According to the Council for Responsible Nutrition, 74% of Americans take dietary supplements. The most common include:
- Vitamin D
- MVI
- Omega 3 fatty acids
Globally, $177B is spent on dietary supplements, with $45B purchased by Americans. You can see that the dietary supplement industry is huge and taking supplements is very popular. But do we really need to take certain supplements? And is it possible to take too much?
Food First
I generally encourage people to get their nutrients from food first before considering supplements—unless there is a medical necessity or it would be difficult to obtain certain nutrients through diet alone. For example, vegans often struggle to get enough vitamin B12, as it is primarily found in animal-based foods (meat, poultry, fish, eggs, etc.). In this case, a B12 supplement is essential.
The best way to get in the nutrients you need, is to eat a varied diet that includes foods from all the food groups (fruits/vegetables, whole grains and cereals, lean meat/protein, low fat dairy and healthy fats) to ensure you are getting what you need. An easy way to think about this is to try to have at least 3 food groups at each meal and 1-2 food groups at any snacks you eat-be sure to make at least one of the food groups a protein. For example: at breakfast you could have a vegetable omelet (eggs and vegetables) with a slice of whole grain toast – this meal includes 3 food groups. A snack could be a low fat string cheese with a handful of grapes (lean protein and fruit).
More is not always better
Many people believe dietary supplements work miracles and can fix what ails us. Because of this we might take supplements we do not need, or worse, taking too much. We may think that vitamin and mineral supplements are innocuous, but certain nutrients can reach toxic levels.
Vitamins fall into two different categories: water soluble and fat soluble. Water soluble vitamins are vitamin C and your B vitamins – B1 (thiamine), B2 (niacin), B3 (riboflavin), B5 (pantothenic acid), B6 (pyridoxine), B7 (biotin), and B9 (folate) and B12 (cobalamin) are not stored in the body and excess is excreted in the urine. On the other hand, fat soluble vitamins, which are A, D, K and E, are stored in body fat and can reach toxic levels. In addition, certain minerals such as iron, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc and selenium can also be stored in the body – potentially reaching toxic levels.
If you taking vitamin and mineral supplements and not paying attention to how much you are taking, you could be taking too much – which means you could be wasting your money because you literally are peeing the water soluble vitamins down the toilet or worse, reaching a toxic level of a fat soluble vitamin or mineral. Some people take multiple supplements which contain many of the same nutrients – this practice leads to “double dipping” – when people take more than they think by having the same vitamins or minerals in multiple supplements. More definitely is not better. It is important to read the supplements facts labels carefully and discuss what you are taking with your doctor(s).
Safety
One thing many people may not know is that the dietary supplement industry is not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration the same way medications are – meaning they are not checked for safety or effectiveness before they are marketed to consumers. The FDA does require manufacturers to follow good manufacturing practices to make sure there is a level of quality control, make sure labels are not misleading and cannot make claims that are not truthful or accurate. Look for the Good Manufacturing Practices seal (GMP) seal or the USP (United States Pharmacopeia) seal to ensure the supplement brands you purchased have quality control measures in place.
The bottom line is, only take supplements you really need – speak with a medical doctor or Registered Dietitian (RD) to review your health status and diet to determine what you may need. RDs can review your diet and discuss foods that you can eat to increase the nutritional quality of your diet. Be wary of health care providers that also sell supplements – they may not be objective in their recommendations. Remember: Food first and more is not always better (when it comes to dietary supplements).
#Supplements #Lori #Skurbe
