The Supplements Myth

With new dietary trends becoming popular every day, it is almost impossible to separate the fact from fiction. One of these "trends" has been around for decades, and yet there is still a cloud of mystery surrounding their true health benefits. Vitamin and mineral supplements have become a multi-billion dollar industry, with over half of Americans taking supplements daily. However, it is unclear if these supplements actually do what they say they will.

It has been proven that many antioxidants, including beta carotene and vitamins A, C, and E, can provide a myriad of health benefits. There are countless research articles that support these claims. People who regularly consume fruits and vegetables that contain these vitamins and minerals have also been proven to lead healthier lives and live longer than those who do not.

In light of these facts, food and nutrition scientists began to separate these antioxidants and package them in supplement form to be consumed daily. The theory was that the antioxidants would act the same way regardless of whether they were consumed in food or supplement form- and there is a ton of controversy on this subject. Anyone who is looking for a quick read on the subject should google Linus Pauling.

However, many scientific studies have revealed that supplements do not work to prevent or cure disease, and in fact are actually dangerous. Over supplementation is the most obvious explanation. A quick look at the multivitamins offered in your local drug store will show that most vitamins and minerals are offered at 100-2,000% of the daily recommended value. Should we be taking such high amounts of these vitamins and minerals despite their scientific toxicity levels?

Of course not, but let's remember that these pills are part of a MULTI BILLION DOLLAR INDUSTRY. So clearly making sure that toxicity levels are common knowledge is not high on the list of most supplement lobbyists and supporters. Again, read up on Linus Pauling. And as with other aspects of American life, the supplement industry's motto is that bigger is better.

Obviously this isn't true. Taking too many supplements, or any supplement that has extreme levels of vitamins and minerals, can be very detrimental to overall health. Side effects of vitamin or mineral toxicity include increased risks of cancer, cardiovascular disease, inflammation and blood clots, to name a few.

But don't we need these vitamin and mineral supplements in some form? What if they can't be found in the food I eat?

Believe it or not, most of the recommened daily values for vitamins and minerals are met or exceeded by the food we consume on a daily basis. A healthy diet that includes vegetables and fruit will require no additional supplementation, and most grains are fortified with vitamins and minerals to help those of us who don't eat salad every day. A quick nutritional analysis (there are million of apps for this, I use MyFitnessPal) will reveal what vitamins and minerals your diet is lacking so that you can focus on including more foods that contain that specific nutrient naturally. And because these nutrients are in their natural form, you won't have to worry about the adverse side effects that come with supplementation.

The only thing left to say about supplementation is that more research will allow us to understand them better in the future. For now, research shows that these supplemental pills should not be a part of you or your family's diet regime. As always, consult your doctor or a registered dietitian before making any drastic changes to your life. Every person has unique and individual needs that must be met to achieve optimal health.

Lastly, I will divulge the cliffnotes on Linus Pauling for those of who don't want to spend time research the two-time Nobel Prize winner. Linus Pauling was an incredible scientist, and later in his life became an extreme advocate for vitamin C supplements. He would take as much as 18,000 mg of vitamin C per day (more than 300 times the RDA) and make claims that doing so would cure every disease known to man, including cancer and HIV/AIDs. Pauling would do anything in his power to silence his many opposers, and is credited with starting the major levels of supplementation that we see in America. In 1994, he died of prostrate cancer. Unfortunately, his groundbreaking work in the biological, chemical, and physical fields as well as his peace activism have been forgotten in favor of his radical views on supplements. It should be said that there was much more to this man and his works than I have written about, and you should take the time to look into his life if given the opportunity.

Tomorrow morning when you open your multivitamin bottle, please think twice about if the supplement you're taking is really going to make you healthier in the long run. You may be surprised by the answer.