Office of Dietary Supplements/ Getty Images
The US' top supplement expert doesn't typically take any himself.
Stefan Pasiakos is the director of the Office of Dietary Supplements at the National Institutes of Health, a federal body that assesses the latest scientific evidence on supplements to strengthen public understanding.
He told Business Insider he's not anti-supplement, but takes a food-first approach to his health.
"I do feel that my diet provides an adequate amount of the important nutrients in order to meet requirements and maintain my health. So I don't see a need right now for dietary supplements," Pasiakos said.
He supports taking supplements if there's a biological need and an individual isn't meeting that requirement with food, or there's strong evidence for a potential health effect. For instance, people who don't eat animal products are generally advised to take vitamin B12.
But, the most important thing, he said, is that a person meets the dietary guidelines for macronutrients (protein, fat, and carbs) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) by following a healthy diet, which he is able to do most of the time.
However, when Pasiakos is very busy and knows his diet will suffer, he leans on three supplements to ensure he's getting all the nutrients his body needs.
"I know life is challenging and there are plenty of times, especially with my current position where I'm traveling all the time and I know full well that my diet won't be adequate," he said.
When he's traveling, Pasiakos knows that he won't eat enough fruits and vegetables, so he occasionally takes a multivitamin and mineral supplement to fill in the gaps. "I want to make sure that I meet those important nutrient requirements," he said.
Taking a multivitamin increases the amount of nutrients a person gets, but the jury is still out on whether it can provide other health benefits.
A 2022 study by researchers at Columbia University and Brigham and Women's Hospital found that taking a multivitamin daily for three years appeared to improve older adults' cognition and memory.
Meanwhile, a review of studies published in the same year by the US Preventive Services Task Force found no evidence that multivitamins prevent cardiovascular disease or cancer.
And earlier this year, researchers at the National Cancer Institute looked at data on 390,124 American adults and found no evidence that multivitamins boosted longevity.
However, there's no strong evidence to suggest that they are harmful, and it's not uncommon for people to take them as a sort of nutritional insurance.
PIXNIO
Pasiakos sometimes takes a fiber supplement, such as psyllium husk or inulin, when he's traveling.
Fiber, which is found in plant foods, feeds the "good" microbes in the gut microbiome, the trillions of bacteria, viruses, and fungi that live in the colon lining. These microscopic creatures influence overall health and are thought to impact everything from how well you can fight off a cold to your mood. Fiber is also essential for smooth digestion.
Taking fiber supplements, however, isn't the same as getting it from food sources as they don't contain the vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that fiber-rich foods do, according to Mayo Clinic. But they can be helpful for people struggling to consume enough.
Fiber supplements can cause bloating and gas, at least at first, and people with stomach problems should talk to a healthcare professional before taking them, according to the clinic.
Exercise is very important to Pasiakos and he likes to consume some protein after a workout because the amino acids stimulate muscle repair and recovery, he said.
His preference would be to have a high-protein meal, but when his schedule makes that impossible, he'll take a supplement.
"If I know that I'll have a long space or duration between meals or if I know I don't have access to food in and around the exercise session, I'll make sure that I have some form of supplemental protein available for me," he said.
He's not picky about the type of protein supplement and said that whey protein, pea protein, plant protein, and even a glass of milk will suffice. "They're all good," he said.
