Are Supplements Really Necessary?

We all know that vitamins and minerals are an essential part of any diet, but what about supplements? Do we need to take daily multivitamins to reach recommended amounts? Let me break it down for you...

Vitamins and minerals together have important roles within the body. These roles include:

• Building and maintaining bone and muscles

• Immune system support

• Healthy vision

• Maintaining healthy blood

• Fluid regulation

• Energy production

• Oxygen transport

• Muscle movement

• Nerve function

It's important to mention that there are two types of vitamins and two types of minerals.

1. Fat-Soluble Vitamins include vitamins A, D, E, and K. These vitamins dissolve in fats and oils and are absorbed within the intestines, and transported to the liver and other organs where they are stored for later use.

2. Water-Soluble Vitamins: include vitamins B and C. These vitamins dissolve in water and are absorbed directly through the intestinal wall into the blood stream. Water-soluble vitamins are not able to be stored within the body, and all excess are eliminated by the kidneys.

3. Major Minerals: are minerals in which the body needs at least 100mg per day. These minerals include calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium, and chloride. The body is able to store over 5 grams of major minerals.

4. Trace Minerals: are minerals in which the body needs less than 100mg per day. These minerals include iron, zinc, copper, manganese, selenium, iodine, fluoride, and chromium. The total amount stored within the body is less than 5 grams.

So why is this important? Well, in regards to fat soluble vitamins, we are unable to absorb them unless there is dietary fat present. That means if you drink a vitamin water that contains vitamins A, D, E, or K but do not consume it with some form of dietary fat, your body cannot absorb the vitamins. Additionally, with water soluble vitamins, the body is unable to store them which means taking a large amount of vitamin C or drinking airborne is not helpful unless your body needs them. All excess will be eliminated in urine.

Let's get back to the main question, are supplements necessary. Well, it really depends on you. If you're someone who eats a healthy diet which includes a variety of fruits and vegetables on a daily basis, there is probably no need for a supplement or multivitamin of any kind. If you're someone that doesn't care for the taste of fruits and vegetables and consumes mostly meats, dairy, and eggs, than a supplement or multivitamin might be something to consider. This is because most of our vitamins and minerals reside in fruits and vegetables. Meats, grains, and dairy products also contain vitamins and minerals, but fruits and vegetables hold the majority. It's just like they say, when in doubt eat in color.

There are some exceptions to this statement... Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) is only found in meat and dairy products. Therefore vegans and some vegetarians MUST take a vitamin B12 supplement. In addition, studies have shown the Americans do not consume enough omega-3 fatty acids to meet current recommendations. Therefore, if you are someone that does not consume fatty fish such as salmon or sardines a fish oil supplement may be beneficial. If you're pregnant, breastfeeding, or trying to become pregnant it is important to take a multivitamin to prevent any defects or complications.There is one other reason I would recommend supplementation, and that involves medical advice. For example, I currently take a vitamin D supplement because last time I had blood work done my doctor was concerned about my vitamin D level. Next time you have blood work done ask the doctor to see the results, and question if there is any vitamin or mineral that you should supplement.

Many people believe that when it comes to vitamins and minerals more is better. But this is not necessarily true. Some vitamins and minerals can actually become toxic when consumed in large amounts which can cause irreversible problems in the body. Below is a table of vitamins and minerals and their upper limits. Any intake beyond the upper limit daily can start to cause problems within the body.

**mg (milligrams), ug (micrograms)**

To conclude on this topic, if you eat a healthy diet with a variety of fruits and vegetables, a supplement or multivitamin may do more harm than good. If you prefer not to eat fruits and vegetables and are worried you may not be getting enough vitamins and minerals, than a supplement may be something you should consider. If you, like many Americans struggle with a healthy diet and your intake of fruits and vegetables is inconsistent, take a children's multivitamin. Children's multivitamins contain smaller amounts of vitamins and minerals than adult multivitamins so your risk of toxicity decreases. If you're unsure what you should be doing, contact your doctor.

I will be posting about specific vitamins and minerals occasionally in this blog, but if you have any specific questions about anything I've covered today please feel free to contact me. Just remember, when in doubt eat in color!

References:

1. Insel P, Ross D, McMahon K, Bernstein M. Nutrition. 4th ed. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers; 2011.

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