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Supplements
What They Can
and Cannot Do
By Jean Jeffers, Staff Writer
There is a lot of talk about supplements today. Are supplements beneficial for the ordinary person? The
answer presents as a mixed review.
New research has just been published in a December 2013 issue of
The Annals of Internal Medicine.
“Enough is Enough: Stop Wasting
Money on Vitamin and Mineral
Supplements” and “Vitamin and
Mineral Supplements in the Primary
Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease
and Cancer….” Both indicate that
there is no beneficial result for the
healthy individual, in effecting longevity of life or help with CVD or
brain health, from the taking of vitamins and most other supplements.
The article does admit that supplements may be helpful in certain illnesses or where there is a deficiency;
this was not part of their study.
Nutritional research and guidelines
produced by experts in the field rec-
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ommend that otherwise healthy individuals obtain the nutrients needed
in the diet they consume. It is further
advised that a diet rich in fruits and
vegetables and some protein, that is,
whole foods, is best suited for everyone in meeting nutritional needs.
But the average diet today is not
ideal. Soil depletion and too much
junk food are problems. Then there
are those with certain illnesses, illnesses in which there is some sort of
nutritional deficiency. In light of this
information, proponents argue for the
taking of supplements.
Dietary supplements are designed
to provide adequate intake of nutrients, usually vitamins and minerals
and some other substances like amino
acids, essential fatty acids and probiotics.
Sybil Roberts-Skinner, owner
of Roberts Foods in Lexington,
Kentucky, says: “I think the ordinary
person’s diet is incomplete, often
loaded with sugar and fats.” She sug-
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gests getting “base nutrients” from
natural vitamins, not the synthetic
type of vitamin found at most drug
counters. She further recommends
adding additional supplements as
needed, always checking with one’s
physician.
Sybil believes the taking of natural
vitamins is akin to building a house.
“You want the proper quality tools
and materials. If poor quality materials are used, your house is in jeopardy.
So too, quality natural vitamins assure
the individual gets the nutrients
needed, and it becomes easier to
maintain health.”
She hastens to add that too many
supplements, or too much of any
particular one, is often detrimental,
overmedicating the body. Absorption
could become a problem, for example, when too much coffee or tea is
drunk since these substances interfere
with absorption of supplements.
In response to the articles in The
Annals of Internal Medicine previously mentioned, Sybil reports that
she did not find the articles “credible.” She states that the information
was vague regarding how the writers
did their studies, that usually double
blind studies are done, and that tracking of diet is needed to properly confirm results.
In 2007, sales of supplements hit
$23.7 billion. Forty percent of adults
have taken or do take supplements.
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About the Author
Jean Jeffers is an RN and writer. She
lives in Cincinnati.
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How the public will respond to the
newest literature remains to be seen.
What should you do to help prolong life and health? Adequate diet
and exercise are primary; there are
some supplements that may add years
and/or aid in adding health to life,
such as vitamin D, which has a positive result. Some supplements just do
not live up to what the literature has
in the past postulated; for example,
beta-carotene in food is associated
with a lower risk of cancer, but the
supplement beta-carotene does not
have the same effect.
There are examples of supplements
considered reliable in aiding with
health. One supplement, turmeric,
is known to prevent inflammation.
Glucosamine and chondroitin are
considered helpful in easing arthritic
pain and improving joint mobility,
and popular supplements for diabetes include cinnamon, vanadium
and chromium, all of which stabilize
blood sugar levels. If you are unsure
about any supplement, we recommend discussing it with your physician.