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| FUNCTIONAL FOODS |
Do you want to lose weight quickly? Are you sleepy? Is your hair
kind of gross? Try a supplement! There are hundreds of them. Surely one of them
can help you. Right? Well, maybe not. Supplements are a multi-billion dollar
business. Unlike prescription drugs, the government doesn’t regulate
manufacturer claims about what supplements “could” do for you or how well they
do it.
Use Of
Supplements
It only steps in when they may be harmful. Many supplements
include vitamins or minerals that are meant to enhance you in some way or
makeup fora deficiency in your body. And yes, there are other supplements
products including herbals, protein supplements, and enzymes - but let’s focus
on vitamins and minerals in multivitamins, the most popular supplements out
there, for now.
Research
Of Doctors
Your body needs these molecules and elements to survive, but can’t
make them on its own, so you've got to get them from food. Supplements are
meant to, well, supplement what you would possibly be missing from your diet.
Doctors and scientists agree you cannot miss out on these 13 vitamins. You also
need minerals, which are elements like iron, potassium, or magnesium.
Vitamins
& Minerals
Many people get enough vitamins and minerals from their diets, but
certain groups of people can benefit from supplements. For example, if you’ve
got a nutrient-poor diet--and many folks are probably missing out on a minimum
of a little amount of 1 vitamin or mineral, vitamin supplements can assist you
to plug small gaps in your nutrition.
A doctor can diagnose that kind of deficiency and recommend what
to take and how much. And certain kinds of supplements, like vitamin D and
folic acid, can help new and expecting mothers reduce the risk of birth defects
and low-birth-weight babies.
Golden
Words
Joe Hanson: “So for some people, dietary supplements are often a
tremendous help. But you’re probably better off spending your money on
groceries and eating a well-rounded diet. You get far more nutritional
bang-for-your-buck from food since you’re getting quite just vitamins and
minerals.
Phytochemicals
You’re also gobbling up beneficial plant compounds called
phytochemicals, fiber, and other good stuff that you don’t get from
supplements. Some researchers still recommend taking a multivitamin as
insurance against lapses in our diet. But there’s not a whole lot of evidence
that shows the benefits of taking vitamins and minerals.
Study
About Vitamins
Study after study has shown that vitamin and mineral supplements,
especially “one a day” multivitamins, aren’t worth it. One analysis of
randomized controlled trials -- the gold standard of scientific studies --
looked at 90,000 people and found that a multivitamin or multimineral didn’t
change their risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, or early death.
Important
Role Of Vitamins
”Quick fun fact, vitamin C is not the end all be all for colds that
you might think it is. Yes, vitamin C plays a role in your immune system. But
taking more than 1000% of the daily recommended dose is not going to ward off a
cold. It’s just going to make your pee more orange. OK.
Again
Golden Lines
Tell us more Joe. “So there’s little or no evidence that taking
vitamin supplements will cause you to healthier, or smarter, or more beautiful.
In some cases, taking too much can be harmful. One study found that more than
20,000 people go to the ER each year from an overdose, allergic reaction, or
other adverse effects related to supplements.
Investigations have also found that some supplements don’t even
contain any of the vitamins or minerals they claim to! Like, zero. Zilch.
Nada.” Oh, and all those are some other kinds of vitamins
or supplements? Fish oil? Protein powder? Things like that? A few have
shown to be effective, but many more show no evidence of improving health.
Evidence
Of Benefits
Fish oil, whose omega-3 fatty acids are supposed to ensure heart
health, and choline, which people take in the hope it will ward off dementia,
are both short on evidence of benefits when taken as a supplement.
Should
You Take Supplements?
So should YOU take supplements? There is some disagreement here.
Some experts say you should take multivitamins as nutritional insurance, while
some say they’re a waste of money for people who get all or most of their
nutrients from a balanced diet.
Nutrients
Deficiencies
For others with serious nutrient deficiencies or restricted diets,
they can help when taken under medical supervision. But everybody agrees that
even if you take a multivitamin, it won’t help if you’re eating a pizza-based
diet. To get your vitamins and minerals is through good food is an ideal route
to get it, NOT through supplements.
According to the University of California’sBerkeley Wellness the program, “If multivitamins have an effect—good or bad—it is likely to be
small." Ask your doctor, do your own research, and stay skeptical. However
…, just because a supplement doesn't give the benefits it claims doesn’t mean
that little pill can’t help.
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That’s the bizarre result of the placebo effect...which would only
work if you hadn’t just read this article. Or…. It could still work. Anyway,
click over to It’s Okay to be Smart, to read what Joe has to say about the
placebo effect. Thanks for reading it.