Multivitamins could be useless

My physician surprised me some years ago with the warning to stop taking vitamin and mineral supplements since they are dangerous. Her pet peeve was the routine use of iron and other supplements by Jamaicans.

She was fine with my omega-3 fish oil supplements in which I'm a believer, but against my consuming all others for the sake of topping up my nutrients. It was food for thought. But, recently, there have been some articles which were unfavourable about supplementation, including two very recent reports.

The British Daily Mail newspaper of December 2011 in their report on two pieces of research, one published in the International Journal of Epidemiology, suggested that the pills do nothing for our health. One study found that women on a daily multivitamin pill increased their risk of breast cancer by up to 20 per cent.

In another study reported therein, more than 8,000 volunteers were tracked for six years, taking either a dummy pill (placebo) or one with vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium, zinc and beta-carotene. When they compared the two groups regarding development of serious illness (including heart disease, cancer, pain, mental problems), there was little difference.

Trash the vitamins

A 2011 review of existing research titled, 'Trash the Vitamins: Convince Your Patients', published in Archives of Internal Medicine, suggested dietary supplements can actually promote a higher risk for death. A Cochrane Collaboration review of nearly 250,000 participants found no evidence to recommend antioxidant supplementation for prevention of mortality.

One trial concluded that beta-carotene supplements increased the risk for lung cancer among male smokers.

All of the above do not constitute what the experts call 'evidence', mainly because of different weaknesses in each study. However, the National Institute of Health in the US concluded some years ago that there are some proven disease-preventing supplements such as calcium and vitamin D which protect the bones in postmenopausal women and folic acid which prevents some birth defects in childbearing women.

Take-home messages

While nutritional supplements have become a staple in our diet and have their place in improving health, they are not for everyone and can cause more harm than good.

Consult a medical doctor or nutritionist who can determine your specific nutritional, individual needs based on your current health, lifestyle and medication profile before embarking on nutritional supplementation.

We cannot compensate for poor dietary habits, negative thinking and lack of exercise by taking tablets.

Long term, we should take time to practise positive thinking, exercise regularly and consume a healthy diet.

Dr Dahlia McDaniel is a pharmacist with a doctorate in public health; email:yourhealth@gleanerjm.com.