There are thousands of vitamin supplements on the market. Many are touted as miracle pills that can cure fatigue, boost your brain, and boost your immune system.
Manufacturers are able to make these claims with very little hard scientific evidence because they qualify as “food products” rather than drugs, making it difficult for the average person to discern what is true.
A study earlier this year found that vitamin and mineral supplements provide so little benefit to the vast majority, making them a waste of money for healthy people. Most people get almost all the nutrients they need from a healthy, balanced diet, the researchers said.
However, that doesn’t mean they’re all snake oil.
For example, there is a great deal of evidence that taking vitamins maintains good health and may even reduce the risk of some diseases. And for people with disabilities, supplements can be life-changing.
Health chiefs advise everyone to take certain pills, while some groups need to take vitamins in specific doses and at different times in life, such as during menopause.
Everyone in the UK is advised to take supplements of the so-called ‘sunshine vitamin’ daily for half the year, while vegetarians and vegans may need daily doses of vital minerals missing from their diet.
MailOnline’s handy guide sets out which vitamins and minerals you may need and when:
WHY VITAMIN SUPPLEMENTS ARE NECESSARY?
There is a strong debate about vitamin supplements.
Experts disagree about whether a healthy person needs them or the correct dosage that is required.
Professor Gunter Kuhnle, a nutrition expert at the University of Reading, told MailOnline: ‘It is generally assumed that a healthy, balanced diet should be sufficient and no additional supplements are needed.
“But a considerable number of experts believe that supplements can be used as ‘insurance’ against deficiencies.”
But he said there are difficulties in identifying the correct dose under this approach, since vitamin recommendations are based on how studies and medical data are interpreted.
For example, the UK recommends people take 40 micrograms (μg) of vitamin C a day, while the EU advises 80μg and US health chiefs say 90μg.
“This is because of the way different panels interpret the evidence of what individuals require,” Professor Kuhnle said.
Meanwhile, vitamin intake recommendations are “typically based on the prevention of deficiency,” rather than maintaining good health.
He said: “This means that if one meets the recommendations, one is unlikely to experience deficiency syndromes, but not the amount required for ‘optimal health’.
“The reason for this is that it is easy to identify deficiency, but incredibly difficult to identify ‘optimal health’, although there is growing interest in moving in this direction.”
Professor Kuhnle said supplements are “important” for those on a restricted diet, such as B vitamins and iron for vegans and vegetarians, as well as folic acid for women trying to get pregnant.
But he added: “Of course, there is also the risk of ‘overdosing’ – many vitamins can have a harmful effect when consumed in very large amounts, and there is a risk that this is overcome by supplements.”
Vitamin D
how much do i need 10 micrograms a day
Who should take the supplement? everyone
When should it be taken? October to April
Most Britons get enough of the ‘sunshine vitamin’ from April to September, as the weather improves and more time is spent outdoors. When the sun hits the skin, it triggers a chemical reaction that creates vitamin D.
But as the days get shorter, the weather gets colder and people cover up when they’re out and about, Britons need to consume vitamin D in other ways.
The vitamin is essential for regulating calcium and phosphate in the body, which are needed to maintain healthy bones, teeth and muscles. Not getting enough increases the risk of rickets (soft bones) in children and bone pain in adults.
Fatty fish, red meat and egg yolks are rich sources. But doctors say nearly a fifth of adults don’t get enough vitamin D, noting that it’s hard to get enough of it through food.
Instead, they recommend taking supplements, which cost around 3p per pill.
Although all Britons are urged to take vitamin D during the colder months, some groups should take a daily pill all year round, including breastfed babies, children aged one to four and those not are exposed to sunlight, like those in bed. bound or living in a nursing home.
All groups are recommended to take 10 micrograms of vitamin D. Consistently exceeding this amount can cause too much calcium to build up in the bones, which can damage the heart and kidneys.
The health service issued a new vitamin overdose warning last month, after a middle-aged man on a health kick was hospitalized after his kidneys stopped working.
He was taking 375 times more vitamin D than recommended, along with an overdose of 19 other over-the-counter supplements.
But a number of studies suggest that those who take the right dose can reap health benefits.
Research published in the British Medical Journal earlier this year found that those who took daily vitamin D supplements were a fifth less likely to develop an autoimmune disease, such as arthritis and psoriasis.
And a team from the University of South Australia’s Cancer Research Institute this month found that sufficient levels of vitamin D were less likely to develop diabetes and heart disease.
However, other studies have found no evidence that vitamin D supplements prevent ill health.
iron
how much do i need 8.7 micrograms per day for adult men and women over 50; 14.8 micrograms for women aged 19 to 50
Who should take the supplement? Women with heavy periods and some vegetarians and vegans
When should it be taken? Every day among those who need them
Iron produces hemoglobin, an essential ingredient in red blood cells, which carry oxygen from the lungs around the body.
Liver, red meat, beans, nuts, and seeds are good sources, and most people get enough iron from their diet.
But those who don’t are at risk of developing anemia, where the body doesn’t produce enough red blood cells to carry oxygen around the body. Shortness of breath, feeling tired and lack of energy are the main symptoms.
People with heavy periods lose more iron than the average woman, so they may need to take a supplement.
And dozens of studies have shown that there are higher rates of anemia among those who follow a plant-based diet, compared to those who eat meat. One showed that one-third of vegetarians were iron deficient, compared to none who ate meat.
Meanwhile, other research has found that three weeks of iron pills can reduce fatigue by 50 percent.
But people should check with their doctor before turning to a supplement.
Dr Duane Mellor, a dietitian at Aston Medical School in Birmingham, told MailOnline: ‘In general, unless someone has been diagnosed with iron deficiency anemia or has a specific medical condition, iron supplements are not recommended. generally”.
Those who have already had enough of the mineral are at risk of overdose. Consuming more than 20μg of iron per day can cause constipation, nausea and can even be fatal. But taking a supplement that has 17 μg of iron or less a day is unlikely to cause harm, experts say.
Those advised to take the supplements, which cost around 5p per pill, should take them an hour before a meal, as food stops being absorbed in the gut.
HOW SHOULD A BALANCED DIET BE?
Meals should be based on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates, ideally wholegrain, according to the NHS
• Eat at least 5 servings of a variety of fruits and vegetables each day. All fresh, frozen, dried and canned fruits and vegetables count
• Meals based on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates, ideally whole grains
• 30 grams of fiber a day: This is the same as eating all of the following: 5 servings of fruits and vegetables, 2 whole grain crackers, 2 thick slices of whole grain bread and a large baked potato with the skin on.
• Have some dairy or dairy alternatives (like soy drinks) by choosing lower-fat, lower-sugar options
• Eat some beans, legumes, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins (including 2 portions of fish each week, one of which should be fatty)
• Choose unsaturated and spreadable oils and consume them in small amounts
• Drink 6-8 cups/glasses of water a day
• Adults should have less than 6g of salt and 20g of saturated fat for women or 30g for men per day.
Source: NHS Eatwell Guide
Vitamin B12
how much do i need 1.5 micrograms per day
Who should take a supplement? Vegetarians and vegans
When should it be taken? Every day among those who need it
Vitamin B12 is essential for producing red blood cells, maintaining a healthy nervous system and reducing fatigue.
Meat, fish, milk, cheese and eggs are good sources. Therefore, those who eat these animal products should easily get enough—1.5 μg per day—of this vitamin from their diet.
But it is not found naturally in plant-based foods, such as fruits, vegetables and grains, although some products are fortified with the vitamin, such as grains.
Those who don’t have enough can experience extreme fatigue, low energy, shortness of breath, fainting and headaches.
Dr Mellor said some evidence suggests those on a plant-based diet should consider taking B12 supplements, which cost 5p a pill.
He added: ‘It’s important to note that most people don’t need supplements of other vitamins and minerals and it’s best to eat a varied diet of vegetables, fruit and whole grains with some meat and dairy (or alternatives).’
There isn’t enough research on the effects of taking high doses of vitamin B12, so it’s unclear whether people can get too much.
calcium
how much do i need 700 micrograms per day
Who should take a supplement? Some osteoporosis and celiac patients,…