Wednesday, July 10, 2019

Do I really need those vitamins?

Americans love their vitamins and “nutritional supplements.” Surveys have shown that over half of us take at least one and 10% use at least 4 dietary supplements daily. Among those 60 or older, use is even higher; 70% take at least one and 29% take four or more supplements. The market is huge, in the billions of dollars, and “brand extension” is common. You can buy multivitamins, multivitamins for women and multivitamins for seniors. Vitamin D capsules crowd the shelves with sizes from 1000 units to 4000 units and more. Ever since chemist Linus Pauling pronounced it a miracle, millions of us use Vitamin C to prevent or cure a cold.
Besides making money for the manufacturers, pharmacies and GNC, do vitamins and supplements do any good? Clearly it is important to replace any deficiencies. If you have pernicious anemia, (https://www.whatswrongwithhealthcareinamerica.com/2019/06/b12-deficiency-great-imitator.html ) you need Vitamin B12, either by injection or in very large doses by mouth. If you do not drink milk and avoid the sun, you may well need to take Vitamin D. If you are a woman with very heavy periods, a daily iron supplement may be needed. Certain vitamins have been shown helpful in slowing the advance of macular degeneration.
What about the vast majority of supplement users? Most people who take these products take a multivitamin, but rarely is that the only product used. Other commonly used supplements are omega-3 or fish oil, calcium, Vitamin D, Vitamin C and botanical products. Ironically, but not surprisingly, supplement users are much more likely than non-users to say that they try to eat a balanced diet, see their doctor regularly, get a good night’s sleep, exercise regularly and maintain a healthy weight. Many studies over the years have looked at the benefits of taking various forms, particularly at their effect on cardiovascular disease, still the number one killer in western countries.
A recent study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine looked at 277 trials involving 24 supplements or combinations of supplements and almost 1 million subjects. These studies found that reduced salt intake lowered the death rate in all and cardiovascular death in subjects with hypertension. Omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LC-PUFA) reduced the risk of coronary disease and heart attacks by a modest amount (7-8%). Use of folic acid was associated with a 20% decreased rate of stroke. Somewhat alarmingly, use of calcium plus Vitamin D was associated with a 17% increased risk of stroke. All the other supplements, including Vitamins B6 and A, multivitamins, “antioxidants” and iron had no measurable benefit. Some 25% of us over 50 take a supplement touted as good for "brain health," but the AARP Global Council on Brain Health has come down strongly against this practice, calling it a "massive waste of money."
Bottom line? Don’t waste your money. If you eat a balanced diet, the odds are you are getting all the nutrition you need. If you feel better taking a multivitamin, there is no evidence it does you any harm, but you are better off choosing the house brand and saving money. If you are shoveling down 8 or 10 “supplements” daily, you are probably wasting your time and money.

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5 comments:

  1. Guilty as charged. 75+ and I take a multivitamin daily.
    PLUS, fish oil (1200mg w 360mg Omega 3); Osteo-BiFlex (MSM w D3, with Glucosamine); Turmeric and Chromium Picolinate (keto diet recommended); Ginko Biloba (I still can't remember how to spell it); and every senior's favorite, fiber.
    Since starting on the Keto diet in late February, I have reduced my pill intake: (2 Metformin down to 1/2 tablet [A1C now 5.7]; (3 medications for GERD w 5 tablets/day down to one tablet/day); and my asthma does not require the religious schedule I used to treat it with. After being good enough to get my weight down and medications down, I maintained my use of supplements.
    Thank you for the wake-up call on this. Tomorrow I drop one supplement. After three weeks, I will evaluate results. If no problem occurs, I will drop my next one and repeat the process. I will hold the Keto-recommended two and the fiber for last to go.

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  2. Let me know how the process proceeds.

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