Supplements and Side Effects: What Older Adults Should Know

Why supplements can trigger side effects

How can a vitamin or plant product cause adverse reactions that are typically associated with powerful drugs? The reasons run the gamut, experts say.

Supplements, which do not undergo the same premarket federal approval process that over-the-counter and prescription drugs do, despite their widespread use, contain active ingredients that can have strong effects on the body, the National Institutes of Health says. And in some products, these ingredients can be particularly potent.

Cohen points to red yeast rice as an example. It’s a traditional Chinese culinary and medicinal product that’s “been used for hundreds of years to treat a variety of problems,” he says. In the U.S., supplements containing red yeast rice are often marketed as effective at lowering cholesterol, and that’s because some red yeast rice products contain a compound that is chemically identical to the active ingredient in the cholesterol-lowering drug lovastatin, the NIH’s National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health says.

Some supplements contain no or low levels of this compound (known as monacolin K), but others are formulated “more like a prescription drug,” Cohen says. In turn, they can cause the same types of side effects and drug interactions as lovastatin, like muscle pain and weakness and liver toxicity, according to the NIH. And often consumers have no way of knowing how much of this prescription-like substance is present in a supplement.

Supplements can also interact with other drugs in dangerous ways. Vitamin K can hamper the effectiveness of certain blood thinners, while vitamin E can augment their power, increasing the risk of bleeding. And St.-John’s-wort can weaken the effects of some heart medications, antidepressants and statins.

Why older adults face higher risks from supplements

Older adults need to be especially careful when it comes to possible interactions such as these, Cohen warns, since “many people who are over 65 are taking prescription medications.” In fact, more than 4 in 10 adults 65 and older take at least five prescription drugs a day, and nearly 20 percent take 10 or more, according to a Lown Institute report.

What’s more, older people don’t metabolize compounds found in drugs and supplements as efficiently as younger people do. “So taking excessive supplements can certainly lead to more problems in someone [who has a harder time] getting it out of their system, because the kidneys are not functioning as they would in a 20- or 30-year-old,” Cohen explains.

In some instances, the FDA has identified supplements that contain prescription drugs and other active ingredients not listed on the label, which ratchets up the risk of additional side effects and reactions. An analysis published by the American Medical Association found that pharmaceutical ingredients were identified in 776 dietary supplements between 2007 and 2016. Most of these supplements were marketed for sexual enhancement, weight loss or muscle building.

How to use supplements safely

The guidance from experts isn’t to avoid supplements entirely but to exercise caution when using them. “These products are health products and should be considered just like over-the-counter medications,” Cohen says. “We know that we have to be careful with [drugs like aspirin and Motrin]. And supplements should be treated the same way.”

Cohen’s advice: If you’re considering starting a supplement, step back and think about why you want to take it, then bring that concern to your doctor.

“We actually know that going out and taking a multivitamin just for general health — to prevent heart disease, cancer, you name it — doesn’t work,” he says.

So ask your physician whether you have a health issue that can be alleviated with a vitamin, mineral or other product. (You can also check out the FDA’s website for a list of other questions to bring up with a health care provider regarding supplement use.) If you are already taking a supplement — and more than half of Americans are — it’s important to let your doctor know, Cara Welch, director of the FDA’s Office of Dietary Supplement Programs at the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, told AARP.

Keep a record of what you are taking and how often. Or, better yet, bring the bottles to your next appointment so your doctor can take a look “and adjust accordingly, based on what they know about the patient,” Welch says.

If a supplement is recommended, look for one that has a stamp from NSF International or U.S. Pharmacopeia, Cohen says. These third-party groups test supplements to verify that they contain the ingredients listed on the label and are free of harmful contaminants. And remember that a supplement “should not claim to treat, cure or prevent disease,” Welch says. If you see one that does, that’s a red flag. 

Finally, if you experience side effects or a bad reaction after taking a supplement, stop taking the product and report it to the FDA. “We have physicians that review every single one of those adverse-event reports to see if they indicate an issue with a particular product or a particular ingredient,” Welch says.