Should I Drink A Multivitamin?

2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29

Do you really need to take a multivitamin?

Here's what your daily vitamin pill can and can't give you.

If you've heard that taking vitamins every day is a vital part of being as healthy as you can, brushing your teeth and eating your vegetables regularly, you're not alone. For decades, doctors have recommended taking multivitamins as an easy way to fill nutritional gaps in our diet. But recent research suggests that the benefits of multivitamins may be greatly overestimated. Is it time to throw away yours? Here's what you need to know.

Multivitamins do not mean a healthy diet

If your diet is rich in processed foods and added sugars, taking a multivitamin will not compensate for the damage from them. Taking a multivitamin is not a substitute for a healthy diet, says Alana Biggers, an assistant professor of clinical medicine at the University of Illinois at Chicago. The best way to get the vitamins and minerals you need, along with fiber and phytonutrients, is to have a well-balanced diet of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and protein.

It is possible to overdo it with vitamins

Vitamin A, vitamin E and iron are associated with health risks at high doses, so if your diet is already rich in nutrients, the multivitamin pill may come in handy. If you have a well-balanced diet and also take multivitamins, you risk overdosing on vitamins and minerals in your body, Biggers says.

Individual supplements may be safer

Some people need higher doses of certain vitamins or minerals than their diet provides. For example, adults usually need more calcium to maintain healthy bones, pregnant women are encouraged to increase folic acid intake to prevent some birth defects, and vegetarians may be deficient in vitamin B12 because meat and dairy products are key sources of this vitamin. But even if you fall into one of these categories, you may overdose on other vitamins and nutrients. In this case, Biggers suggests taking specific supplements to make up for exactly what you're missing, instead of taking mass supplements that give you more of everything.

You probably need more vitamin D

While you can get vitamins and minerals mainly through a healthy diet, vitamin D is a notable exception. Apart from fortified milk, cod liver oil and several types of fish, there are not many other ways to get enough D from food alone.

The good news is that our bodies can produce vitamin D naturally when exposed to sunlight - but this carries its own risks. Because the sun's rays can cause skin cancer, premature aging and other skin damage, it's probably safer to get vitamin D from a pill than from the sun, says Dr. David Cutler, a family doctor in Saint John's Health Center Monica, CA. But again, vitamin D supplementation may be a better choice than multivitamins.

Multivitamins will not prevent serious diseases

Multivitamins are not miracle pills. The preventative effect of vitamin supplements on cancer and cardiovascular disease in the context of a healthy diet has not been fully proven, Cutler said. There is not enough evidence that multivitamins affect cognitive decline, heart disease, cancer or overall mortality.

So while supplements can help fill specific gaps in your diet, multivitamins are unlikely to have a big impact on your health. It is better to focus on building healthy eating habits than taking colorful pills.