Prescription Vitamins & Minerals

Vitamins and minerals are vital nutrients for sustaining health and preventing disease. In certain medical situations, physicians may prescribe vitamins and minerals to treat an illness or condition. Unless told otherwise, you should eat a balanced diet of nutrient-dense foods and beverages and avoid processed foods to improve your health and reduce your risk of disease, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Dietary Guidelines. Consult your doctor about the benefits of prescription vitamins and minerals.

Niacin

Niacin is a form of vitamin B3 available in prescription strengths of 500 mg and higher for treatment of high cholesterol. Physicians may prescribe niacin in conjunction with statins and other cholesterol-lowering medications. Niacin increases your HDL cholesterol, the good cholesterol, by 15 percent to 35 percent. Low HDL levels are a risk factor for heart disease; HDL cholesterol removes LDL cholesterol, the bad cholesterol, from your bloodstream. Side effects of niacin, particularly at 1,000 mg and higher, include skin flushing that can cause your face to turn red and warm to the touch, headache, stomachache, liver damage and increased blood sugar.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin you need to build and maintain strong bones. A deficiency of vitamin D is associated with osteomalacia, an end-stage bone disease characterized by softening of the bones and increased risk of fractures from falling. Research by scientists at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit and published in "Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinics of North America" in June 2010 reports treatment of osteomalacia involves aggressive use of vitamin D. Taking 700 to 1,000 mg of vitamin D can reduce the risk of falling in elderly patients by 19 percent, whereas lower dosages may not reduce the risk, according to research by scientists at the University of Zurich in Switzerland published in the "British Medical Journal" in 2009.

Potassium

Potassium is a mineral you need to regulate water balance and blood pressure and for proper functioning of your heart and prevention of kidney stones. Your doctor might prescribe potassium citrate to treat renal tubular acidosis, a condition that can cause kidney stones. Potassium citrate helps restore chemicals in your urine that prevent crystals from forming and decreases the formation of calcium oxalate and uric acid that produce kidney stones.

Iron

Iron is a mineral part of hemoglobin, the substance in red blood cells that transports oxygen from your lungs to your cells throughout your body. Physicians prescribe iron to patients with anemia, a condition characterized by a lack of red blood cells associated with an iron deficiency. Research by scientists at Boston Medical Center in Massachusetts published in the "American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy" in May 2011 reports that intravenous iron treatment in cancer patients with iron deficiency anemia can improve patient responses to medications used to treat cancer and may also reduce the need for transfusions and improve quality of life.