Do Vitamins and Supplements Actually Work?

At some point in your life you’ve probably seen advertisements for vitamins and supplements that swear to improve just about anything involving your health. There are ones that promise weight loss in just one week, others that swear to help immediately with immune health, and others that are meant to make hair and nails stronger. But do any of these vitamins actually work? In stores, there is a whole aisle dedicated to these little jars of vitamins and supplements and cost quite a bit actually. When you buy these do you ever ask yourself if what you’re paying for these are actually worth it? If this is you, then we were right there with you until found out the truth about them. Do vitamins and supplements help? In reading through Harvard’s health publishing paper, we were able to find the answer. Read below to find out the truth about whether or not vitamins and supplements actually work. 

Vitamins

First, we’re going to separate the two. And first up we’re going to be talking about vitamins. We have our essential nutrients that we need to consume on a daily basis that we get primarily through eating. But, many of our foods lack these essential nutrients so we have to look elsewhere in order to get the nutrients and vitamins that we need in our system. The Harvard paper writes that the average American diet typically lacks these nutrients, that’s why some, especially fitness gurus seek them through vitamins and supplements. For those who are recommended from their doctor to take a certain vitamin on a daily basis because their levels for that specific vitamin are low, then by all means this is necessary and you should follow the advice from your doctor. Otherwise, if you are looking to prevent sickness and keep up all your vitamins to a healthy level, the Harvard paper actually advises you to seek these vitamins through food as it is a better way to receive them over vitamins and supplements. If you are concerned about your diet and if you’re missing these key nutrients, then perhaps you should speak with your doctor or do some research into how you can create a well-rounded meal plan to ensure that you are getting enough vitamins and nutrients into your body. They also recommend obtaining these essential vitamins through food as some may try to exceed the suggested serving size for vitamins, especially if they are tasty gummies, because it can cause side effects that would do more harm than good. If you do take vitamins, stick to the serving size per day to avoid these possible side effects: nausea, diarrhea, stomach pain, vomiting, heartburn, and fatigue. We know those Flintstone vitamins gummies taste like fruit snacks, but only take what is recommended to avoid any possible side effect from occurring. 

What Foods To Eat To Get Those Nutrients

Thankfully, the Harvard paper provided foods to eat that are rich in certain nutrients that you should eat more of if. you’d like or need to get more of. 

Calcium: milk, yogurt, and tofu 

Folic Acid: cereal, spinach, and lentils

Iron: oysters, chicken liver, turkey 

Omega-3 fatty acids: salmon, flaxseed, walnuts, and soybeans

Vitamin A: sweet potato, spinach, carrots, cantaloupe, and tomatoes

Vitamin B6: chickpeas, salmon, and chicken breast

Vitamin B12: clams, trout, and cereal

Vitamin D:  salmon, tuna, yogurt, and milk

Vitamin E: almonds, sunflower seeds, and peanut butter

The Verdict

As far as vitamins, if you’re looking to increase certain vitamins and nutrients, then you should first incorporate some of these foods into your diet to see results. We all should take the time to look after ourselves and our health, and one of the best ways to do that is by eating right. If your doctor does recommend taking a vitamin pill, do so. Doctors know best!

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Supplements

Next up we’re going to be talking supplements. Vitamins are a subgroup of supplements, whereas supplements can include vitamins, as well as minerals and herbs. Supplements add nutritional value to your diet and can have the ability to decrease your chances of getting some diseases and illnesses. Many people became excited over this possibility as more research continues to come out that adding supplements to your diet has the possibility to prevent you from getting a certain disease. When incorporating a supplement into your diet you should know that the benefits you could reap are not promised or guaranteed. If you find poor results from taking a supplement it could be due to an external factor rather than the supplement itself. Your body can be affected by a multitude of things, so don’t go blaming the supplement before stepping back and taking a moment to think about the other possibilities first. 

There have been plenty of scientific studies done that involve looking into positive effects of adding supplements to your diet. If you do your own research, be weary that some studies might not take note of eternal factors affecting some of the results being found. As the Harvard paper mentions, those who take supplements tend to already be more health conscious. The possible benefits from a supplement are not to be done solely by themselves. Eating right, exercising more, and other lifestyle choices all work together with these supplements to create the effects that the supplement might bring a person. Keep this is mind when you’re looking to lead a healthier lifestyle, it’s going to take more effort than incorporating vitamins and supplements into your everyday routine. 

Unfortunately, there have been some mistrials when it comes to theories about which vitamins are supposed to help or prevent health conditions. The Harvard paper mentions that Vitamin E was thought to protect the heart, was later found to increase the risk of bleeding strokes. Folic acid and other B vitamins were though to prevent heart disease and stroker until it was found that it might actually increase the risk of cancer. 

The Verdict

When it comes to supplements, be weary about which ones you are taking. Consult with a doctor before incorporating some into your life in order to avoid possible side effects or taking too much and increasing the risk of disease. 

Have we answered your questions about vitamins and supplements actually working? It’s a yes and no. Eating a well-balanced diet should bring in the essential vitamins and nutrients your body needs. And other supplements should be taken into more consideration before adding to your diet.