Vitamin Supplements: Yay or Nay?
A lot of people get caught up in fads to stay in shape, be healthy and feel good. Vitamin supplements have been popular for quite some time. Surprisingly enough, vitamin supplements can have some downsides. Vitamin supplements have their pros and cons, and it is up to the consumer to decide if they need them. Are they really worth the money?
It’s Simple, Really
All you need is a well-balanced diet that fills in all of the check boxes for vitamins we need to stay healthy. Some vitamins can be more difficult to get as much as you need, such as Calcium, and that might be good to take a supplement for. Many essentials such as Vitamin C, the B vitamins, Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Iron and Omega 3 can all be obtained through a balanced, healthy diet. It is sad that many of us do not get enough vitamins in our diet from what our earth naturally provides and have to rely on something that is man-made and manufactured to get what we need.
Education
Most of this gap in our nutrients can be filled by education about what is needed in a diet. It is more important than figuring out what vitamin supplements you can pop to fill up all your daily values. Looking at a food pyramid, or now the “nutrition plate” (ChooseMyPlate.gov) is easy to follow if you have dedication. If you are not eating healthy and you are relying on supplements to be “healthy” that is not a sound approach. Getting exercise and eating fruits, vegetables, meat and cheese can be enough. Like it has always been said, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.”
Wasted Money
The cheapest multivitamin supplement bottle you can find to purchase online (from major retailers) is usually around three to four dollars. The most expensive can be anywhere from 25 dollars to 35 dollars, and even more exorbitant at times. That is fairly expensive if you think about what it is: a bottle with some pills in it to provide things you might already be fulfilling within your diet. You could instead go to your local grocery store and pay for a stalk of broccoli, a bundle of bananas or a pound of kale among many other healthful foods.
Dangerous Side
Sometimes Americans are known to overdo exercise and supplement intake to be as healthy as they can be. But are they? Vitamins sometimes do not help fend off disease; supplements can cause disease, too. It sounds wrong, but it is true. Taking too much can especially not help, because some vitamin supplements, in high dosages, are unhealthy. Megadoses of many of the major vitamins such as Vitamin C, Vitamin A and Vitamin B6 can cause serious health issues. Vitamin supplements overall have been found to not help live healthier lives, but rather may raise risk of death!
Be Cautious
The overall lesson here is to always think through something before you take it, no matter what it is. It could be a supplement that seems harmless, but you may already be getting enough of it in your diet. If you are overdoing anything, just like it sounds, it does have a negative connotation. You can always speak to a medical professional to make yourself feel comfortable.
You may not like some of the popular healthy foods that provide vitamins, but remember that alternatives can always be found. You do not always have to turn to a supplement to get what you need. Supplements can be great, but inform yourself about what supplements are actually needed in our diets. The number of vitamin supplements that are out there that are necessary is much lower than the number of vitamin supplements that are not necessary. Vitamin supplements may make you feel better about your health, but in actuality all you need to feel good about your health is diet and exercise. Obtaining a high quality of diet and vigorous exercise can seem far off, difficult and time consuming, but in the long run it will pay off. Set your mind to it and you can accomplish a healthy lifestyle!
Sources
http://www.forbes.com/sites/stevensalzberg/2013/10/07/the-top-five-vitamins-you-should-not-take/
http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/12/17/251955878/the-case-against-multivitamins-grows-stronger
http://www.choosemyplate.gov/
This article was composed by Taylor Thomas. Taylor is current enrolled at Rollins College and is studying nutrition. Besides studying about her passion, Taylor also likes to write and research information regarding living a healthy life. She has been writing content for Rejuve Health Clinics an Orlando based testosterone therapy clinic. You can read more of Taylor’s work on Google+.
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