A
common observation is that pregnant women, small children and the
elderly are frequent consumers of vitamin or mineral supplements;
because they either have very high requirements or they are losing
essential nutrients in unwarranted proportions.
The question of importance, here, is. do `normal' & healthy
individuals really need to take multi-vitamin/ multi-mineral pill? An
expert panel convened by the Office of Dietary Supplements and the
Office of Medical Applications of Research at the National Institutes
of Health says that "that there's no evidence to recommend for or
against dietary supplements". 1
Confusing, isn't it?? Then, let's clear up this confusion!!
Understand this. It's possible for most people to cover the nutritional
bases with food alone, but you'll need to choose very wisely. This is
not too difficult. To start, figure on 2 cups a day of fruit and about
2 1/2 cups of vegetables, which means at least a serving at every meal
plus more for snacks. Variety in terms of color is essential. Dark
leafy vegetables as well as orange vegetables and fruits are especially
important to eat at least a couple of times per week. They provide
beta-carotene & folate and many more. Then you need 3 servings of
whole grains each day. That could be met by eating a cup of oatmeal for
breakfast and having a whole wheat roti or unpolished rice at the main
meals. Three glasses of nonfat milk (or soy milk, cheese or yogurt)
will meet 90 percent of the daily calcium for adults 50 and younger.
Nuts and healthy oil, such as olive or Canola oil, go a long way toward
providing the recommended daily amount of vitamin E.
Having
said that, if you are not consuming this 'balanced diet' consistently,
then you may have to think of popping a vitamin/mineral pill!!
Supplements
are available as single vitamin doses or as multi-vitamin doses.
Usually multi-vitamin will include B-complex vitamins with Vitamin C.
Supplements which give 100% Daily Values (DV) for most minerals and
vitamins are the ones to be used. Calcium generally will provide only
50% of the Daily value. Dietary supplements tend to lose their potency
as time lapses. It is mandatory to look for the expiry date.
Folic AcidSeveral
epidemiologic studies have found that folic acid supplementation prior
to conception is associated with a substantially reduced risk of
neural-tube defects in the fetus. Higher folic acid intake and higher
blood folate levels are both associated with a lower risk of ischemic
heart disease. Higher intake of folic acid is also associated with a
lower risk of colon and breast cancer particularly among persons who
are at increased risk because of daily alcohol consumption.
Vitamin B6 Intake below the recommended doses is associated with an increased risk
of coronary disease. Meat and legumes are the major food sources of
vitamin B6; and persons who reduce their consumption of red meat
without increasing their consumption of legumes may have low vitamin B6
intake.
Vitamin D Sun exposure alone can provide
adequate vitamin D. Few foods naturally contain vitamin D, and
fortified milk is the primary dietary source. The effect of
supplementation depends on the amount of sun exposure a person receives
and his or her dietary intake. However, in most regions of the world
(especially India and the U.S.), individuals would benefit from
supplemental vitamin D to reach the RDA of 400 IU, and double this
amount may be desirable for some. A vitamin D intake of up to 2000 IU
per day is believed to be safe
Vitamin A Research
suggests that higher intakes of Vitamin A could potentially reduce the
risk of cancer. However, both intake and blood levels of vitamin A have
generally been shown to be unrelated to the risk of cancer.
Supplemental beta-carotene, a vitamin A precursor, has consistently
failed to reduce the risk of cancer in randomized trials. Intake of up
to twice the RDA of vitamin A of 5000 IU is thought to be safe.
Vitamin B12Vitamin
B12 is a highly significant part of any good supplementation plan,
especially for individuals over 50 years of age. It works to improve a
variety of important metabolic activities, helping the body to utilize
fats and in addition, Vitamin B12, in conjunction with folic acid,
supports manufacture of red blood cells. It also has the potential to
promote good heart health by helping to maintain healthy levels of
homocysteine, which is an amino acid normally found in your blood.
Moreover, since studies show that Indians tend to have low plasma
vitamin B12 status, it is wise to stock our bodies with this vital
nutrient.
Vitamin EThe debate over whether Vitamin
E supplementation in therapeutic doses is helpful or not still
continues.. Vitamin E is definitely known to be helpful in maintaining
a healthy reproductive system in females; but whether or not it has
proven healing powers is still being researched. Having said that, if
you are pregnant, then it is mandatory to have your physician's
`go-ahead' before you begin with Vitamin E supplementation. [You can
safely consume Vitamin-E rich foods, though]
SeleniumSelenium
plays an important role in defending against toxicity of oxygen, in
regulation of hormone metabolism in the thyroid and in promoting
healthy immune function. The amount of selenium in the food you eat is
directly related to the amount of selenium in the soil where the food
was grown. Recommended Dietary Allowance for most adults is 55 mcg per
day, but significantly higher doses are recommended so that the mineral
protects the body against diseases associated with free radical damage,
such as cancer.
Our SuggestionsYou need to see your
particular needs in relation to your age, situation, health, and
lifestyle before choosing a particular supplement. There are different
multi-vitamins to suit different needs. People over 50 will need more
vitamin D, B6, B12 and calcium. Pregnant women need more folic acid,
iron, zinc and calcium. Vegetarian people often need more iron. The
vitamin requirements are different for men, women and children of
various ages. However it is best to consult with your family physician
before deciding to pursue supplement therapy.
Reference1. http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/may2006/od-17.htm
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