Vitamin Supplements–Good or Bad?

Vitamins can give us more energy, prevent illness, and help us attain numerous health and fitness goals. Without them, our body won’t function properly.

There are generally two ways to get the adequate vitamins: eating nutrient-rich foods and taking vitamin supplements. Even though the former is the best way to boost your health, taking vitamin supplements can also be very beneficial…especially with time and budget constraints.

Some people turn to supplements for a quick fix, while others rely of them due to health issues. So, are vitamin supplements good or bad? This is a big question you should ask yourself before you start using them.

Nowadays, people visit drugstores for vitamin supplements without consulting doctors. Some do not even understand their benefits and risks. Although they can definitely help you enhance and maintain your health, take them in moderation if you haven’t consulted a doctor.

Below are some of the benefits and risks of vitamin supplements:

Benefits:

There are certain groups of people that might need to supplement their diet with vitamins. For instance: if you’re pregnant, over fifty, a picky eater, or a vegan, taking vitamin supplements might be beneficial to you. But health experts advise people to get as many nutrients as possible from nutrient-rich foods. This is because supplements cannot replace the foods, and do not supply the calories needed for our body to function normally.

*Vegans – Since vegans avoid animal products, they can enhance their diet with vitamin supplements such as B12. Most nutrients that are found in meat aren’t as abundants in plants.

*Elderly – Vitamin supplements can help older people get their daily nutrients, especially those who cannot enjoy the outdoors. By taking Vitamin B12 and Vitamin D supplements, older people can manage to stay healthy. These are only a couple examples.s

*Pregnant women – during pregnancy, especially the early stages, pregnant women need a lot of nutrients. Since it may not be possible to get all the required nutrients from foods, vitamin supplements can help bridge the gap. For instance, folic acid supplements can help lower the risk of birth defects.

*Cigarette smokers and alcoholics – to help break down harmful elements of cigarettes, smokers are advised to take vitamin supplements. Also, alcoholics might need these supplements to boost their health.

If you fall into one or more of the above categories, you might consider consulting your doctor to see whether it is beneficial to add vitamin supplements to your diet.

Risks

It’s also important to note that vitamin supplements can potentially harm you. There are certain standards that have been set by health experts concerning dietary supplements. For instance, overdosing on a vitamin can be at least as harmful as not taking enough.

But overdosing is very common with vitamin supplements, especially when already eating the food that contain such vitamins. Effects include muscular weakness, blurred vision, nausea, loss of appetite, and dizziness. Overdosing on a vitamin can lead to a health disorder or make an existing condition worse.

Also, there may be some vitamins that you don’t personally need, and are thus ineffective for you. After all, manufacturers’ primary goal is always making a profit. You may think a supplement is helping you, when in reality it’s just the placebo effect. Hence, it’s always recommended to do your own research and exploration.

Final word

For some people, taking vitamin supplements might be very beneficial. However, if you are healthy and your diet contains enough vitamins, supplements may not be necessary. Hence, before you start taking any dietary supplement, discuss any concerns with a doctor. And if you have been taking vitamin supplements instead of eating vegetables, fruits, or nutrient-rich foods, you need to reconsider your diet. This is because supplements can never be a substitute for actual food.