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While taking supplements can be harmful at any age, older adults are more likely to encounter problems. Older adults also usually take more and a wider variety of prescription drugs than younger people, and this increases the risk of a dangerous interaction with supplements. In addition, many patients do not tell their doctors about the nonprescription pills they ingest, and many doctors do not ask about them—leading to potentially serious consequences.

Supplements, like many prescription drugs, are metabolized and eliminated through the kidney and liver. Since older people have higher rates of kidney and/or liver disease, it may be harder for their body to process compounds found in supplements. The interactions with the cardiovascular system can be particularly problematic. Taking blood thinners or cardiovascular drugs with St. John’s wort, vitamin K, zinc, or ginseng may cause serious problems.