Are Your Vitamin & Mineral Supplements Useless?
Published at : September 13, 2021
Vitamin and mineral supplements are a staple in many people's diets, but there is increasing evidence to suggest the most popular ones are essentially useless.
A new systematic review of data and trials published between January 2012 and October 2017 found that many popular multivitamins — as well as vitamin C,
vitamin D
, and calcium supplements — had no real advantage to people's health and that there was no evidence taking them reduced the risk of cardiovascular disease, heart attack, stroke, or early death.
The study, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, was led by researchers at St. Michael's Hospital and the University of Toronto.
"We were surprised to find so few positive effects of the most common supplements that people consume," said Dr. David Jenkins, the lead author of the study. "Our review found that if you want to use multivitamins, vitamin D, calcium or vitamin C, it does no harm — but there is no apparent advantage either."
The vitamins the team reviewed were A, B1, B2, B3 (niacin), B6, B9 (folic acid), C, D, and E, as well as carotene, calcium, iron,
zinc
,
magnesium
, and selenium.
Research has found that some vitamins are more useful than others. For example, zinc has been linked to shortening the effects of a cold — something vitamin C doesn't do, despite what people think. Vitamin D can also be difficult to get from food, so if you're deficient, supplements may also be effective.
Synthetic nutrients: Also referred to as isolated nutrients, these are usually made artificially, in an industrial process.
Synthetic nutrients do not include “whole food supplements,” which are made from concentrated, dehydrated whole foods.
The majority of supplements available on the market today are made artificially. These include vitamins, antioxidants, minerals and amino acids, among others.
They can be taken in pill, capsule, tablet, powder or liquid form, and are made to mimic the way natural nutrients act in our bodies.
To figure out if your supplement is synthetic or natural, check the label. Natural supplements usually list food sources or are labeled as 100% plant or animal-based.
Supplements that list nutrients individually, such as vitamin C, or use chemical names like ascorbic acid, are almost certainly synthetic.
A new systematic review of data and trials published between January 2012 and October 2017 found that many popular multivitamins — as well as vitamin C,
vitamin D
, and calcium supplements — had no real advantage to people's health and that there was no evidence taking them reduced the risk of cardiovascular disease, heart attack, stroke, or early death.
The study, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, was led by researchers at St. Michael's Hospital and the University of Toronto.
"We were surprised to find so few positive effects of the most common supplements that people consume," said Dr. David Jenkins, the lead author of the study. "Our review found that if you want to use multivitamins, vitamin D, calcium or vitamin C, it does no harm — but there is no apparent advantage either."
The vitamins the team reviewed were A, B1, B2, B3 (niacin), B6, B9 (folic acid), C, D, and E, as well as carotene, calcium, iron,
zinc
,
magnesium
, and selenium.
Research has found that some vitamins are more useful than others. For example, zinc has been linked to shortening the effects of a cold — something vitamin C doesn't do, despite what people think. Vitamin D can also be difficult to get from food, so if you're deficient, supplements may also be effective.
Synthetic nutrients: Also referred to as isolated nutrients, these are usually made artificially, in an industrial process.
Synthetic nutrients do not include “whole food supplements,” which are made from concentrated, dehydrated whole foods.
The majority of supplements available on the market today are made artificially. These include vitamins, antioxidants, minerals and amino acids, among others.
They can be taken in pill, capsule, tablet, powder or liquid form, and are made to mimic the way natural nutrients act in our bodies.
To figure out if your supplement is synthetic or natural, check the label. Natural supplements usually list food sources or are labeled as 100% plant or animal-based.
Supplements that list nutrients individually, such as vitamin C, or use chemical names like ascorbic acid, are almost certainly synthetic.
Are Your Vitamin & Mineral Supplements Useless?SupplementsVitamin & Mineral