Can Dietary Supplements Prevent Disease?

More than half of US citizens take one or more dietary supplements either on a regular basis or on occasion. The pills are popular in other parts of the world too. According to an estimate, the market of dietary supplements is worth over USD 14 million in 2018. But the major question is do you really require these vitamins? Let’s have a look at the details.

Experts say that adding supplements makes sense for pregnant women, elderly, breastfeeding babies and people who have certain diseases or conditions that affect the absorption of nutrients, potentially resulting in nutritional deficiencies.

In fact, supplements are best utilised in mitigating nutritional deficiencies.

But there is a big difference taking these pills as a nutritional supplements when your diet is low in one or more nutrients versus having it with the expectations of warding off disease. Health professionals also agree with the fact pill is not a substitute for a healthy diet.

According to health experts popping a pill will never provide you outcomes similar to fruits and vegetables having photochemical and fiber.

Experts worry that high doses of such pills can give a false sense of promise.

According to doctors, there is no evidence that supports the use of individual minerals and vitamins for treatment or prevention of chronic disease outcomes is weak. There is no way you can dietary supplement your way to good health. They are just dietary supplements and not substitutes.

In fact, high doses of some vitamins and minerals — particularly vitamin A, vitamin D, niacin, folic acid, calcium, and iron — can build up to toxic levels and have adverse side effects.

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For example, once you are above 50 years, you are at very low risk of iron deficiency, and there is no need for iron supplements, Stipanuk explained, but you could develop gastrointestinal irritation or more serious iron deposition in the liver and other tissues if excess iron is routinely taken.

Too much calcium could increase the risk of kidney stones, while toxic levels of vitamin D can cause calcium to deposit in smooth muscle tissue, which is found around organs in the digestive, respiratory and reproductive tracts.