Nutrition: Vitamins and Suppliments
In years gone by, the medical profession and research scientists told us it was a waste to take vitamins and minerals; well, that has changed in recent years. In 2002, researchers from Harvard University stated (1):
“In the absence of specific predisposing conditions, a usual North American diet is sufficient to prevent overt vitamin deficiency diseases…However, insufficient vitamin intake is apparently a cause of chronic diseases… A large proportion of the general population is apparently at increased risk for this reason… Most people do not consume an optimal amount of all vitamins by diet alone…We recommend that all adults take a multivitamin daily.”
Dr. Walter Willet, also from Harvard University stated that, “for most individuals, use of a daily multivitamin containing folic acid would be a sensible preventive strategy” (2).
Long term use of multivitamins has been associated with a reduced risk for developing cataracts, heart disease and cancer. Compared with nonusers of vitamins, the 5-year risk for any cataract was 60% lower among persons who, at follow-up, reported using multivitamins for more than 10 years (3). A recent study showed that taking a multi, helped to prevent the occurrence of heart attacks in 45-70 year-old Swedish men and women (4). In another study, we learn that taking multivitamins reduced the expression of colon cancer. Almost 90,000 nurses were followed for over 15 years. Short-term use of multivitamins was insignificant; however, the results indicate that using multivitamins for 15 years or longer may decrease colon cancer risk by 75% (5).
Several studies have looked at psychosocial aspects of mental function. Depression in adult men and antisocial behavior in youths has been positively influenced by supplementing with a multivitamin (6). A recent paper suggested that anyone taking anti-convulsant medications should be supplementing with a multivitamin to counteract the pro-inflammatory state created by the vitamins depleted by the medications (7).
Additionally, we now know that our genetic makeup can create very unique nutritional needs, which leads to increased requirements for various nutrients. Dr. Bruce Ames performed an extensive review of this literature (8) and suggests that we should all be taking at least a multivitamin (9).
It is quite possible that long-term use of a multivitamin may provide us with significant benefits at minimal expense. We should not be foolish and wait until it is too late to insure better nutrient intake by taking a multivitamin/mineral supplement. Of course, there is no guarantee that a multivitamin will protect us against developing a life-threatening disease. However, more and more evidence suggests that we have a better chance of disease protection if we take a multi-nutrient supplement.
Clinical experience suggests that people do feel better when using a multivitamin, particularly if their diets are of marginal quality. Part of this outcome may be a placebo, or psychosomatic response, AND as stated above, we have data suggesting that taking a multi-nutrient supplement does have beneficial physiological effects, which should discourage the notion that multivitamins serve no benefit. In fact, Dr. Bruce Ames, famous toxicologist and nutrition researcher who spent most of his career at the University of California at Berkeley, stated that, “no matter how well you eat, take a multi-vitamin daily, it just may save your life” (9).
It is best to take an iron-free multivitamin/mineral supplement, as iron intake beyond our needs can lead to free radical production and cell damage. Only those with an iron deficiency should take iron.
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