Nutrition & Health OnLine Magazine

Vitamin Supplements: Are they Necessary?

Shawn Sales

One of the more controversial topics in health care today involves the use of vitamins as a supplement to the daily diet of most Americans. Many supplement enthusiasts believe that supplementing with vitamins is crucial in the diet to make up for deficiencies in the foods we eat. On the other side of the coin, Doctors and Dietitians believe that if you eat a well balanced diet, supplementing with vitamins is not necessary. The question is where does the truth lie? Ultimately while many doctors are of the opinion that taking vitamins is not necessary if you eat a well-balanced diet, this opinion does not explain why many doctors themselves take vitamin supplements.

While there is debate over vitamin supplementation, some facts have to be considered. In the past farming consisted of a practice called crop rotation. In crop rotation, the soil would be used for a year to grow a crop. The following year the crop would be rotated or planted in a different area of the farm giving the land time to recover and replenish its nutrients. Many current farming practices use the same land year after year. Over time, the minerals in the soil become depleted causing the foods we eat to loose some of their nutritional value. Over cooking of foods and canning foods also cause fruits and vegetables to loose nutrients.

Are there certain types of people who may be more at risk of a vitamin deficiency? Supplementation is important for different types of people. As we age, our bodies are not able to assimilate and absorb nutrients in the foods we eat, giving a need for supplementation. Undue stress placed on our bodies is another reason for supplementation. Undue stress can be anything from longer hours at work to strenuous physical activity. Another factor to be aware of is prescription drugs. Prescription drugs can cause different vitamins to not be absorbed leading to a deficiency. Make sure when taking prescription drugs to check for side effects that can cause a vitamin deficiency.

With these factors in mind, what types of vitamins are recommended? A good start would be a multi-vitamin. Make sure that you pick a multi vitamin that has 100 percent of the recommended daily allowance of nutrients. Two types of vitamins to be aware of are fat-soluble and water soluble vitamins. Vitamins that are fat-soluble include vitamins A, D, E, and K. These vitamins stay in your system and are excreted very slowly. Vitamin C is a water soluble vitamin meaning it is easily expelled from your system. Because vitamin C is water-soluble, you can take larger doses of the vitamin and it will still be excreted from your system. Linus Pauling, who won a Nobel Prize for his work in chemistry, was known to have taken 10,000 mg. of vitamin C each day. While this may seem like an exuberant amount, Pauling lived and worked on his farm until the age of 92 taking large doses of vitamin C. Pauling was able to take large doses of vitamin C because the vitamin was water soluble and easily excreted from his system.

If you take large doses of a fat-soluble vitamin that is not easily excreted from your system, the vitamin can become toxic, causing many health problems. People who supplement should follow the guidelines listed on the label of the bottle. This will help ensure that you are avoiding any toxicity problems. Also, be aware that if you are taking too much of one supplement it may cause other vitamins to not be absorbed as well. Another issue of debate is that of synthetic vitamins. While synthetic vitamins are less expensive, there is debate over their effectiveness. Research has shown that when taking vitamin E, the synthetic version of this vitamin dl alpha tocopherol does not have the same anti oxidant properties as d alpha tocopherol which is the natural version. This is an important factor to consider when taking anti-oxidant vitamins to prevent against free radical damage.

Factors that may play a role in the production of free radicals include; air pollution, strenuous exercise and smoking. Living in a large city or working in an industrialized area causes the body to be exposed to free radicals from air pollution. Free radical exposure can lead to premature aging and ultimately cancer. Supplementing with anti-oxidant vitamins can help the body nullify free-radical damage from pollution. During maximal exercise free radicals are produced which contributes to muscle soreness. In theory, supplementing with anti-oxidants may prevent muscle soreness from occurring. This in turn would lead to improved training and ultimately better athletic performance. Vitamin A with beta-carotene, Vitamins C & E along with Grape Seed extract and Co-Q10 are all anti-oxidant vitamins to consider for supplementation.

It is important to remember when taking vitamins to not consume them on an empty stomach. When you eat a meal your body releases hydrochloric acid to help digest food. If you take vitamins at the time you eat, the vitamins will be better assimilated into your system. This will give you maximum absorption of the vitamins. Remember that vitamins should not take the place of eating a balanced diet. Vitamins are a supplement meaning they should compliment a well-balanced diet, not a substitute for bad eating habits. Supplementation should play a role in a healthy diet, not be a substitute for poor eating.

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