Get vitamins from food first
Ever wandered down the vitamin aisle at your grocery store looking for a supplement, only to be left confused by the overwhelming array of pills on offer? You're not alone. As supplements become increasingly popular in our health-obsessed culture, more and more people are incorporating vitamins into their daily diets.
But before you pick up a bottle of multivitamins, or start taking vitamin B pills because you're feeling tired, there are some important factors to consider. Here, Nanci S. Guest, a Toronto-based registered dietitian and the head sport nutrition consultant for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, sets the record straight on how to safely take vitamin supplements.
Seek vitamins from food first
Guest is quick to point out that most people with a good diet don't actually need to take supplements at all. Ideally, Guest would prefer all her clients to get their daily vitamin and mineral intake from food. After all, she says, "there are many other nutrients in food that aren't contained in vitamin supplements." But if your doctor or dietitian has recommended you take a supplement, there are some things to consider.
A fine balance
More isn't always better when it comes to vitamin supplements, explains Guest. For instance, getting too much vitamin A can cause liver damage, while too much vitamin B6 can cause nerve damage and an excess of vitamin C has been linked to kidney stones and diarrhea.
"We actually don't need a lot of vitamin C on a daily basis," says Guest. "If you have two pieces of fruit, that's all the vitamin C you need for the day."
She also points out that vitamins in isolation, except for vitamin D and calcium, can throw off the balance of other nutrients in your body. "For example, if you take too much zinc, it can block the absorption of other minerals like copper," says Guest.
All this is to say that although they're natural, vitamin and mineral supplements can in fact have adverse effects. So it's best to consult a doctor or physician before taking any.
Because supplements aren't regulated, there's no guarantee that what is advertised on the package is actually in the capsules inside. To be safe, Guest advises only buying products with a Canadian Drug Identification Number (DIN). This is assurance from the company that the information on their label is indeed accurate and that it has been approved by Health Canada.
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