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At Healthfully, we strive to deliver objective content that is accurate and up-to-date. Our team periodically reviews articles in order to ensure content quality. The sources cited below consist of evidence from peer-reviewed journals, prominent medical organizations, academic associations, and government data.
- MayoClinic.com: Dietary Supplements - Nutrition in a Pill?
- Clinical Methods: The Nutritional History
- Clinical Methods: The Nutritional History
- National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Using Dietary Supplements Wisely
The information contained on this site is for informational purposes only, and should not be used as a substitute for the advice of a professional health care provider. Please check with the appropriate physician regarding health questions and concerns. Although we strive to deliver accurate and up-to-date information, no guarantee to that effect is made.
The Disadvantages of Taking Vitamins
Although supplements are available for every type of vitamin and mineral, most experts advise obtaining nutrients through diet. "Dietary supplements aren't intended to be a food substitute because they can't replicate all of the nutrients and benefits of whole foods," notes MayoClinic.com 1. This resource says that supplements are usually only beneficial if you have a health condition. Actually, there are some risks to vitamin supplements as well. Speak to your doctor about whether or not you should take them.
Disadvantages Compared to Diet
According to MayoClinic.com, vitamin supplements have disadvantages when compared to obtaining nutrients through your diet 1. Whole foods encompass a number of different vitamins, whereas if you take a vitamin C supplement, you only obtain vitamin C and are missing a number of other essential vitamins. While a multivitamin will give you a number of nutrients, it still has disadvantages. Unlike vitamin supplements, many foods have fiber, antioxidants and phytochemicals that can improve your health and ward off disease, notes MayoClinic.com 1.
Toxicity
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Some vitamin supplements can be dangerous if you ingest too many of them. There are two different types of vitamins: fat-soluble and water-soluble. Extra water-soluble vitamins leave the body in urine, with the exception of vitamin B12, which is stored in the body. All fat-soluble vitamins stay in the body, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. In "Clinical Methods," Thomas E. Edes explains that many people take "megadose supplements," which can cause too much of the vitamin to store in the body 2. Since fat-soluble vitamins can build up, there is more of a risk of problems with them than with water-soluble vitamins. Too much vitamin A, for example, can cause hair, skin and bone problems, headaches and irritability. Overuse of vitamin D can cause kidney stones, tiredness and mental health problems. Vitamin C is an exception in the water-soluble category, as too much of it can cause kidney stones and gastrointestinal problems.
- Some vitamin supplements can be dangerous if you ingest too many of them.
- Vitamin C is an exception in the water-soluble category, as too much of it can cause kidney stones and gastrointestinal problems.
No FDA Regulation
Another problem with vitamin supplements is that they are not regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration the same way medications are. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, or NCCAM, explains that companies can put their supplements on the market before showing they are safe and effective 3. Although the FDA can take the product off the market if it determines the supplement is unsafe, products may be on store shelves for a length of time before the FDA determines their characteristics. Furthermore, the NCCAM notes that vitamin supplements can interact negatively with other medications you are taking. This is why it is important to let your doctor know about all the medications and supplements you take.
- Another problem with vitamin supplements is that they are not regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration the same way medications are.
- The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, or NCCAM, explains that companies can put their supplements on the market before showing they are safe and effective 3.
Related Articles
References
- MayoClinic.com: Dietary Supplements - Nutrition in a Pill?
- Clinical Methods: The Nutritional History
- National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Using Dietary Supplements Wisely
- Gummin DD, Mowry JB, Spyker DA, Brooks DE, Osterthaler MK. 2017 annual report of the American Association of Poison Control Centers’ National Poison Data System (NPDS): 35th annual report. Clinical Toxicology. 2018 Dec;56(12):1213-1415. doi:10.1080/15563650.2018.1533727
- Olson KR, Anderson IB, Benowitz NL et al. Poisoning and Drug Overdose, Seventh Edition. McGraw-Hill Education / Medical; 2017.
- National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. Niacin fact sheeet for health professionals. Updated July 9, 2019.
- National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. Vitamin B6 fact sheet for health professionals. Updated September 19, 2019.
- National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. Vitamin C fact sheet for health professionals. Updated July 9, 2019.
- MedlinePlus. Hypervitaminosis D. Updated November 17, 2017.
- Klein EA, Thompson IM Jr, Tangen CM, et al. Vitamin E and the risk of prostate cancer: the Selenium and Vitamin E Cancer Prevention Trial (SELECT). JAMA. 2011;306(14):1549–1556. doi:10.1001/jama.2011.1437
- Harvard Health Publishing. Listing of vitamins. Updated November 14, 2018.
- National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. Vitamin A fact sheet for health professionals. Updated October 11, 2019.
- Ross CA. Encyclopedia of Dietary Supplements. Informa Healthcare, 2nd edition, 2010.
Writer Bio
Sharon Therien has been writing professionally since 2007. She specializes in health writing and copywriting for websites, blogs and businesses. She is a Certified Yoga Teacher and a Reiki Master with a Certificate in Fitness and Nutrition. Therien has a Master of Arts in sociology from Florida Atlantic University.