Vitamins & supplements: what you should know

Over half of adults in the U.S. report using vitamins and dietary supplements.

Among the most commonly used are multivitamin/multimineral products, calcium, the B vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin D, and fish oil.

People most commonly report that they use vitamins and supplements to "improve" or "maintain" overall health. Women often use calcium products for bone health; men are more likely to use supplements for "heart health or to lower cholesterol."

What else should you know? Here's some information to help you make more informed decisions about vitamins and supplements.

Vitamins and minerals are essential to proper health.

Vitamins help regulate many processes in your body, including energy production and blood clotting. Minerals like calcium and iron are just as important and serve many different roles in the body, including bone growth.

Your body needs vitamin D and calcium for stronger bones.

Healthy bones need calcium; and vitamin D is needed for calcium absorption.

Most Americans are getting enough vitamin D and calcium through diet and, in the case of vitamin D, through sunshine as well. However, some people—such as teenage girls, the elderly, and people with dark skin pigmentation—may not be getting enough calcium and/or vitamin D, and should increase their intake of foods rich in these nutrients and possibly take a supplement.

There are several different calcium compounds from which to choose, such as calcium carbonate and calcium citrate. According to the US National Institutes of Health, calcium supplements are better absorbed when taken in small doses (500 mg or less) several times throughout the day. For many people, calcium supplements are better absorbed when taken with food. Keep in mind also that getting too much calcium from dietary supplements has been associated with kidney stones, while excessive vitamin D can damage the kidneys and heart.

Omega-3 supplements

Omega-3 fatty acids may offer some benefits for preventing cardiovascular disease. Most people can get enough omega-3 in their diet by eating a meal of fatty fish, such as salmon, mackerel, herring, lake trout, sardines and albacore tuna, at least twice a week.

Since many people do not follow this recommendation, supplements are commonly used. The widely held belief that fish oil supplements help prevent deaths from heart disease is not necessarily supported by research. But nevertheless, according to the American Heart Association, people who have coronary artery disease or high triglycerides should talk to their doctor or pharmacist about the omega 3 fatty acids called EPA and DHA (eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids).

Should you take a multivitamin/multimineral product?

If you're like me, think of a multivitamin/multimineral product as an "insurance policy" for eating a less-than-healthy, balanced diet. However, the best way to get needed nutrients is through a proper diet—and most adults can meet their vitamin and mineral needs by eating properly.

Older adults who may have a reduced appetite or can't absorb certain nutrients well, however, may benefit from taking multivitamin/multimineral products. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends that a vitamin/mineral supplement may be needed when:

• You are on a restrictive diet: eating less than 1,600 calories per day
• You are an older adult (50+)
• You are a vegetarian or vegan
• You are pregnant or a woman of child-bearing age
• You have a medical condition that limits your food choices

Read the label and ask questions.

Be well, stay well ˜

Andy Stergachis, Ph.D., R.Ph. is the Director of the Global Medicines Program at the University of Washington in Seattle and a subject expert on public health and pharmacy-related topics.