We Live In an Era of Vita-Mania That is Increasing Our Risk of Death
Sandy Powers
March 29, 2009
We Live In an Era Of Vita-Mania That Is Increasing Our Risk Of Death
Vita-Mania is an obsession Americans have with vitamin and mineral supplements. Current estimates in a National Health Survey conducted by the CDC (Center Of Disease Control and Prevention), more than 70% of Americans now regularly take vitamin and mineral supplements. Believe me, our waterways are not only being polluted with prescription drugs. And these Americans, according to the Nutrition Business Journal, spend around $24 billion annually on these supplements. Most of these supplements are manufactured in China with little, if any, quality control and, thanks to the Dietary Supplement Act passed in the 1990´s, supplements are not regulated. Supplements may be contaminated with lead or heavy metals as in calcium from oyster shell.
Are they doing any good? A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggests that daily vitamin and mineral supplements taken by Americans could be increasing their risk of death: Vitamin A by 16%, Vitamin E by 4%, Beta carotene by 7%. Beta carotene supplements may actually increase your risk of lung cancer, even if you don´t smoke. In a study in the Annuals of Internal Medicine, researchers suggested "sellers should consider removing vitamin preparations that contain 400 IU or more of Vitamin E from stores."
Vitamin C, the most important antioxidant of them all, is not always safe as a supplement. According to researchers at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, large doses of Vitamin C, like in supplements, also protect the cancer cells inside our cells. Vitamin C taken in food sources does not.
Synthetic vitamins are not the only supplements that are causing concern in the scientific community. The British Journal of Nutrition published new research that synthetic folic acid is metabolized differently than the natural form in food. Natural folate is broken down in the stomach while synthetic folic acid is broken down in the liver. The problem is that the already overtaxed liver may release undigested folic acid into the blood stream causing excessive levels in the blood. Excessive folic acid levels have been linked to breast cancer and brain decline. Natural folate in food does not cause this potential problem.
What about supplements of Vitamin D and Fish Oils? We´ve been reading a lot about those two. All studies recommend the best and safest way to get your adequate intake of these nutrients is through food. For Vitamin D, go out into sunlight 15 minutes a day. Drink fortified milk, eat fish like salmon and tuna and you´ll get both Vitamin D and fish oil. Eat eggs. They are good for you, again. There are risks from excessive Vitamin D taken in supplement form. Besides causing nausea, vomiting and weakness, excessive levels of Vitamin D can raise blood of calcium, causing mental confusion and heart rhythm abnormalities.
The excuse "I don´t always eat right so I have to take vitamins" is not valid. You eat, so when you eat, eat right. Get healthy, save money, eat a balanced diet. Besides feeling better, you may just increase your life expectancy.
Vita-Mania is an obsession Americans have with vitamin and mineral supplements. Current estimates in a National Health Survey conducted by the CDC (Center Of Disease Control and Prevention), more than 70% of Americans now regularly take vitamin and mineral supplements. Believe me, our waterways are not only being polluted with prescription drugs. And these Americans, according to the Nutrition Business Journal, spend around $24 billion annually on these supplements. Most of these supplements are manufactured in China with little, if any, quality control and, thanks to the Dietary Supplement Act passed in the 1990´s, supplements are not regulated. Supplements may be contaminated with lead or heavy metals as in calcium from oyster shell.
Are they doing any good? A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggests that daily vitamin and mineral supplements taken by Americans could be increasing their risk of death: Vitamin A by 16%, Vitamin E by 4%, Beta carotene by 7%. Beta carotene supplements may actually increase your risk of lung cancer, even if you don´t smoke. In a study in the Annuals of Internal Medicine, researchers suggested "sellers should consider removing vitamin preparations that contain 400 IU or more of Vitamin E from stores."
Vitamin C, the most important antioxidant of them all, is not always safe as a supplement. According to researchers at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, large doses of Vitamin C, like in supplements, also protect the cancer cells inside our cells. Vitamin C taken in food sources does not.
Synthetic vitamins are not the only supplements that are causing concern in the scientific community. The British Journal of Nutrition published new research that synthetic folic acid is metabolized differently than the natural form in food. Natural folate is broken down in the stomach while synthetic folic acid is broken down in the liver. The problem is that the already overtaxed liver may release undigested folic acid into the blood stream causing excessive levels in the blood. Excessive folic acid levels have been linked to breast cancer and brain decline. Natural folate in food does not cause this potential problem.
What about supplements of Vitamin D and Fish Oils? We´ve been reading a lot about those two. All studies recommend the best and safest way to get your adequate intake of these nutrients is through food. For Vitamin D, go out into sunlight 15 minutes a day. Drink fortified milk, eat fish like salmon and tuna and you´ll get both Vitamin D and fish oil. Eat eggs. They are good for you, again. There are risks from excessive Vitamin D taken in supplement form. Besides causing nausea, vomiting and weakness, excessive levels of Vitamin D can raise blood of calcium, causing mental confusion and heart rhythm abnormalities.
The excuse "I don´t always eat right so I have to take vitamins" is not valid. You eat, so when you eat, eat right. Get healthy, save money, eat a balanced diet. Besides feeling better, you may just increase your life expectancy.
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