The 9 Best Supplements To Take Daily for Optimum Health

Looking for the best supplements to take daily? You’ve come to the right place. In this article, we will go over some daily supplement options and explain how they can benefit your body.

Eating healthy and staying physically active are important habits for every age group. As we get older, our bodies go through natural changes and begin to need different amounts of nutrients than when we were younger.

Certain daily supplements and food groups are more important for older adults, and staying educated on your needs will help you age gracefully and fitfully.

What supplements should I take daily?

Answering the question: “What supplements should I take daily?” is incredibly personal. That’s because the best supplements to take daily will vary from person to person based on age, genetics, and underlying health issues.

Many people turn to a nutritional supplement if they can’t get enough of a specific nutrient through diet alone. Some people simply can’t eat enough of the nutrient because it isn’t realistic or they are on a low-volume diet.

Others may have a natural deficiency in certain vitamins or minerals.

Whatever the case, the best supplements to take daily for one person will not be the same for everyone. It is important to speak with a doctor or nutritionist to understand which daily supplements are right for your body.

That being said, there are some supplements that the general public is regularly deficient in, and these can create a starting point for your conversation with a medical health professional.

So what are the best supplements to take daily? Let’s take a look at some of the contenders.

The 9 best supplements to take daily

Here are the best supplements to take daily for many people. These supplements can help you to stay healthy, have a strong immune system, increase your energy, support better digestive health, and more.

1. Collagen

Collagen is one of the very best supplements to take daily for the majority of people.

What is collagen? Collagen is a type of protein that builds the connective tissues in your body like your skin, hair, nails, tendons, ligaments, bones, and muscles.

You may have heard of collagen for its potential ability to strengthen your skin, reduce wrinkles, and slow signs of aging. Collagen can do all of this and more!

There are so many benefits of taking collagen. Many older adults are using collagen for weight loss, wound healing, muscle building, joint pain relief, to help manage digestive issues, and to support bone density and strength.

Collagen has even shown itself to be one of the best supplements for mental health in recent studies.

If any of these issues are top of mind, a daily collagen protein supplement may have great benefits for you, too.

The good news is that our bodies naturally produce collagen. The bad news is, our natural collagen production slows around age 25. And, because collagen comes from the connective tissues of animal products, most Americans don’t receive enough from diet alone. Therefore, a daily liquid protein shot may be a helpful - and easy - way to ensure you are getting enough collagen.

How much collagen should I take?

Collagen is associated with many health benefits and there are very few known risks or side effects of collagen.

When choosing a collagen protein supplement for yourself, it’s a good idea to pick one that is hydrolyzed, which means the molecules have been broken down into a smaller size for digestibility.

Additionally, you should check to see if it contains all the essential amino acids to make it a complete protein supplement (most don’t). Then, aim for 2.5-15 grams of protein per serving.

2. Calcium

Calcium is essential for good bone health as you age. As we get older, it is normal to start to lose some of our bone density. And, just like collagen loss, this can start as early as our 20s!

To combat this, one of the best supplements to take daily is a calcium supplement if you aren’t already getting enough calcium through your diet.

How much calcium do I need?

It is recommended that women under 50 receive 1,000 milligrams of calcium daily, and for women over 50 to take 1,200 milligrams of calcium daily.

Men should receive 1,000 milligrams daily until the age of 70 and then 1,200 milligrams after that.

You should only take around 500 milligrams at a time for proper absorption, and should take your calcium supplement with a meal.

3. Vitamin D

Next on our list of the best supplements to take daily is vitamin D. Vitamin D is also known as the “sunshine vitamin,” and it helps to keep your bones, muscles, nerves, and immune system healthy.

Some people naturally have a vitamin D deficiency. If you are especially deficient, the lack of vitamin D has been linked with depression, diabetes, heart disease, auto-immune disease, and cancer.

Many people don’t get enough vitamin D from their food or environment, and if you are one of them, then vitamin D is one of the best supplements to take daily.

How much vitamin D do I need?

The recommended amount of vitamin D is 1000 IU per day. The easiest way to get plenty of vitamin D is by being in the sun for at least 15 minutes each day. However, it may also be wise to take a vitamin D supplement, especially if you are in an area or season with less sunlight.

Vitamin D is also available in cow's milk, fortified plant milk, fish, yogurt, egg yolks, mushrooms, and fortified orange juice.

4. Vitamin B12

Studies have found that about 4 out of 10 adults over 50 have a vitamin B12 deficiency. If you are one of them, then vitamin B12c is one of the best supplements to take daily.

This vitamin is essential for a healthy nervous system, strong red blood cells, and to combat fatigue and weakness. Vitamin B12 may help to improve your overall energy and may even support good memory.

How much vitamin B12 do I need?

It is recommended that adults over age 50 should supplement with about 500 mcg (micrograms) of B12 daily.

The dose may seem high, but because the body doesn’t absorb 100% of supplemental vitamins. Therefore, a higher dose is appropriate so that you get what you need.

Studies have found that taking a daily 500 mcg supplement of vitamin B12 helped to restore normal levels in 90% of participants. It is possible you need a higher dose, and you should work with your physician to personalize your supplement plan.

Foods that are high in vitamin B12 include beef, liver, chicken, fish, fortified cereal, milk, yogurt, and eggs. Since these are all derived from animals or animal by-products, vegetarians and vegans are at a higher risk of vitamin B12 deficiency.

5. Fiber

As you age, it is normal for your digestive system to slow down or become less efficient at proper elimination.

If you are having trouble with bowel movements it can be tempting to take laxative supplements. While these can be useful on rare occasions, taking them regularly can actually damage your digestive tract and cause long-term constipation issues.

Instead, eating a diet that is rich in fiber can help you to stay regular and comfortable. Fiber also helps to support healthy cholesterol levels and prevent Type 2 diabetes.

How much fiber do I need?

Adults need a minimum of 25 grams of fiber every day. You can get fiber by eating whole grains and cereals, beans, peas, and plenty of fruits and vegetables. If you feel you aren’t getting enough fiber from your diet, one of the best supplements to take daily is 5-15 grams of fiber.

6. Omega-3s

Omega-3 fatty acids are polyunsaturated (healthy) fats found in seafood, nuts, seeds, and oils. Omega-3s are some of the best supplements to take daily because they are essential to heart, brain, and vision health.

Your body can't make omega-3s, so it relies on your diet and supplements to meet your daily needs.

How much omega 3s do I need?

It is recommended for men to have 1.6 grams of omega-3s daily and for women to have 1.1 grams.

You can also increase your intake of fish, nuts, and seeds to try to boost the omega-3s in your diet.

7. Probiotics

One of the best supplements to take daily for most people is a probiotic. Probiotics help to keep your microbiome healthy and balance out the healthy bacteria in your gut.

If there is an imbalance of good and bad bacteria in your gut, you will be at risk of inflammation and illness.

You can get some probiotics from fermented foods such as yogurt, kombucha, kefir, and kimchi, but you may be better off with a regular supplement.

Research has found that probiotics may promote the health of your heart, brain, digestive tract, and immune system.

When shopping for probiotic supplements, look for supplements with at least 1 million colony-forming units (CFUs). It’s also a good idea to take one with multiple strains of bacteria for a more diverse gut flora.

8. Magnesium

Magnesium is another one of the best supplements to take daily because it is required for more than 600 enzyme reactions in the body.

If you eat a lot of processed foods, drink a lot of alcohol, have a vitamin D deficiency, or have diabetes, you are more at risk for a magnesium deficiency.

Low magnesium levels have been linked to weakening bones, heartbeat irregularities, irregular blood pressure, anxiety, fatigue, and blood sugar issues.

How much magnesium do I need?

It is recommended for adults to take 310 - 420 mg of magnesium per day depending on your gender and age.

9. Anti-aging nutritional supplements

If you want to know how to slow aging, you may benefit from incorporating certain superfoods and supplements into your daily diet.

What are superfoods? A superfood is a term coined to describe any food that has particularly strong health benefits. The best supplements to take daily for anti-aging include:

Collagen: Collagen is helpful in strengthening your hair, skin, and nails. Collagen also offers anti-aging benefits by rebuilding healthy tendons, ligaments, and other connective tissues.
Polyphenols and antioxidants: Antioxidants fight free radicals and may protect the brain from stress, improve memory and learning, and improve overall brain health.
Zinc and copper: When taken together, copper and zinc form a powerful antioxidant called copper-zinc superoxide dismutase which can help boost immunity and slow signs of aging.
Curcumin: This is an active ingredient found in turmeric that is a powerful anti-inflammatory. Chronic inflammation increases your risk for conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and premature aging. You can take curcumin as a supplement or add fresh turmeric to your recipes, combining it with black pepper to enhance absorption.

Choosing daily supplements for your unique needs

It is important to remember that everyone is unique, and what works for one person may not be useful for you. When you are choosing the best supplements to take daily, take a close look at your lifestyle and health and wellness goals.

Take into account your activity level, your sleep habits, and any underlying health conditions or ailments, and adjust your diet and supplements accordingly.

Always work with a qualified dietician or medical professional before making big changes to your diet or supplementation schedule. They can help you determine the best supplements to take daily for your body.

When you ask your doctor, “What supplements should I take daily?” one supplement to bring up is collagen. The majority of people can benefit from a collagen supplement, there are little to no side effects and our collagen levels start to deplete in our 20s.

Having more collagen may help to improve the health of your joints, skin, hair, nails, digestive tract, and more!

If you are looking for the best collagen product for your daily supplementation, why not try the medical-grade collagen from ProT Gold? This collagen is nano-hydrolyzed for full absorption in just 15 minutes, and is trusted by thousands of medical facilities across the nation.

A daily collagen supplement could be what your body needs to function at its finest.