Parents Be Well – December 2011 Issue
Feature: Vitamins & Minerals – Do You Know Your ABCs?
Vitamin and mineral supplements not only fill the stores shelves…they fill the news. You may be questioning which dietary supplements you really need.
We asked three experts – Cleveland Clinic internist Keith Fuller, MD, registered Wellness Institute dietitian Kristin Kirkpatrick, MS, RD, LD, and women's health specialist Judith Volkar, MD – to comment on six popular supplements:
1. B vitamins
Collectively, the B vitamins – B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B9 (folic acid) and B12 – can reduce stress and improve mood. Who needs to supplement their B? Three groups of people:
- Vegans need the B12 found in meat, chicken, fish, dairy and eggs to prevent anemia and ensure healthy nervous system function.
- People 65 and older may need B12 because it becomes hard to absorb from food as we age.
- Women who are pregnant or trying to conceive need folic acid to help guard against birth defects.
2. Vitamin C
Vitamin C supplements may shorten the duration and misery of colds but are unlikely to prevent them. “I don’t think people need C on a daily basis, but taking a large dose at the onset of a cold can be helpful,” says Dr. Fuller.
It’s easy to get C from fruits and vegetables. But “think beyond the orange,“ advises Ms. Kirkpatrick. That morning glass of orange juice is full of sugar and carbs; look instead for C from bell peppers, broccoli, papaya and kiwi.
Avoid taking vitamin C with aspirin – both can irritate the stomach. And remember that high doses of C may interfere with cholesterol medication.
3. Calcium
Best known for improving bone health, calcium is easy to find in milk, cheese and yogurt. “We think ‘calcium’ and imagine the cow, but there are plenty of plant-based sources as well, like spinach and collard greens,” notes Ms. Kirkpatrick. Another source is sardines. “They are a nice, lean fish. If you eat the bones, they won’t crunch and you’ll get your calcium,” she says.
Know which type of calcium supplement you’re taking and when to take it. Calcium citrate can be taken at any time. Calcium carbonate must be taken with food. And because the body can absorb only so much calcium at one time, it’s best to take half in the morning and half at night.
4. Vitamin D
This is the supplement most healthcare providers recommend. Important for bone and muscle health, “vitamin D is difficult to find in natural food sources,” explains Dr. Fuller. Fortified dairy products, cereals and breads usually don’t provide enough vitamin D. Sunshine – the other source of D – can be scarce.
Vitamin D, which works with calcium, is important for women as they age to prevent bones from becoming fragile. “Women often take a calcium supplement that has vitamin D in it. We recommend additional D to get their levels up,” says Dr. Volkar. “D3 is better absorbed than D2.”
A Cleveland Clinic study recently found that vitamin D is best absorbed when taken with the largest meal of the day – preferably one containing healthy fats because vitamin D is fat-soluble.
5. Vitamin E
Daily vitamin E supplementation has been touted for preventing cancer and heart disease. However, a large, seven-year national study by Cleveland Clinic experts proved that men who took vitamin E every day actually increased their risk of prostate cancer by 17 percent. The longer the supplement was taken, the higher their risk.
The message: For most men, taking vitamin E supplements may do more harm than good.
Other studies have failed to show that vitamin E supplements protect against heart disease. For heart health, it’s safer to get vitamin E from dietary sources – safflower, sunflower and wheat germ oils; nuts and seeds; olives; and green veggies.
At high doses, vitamin E supplements act like a blood thinner and can increase the risk of bleeding and stroke.
6. Magnesium
Magnesium, the fourth most abundant mineral in the body, can help with muscle cramps, migraines and sleep problems. “People are often deficient in magnesium and don’t realize it,” says Dr. Fuller. Halibut, almonds, soy products and pumpkin seeds are great dietary sources of magnesium. Magnesium is typically found in calcium supplements to enhance absorption.
Benefits may not add up
A growing body of research seems to reinforce the role of dietary supplements as just that: supplements to our diet, taken to correct a deficiency.
“The bottom line is to get most of your vitamins and minerals from dietary sources rather than from a pill,” says Dr. Volkar. “The majority of us don’t need to spend a lot of money on supplements. For overall health, we’re better off exercising instead.”
Ms. Kirkpatrick heartily agrees: “As a dietitian, I believe you can get 99 percent of all your nutrients from food. You’re not just getting one specific nutrient from a pill; you’re getting a variety of nutrients from a whole food.”
A word on multivitamins
What if you aren’t consistently eating a well-balanced diet? “A multivitamin is good for most adults who are not getting all the nutrients that they need every day,” says Dr. Fuller.
Although a recent study found multivitamins to be dangerous for postmenopausal women, “you have to take that study with a grain of salt,” says Dr. Volkar. The study relied on questionnaires rather than on rigorous scientific method.
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