Toxic effects of vitamin supplements
A balanced diet is your best source for essential vitamins and minerals
Many people believe that taking vitamin supplements daily will keep them healthy and provide them with strength. Many believe the more the better. Often, some people ask doctors to prescribe vitamin in addition to other medicine for weakness and to become fit. But evidence shows taking extra doses of vitamins can do more harm than good. Experts opined that vitamins are only needed when there is clear indication of deficiencies. In fact, everyone needs vitamins, which are essential nutrients that the body cannot produce on its own. But in the past few years, several high-quality studies have failed to show that high doses of vitamins, at least in pill form, help prevent chronic disease or prolong life. The Iowa Women's Health Study published in Archives of Internal Medicine has shown that use of multivitamins, vitamin B6, folic acid, Iron, Magnesium, Zinc and Copper were all associated with increased risk of death. The findings translate to a 2.4 percent increase in absolute risk for multivitamin users, a 4 percent increase associated with vitamin B6, a 5.9 percent increase for folic acid, and increases of 3 to 4 percent in risk for those taking supplements of iron, folic acid, Magnesium and Zinc. Another study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association regarding vitamin E and Selenium use found that the vitamin users had a slightly higher risk of developing prostate cancer. In 2007, The Journal of the American Medical Association reviewed mortality rates in randomised trials of antioxidant supplements. In 47 trials, the rate of dying was 5 percent higher among the antioxidant users. The main culprits were vitamin A, beta carotene and vitamin E; vitamin C and Selenium seemed to have no meaningful effect. There really is not any compelling evidence that taking these dietary supplements above and beyond a normal dietary intake is helpful in any way, and this is evidence that it could be harmful. A balanced diet is your best source for essential vitamins and minerals. Only when you suffer from a condition that causes vitamin or mineral deficiency, supplements can be helpful in maintaining good health. Those who are taking or planing to take any kind of supplements should check with their doctors before stopping or starting their medications.
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