Supplements fall into many categories and different people will have very different desires and needs. Diet and fitness goals are major factors determining what types of supplements might be useful to individuals, as well as the individual's age and sex. For example, older people need more calcium because their bodies cannot absorb it as readily as younger people. But this need can be fulfilled through diet, so supplementation may only be required in certain cases.In general I recommend everyone take a high quality multi-vitamin and some form of purified omega-3 oil. I recommend most people take at least one green drink per day to get a high quantity of antioxidants and alkaline substances. The necessity and usefulness of many supplements is questionable. Likewise super-high dosages of vitamins and minerals, while not usually harmful for water soluble vitamins other than B-6, is equivalent to buying the pills and flushing them down the toilet. Flooding the body with unnecessary substances can also strain the kidneys which need to filter those substances out.
Those with joint pain or a history of joint problems may consider taking a glucosamine/chondroitin/MSM supplement. When taking glucosamine, I'd recommend Glucosamine HCL over Glucosamine Sulfate. I recommend those trying to maintain their weight or gain muscle weight get extra protein from either very lean dietary sources (tuna, egg whites, chicken, etc), or through whey protein isolate supplementation. Be cautious of protein supplements as many have large quantities of sugar, fat, or artificial sweeteners.
