Vitamin Supplements: Why, When, How Much?

Vitamin Supplements: Why, When, How Much?
Dr. David Lipschitz
Myths abound about the healing powers of vitamins and minerals. So, as we all gear up to live a healthier new year, let me dispel just a few.

Vitamin B-12 shots or pills do not give you more energy. Vitamin E capsules do not improve your skin, slow the aging process or improve your sex life. Vitamin A tablets do not promote greater visual acuity, and vitamin C does not prevent, reduce the severity of or hasten the recovery from a common cold. Selenium does not reduce the risk of diabetes. (In fact, it may increase the risk.) And iron tablets do not promote strength.

Data suggests that the average American receives more than enough vitamins and minerals through the daily diet, yet billions of dollars still are spent every year on "health-promoting" supplements.

Everywhere you turn, advertisements for a "special" concoction of specific vitamins or minerals promise substantial benefits for virtually any health issue. From addressing the symptoms of menopause to promoting men's health to improving cardiac health to facilitating better memory and eyesight, there is a never-ending array of options for someone seeking to get that special edge in the pursuit of health. Unfortunately, there is little reliable evidence to support most of these marketing claims.

While the health care claims of vitamins and minerals vary widely, so too do their compositions. The average multivitamin and mineral tablet contains the recommended daily allowance of each nutrient. But some vitamin pills may contain much higher concentrations of specific nutrients, often containing a megadose of a particular vitamin or mineral. For example, the recommended daily allowance for vitamin C is 50 milligrams a day, yet it is not uncommon for some tablets to include 10-20 times the daily allotment! This is perhaps the most egregious vitamin myth: If a little is good, more must be much better. Wrong.

Over and over again, studies show that megadoses of vitamins and minerals are not effective in promoting health or preventing disease. Recent research published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute followed 7,600 women who were older than 40 and took 500 milligrams of vitamin C, 600 international units of vitamin E or 50 milligrams of beta carotene daily, doses well over the recommended allowances.

Researchers found that vitamins C and E and beta carotene supplements did not decrease the risk of cancer. In a paper published in The New England Journal of Medicine, researchers followed more than 14,000 male physicians who were older than 50. Their findings showed that supplements did not reduce the risk of prostate cancer. Finally, a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed that vitamins E and C did not reduce the risk of heart attacks or strokes.

Ultimately, there is a reason many physicians and researchers are so interested in the potential for vitamin and mineral supplementation. Theoretically, supplements of vitamins C, A and beta carotene could provide benefit because of their antioxidant properties. Antioxidants are thought to prevent the sort of cell damage that occurs from the production of highly toxic oxidants.

Oxidants can contribute to declines in immune function, a high risk of cancer and damage to blood vessels, which can cause heart attacks and strokes. If vitamin supplements could enhance the body's ability to fight oxidants, we could prevent disease, promote health and even prolong life. Unfortunately, when it comes to vitamin supplements, theory does not quite translate into reality.

The evidence is compelling that a nutritious, healthful diet is the best source of every vitamin and nutrient. With the exceptions of calcium and vitamin D, no healthy person younger than 70 benefits from supplements. Older adults are more likely to consume less than the required amounts of daily nutrients, so taking a low-cost multivitamin that offers the appropriate RDA is recommended. Also, a vitamin B-12 tablet should be considered, as the prevalence of deficiency in older people is high.

In the end, those of us seeking to improve our health should move away from supplementing our diets with pills. Instead, we all should focus on consuming the right diet. When it comes to your health, there is no quick fix. Regarding vitamins, more is not better than enough, and supplement use is irrational.

Dr. David Lipschitz is the author of the book "Breaking the Rules of Aging." To find out more about Dr. David Lipschitz and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com. More information is available at www.drdavidhealth.com.

Copyright 2009 Creators Syndicate Inc.