The discovery over the last couple of centuries of the importance of micronutrients (minerals and vitamins) and the fact that they can be artificially added to the human diet remains a major health care breakthrough.
Of late, however, researchers have discovered that micronutrients in macro doses can make you ill—literally. But the continuing discovery of the glories of micronutrients (see KNOW) means many of us pop over-the-counter (OTC) multivitamins “just to make sure” or hand children multi-fortified glasses of milk, even as researchers say they don’t help most people much after all (see UNLEARN and AVOID).
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Ashutosh Shukla, head of the medicine department, Artemis Health Institute, Gurgaon, recalls a 40-year-old, New Delhi-based professional who had been taking two-three vitamin A capsules daily for three months or so, resulting in elevation of liver enzymes, dry skin and brittle hair. It could have been worse (see VITAMIN A). He notes that women worried about bone loss (osteoporosis) sometimes take vitamin D supplements arbitrarily and adds that many overweight people have been found to take multivitamins too often. Says Dr Shukla, “The pills include vitamin B1, thiamine, which has been found to open up your appetite, leading to...weight gain. The RDA of thiamine is only 1.4mg; most multivitamins contain much more.”
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The take-home message is actually pretty simple: Supplementation is no substitute for good nutrition. A daily multivitamin and maybe an extra mineral supplement can make you healthier—if you are unable to meet your needs through your diet or belong to certain special categories, namely if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, suffer from certain diseases or disorders, are elderly or newborn or especially athletic.
Too much of some commonly supplemented micronutrients (vitamin A, vitamin D, iron) can even interfere with other medication and nutrients. The bottom line:
• Do not self-diagnose. Leave it to your doctor to prescribe supplements.
• Whenever a new supplement or medicine is prescribed, alert your doctor to all the pills you are already taking to avoid toxic or self-defeating combinations.
• When reporting your diet and medication, mention all supplements and any fortified foods (such as cereals, juices or milk) to make sure your doctor gets the whole picture. However, don’t stop taking one without checking either.
Get your daily dose
Vitamin A
Liver, full-fat dairy products, spinach, broccoli, tomato juice, peppers,
mangoes, dried apricots, carrots, sweet potatoes and pumpkins.
Vitamin D
Oily fish (salmon, sardines, tuna, mackerel, trout), dairy products and eggs. Also exposure to sunlight.
Vitamin E
Broccoli, nuts, soya beans, spinach and eggs.
Vitamin C
Citrus fruits and juices, kiwi fruit, strawberries, blueberries, tomatoes
and peppers.
Vitamin B complex
Vitamin B1: Whole grains, flour and bread and green leafy vegetables