New Research Reveals Majority of Older Adults Regularly Utilize Complementary Health Approaches

Mass General Brigham researchers find that most older adults use yoga, herbal products, or spiritual practices, highlighting a need for better clinical dialogue.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 25, 2026, 4:20 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Mass General Brigham and the American Journal of Medicine.

The Shift Toward Integrative Senior Care

Complementary health approaches (CHA), once considered peripheral to Western medicine, have officially entered the mainstream for the aging population. A comprehensive study led by investigators from Mass General Brigham and published in the American Journal of Medicine on April 25, 2026, indicates that a significant majority of older adults now view these modalities as essential to their wellness routines. Drawing from a massive data set of over 16,000 participants, the research challenges traditional assumptions about geriatric healthcare. The findings suggest that seniors are increasingly proactive in managing their physical and mental health through non-traditional means, reflecting a broader cultural shift toward holistic and integrative medical models.

Methodology and Participant Demographics

The research utilized survey data from the Cocoa Supplement and Multivitamin Outcomes Study (COSMOS), a randomized clinical trial involving women over 65 and men over 60. Lead author Dr. Dennis Muñoz-Vergara and his team focused on six primary categories: manual therapies, mind-body exercises, herbal products, acupuncture, spiritual practices, and the emerging use of cannabis or psychedelics. While the study group skewed toward individuals who were generally more health-conscious and of a higher socioeconomic status, the sheer volume of respondents—16,144 in total—makes this one of the most significant evaluations of complementary therapy use in older adults to date.

The Dominance of Spiritual and Manual Modalities

Among the various approaches analyzed, spiritual practices emerged as the most prevalent, with 38.6% of respondents engaging in them within the last 12 months. Manual therapies, including chiropractic care and massage, followed closely at 20.8%, while herbal products were utilized by 20.5% of the cohort. Interestingly, acupuncture remained the least utilized approach at just 3.7%. The data revealed that women were significantly more likely to adopt these therapies than men. Furthermore, a strong correlation was found between the use of complementary health approaches and individuals with higher levels of education, increased physical activity, and a history of chronic conditions such as depression or frequent falls.