KEY
Sun exposure time
necessary for daily
vitamin D dose.
DIETS
Do we need supplements?
Do we need
supplements?
Many people take multivitamins or other
supplements as part of their daily routine,
but do we really need them? Health
experts disagree.
Many experts argue that
supplements are beneficial, at least
for some people, and even if you aren’t
in one of the groups that will benefit,
taking them won’t do you any harm.
They can be thought of as a “safety
net,” ensuring good nutrition.
Vitamin D production
How much vitamin D the
body makes can vary with age,
weight, and skin type (darker
skin requires more sunlight),
as well as levels of UV exposure.
The amount of sunlight our skin
receives is affected by our
latitude and the seasons.
No harm
There is no evidence that taking
multivitamin supplements causes harm,
as long as they don’t provide significantly
more than the recommended intake of
each nutrient.
Benefits to specific groups
Certain groups have been found
to benefit from particular vitamin
supplements—particularly A, C, and D
in children, and folic acid in pregnant
women. These effects don’t show up
in large population studies.
Acts as a backup
Even healthy diets can lack one nutrient or
another occasionally. Vitamin supplements
may act as a “safety net,” preventing accidental
deficiency. People who take them do show
fewer nutritional inadequacies, but this may
be because they also tend to eat healthily.
Boosts a poor or restricted diet
Many people have a limited or poor
diet, whether because of beliefs,
illness, access to food, or simply being
fussy eaters. In these cases, a
multivitamin can help to ensure
adequate intake of vital compounds.
Can be tailored to specific needs
Males, females, and people of different ages
and activity levels have different nutritional
needs. Tailored supplements are matched
to the requirements of the group to which
you belong. This may be easier than dietary
changes to ensure complete nutrition.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D helps our bodies to absorb calcium, and
is a key factor in bone health. While we receive a
small amount of vitamin D from the food we eat,
most is made in our skin when it is exposed to
ultraviolet (UV) radiation in sunlight. However, not
everyone can get enough sunlight, and many people
at higher latitudes may benefit from supplements.
5–7 minutes
5–7 mins
Tropical
SUMMER
10 mins
30
mins
IS NATURAL
ALWAYS GOOD?
Not all “natural” products
are safe and beneficial. Many
herbal supplements, and even
vitamins, can produce
unpleasant side effects or
interact with prescribed
medications.
WINTER
Temperate
YES
US_178-179_Do_we_need_supplements.indd 178 18/01/2017 09:47
178
DIETS
Do we need supplements?
179
70 PERCENT OF PATIENTS
WHO USE SUPPLEMENTS
OR OTHER ALTERNATIVE
THERAPIES DO
NOT TELL
THEIR DOCTOR
Multivitamins
Supplements offering multiple nutrients range from minimal to
comprehensive. Many contain far more than the recommended
dose of some vitamins, while they miss out others. Sometimes
vitamins aren’t absorbed or processed as effectively when
they are not taken in combination with the foods
in which they naturally occur.
TABLET WITH 24
INGREDIENTS
Many experts aren’t convinced
that supplements are a good idea
for everyone. They point to the lack
of evidence for their benefit in most
people, the possibility of harm
from high-dose formulas, and
their expense.
No benefits in general population
Large studies of healthy people have
not found consistent evidence that
multivitamins are beneficial. Specifically,
they have been found to have no effect
on cardiovascular disease in the general
population, or on memory in older adults.
Harmful
Some multivitamins contain huge doses
of each vitamin, which may be harmful.
For example, excess iron, selenium, and
vitamin A can be toxic, so it is good
practice to keep all supplements out
of sight and reach of children.
Overdoses cannot be processed
If you take large doses of a vitamin or mineral,
even if it is harmless, if the amount is more
than the body needs, the body will treat it as
waste and excrete it. Water-soluble vitamins
cannot be stored for later use.
Not tightly regulated
Many vitamins are regulated as foods or
supplements, not drugs. So while safety must
be proven, composition and quality can vary
dramatically. Also, there is often
no guarantee you are getting
exactly what’s on the label.
Expensive
Multivitamins can be expensive, and in
many cases the money might be better
spent on supplementing the diet with
more fresh fruit and vegetables, which
also contain beneficial fiber.
Folic acid, also known as vitamin B9,
is found in pulses, dark-green leafy
vegetables, and citrus fruits. Pregnant
women are advised to take lots of
folic acid, as it helps to reduce the
risk of spina bifida (defects in the
spinal cord and vertebral column) in
babies. However, as getting enough
folic acid from even the healthiest
diet may be difficult, supplements
are recommended for all women
in the early stages of pregnancy
and even those trying to conceive.
FOLIC ACID
NO
Vitamin A
Vitamin B1
Vitamin B2
Vitamin B3
Vitamin B5
Vitamin B6
Vitamin B7
Vitamin B9
Vitamin B12
Vitamin C
Vitamin D
Vitamin E
Vitamin K
11 minerals
US_178-179_Do_we_need_supplements.indd 179 23/02/2017 11:27
178
DIETS
Do we need supplements?
179
70 PERCENT OF PATIENTS
WHO USE SUPPLEMENTS
OR OTHER ALTERNATIVE
THERAPIES DO
NOT TELL
THEIR DOCTOR
Multivitamins
Supplements offering multiple nutrients range from minimal to
comprehensive. Many contain far more than the recommended
dose of some vitamins, while they miss out others. Sometimes
vitamins aren’t absorbed or processed as effectively when
they are not taken in combination with the foods
in which they naturally occur.
TABLET WITH 24
INGREDIENTS
Many experts aren’t convinced
that supplements are a good idea
for everyone. They point to the lack
of evidence for their benefit in most
people, the possibility of harm
from high-dose formulas, and
their expense.
No benefits in general population
Large studies of healthy people have
not found consistent evidence that
multivitamins are beneficial. Specifically,
they have been found to have no effect
on cardiovascular disease in the general
population, or on memory in older adults.
Harmful
Some multivitamins contain huge doses
of each vitamin, which may be harmful.
For example, excess iron, selenium, and
vitamin A can be toxic, so it is good
practice to keep all supplements out
of sight and reach of children.
Overdoses cannot be processed
If you take large doses of a vitamin or mineral,
even if it is harmless, if the amount is more
than the body needs, the body will treat it as
waste and excrete it. Water-soluble vitamins
cannot be stored for later use.
Not tightly regulated
Many vitamins are regulated as foods or
supplements, not drugs. So while safety must
be proven, composition and quality can vary
dramatically. Also, there is often
no guarantee you are getting
exactly what’s on the label.
Expensive
Multivitamins can be expensive, and in
many cases the money might be better
spent on supplementing the diet with
more fresh fruit and vegetables, which
also contain beneficial fiber.
Folic acid, also known as vitamin B9,
is found in pulses, dark-green leafy
vegetables, and citrus fruits. Pregnant
women are advised to take lots of
folic acid, as it helps to reduce the
risk of spina bifida (defects in the
spinal cord and vertebral column) in
babies. However, as getting enough
folic acid from even the healthiest
diet may be difficult, supplements
are recommended for all women
in the early stages of pregnancy
and even those trying to conceive.
FOLIC ACID
NO
Vitamin A
Vitamin B1
Vitamin B2
Vitamin B3
Vitamin B5
Vitamin B6
Vitamin B7
Vitamin B9
Vitamin B12
Vitamin C
Vitamin D
Vitamin E
Vitamin K
11 minerals
US_178-179_Do_we_need_supplements.indd 179 23/02/2017 11:27
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