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Let’s talk about Dietary Supplements

The following supplements come in pill, drink, bar form, a number of which many of us are very familiar with (especially vitamins).

~vitamins
~minerals
~herbs
~amino acids
~enzymes

Most of us probably assume that taking vitamin supplements are necessary for good health. We feel good when we take them…health conscious and responsible. Have you ever questioned whether you actually need these supplements?

Some things to consider:

Dietary Supplements are not considered a food or a drug, which means they’re not regulated by the FDA. No testing and safety guidelines are in place. Not that I want the government involved in every aspect of my life, but this multi-billion dollar industry (hello, lobbyists!) makes its money when the trusting public consumes (open mouth, swallow) these products. Now, the FDA can get involved in pulling a product off the shelf that is proven to be unsafe, so the products coming from reputable companies are probably just fine, so the question now is…are they necessary?

Well, the “scientific jury” is still out, however many experts (and the number keeps growing) find that they are unnecessary for most healthy adults, and that these expensive supplements are “just another substance for your body to excrete.” We get most of our nutrients from our foods, and if you strive to “eat a variety of foods in moderation,” you’re probably pretty well covered. Isn’t it ironic (thanks Alanis, now I’m stuck on your song) that most “health conscious” people who make the commitment to take a multi-vitamin every day are probably the ones who make smarter food decisions and don’t need the supplement anyway? If you can afford to buy a $15 dollar bottle of Centrum, you are probably NOT malnourished.

More is not always better when it comes to nutrition. Taking more than 100% of the recommended daily values of any vitamin or mineral is not scientifically proven to be effective or safe. If your vitamin provides 100% of the daily values, and you’ve eaten any food throughout the day…you’re already over the amount you need. Your first response may be that you might not always make the best food choices, and maybe you’ve had very few fruits and veggies that day and “need” your Vitamin C for that day. First of all, you should know that the “Daily Values” we’re all striving for are a little misleading. No one is going to get 100% of the recommended DVs everyday (unless you take a vitamin you can argue…ha ha, you got me there!) but that’s the confusing part. It’s not a REQUIRED Daily Value, its RECOMMENDED and as long as on average (every 3-4 days) you get close to those goals, you’re probably just fine! Also, the RDAs (Recommended Dietary Allowances) which the DVs are based on are set at a number to cover 97.5% of the population to allow for a very large safety margin. I could very well fall closer to the mean of the population, and if I strive to meet the “recommended” numbers each day, I could possibly be harming myself.

Moderate supplementation is appropriate for some populations:
~pregnant / nursing women
~women with heavy menstrual bleeding (may have low iron)
~people on severe food/calorie restrictions
~vegans
~elders

MEGAdosing is no appropriate or safe for anyone. Megadosing is defined as consuming more than 10 times the daily values. Some vitamins and minerals can become toxic when taken in large quantities. We’ve all had colds and started popping Vitamin C like candy. 2000 mg of Vitamin C can cause severe abdominal pain and heartburn. (The best that any scientific research shows on the affect of Vitamin C on fighting a cold by the way is MAYBE a 2 or 3 hour reduction in duration.)

Think twice about herbal supplements as well! Herbs can’t be patented, so no company is going to spend the money to properly research the affects of these herbs. We think that they must be ok because they’re natural (and maybe that’s true) but in the Supplement industry, “natural” is not a defined term. Also, because they are not regulated there is poor quality control and contaminations of lead and mercury have been reported. Adverse effects are common. Rule of thumb: any herb that is strong enough to ACTUALLY help you can be strong enough to hurt you.

The bottom line:
~most healthy people do not need a vitamin or mineral supplement
~there is not enough scientific research or regulatory control to justify taking any type of herbal or other non-nutrient supplement
~think before you put anything into your body
~eat a variety of foods in moderation



If you must (or really really want to) take a supplement:

~look for third party approval seals
~look at the labels and don’t take the ones that boast more than 100% of the DV
~ “natural” sources are not necessarily better than synthetic

*As you may have noticed, I’m not citing sources as I am not currently surrounded by scientific journals and stacks of research. I am sharing with you what I learn from my textbooks (damn expensive ones) and what I consider to be qualified instructors with PhDs and Masters degrees in the field. If these topics are of great interest and importance to you I invite you to research them further.