GotoMyDoc - Education - Nutrition Fitness - Learn

What It's About | Did You Know? | Learn More About | For More Info

Nutrition & Fitness

Dietary Supplements

Dietary supplements are often prescribed to correct nutrient deficiencies diagnosed. However, it has not been established that large amounts of vitamins and minerals as dietary supplements will help prevent or treat health problems or slow the aging process. Daily multivitamin tablets may be beneficial to some people, but the value of the supplement depends on many factors, including eating habits and overall health. While some supplements only contain some of the identified nutrients important to health, a well-balanced diet is likely provides all the necessary nutrients. Large amounts of some supplements may actually upset the natural balance of nutrients that the body maintains. If you have illnesses such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or arthritis, you should check with your health care provider before taking any over-the-counter dietary supplements.

The FDA has said that a well-balanced diet will usually meet women's allowances for vitamins and minerals. However, for good health, women need to pay special attention to two minerals, calcium and iron. The Federal Government’s general approach does not recommend supplementing the typical American diet with vitamins or nutrients beyond the recommended daily allowances (RDAs), nor does it suggest that some foods never be eaten. However, each of us is different and there are lots of different approaches to diet. Your clinician will be able to counsel you on whether or not you need to supplement your diet and will help you find the right supplements should you need them.

There is a growing body of data supporting the notion that the Recommended Daily Amounts for minerals, such as calcium and magnesium, may be too low and that supplementation may be necessary to prevent the onset of chronic diseases. In addition, the RDAs for a number of vitamins and micronutrients, such as vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, folate, and beta-carotene, may not be adequate to prevent chronic illness. For example, recent studies have found that the RDA for folate may need to be doubled for women as well as men.