Vitamins
posted on August 4th, 2009 - Filed in Uncategorized - No comments »Taking vitamins is probably a good thing. But if you’re taking vitamins over and above a multivitamin, you could be getting too much of a good thing.
Here’s the story.
Jennifer Foley takes a multivitamin every day.
“I usually take a multivitamin for women so it has all the calcium and stuff in it because my diet is not always as good as it should be.”
And Registered Dietitian Andrea Holwegner says that’s a good idea.
“A basic multivitamin appropriate for your age will give just that little add on each day to make sure you get what you need.”
But Holwegner wants to stress, food is still the best way to get your nutrition.
“A supplement is just a supplement and it’s never going to replace eating balanced foods.”
However, Holwegner says about 50 percent of people are still not getting enough calcium. And that, “puts you at risk for osteoporosis, it could also increase your blood pressure with age, and could also put you at risk for colon cancer.”
Vitamin D is another one worth taking that will help you absorb that calcium by double. It can also be good for the prevention of MS, or rheumatoid arthritis, even some cancers.
And it’s very hard to get too much of a vitamin just from food. But let’s say you take something over and above your multivitamin that’s when you could run into trouble.
Holwegner says, “If you’re taking too much vitamin A, that can be damaging for your liver.”
Even calcium and vitamin C can be too much in high doses.
“If you’re getting too much calcium or vitamin C, that can increase your risk of kidney stones,” explains Holwegner.
It’s also common for people to take extra supplements of the vitamin B complex. but, says Holwegner, “taking too much of vitamin B6 specifically, can increase sensory neuropathy, which is a tingling sensation in your limbs.”
So, bottom line?
“If you’re going to be taking anything more single supplement based, it’s best to talk to your doctor, dietitian or pharmacist about whether those would be appropriate
for you,” says Holwegner.
For now, Foley is happy with her multivitamin.
“I figure it can’t hurt,” she says.
It can’t. And it will probably help.
For more information – visit Andrea’s Holwegner’s website – she has some good information on vitamins.
http://www.healthstandnutrition.com/resources/articles/herbs-vitamins-minerals/food-supplement.html