Supplements are no farm industry: evaluated the third to near the middle Australians regularly take vitamins or minerals.
From the cuteness of the Kardashian-Jenner, vitamin gums in recent years have resulted in popularity among millennials and zoomers, who are more receptive to supplements in the form of “powders, liquids and gums“Older than age. Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop – no stranger.” questionable health trends – He sells his own line of such supplements.
In TikTok, impressions that multivitamin gum – sizzle – and more recently, vitamin patches like cutesy, happy stickers or thin line tattoos – the promise of glowing skin, happy hair, energy boosts and better sleep. But if true salvation is behind you, you are better off saving your pennies.
What do they say about multivitamins?
The average person can accept them intake is recommended Vitamins (those of plant or animal origin, such as vitamin C and vitamin B12) and minerals (elements such as iron, zinc and iodine) from food.
“Whoever is healthy and has access to a balanced diet, especially whole foods, generally does not need vitamin supplements,” says Barbara Mintzes., professor of evidence-based pharmaceutical policy at the University of Sydney.
“In almost all cases, people pay a lot of money for things that provide them with no benefit,” agrees Prof Nial Wheate, director of academic excellence and medical researcher at Macquarie University.
Multivitamins contain a variety of vitamins and minerals – experts often scoff at what they do very expensive urine. “A lot of vitamins are water-soluble. So when you saturate your body with stores, let’s get them out,” says Clare Collins, professor of nutrition and dietetics at the University of Newcastle.
While specific supplements are important for conditions associated with nutrient deficiencies (more on this later), for the general population multivitamins have little evidence of any health benefits.
Many meta-analyses, which come from analyzes of multiple studies, have found that multivitamins I do not improve heart healthReduce risk some cancers or I will do it to the people to live longer. An Australian meta-analysis trials in older adults found multivitamins had no difference in mortality risk.
Collins suspects multivitamins are so popular that they are considered an insurance policy of sorts. “I think what people know is they’re probably not eating as healthfully as they should.
“Unfortunately, you’re not necessarily getting everything.” [from multivitamins] like dietary fiber and other things … like phytonutrients, plant-based chemicals that occur naturally in a variety of foods.”
Some supplements can do more harm than good. Some fat-soluble vitamins, such as vitamin A, are stored in the liver and can accumulate to dangerous levels if consumed, although Collins says this is unlikely to happen with multivitamins. “The hurt tends to come with” [people] open only one and take megadoses of that”.
For supplements that look to have specific benefits – such as hair, skin and nail formulas – Dr Helen Macpherson, senior research fellow at Deakin University’s Institute of Physical Activity and Nutrition, advises caution on health insurance claims. “Often the ingredients are [in concentrations] as it is even lower to have any physiological benefit,” he said.
Vitamins marketed specifically for hair, skin and nails often contain biotin, a B vitamin found one review had “no effect on hair and nail growth in healthy individuals”. A US study of 176 products marketed as hair, skin and nail supplements they found, 255 contained distinct ingredients, including biotin in doses ranging between 100% and 33,333% of the recommended daily intake. They have US regulators often he announced that biotin can interfere with lab tests, giving false results for troponin, a biomarker used to diagnose heart attacks.
In Australia, most multivitamins are regulated by the Therapeutic Goods Administration as “listed” drugs, which have less strict rules than those classified as “registered” drugs, such as prescription drugs. “When someone starts a vitamin company, one has to prove that the regimen is safe. They do not prove to be works, says the wheat.
According to Wheat, vitamin supplements contain very low concentrations of the ingredients, and they do not work with any guarantee, because not all ingredients can be delivered through the skin. No vitamin supplements are currently listed on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods, meaning they cannot be properly supplied in Australia.
What about the gummies sold by Kourtney Kardashian that claim to support “vaginal health, freshness and smell”? “They do not add any health benefits for women”; one expert found but a deep civil friction.
What are good vitamin supplements?
In some cases, the benefits of taking supplements are clear. Vegans, for example, are at a higher risk of vitamin B12 deficiency because people only get the vitamin from animal sources – although Collins says it’s often added to plant-based milk products.
Iron supplements may be required to prevent or treat iron-deficiency anemia. Likewise, people at higher risk of osteoporosis, such as postmenopausal women, may be advised to supplement calcium and vitamin D intake.
Folate, iodine and vitamin D supplements are recommended for pregnant women because they are required for the fetus to develop normally. Vitamin D supplements may also be required for people with darker skin or who don’t get a lot of sun.
And for people with related macular degeneration, a combination of zinc and easy-to-use supplements with AREDS2 can reduce the risk of the condition worsening.
“It’s completely out of place to take vitamin supplements,” Macpherson said. “Individuals need to talk to their health care provider to address them.” [nutrient deficiencies]. Taking a multivitamin in these cases is not enough anyway.
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Donna Lu is the Guardian of Australia’s science writer
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Antiviral is a biweekly column that questions the evidence behind health headlines and popular health claims.