Sondra Forsberg Wilson WR 122 Mini Research Paper

Vitamin and Mineral Supplements One day I noticed a funny green bottle sitting on my kitchen table. I didnt think anything of it until my mom asked my sisters if they wanted the vitamin C. Remembering back to nutrition the day before when we talked about vitamin C and supplements and all that good stuff, I was curious. So I asked my mom if I could see the bottle. She gave me a funny look before handing me the bottle. The first thing I noticed was the milligrams: 500 mg. I figured it was a little much but I could remember the exactly RDA off the top of my head so I rolled the bottle and looked at the RDA %. I just about dropped it. 833%!! Even with my little bit of knowledge I know thats a little excessive. When I asked my mom why they were taking it she said, Taking lots of vitamin C helps get rid of and prevent colds. I really thought that was weird especially when we had orange juice for breakfast and wouldnt that serve the same purpose as the supplement only better? That experience with my own family is what led my search when looking into vitamin and mineral supplements, along with a few other questions. Why do people take vitamin and mineral supplements? What are the dangers of using them? And when is supplement use recommended?

Why Supplements?
There are many reasons why a person might take a supplement. Not all of them good. One main reason is because they think or know they are deficient, not dangerously deficient yet, and rather than eating good foods that contain the needed vitamins or minerals they use

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supplements partial because it seems easier and a better way to insure that one is getting needed vitamins and minerals. And that is another common reason for supplement use: insurance. Many people with take supplements or multivitamins to insure that they get their needed vitamins and minerals and can just eat whatever whenever and not worry about eating healthy. But this isnt a good tactic. By doing this one can miss out on some very important nutrients that only come from food. Also some think that by taking vitamin and mineral supplements they are decreasing their risks of illness, disease, and certain cancers. Prevention is another big reason for supplement use.

Dangers
Completely Unregulated So you go to the grocery store and up pick out a vitamin C supplement. You read the label and look at the price. You then notice different brand of vitamin C supplement right next to the one you chose. Just out of curiosity you pick it up and look at the label and the price. The labels SAY they are the same thing yet the first one you picked up is priced much higher than the second. This is one of the dangers of vitamin and mineral supplements. There is not set regulation on supplements prices. So the same supplement can cost virtually anything.
If a pharmaceutical product is to be sold in this country, the company that wishes to sell it must show that the product is both safe and effective for its intended purpose at the intended level of intake. Safe does not mean completely safe for everyone under all possible circumstances, however. Drugs have negative side effects that must be disclosed so that physicians can evaluate whether a particular drug is appropriate for a given patient. Much research and testing is performed to define and establish such guidelines. (Kava 1).

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There are no such requirements for vitamin and mineral supplements, so there is no way to know if they are safe or effective for the purpose they are being bought for. Toxicity Supplement users are more likely to have excessive intakes of certain nutrients. Consumers may try to increase vitamins beneficial effects by taking more. In some cases this can be very dangerous and life threatening. For example high doses of vitamin A taken over long periods of time can cause liver damage and birth defects in pregnant women. High doses of Zinc or Iron effects the transportation of the other in the body. High levels of vitamin C taken to help prevent heart attacks can actually increase the risk. In other situations it is not known if taking more even does anything. An example being vitamin K where there are no known toxicity diseases. False Sense of Security Another danger of supplement us is the feeling of sense of security. Someone who takes vitamins and/or minerals may thing they have fulfilled all dietary requirements and may ignore other important dietary advice. A person might eat irresponsibly, thinking, My supplement will cover my needs. Or, experiencing a warning symptom of a disease, a person might postpone seeking a diagnosis, thinking, I probably just need a supplement to make this go away. (Whitney and Rolfes 349). This self-diagnosis can be dangerous. It could allow a disease to progress too far to be treated effectively. Supplement reliance may cause consumers to miss out on important nutrients as well as non-nutrient components, like fiber, that add to good health.

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When Supplements are Recommended

Calcium: People who are lactose intolerant or do not take in enough dairy products could very much benefit from a calcium supplement. Women especially if they want to insure good bone density and decrease the risk of osteoporosis. Vitamin D: For those who dont consume enough dairy products, limited or no exposure to sunlight, or have heavily pigmented skin a vitamin D supplement is recommended. Folic Acid: Pregnant and lactating women have greater nutrient needs than other women, so they are usually prescribed a supplement that provides recommended allowances. Among their needed nutrients is folic acid which is important preceding and during the first few weeks of pregnancy to help protect the fetus against spina bifida. (Webb 2). Multivitamin and mineral: Dr. Jeffery Blumberg, a nutrition scientist at Tufts University, believes most people could benefit from taking a multivitamin and mineral supplement daily as a form of nutrition insurance, since most of us dont obtain all the nutrients we need from food. (Webb 2). Although we can all benefit from it, it is not a necessity. We can get all the nutrients we need by eating a variety of nutrient-dense foods.

Better Options
Supplements seem like a good idea to most people and in some cases they are a good option if you cant get the nutrients from food. Your first choice should always be food. When taking supplements a person can miss out on some very important nutrients, as well as nonnutrients, that dont come in supplements. An excellent option for better nutrition without supplements is fruits, vegetables, and a variety of nutrient-dense foods. Any person has the right to use vitamin and mineral supplements should he/she choose to do so. They are only truly harmful when taken excessively. Or if they are used as the only form

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of nutrient intake. If a person takes supplements they should be sure to try and eat healthy as well, but be sure not to intake too much on any vitamin or mineral for this can be harmful. Research and become learned before self-prescribing supplements. And remember there is nothing better than natural nutrients, the kind from fresh fruits and vegetables, and nutrient dense foods.

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Works Cited Acreman, Sue. "Supplemental Damage: Vitamin Supplements Taken in Excess Can Be Bad for Your Health." Cancer Nursing Practice 7.4 (2008): 8. General OneFile. Web. 26 Nov. 2011. Outlines the relationship between mortality and supplements. Reports that excess supplements can be harmful to the body. Summarizes a report that analyzes the effects of combined single vitamin use. Dupler, Douglas. "Nutritional Supplements." The Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine. 4th ed. Vol. 4. Detroit: Gale, 2011. 3108-112. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 27 Nov. 2011. Focuses on the basics and defining of nutritional supplements. Explains vitamins, minerals, and herbs and how the body needs them. Illustrates when some supplements are excepted and recommended. Emphasizes major precautions of supplements. Kava, Ruth. "The Benefits of Vitamin Supplements Are Unproven." Health 2004. Opposing Viewpoints. Ed. Auriana Ojeda. San Diego: Greenhaven, 2004. Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 24 Nov. 2011. Focuses on the the benefits of vitamin supplements that are believed, but not proven. Argues the dangers of supplements from mass doses to toxicity to false sense of security. Analyzes supplement use in relation to the Dietary Guidelines and RDA. Whitney, Eleanor Noss., and Sharon Rady. Rolfes. "Vitamin and Mineral Supplements." Understanding Nutrition. 12th ed. Australia: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning, 2011.

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346-52. Print. Focuses on the uses, good and bad, of supplements. Argues some dangers of taking supplements, especially when self-prescribed. Acknowledges that there are time when supplement use is recommended. Yeatman, Heather. "Taking Supplements: Dilemmas for Nutrition Practice and Policy." Nutrition & Dietetics: The Journal of the Dietitians Association of Australia 62.4 (2005): 120. General OneFile. Web. 27 Nov. 2011.