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This unbiased, interactive authority on herbs, vitamins,
minerals, and other food supplements tells you what's
proven to work - and what's not.
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Table
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Table
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To work properly, our bodies need small amounts of
vitamins and minerals. However, in general, our bodies
do not make vitamins or minerals. This means they need
to come from the food we eat or as a supplement (e.g.,
a pill). A deficiency (not having enough) of a vitamin
or mineral can lead to illness. More and more research
studies on vitamins and minerals over the past decade
have suggested that a daily supplement may be appropriate
for some people. Supplements may help treat or prevent
medical conditions and may help keep you in good health.
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Today’s emphasis is on health, wellness and prevention
of medical conditions where possible. In fact, the number
one reason why many people choose to use natural health
products (NHPs) such as vitamins or minerals is to help
prevent illness or disease. A few common examples are
provided in the table below:
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Vitamins and minerals may be taken to help manage
medical conditions. When they are used for this purpose,
they may have to be taken in higher-than-normal amounts
(called a therapeutic dose). However, some people should
not take large amounts of some vitamins or minerals.
Before choosing to use a vitamin or mineral to treat
a condition, be sure to consult your pharmacist or doctor.
Here are two examples of taking vitamins and minerals
to help treat a specific medical condition:
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In some cases, taking a medication for a long time
can lead to nutrient deficiencies (not having enough
vitamins or minerals in the body). For example, using
birth control pills may decrease folic acid levels.
Tables 1 and 2 list examples of medications that may
lead to nutrient deficiencies.
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The body usually gets all the vitamins and minerals
it
needs from a well-balanced diet. However, it may help
at
times to take a daily multivitamin or nutritional
supplement. People who may need supplements include:
• people who do not drink milk or eat other
dairy products (they may not get enough calcium,
magnesium and vitamin D)
• vegetarians (because they don’t eat meat,
they may be deficient in a number of vitamins and minerals)
• women who are pregnant (they have greater nutrient
requirements and also need extra folic acid)
• people over 50 years of age (they often have
higher daily requirements of many nutrients)
• some people who are taking medications for long
periods of time (their medication may cause them to
deficient in certain vitamins and minerals)
Tables 1 and 2 list the required daily amounts of most
common vitamins and minerals and give examples
of foods that contain them.
If you are taking any medications (either prescription
or non-prescription), or want to take vitamins or minerals
to treat or prevent a condition, consult your pharmacist.
Ask your pharmacist to help you decide if you need vitamin
mineral supplements and, if so, which ones to take.
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