Are Vitamins Worth Taking?

 

It’s very important to talk with your doctor before you take any vitamin and mineral pills, especially if you take prescription medicines, have any health problems or are elderly. Taking too much of a vitamin or mineral can cause problems with some medical tests or interfere with drugs you’re taking.

Most of us have considered taking a multivitamin, but do we really need one? And if we do, what is the most useful way to take them?

Whether you’re browsing your local pharmacy or looking at the treatments in a new beauty salon, multivitamin supplements, vitamin injections and transdermal vitamin patches are everywhere. This ready availability is largely down to our desire for a quick fix, whether that be for nutrients that claim to endow you with healthy hair and strong nails, hard-to-get vitamins like vitamin D or those that are trending on social media, like magnesium.

What is a nutritional supplement?

As the name suggests, these are products that aim to ‘supplement’ your diet with additional nutrients. Some of the most popular include vitamins D, C and B12; minerals like magnesium, iron and calcium; herbs like echinacea and products including probiotics and fish oils. Available as tablets, capsules, gummies, sprays or powders – as well as the more recent injections and transdermal patches – nutritional supplements don’t require license or registration and they don’t need a prescription.

Do I need to take vitamins and minerals?

First off, no supplement is a substitute for a balanced, varied diet. However, there are specific nutrients that may be beneficial in supplement form for certain groups of people. These include:

• Vitamin D – all babies under one year of age should receive a supplement providing 8.5-10mcg of vitamin D (unless they are receiving more than 500ml of formula milk). Adults and children over one year should supplement 10mcg of vitamin D during the autumn and winter months.
• Folic acid – women who are pregnant, planning a pregnancy or who may become pregnant should supplement with 400mcg folic acid from preconception until 12 weeks of pregnancy.
• Iodine – given that the main food sources in the UK diet are dairy and fish, supplementing up to 150mcg daily may also be useful for vegans.
• Other – people who have certain health conditions, such as iron-deficiency anaemia, Crohn’s or coeliac disease may benefit from supplementation. Refer to your GP for guidance.

Do multivitamins work?

The most recent, large study, that has been carried out on this topic suggests that there is no clear benefit to health from taking a daily multivitamin. The research, which looked at 40,000 healthy US adults over 20 years, found no improvement in longevity. However, there is some evidence to suggest that users of multivitamins may be at lower risk of developing certain conditions, like heart disease.

So, although supplements are never a substitute for a poor diet, there is evidence that they may help reduce nutritional gaps in certain groups.

PLEASE CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR BEFORE TAKING ANY VITAMINS.