@lhgmk2

I agree with your overall point, but there's some nuance that's missing if I may. 99.999% of your progenitor line also had a much shorter lifespan.

The problem, to me, with the supplement industry really is that the people who need it most aren't going to be the ones getting it. Just think about the infamous study on prison inmates and vitamins from the early 2000's. Most people who take supplements already eat fairly healthy. It's also a whole lot easier to take a multivitamin that figuring out exactly what's missing from your regular diet. But, again, the people who think about that are already the least likely to need it.

Personally, I know Zinc is an important part of the immune system. Zinc has shown no benefit guarding against COVID in one study, and a bit of a benefit in another. Do I get enough Zinc in my diet? Questionable. So I pop a Zinc gummy every day. Am I going to go see a doctor and get blood work and check my Zinc levels before doing that? No.

But the larger point, IMO, here is that most of the advances that led to longer lifespans over the last 50+ years were on the margins. A little healthier here and a little healthier there. The pandemic's essentially undone all of that. We've seen a nearly 3 year drop over two years with more coming later this year, I'm sure.

Mega-dosing Vitamin D isn't going to help that.