Start with your gaps, not a shopping cart
Before adding any supplement, consider what your baseline actually looks like: how consistent is your diet, your sleep, your sun exposure? Supplements fill gaps — they don't replace foundations.
The core four most adults benefit from
Vitamin D3 + K2. Over 40% of American adults are deficient. Office workers and people in northern latitudes rarely get enough sun exposure for adequate synthesis.
Magnesium. About 48% of Americans don't meet the daily recommended intake from diet alone. Most diets are low in dark leafy greens and nuts.
Omega-3 (EPA + DHA). Dietary intake from oily fish is below recommended levels for most US adults. Cardiovascular and cognitive function are the two most studied benefit areas.
A quality multi. Not a replacement for diet, but a reliable daily insurance policy for micronutrient gaps.
On quality
Not all supplements are equivalent. The form of the nutrient, the dose, and third-party testing certification all matter. A daily routine is only as good as what's actually in the capsule.