Do Supplements Work? (JR 182)

Do Supplements Work? (JR 182)

Introduction

Vitamins and minerals are essential nutrients, such as iron, calcium and vitamin C that your body needs in small amounts to work properly. The global dietary supplements industry is worth an estimated $133 billion. Over-the-counter vitamins, minerals and nutritional supplements don’t provide much — if any — additional health benefits if you’re already eating a well-balanced diet. Vitamins themselves are essential to our bodies and contribute to growth, digestion, nerve function and a whole host of other things. “Our diet should be what’s supplying all of the nutrients that our body needs. That being said, we need to be eating a variety of foods. There is no one major miracle food that supplies absolutely everything.”

Take apples and oranges for example. Apples supply nearly a quarter of your daily fiber but not much by way of vitamin C. An orange, on the other hand, provides a fair amount of fiber and almost your entire amount of daily vitamin C. Different types of fruits give us different benefits. In that same vein, seafood offers health perks that fruit doesn’t have, vegetables are unique from grains and so forth. By incorporating variety into a well-rounded diet, you’re able to get the nutrients you need — no vitamin-infused gummy necessary. The only exception is vitamin D. We can’t get enough of the “sunshine vitamin” from the food we eat, and our bodies rely on sun exposure to make enough of it.

For decades, it was assumed that multivitamins were critical to overall health. Vitamin C to "boost your immune system", Vitamin A to protect your vision, Vitamin B to keep you energized.Not only do you already get these ingredients from the food you eat, but studies suggest that consuming them in excess can actually cause harm. A large 2011 study of close to 39,000 older women over 25 years found that women who took them in the long term actually had a higher overall risk of death than those who did not.

Why most supplements don’t work

While multis do contain practically every nutrient on the planet in a convenient little pill, that doesn’t mean they’re as effective as eating a diverse diet.“Multivitamins can have nutrients like calcium and iron in them that don’t absorb well together; it all takes you back to thinking about food as your best resource.” Along with pairing ingredients that don’t play well together, vitamin manufacturers are guilty of luring in buyers with misleading claims.

Supplement companies often market their vitamins as being nutritionally complete, but if you really take a look at the labels, many times they’re not even close. On the opposite end, certain supplements might say they provide 400 percent of your daily vitamin C, leading you to think you’re getting four times the nutritional boost each day. But that’s simply not the case. “Your body hits tissue saturation at some point, after that, you’re just feeding the salmon out in the sound.”

Large number of women over 50 is taking calcium supplements to strengthen their bones. But calcium supplements are now linked to an in-creased risk for heart attacks. And calcium isn’t the only supplement that’s come into question. You do need more calcium as you age. But, the problem is your body can’t process the large amounts found in supplements. The best way to get it is in doses less than 500 mg—like the calcium you’ll get by enjoying three fat-free or low-fat servings of milk, cheese, or yogurt throughout the day. If you don’t do dairy – go for non-dairy sources made from soy or almonds, or fill up on kale and broccoli.

. Millions of people take omega 3 pills for heart and brain health benefits. But the latest research shows you may not get these amazing health benefits. For example, daily doses of up to 4,800 milligrams of EPA and/or DHA (types of omega-3 fatty acids) per day showed no heart health benefits. Even a full gram of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation did nothing to reduce the number of cardiovascular events in high-risk patients. Scientists now say that omega-3 supplements may increase men’s risk for prostate cancer by 71%! You’re better off getting omega-3s from foods instead of supplements. Research shows that you can reduce your risk of dying from heart disease by 36% when you get those omega-3s by eating fish regularly. Research links the benefits of omega-3s to the treatment of depression and Alzheimer’s disease. Take omega-3. For many people, these golden capsules are a way to get the essential fatty acids we are told our bodies need without having to consume oily fish. Yet recent studies indicate that – unlike eating fish – taking omega-3 or fish oil supplements does nothing to reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke or early death.

 Supplemental vitamin E

 Vitamin E supplements may not provide the same benefit as eating foods rich in vitamin E, and it too, may increase the risk of prostate cancer. CLA (conjugated linoleic acid)—the popular weight loss supplement that’s also said to prevent diabetes and cancer—may actually increase harmful cholesterol levels. Even daily multivitamins may be a waste of your hard-earned money.  A recent review of scientific trials found the evidence that fish oil pills protect the heart was flimsy at best.

When taking a vitamin can help

Despite all this, there are certain situations when bending the no-supplements rule makes sense if you simply can’t get all the nutrients you need from your diet alone.

While you’re ideally soaking up a few minutes of midday sun throughout the year to make enough vitamin D, that’s simply not possible during winter in some places above 35 degrees latitude. The problem isn’t just overcast skies — it’s that the sun isn’t able to get high enough during winter months for its UVB rays to penetrate the atmosphere. “If your shadow is longer than you are tall, you aren’t making vitamin D, even if you go out and sunbathe on a sunny January day,”  

There are also people who  need to avoid sun exposure for medical reasons, as well as people who spend most of the day inside and aren’t able to get their daily sun allotment. In these situations,   taking a vitamin D supplement year-round can help ensure you’re staying topped up on the sunshine vitamin. Talk with your doctor to see how much you should take.

 Newborn babies

Newborn babies should get a vitamin K injection shortly after birth. This prevents something called vitamin K deficiency bleeding, a form of uncontrolled bleeding in the brain or intestines. Placenta transfer of vitamin K from mama to baby in utero is poor, and babies aren’t able to get enough from breast milk alone.

 Pregnant woman

 Expecting moms need more folic acid, omega-3 fatty acids, iron and other nutrients than other women do to aid the healthy development of their little one. For that reason, many doctors recommend that pregnant women take a prenatal vitamin. All women thinking of having a baby should have a folic acid supplement, as should any pregnant woman up to week 12 of her pregnancy. Folic acid can help to prevent neural tube defects such as spina bifida.

Vitamin D supplements

Some groups of the population are at greater risk of not getting enough vitamin D, and the Department of Health recommends these people take daily vitamin D supplements.

These groups are:

All babies from birth to 1 year of age (including breastfed babies, and formula-fed babies who have less than 500ml a day of infant formula) 

All children aged 1 to 4 years old   

People who are not often exposed to the sun – for example, people who are frail or housebound, are in an institution such as a care home, or usually wear clothes that cover up most of their skin when outdoors

For the rest of the population, everyone over the age of 5 years (including pregnant and breastfeeding women) is advised to consider taking a daily supplement containing 10 micrograms of vitamin D.

But most people aged 5 years and above will probably get enough vitamin D from sunlight in the summer (late March/early April to the end of September), so you might choose not to take a vitamin D supplement during these months.

Supplements containing vitamins A, C and D

All children aged 6 months to 5 years should take a supplement containing vitamins A, C and D. This is a precaution because growing children may not get enough of these vitamins, especially those not eating a varied diet – for example, fussy eaters.  Your GP may also recommend supplements if you need them for a medical condition. For example, you may be prescribed iron supplements to treat iron deficiency anaemia.

If you’re taking certain medications

Some prescribed medications can affect your ability to absorb or produce certain nutrients. For example, a popular diabetes drug is known to cause a vitamin B12 deficiency. In situations like this,   it’s important to understand the side effects of your medications and to ask your doctor if taking a supplement can help.

People on vegetarian or on dietary restrictions

“If you’re eating a few specific foods and not getting a variety or if you’re eliminating a whole group of foods, then yes, you might need a supplement,”. Vegetarians, for example, might be deficient in vitamin B12 because it occurs mostly in animal products like fish, meat, poultry, eggs and dairy products. Although there are plenty of vegan-friendly foods fortified with B12, taking a supplement is another option. Even if you have dietary restrictions causing you to avoid certain types of foods, it’s still best to chat with your doctor or a dietitian to find natural, food-based ways to stay healthy.

Antioxidants:

 An excess of these has been linked to an increased risk of certain cancers, and you can eat berries instead. Vitamins A, C, and E are antioxidants found in plentiful form in many fruits - especially berries - and veggies, and they've been touted for their alleged ability to protect against cancer.

But studies suggest that when taken in excess, antioxidants can actually be harmful. A large, long-term study of male smokers found that those who regularly took Vitamin A were more likely to get lung cancer than those who didn't.

And a 2007 review of trials of several different types of antioxidant supplements put it this way: "Treatment with beta carotene, vitamin A, and vitamin E may increase mortality."

Vitamin C:

Vitamin C supplements probably won't help you get over your cold, and you can eat citrus fruits instead.  Plus, mega doses of 2,000 milligrams or more can raise your risk of painful kidney stones. So get your Vitamin C from your food instead. Strawberries are packed with the nutrient.

Vitamin B3:

 Skip it and eat salmon, tuna, or beets instead. For years, Vitamin B3 was promoted to treat everything from Alzheimer's to heart disease. But recent studies have called for an end  to the over-prescription of the nutrient. A large 2014 study of more than 25,000 people with heart disease found that putting people on long-acting doses of Vitamin B3 to raise their levels of 'good', or HDL, cholesterol didn't reduce the incidence of heart attacks, strokes, or deaths. Plus, people in the study who took the B3 supplements were more likely than those taking a placebo to develop infections, liver problems, and internal bleeding.

Probiotics:  .

Probiotics - pricey bacterial supplements that can cost upward of $1 per pill but are found naturally in smaller amounts in yogurt and other fermented foods - have become a big business with a market of roughly US$23.1 billionin 2012. The idea behind them is simple: Support the trillions of bacteria blossoming in our gut which we know play a crucial role in regulating our health.  .

Zinc:

Take it - it's one of the only ingredients linked to shortening a cold. Unlike Vitamin C, which studies have found likely does nothing to prevent or treat the common cold; zinc may actually be worth it. The mineral seems to interfere with the replication of rhinoviruses, the bugs that cause the common cold.

In a 2011 review of studies of people who'd recently gotten sick, researchers looked at those who'd started taking zinc and compared them with those who just took a placebo. The ones on the zinc had shorter colds and less severe symptoms.

Vitamin E:

 Skip it - an excess has been linked to an increased risk of certain cancers, and you can eat spinach instead. The antioxidant Vitamin E was popularized for its alleged ability to protect against cancer. But a large 2011 study of close to 36,000 men found that the risk of prostate cancer actually increased among the men taking Vitamin E compared to the men taking a placebo. And a 2005 study linked high doses of Vitamin E with an overall higher risk of death. So if you're looking for more Vitamin E, make yourself a fresh spinach salad and skip the pill. Dark greens like spinach are rich with this stuff.

Folic acid:

 Take it if you're pregnant, or if you might want to get pregnant. Folic acid is a B vitamin which our bodies use to make new cells. The National Institutes of Health recommends that women who are currently pregnant or who want to get pregnant take 400 micrograms of folic acid daily because their bodies demand more of this key nutrient when they are carrying a growing fetus. Additionally, several large studies have linked folic acid supplementation before and during pregnancy with decreased rates of neural-tube defects, serious and life-threatening birth defects of the baby's brain, spine, or spinal cord.    

Role of supplements

 Supplements were never meant to be food substitutes the way some marketers sell them today. Supplements were intended to be exactly what their name says: a “supplement,” or addition, to your already healthy diet. When scientists first isolated vitamins and nutrients in foods that were essential to normal health and vitality, as well as disease prevention, they thought the magic was in the nutrient alone—allowing sales of specific supplements to skyrocket. But we now know nutrients don’t work alone. They work with your body, and the whole food to bring you life saving health benefits.

Take broccoli. It’s loaded with a phytochemical called isothiocyanates. (  it’s linked to a lower incidence of tumors). But you’d never get the same benefit by taking a supplement, because without the enzyme found in whole broccoli sprouts your body absorbs about 8 times less of the tumor-fighting nutrient.

Look at vitamin E. Eat foods rich in this vitamin and you’ll help fight age-related diseases like cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and heart disease. But as a supplement it won’t deliver. That’s because supplemental, synthetic forms of vitamin E only contain one chemical compound—fat soluble, alpha tocopherol. However, the natural forms of vitamin E found in foods, contain four types of tocopherol and four tocotrienol compounds.

And the latest research also suggests that many nutrients, plant chemicals and even dietary fiber join forces and work together to bring you more health benefits than they do alone. Lab studies show that tomatoes help block cancer development. But combine tomatoes and broccoli together and you reduce cancer risk even more!

Diet

 Healthy bacteria in your gut use dietary fiber and resistant starch (a type of fiber in dried beans) to produce a fatty acid that seems to protect colon cells from cancer. Some foods are so powerful, research shows they can actually deactivate carcinogens or cause abnormal cells to self-destruct. They’re called phytochemicals and they’re found in garlic, broccoli, and other cruciferous veggies. Other recommendations related to dietary control and prevention  of disease are:

·         The easiest way to avoid diabetes—drink water! Just two glasses a day reduced chances of developing high blood sugar by 28%.

·         What to eat to help beat osteoporosis, breast cancer, pump up your heart health, and get relief from menopause!

·         Nutrient not found in your body that you need to protect your eyesight as you age! Especially helpful at keeping your macula and lens healthy. (You’ll find it in pistachios and spinach…)

·         Popular yogurt that cheats you out of 30% of calcium (and it’s usually more expensive!)

·         Run away from breast cancer. New studies show postmenopausal women with high physical activity levels have a 14% lower risk of developing breast cancer.

Although lots of people will try to convince you carbs are bad for your health, did you know filling up on whole grains can slash risk of heart disease by up to 30%?  

·         People from Asia typically don’t get wrinkles until they are in their 50s? The secret may be soy. It turns out that genistein—an isoflavone and antioxidant found primarily in soybeans, helps guard the skin against sun damage. Scientists think the high amount of soy in their diet helps to fight wrinkles.

·         You gain a lot—when you lose just a little? It turns out, you don’t have to fit into your skinny jeans or look great in a bikini to reap big benefits from weight loss. Losing just 10% of body weight slashed the risk of getting type 2 diabetes up to 58%! And the health benefits of losing lasted up to 10 years even if you gain the weight back!

·         Trans fats (like those found in baked goods and some margarines) can shrink your brain? Seniors with high levels of trans fats in their blood scored poorly on tests and scans showed their brains were actually smaller—a trait linked to Alzheimer’s disease. However, seniors with higher levels of vitamins B, C, D, and E, and those with higher omega-3 fatty acids scored well on the same tests and had larger brains.

·         Excess body fat is especially dangerous after menopause? Excess fat actually sends out chemical signals that increase your risk for certain types of cancer—including breast cancer.

·         Probiotics won’t work unless you have enough live bacteria in your system? By eating foods like fiber (a prebiotic), you help guarantee that disease-fighting probiotics can survive the acidity of your stomach and make it to your large intestine where they do their work.