‘Nutrition in a pill”—that was how the Mayo Clinic described health supplements. Although they aren’t for everyone, there are those who may need them to get nutrients they might otherwise be lacking.
“Supplements aren’t intended to be a food substitute because they can’t replicate all of the nutrients and benefits of whole foods such as fruits and vegetables,” the Mayo Clinic explained. “So, depending on your situation and your eating habits, dietary supplements may not be worth the expense.”
If you compare food to dietary supplements, the former has more benefits. Consider the following, according to the Mayo Clinic:
- Greater nutrition: “Whole foods are complex, containing a variety of the micronutrients your body needs—not just one,” the Mayo Clinic informed. For instance, an orange provides Vitamin C plus some beta-carotene, calcium and other nutrients. A Vitamin C supplement lacks these other micronutrients.
- Essential fiber: Whole food, such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables and legumes, provide dietary fiber. “Most high-fiber foods are also packed with other essential nutrients,” the Mayo Clinic pointed out, adding that fiber, as part of a healthy diet, can help prevent certain diseases, such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease, and it can also help manage constipation.
- Protective substances: Whole foods contain other substances important for good health. Fruits and vegetables, for example, contain naturally occurring substances called phytochemicals, which may help protect you against cancer, heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure. Many are also good sources of antioxidants—substances that slow down oxidation, a natural process that leads to cell and tissue damage.
As stated earlier, supplements are not for everyone. People who are generally healthy and eat a wide variety of foods (fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, low-fat dairy products, lean meats and fish) don’t need supplements.
However, supplements—or fortified foods—are recommended in the following situations:
Women who may become pregnant should get 400 micrograms a day of folic acid from fortified foods or supplements, in addition to eating food that naturally contain folate. More so, women who are pregnant should take a prenatal vitamin that includes iron or a separate iron supplement.
The Mayo Clinic said adults, who are 50 years old or even older, should eat food fortified with vitamin B12 , such as fortified cereals, or take a multivitamin that contains B12 or a separate B12 supplement.
Dietary supplements also may be appropriate if a person doesn’t eat well or consumes less than 1,600 calories a day or if he or she is a vegetarian who eats a limited variety of food. Supplements are also recommended to women who experience heavy bleeding during their menstrual period.
Other people who need dietary supplements are those who have a medical condition that affects how their body absorbs or uses nutrients, such as chronic diarrhea, food allergies, food intolerance or a disease of the liver, gallbladder, intestines or pancreas. Those who have had surgery on their digestive tract and are not able to digest and absorb nutrients properly must also take supplements.
- Talk to your doctor or a dietitian about which supplements and what doses might be appropriate for you,” the Mayo Clinic advises. “Be sure to ask about possible side effects and interactions with any medications you take.”
In 2002 The Journal of the American Medical Association published an article claiming how nutrient deficiencies encourage disease. In the article, the authors pronounced it is prudent for all adults to take vitamins to stave off chronic diseases. It listed the following:
- Deficiency of folic acid, vitamins B6 and B12 heightens risk for colon and breast cancer, along with cardiovascular diseases.
- When Vitamin D is at a low level, a high risk for osteopenia and bone fractures exists.
- Compromised levels of vitamins A, C and E potentially increase risks of various chronic diseases.
According to nutritional-supplements-health-guide.com, fewer people would be hospitalized by taking a calcium supplement. Calcium has been touted as one of the “disappearing minerals” in vegetables due to soil erosion, which is now a big problem in the uplands.
This brings us to the subject of multivitamins. Are these necessary really? A study done by the Harvard School of Medicine concluded that every adult should take a multivitamin daily as a safe and inexpensive way to optimize health.
“Another study found that taking a multivitamin reduced the risk of first-time heart attack in a group of Swedish men and women aged 45 to 70,” Webmd.com reports.
The Webmd.com suggested that, when picking a multivitamin, people should pay particular attention to the following to maximize benefit and minimize risk:
- Vitamin A: Choose a supplement with beta-carotene and mixed carotenoids, the raw material your body converts to Vitamin A on an as-needed basis. Excessive Vitamin A as retinol is detrimental to bone and liver health.
- Iron: Men and post-menopausal women should take an iron-free multivitamin preparation unless their diet is very low in iron-rich foods, including meat and fortified grains. Iron may accumulate in the body and cause organ damage.
- Folic acid: Women in their childbearing years need 400 micrograms of folic acid every day to help prevent neural tube defects in the first month of pregnancy.
- Vitamin D: Most multivitamins supply 400 International Units (IU) for Vitamin D, which is necessary for calcium absorption and may play a role in cancer prevention.
Vitamin E: Recently, some studies have shown safety concerns with “high doses” of vitamin E, or doses over 600 to 800 IU daily.
Health experts remind that nutritional supplements will not replace a healthy diet—they supplement and help balance an unhealthy diet. “If you tend to skip meals, eat junk between meals or don’t choose organic foods, quality nutritional supplements are non-negotiable to promote a healthier mind, body and spirit,” the nutritional-supplements-health-guide.com reminds.
Or, as Dr. Robert A. Rakowski, who serves as clinic director of Natural Medical Center in Houston, puts it: “Taking supplements in the absence of a good diet is still a poor diet with supplements.”