Vitamins and Supplements Are Not Shown to Help Your Health

A lot of vitamins are sold these days. They come in all forms--pills, capsules, packets of pills and supplement drinks. We now have more and more good research that says they are pretty much worthless. We know that vitamins are good for you, but the research is now clear that getting your vitamins from food and not supplements is the key.

For instance, one study looked at the role of Vitamin C in inflammation. The study evaluated whether eating fruits and vegetables that are high in Vitamin C would have an effect on inflammatory markers in the blood (AJCN: 83;567-574). In looking at about 3,200 men between the ages of 60 and 79, researchers found lower levels of the chemicals that cause inflammation in men who had higher intakes of Vitamin C from fruits. Vitamin C intake from vegetables showed only reduced blood clotting factors. Similar studies using vitamins in pill form have not shown comparable results.

In one very well-designed study in Scotland, researchers used a supplement containing 11 vitamins and 5 minerals. Over 900 men and women 65 or older were given either the test supplement or a placebo daily for a year. The participants' mental status was assessed at the beginning and the end of the study, using two standard tests. The researchers found no difference between the two groups. (People over 75 and those who were already nutritionally deficient did show a slight positive effect, but not one that was statistically significant.)

In a meta-analysis of 11 studies, researchers attempted to determine if taking supplements of antioxidants and B vitamins had any effect on the progression of heart disease. The researchers looked at the amount of plaque that was lining the arteries of the study subjects, then mandated that they receive no supplements, antioxidants or B vitamins. The results showed no evidence that taking vitamins in pill form had any effect on heart disease. In fact, six of the studies suggested that antioxidants might actually make the progression of atherosclerosis worse. Even more worrisome, the vitamins seemed to reduce the positive effects of common atherosclerosis medications.

One of the most comprehensive studies recently examined the role of Vitamin E and selenium in the prevention of prostate cancer. The SELECT trail looked at a variety of combinations of these two supplements, and found that, whether taken alone or in combination, neither had any effect on the prevention of prostate cancer. Similarly, a major review by the respected Cochrane group found that supplements had no effect on a variety of diseases, including ones that were gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, neurological, ocular, dermatological, rheumatoid, renal or endocrinological.

The National Institutes of Health studied Vitamin C in healthy adults and concluded that the current RDA of 60mg may not be adequate for most adults. RDAs were originally set to prevent vitamin deficiencies, and scientists are rethinking those guidelines (JAMA 1999; 281: 1415 - 1423). The new recommendation from this study is that 100 to 200mg daily will best meet most adult needs. On the other hand, consuming more than 1,000mg daily was found to be detrimental. This study was conducted using foods that were high in Vitamin C, and did not use vitamin supplements.

You can meet these new RDAs by eating five servings of fruits or vegetables per day. It's probably a good idea to add a couple of servings to that list, especially if you're highly active, overly stressed or experiencing a growth period.


Timothy S. Harlan, M.D., a.k.a Dr. Gourmet
LiveStrong Advisory Board Member

Drgourmet.com