Q&A: Should I Take A Vitamin?
Are vitamin and mineral supplements really good for overall health?
Here’s what Cindy says:
If you’re eating a healthy, varied diet with balanced amounts of grass-fed meats and dairy, eggs, fruits, vegetables, small amounts of whole or sprouted grains, nuts, seeds and legumes, you’re most likely getting the vitamins and minerals you need. There are many products on the market that claim to significantly improve health status; however, unless your diet is poor, you probably don’t need them and they could even hurt you.
Many supplements are made with synthetic forms of vitamins that aren’t as bioavailable (i.e., readily absorbed) as those found in food and, in some cases, they could be potentially detrimental to your health. Problems really arise when individuals don’t choose a variety of high-quality foods and opt for supplements as a “safety net.”
When you attempt to obtain vitamins and minerals from pills instead of natural foods, your body doesn’t absorb and utilize these nutrients as efficiently. Whole foods naturally contain vitamins and minerals in the proportions and combinations that are best assimilated by the body.
On the flip side, supplements can contain excessive amounts of certain vitamins (especially synthetic versions) and minerals that can actually interfere with the absorption of others. For example, zinc and copper compete for absorption, as do vitamin E and beta carotene. Many fat-soluble vitamin (A, D, E and K) combos are also problematic.
Fat-soluble vitamins also accumulate in our fat tissue if we take in more than we need, causing various toxic effects in the body; it is therefore easy to overdose on them with supplements. It is much harder to take in excess quantities of fat-soluble vitamins through natural foods. Excess water-soluble vitamins (vitamin C and the various B vitamins) are usually just excreted in the urine; but this just goes to show you needn’t take the pills.
Filed under: exercise Q&A, health, nutrition
