Tufts and an expert in cell aging. A lot of the effects we see with older age seem to be associated with the resulting low levels of chronic inflammation. “Inflammation is helpful to the body if we are injured or infected,” says Wiley. “But as we get older, we begin to experience inflammation without infection or injury or any real threat.”  This chronic inflammation, sometimes called “inflammaging,” can cause harm in many tissues, including the skin, brain, and heart, and is a major risk factor for many age-related diseases.

In order to have a truly “anti-aging” effect, a supplement must target these actual causes of age-related changes in your body.

Anti-Wrinkle Rip-offs? Over time, skin cells can be damaged by ultraviolet radiation from the sun or by internal exposure to oxidative stress, leading to wrinkles, dryness, or age spots. Senescent cells have also been clearly implicated in skin aging. “Senescent cells show up in all layers of the skin,” says Wiley. Researchers are gaining a greater understanding of how these cells contribute to skin aging, but they have not yet proven that any dietary supplements or drugs can stop them. Some popular dietary supplements still claim to help:

Collagen. As we age, the body produces less collagen, an important part of connective tissues in areas like skin and joints. One of the first visible signs of collagen loss is a reduction in the firmness and smoothness of the skin. Collagen supplements claim to reduce wrinkles and sagging and improve elasticity. In theory, it makes sense that ingesting collagen would boost its levels in the body and help skin look younger. The reality is that most of the collagen we ingest is broken down in the gut, not absorbed into the bloodstream.

Vitamin C. Also known as ascorbic acid, this antioxidant vitamin helps protect cells, including skin cells, from oxidative damage and is essential for collagen production. While levels in the skin can decline with age, there is no evidence that taking oral vitamin C supplements improves the appearance of skin. This vitamin occurs naturally in many plant foods, including citrus fruits, red peppers, strawberries, and leafy green vegetables, and true deficiency is rare.

Brain Boosters? We generally don’t lose a lot of brain cells as we age unless we have a stroke or a neurodegenerative condition like Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s diseases. It may, however, take longer for signals to travel between our nerves as we get older, so our brains may not process information as well as they used to. This can slow reaction time and make it harder to remember new things. Popular dietary supplements advertised to improve memory or combat memory loss include:

Ginkgo Biloba. A consistent top-selling herbal supplement in the U.S., this extract from the leaves of the ginkgo biloba tree has been widely studied for the treatment and prevention of a variety of conditions, including memory loss and dementia. Similar to many plant foods, ginkgo leaves contain flavonoids, plant compounds that are active in our bodies. Based on limited research to date, the evidence supporting gingko’s role in treating dementia remains mixed and uncertain, and more study is needed. People taking blood thinners should not take gingko supplements.

Turmeric. This golden spice contains curcumin, a bioactive compound that shows anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity in cell and animal studies. While there is some promising evidence in animal experiments, there is currently no conclusive evidence that curcumin improves cognitive performance or is effective in treating or preventing dementia or Alzheimer’s disease in humans. Curcumin is not well absorbed by the body, which minimizes any potential effect of taking it in supplement form.

Asian (or Panax) Ginseng. The root of the ginseng plant contains plant compounds called ginsenosides, which may have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. The evidence for Asian ginseng with regard to cognitive benefits is limited and inconclusive.

Folic Acid and Fish Oil.  Each of these common supplements has been studied separately for effects on cognition, with some promising but inconclusive findings. Researchers are exploring their effectiveness in combination, but more study is needed. Mandatory fortification of grain products in the U.S. has resulted in most adults already getting enough folic acid in their diets.

Anti-Aging Targets. Researchers are currently working to understand how and why cellular senescence and other cellular changes related to aging occur. It is hoped that a greater understanding of these pathways will lead to the development of medicines and/or supplements that directly target the fundamental mechanisms of aging.

One exciting new area of research involves sirtuin pathways. Sirtuins are a family of proteins known to regulate a diverse array of cellular processes, including many associated with aging. The majority of research has been in yeast, worms, fruit flies, and mice, where promising effects occur. Based on these animal findings, manufacturers are marketing supplements targeting the sirtuin pathway to humans.

NAD+: Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) is a coenzyme (a compound necessary for an enzyme to function) involved in activating the sirtuin pathway. NAD+ levels naturally decline after people and animals reach a certain age, and animal experiments suggest this loss contributes to the aging process. Studies in yeast, worms, and mice show that boosting levels of NAD+ extends the life span of these organisms. Research is underway to determine if NAD+ supplements would have any anti-aging benefits in humans.

NR and NMN: Nicotinamide riboside (NR) or nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) are precursors to NAD+. Clinical trials in humans show that taking supplements containing NR increases levels of NAD+, but this increase may not impact cellular aging. More research is needed to determine if these supplements have anti-aging benefits (or any harmful effects).

“Some of these anti-aging targets we are studying are currently available to buy as supplements,” says Wiley, “but I don’t recommend people start taking them at this time. We’re just not there yet.”  Keep in mind dietary supplements are not regulated in the same way as medications. Manufacturers are not required to prove their products work.

While we wait for studies to determine whether any compound has anti-aging effects in humans, ensure they don’t have unexpected negative effects, and work out appropriate dosing, your best bet is to focus on a healthy lifestyle. Avoiding tobacco, eating a healthy dietary pattern, limiting alcohol and unprotected sun exposure, keeping a healthy weight, getting adequate sleep, and keeping your mind and body active are all known to combat many of the diseases and declines we are all eager to avoid as we age.