The vitamin and supplement industry is without a doubt one of the biggest industries today. Do you really need to take a vitamin supplement, or should you take a vitamin supplement? In some cases the answer is yes.
The FDA puts out a great report on vitamins and supplements. The report states that a lot of people get all the vitamins they need from the foods they eat, but many take supplemental vitamins as part of a health regimen.
The report also states there are many good reasons to take vitamin supplements. Your doctor could recommend you take supplements for certain health problems, if you eat a vegetarian or vegan diet, or if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
The report also stated that your body uses vitamins for a variety of things like growth, digestion, and nerve function. It also stated there are 13 essential vitamins that the body absolutely needs. Vitamins A, C, D, E, K and B Vitamins like B-6 and B12, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, and biotin.
Dietary guidelines do talk about the use of vitamin supplements in some groups of people:
- If you're over age 50, consume vitamin B-12 in its crystalline form, which is found in fortified foods or supplements.
- If you're a woman of childbearing age who may become pregnant, eat foods high in heme-iron and/or consume iron-rich plant foods or iron-fortified foods with an iron-absorption enhancer, such as foods high in vitamin C.
- If you're a woman of childbearing age who may become pregnant or is in the first trimester of pregnancy, consume adequate synthetic folic acid daily (from fortified foods or supplements) in addition to food forms of folate from a varied diet.
- If you are an older adult, have dark skin, or are exposed to insufficient ultraviolet band radiation (such as sunlight), consume extra vitamin D from vitamin D-fortified foods and/or supplements.
I believe the bottom line here is if you do not sit down to 3 well balanced, healthy meals every day, and most of us probably don’t, you probably should take some kind of a vitamin supplement. But always check with your Doctor first before starting any type of vitamin supplement program. Just like any prescription or over the counter medication, too much of certain types of vitamins are not always good for you.
*** Works cited. FDA Report on Vitamins. To find out more information on vitamins or other foods or drugs visit the FDA website at http://www.fda.gov/consumer/default.htm
