HAPPY Pills

Over-the-counter SUPPLEMENTS today make LOFTY PROMISES: SLEEP better. BOOST skin RADIANCE. FEEL MORE JOY. But do they REALLY WORK?

- CELIA SHATZMAN

The supplements aisle at the drugstore has begun to resemble a candy shop, bursting with rainbow-colored gummies, powders, pills, and tinctures that claim to increase energy, improve focus, boost skin radiance, help you fall asleep, and more. But can a gummy or capsule really do all that? Perhaps, but it's complicated.

Traditional multivitamins are typically taken to "supplement" food intake, serving as backup for days when our diets are deficient. The new look-better-feel-better formulas are designed to work similarly, bridging nutritional gaps and acting as support for our bodies as they work overtime to manage stress, fatigue, and anxiety. "Stress can deplete our nutrient stores, so it's important to replenish through healthy eating and supplementation when needed," says scientist Andrea Wong, senior vice president of scientific and regulatory affairs at the Council for Responsible Nutrition, a trade association. "Low levels of certain nutrients can affect mood, stress, and energy. For example, insufficient vitamin B6 levels can result in fatigue, concentration issues, and poor mood. And women taking birth-control pills are susceptible to [having low levels of] vitamin B6."