If you’ve ever felt like your metabolism is “slowing down,” you’re not imagining it. Lower energy, creeping weight gain, harder-to-keep muscle, and blood sugar swings are all common with age. Many people understandably go on the hunt for supplements for metabolism, only to find a dizzying array of products promising to fire up caloric burn.
And yet, you can’t simply flip a metabolic switch just by taking a particular supplement. The metabolism is a whole set of processes your body uses to turn food into energy, manage blood sugar, build and maintain muscle, and power cells.
The supplements worth your money aren’t “fat burners.” They’re nutrients that support the underlying machinery, which happens to be the same machinery that influences how well you age. That’s the thinking behind a foundational longevity routine like NOVOS Core, which supports whole-body cellular health rather than one number on a scale.
What Is Metabolism, Really?
More than burning calories, the metabolism covers everything your body does to convert nutrients into usable energy and keep your cells running:
- Producing energy
- Using the protein, fat, and carbohydrate you eat
- Regulating blood sugar
- Maintaining muscle
- Repairing cellsÂ
“Boosting metabolism” usually gets sold as burning more calories at rest, but that’s a small part of a much bigger picture.
How Metabolism Changes With Age
Over the decades, muscle mass declines, an age-related process called sarcopenia. Because muscle is metabolically active tissue, losing it lowers daily energy use. People also tend to move less, hormone levels change, and mitochondria — the tiny power plants inside cells — become less efficient. None of this is a personal failing; it’s biology, and much of it responds to how you eat, move, and supplement.
Metabolic Health and Biological Aging
Metabolic problems and aging feed each other. Insulin resistance, chronic low-grade inflammation, and declining mitochondrial function are all linked to a higher risk of age-related disease. Keeping your metabolism running well isn’t just about feeling energetic now; it’s part of aging well.
Can Supplements Really Boost Metabolism?
No supplement dramatically increases how many calories you burn, and anything marketed that way is overselling. What well-chosen supplements can do is support the pathways behind a healthy metabolism: steadier blood sugar, better-maintained muscle, and more efficient cellular energy. Think support, not shortcut. Lifestyle still does the heavy lifting.
Supporting Metabolism at the Cellular Level
The more useful question isn’t “what burns fat?” but “what helps my cells make and use energy well?” Mitochondrial function, nutrient-sensing pathways that respond to food and fasting, and the preservation of muscle are all important considerations. The supplements below support those goals.
The Best Supplements for Metabolic Health
Most metabolism supplements are hype and clever marketing. A few aren’t. The ones below won’t make you burn calories faster, but they support steady blood sugar, muscle preservation, and cellular energy.
Magnesium
Magnesium is a cofactor in hundreds of enzymatic reactions, including many involved in energy production and blood sugar control. In a 2025 meta-analysis of 23 randomized trials in people with type 2 diabetes, magnesium supplementation lowered fasting blood glucose, with the strongest effect in adults aged 65 and older. (Effects on longer-term blood sugar markers were smaller, so this is support, not a substitute for treatment.)Â
Well-absorbed options like the magnesium malate in NOVOS Core are a solid choice for supplementation.
Creatine
Creatine isn’t just for athletes, although it pairs well with exercise. It helps cells rapidly regenerate adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the body’s main energy currency, and it supports the muscle that keeps metabolism humming as you age. A systematic review and meta-analysis of older adults found that creatine combined with resistance training produced greater gains in muscle strength and lean mass than training alone.
Protein (and Key Amino Acids)
If muscle is the engine of metabolism, protein is the raw material. Older adults experience “anabolic resistance,” meaning they need more protein than younger people to maintain muscle, yet many fall short. Research on adults over 60 suggests that intakes around 1.0 to 1.2 grams per kilogram of body weight per day support lean mass and bone health better than the standard recommendation.Â
A note in keeping with longevity research: This is about meeting your needs, not overdoing it on animal protein, which may accelerate aging. You can hit your target with plant sources like legumes, tofu, and nuts alongside moderate amounts of fish, eggs, or dairy. Be wary, too, of the wave of “high-protein” snacks, drinks, and protein bars now on every shelf, many of which are ultra-processed and loaded with additives. A cleaner option like the NOVOS Bar includes protein along with longevity-minded ingredients.Â
Calcium Alpha-Ketoglutarate (Ca-AKG)
Alpha-ketoglutarate (Ca-AKG), one of the ingredients included in NOVOS Core, is a metabolite in the cell’s energy cycle. It helps power the mitochondrial reactions that turn food into usable energy. Its levels decline with age, mirroring the drop in metabolic efficiency many people notice. In mice, a calcium form (Ca-AKG) extended healthspan and reduced frailty, largely by lowering inflammation, which is itself closely tied to metabolic health.
Human evidence is still early. A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial (ABLE) is underway to test whether Ca-AKG can lower biological age and improve metabolic markers in middle-aged adults. As we explain in our article Calcium Alpha-Ketoglutarate Benefits & Longevity, Ca-AKG has been studied in clinical contexts, with additional trials underway to identify its effects on age-related physiology.
Supplements That Support Metabolism Indirectly
A few other supplements act on the systems around metabolism. NMN, found in NOVOS Boost, is a precursor to NAD+, a molecule central to cellular energy. Taurine and glycine, also in NOVOS Core, contribute to mitochondrial and metabolic function as part of a synergistic formula. None of these is a standalone fix, but together they support the cellular environment metabolism depends on.Â
Metabolism, Mitochondria, and Healthy Aging
Mitochondria are the cellular power plants that generate most of your energy, and as they decline with age, fatigue and reduced metabolic efficiency tend to follow. You can support them through everyday choices more than any pill: Regular exercise (especially a mix of strength and cardio), adequate protein, and key micronutrients like magnesium all help your cells make energy well. They also combat the hallmarks of aging, helping you live healthier for longer.
How NOVOS Core Fits In
Rather than target calorie burn, NOVOS Core incorporates nutrients that support healthy cellular function. It was the first formulation designed to address all 12 biological hallmarks of aging, and it’s now supported by more than seven years of research and development and randomized, placebo-controlled human clinical research showing positive results for functional markers of cardiovascular and overall aging.Â
The aim is to support the biological systems that influence metabolism and aging, framed around cellular health rather than weight loss. As the NOVOS principle goes, more is not always better; the goal is the right nutrients, not the most aggressive ones.
The Bottom Line
Metabolism is far more than calorie burning, and no supplement is a magic fix. The strongest evidence supports nutrients that improve metabolic efficiency, mitochondrial function, muscle maintenance, and blood sugar control, with magnesium, creatine, and adequate protein among the most reliable.
Metabolic health is closely tied to healthy aging, so the smartest move is to pair targeted supplementation with exercise, enough protein, good sleep, and a nutrient-dense diet. Learn how NOVOS Core supports healthy cellular function, mitochondrial health, and the systems that drive metabolism and longevity.
FAQ About Supplements for Metabolism
What is the best supplement for boosting metabolism?
There isn’t a single one, and no supplement significantly “boosts” calorie burn. The nutrients with the best evidence support the systems behind metabolism: magnesium for blood sugar and energy, creatine for muscle, and adequate protein to maintain lean mass.
What supplements are good for metabolism?
Magnesium, creatine (paired with exercise), and sufficient protein have the strongest support for metabolic health. Ingredients like Ca-AKG and NMN are promising for cellular energy and healthy aging, although human evidence is still emerging.
Can supplements speed up a slow metabolism?
Not dramatically. Much of what feels like a “slow metabolism” comes from losing muscle and moving less with age. Building and keeping muscle through resistance training and protein does more than any supplement, which works best as support around those habits.
Does metabolism slow down with age?
Metabolism can change with age due to factors such as reduced muscle mass, lower activity levels, hormonal shifts, and declining mitochondrial function. Many of these changes can be partially offset through nutrition, exercise, and healthy lifestyle habits.
How can I support my metabolism after 40?
Focus on preserving muscle mass through resistance training and adequate protein intake, maintaining a healthy diet rich in fiber and micronutrients, prioritizing sleep, and supporting cellular health with evidence-based longevity supplements.
