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Vitamin supplements – essential for health or a waste of money?

Over 40% of us regularly take at least one vitamin or mineral supplement but will they really improve our health or are they just money down the drain? Yahoo nutritionist Rachael Anne Hill finds out.

There is a 'pill for almost every ill' in the supplement world and for those of us lucky enough to be fighting fit, there are even more pills and potions designed to help us stay that way. But do they actually work or are they just money down the drain?

The answer to that question depends largely on who you are. For some people, there are occasions when higher doses of certain nutrients will be beneficial. These generally include pregnant women and women hoping to become pregnant who may reduce the risk of neural defects in their unborn child by taking a daily folic acid supplement until the twelfth week of pregnancy. Breast feeding women and infants under the age of two can help to ensure bone strength with a daily dose of Vitamin D as can people at risk of osteoporosis who should also take a calcium supplement.

Strict vegans may also benefit from taking a B12 supplement to prevent anaemia. This is because B12 is found largely in animal products such as meat, eggs and dairy. A vitamin D supplement may also be necessary for some people over 65 or those who experience very little natural daylight on their skin. There is also some emerging research to suggest B group vitamins may be beneficial for those with heart disease and B6 and magnesium may help to relieve premenstrual symptoms.

However, it is always wise to seek expert help from a fully qualified dietitian before taking extra individual vitamins or minerals as high doses of some nutrients can inhibit the absorption of other nutrients which can lead to even greater deficiencies. For example, high intakes of calcium can inhibit your ability to absorb iron so an attempt to protect your bones you could actually increase your chances of anaemia.

[Useful: Your best supplement guide]

Excess intakes of other vitamins can be harmful too. For example, too much vitamin A can result in a whole host of health problems from hair loss and vomiting to bone and liver damage and it can begin to cause these problems at relatively low levels. Most people only need about 0.7mg of vitamin A, a day - an amount that is easily achievable through normal eating habits. However, many multivitamins contain vitamin A and other supplements, such as fish liver oil are also rich sources of this vitamin so if you take both of these supplements you could quite easily exceed 1.5mg — the point at which you may begin to experience adverse health problems.

It's also important to remember that 'more doesn't always mean better'. We have known for sometime that eating foods that are rich in antioxidant nutrients such as vitamins A, C and E can help to reduce the risk of cancer. However, research into the benefits of taking high dose antioxidant supplements has found them to be of no benefit and may even have a reverse effect.

Don't be fooled into the marketing hype on the labels either.Supplements marketed as 'natural' or 'food state' nutrients are no better absorbed than any other versions and 'time release' or 'sustained release' vitamins are absorbed less efficiently than their standard counterparts despite the fact that you are likely to pay more for the product.

So, if you're worried about your diet and want to make sure you are getting all the nutrients you need, what should you do?

Start by taking a good, hard look at your current eating habits. Vitamins and minerals that come packaged up in real foods are a far better option so make sure you eat at least 5 portions a day, or better still aim for 8 or 9. Focus on eating foods from all five food groups too. These include bread, potatoes and other cereals (go for whole grains where possible), fruits and vegetables, lean meat, fish and alternative protein sources such as beans, pulses and nuts, low fat dairy products and healthy fats such as mono and polyunsaturated oils, margarines and oily fish.

Finally, if you do want to take a supplement choose a general multivitamin that provides at least 15 nutrients at levels at or below 150% of the recommended daily amount and reduce the likelihood of excessive intakes by steering clear of taking too many single dose supplements.

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