When it comes to vitamins, it's not just foreigners who favor them; Chinese people also often can't get enough of them, taking them daily as excellent supplements. However, numerous studies have found that even supplements are not suitable for everyone. On September 17, the UK's "Daily Mail" published an article summarizing "Supplements to Avoid for Different Diseases," sounding an alarm for the majority of patients.
1. Psoriasis: Avoid Vitamin A
The conventional medication for psoriasis, retinoids, is a derivative of vitamin A. After entering the body, it is stored in the liver. Excessive intake (more than 0.7 mg per day for men, more than 0.6 mg per day for women) can produce toxins in the body, leading to conjunctivitis, hair loss, and worsening of skin conditions.
2. Heart Disease: Avoid Vitamin E and Potassium
A large-scale study by McMaster University in Canada, spanning 7 years and involving 10,000 heart disease patients, found that high-dose supplementation of vitamin E (400 IU per day, equivalent to 363 mg) in heart disease patients increased the risk of heart failure and hospitalization after a cardiac event by 13% and 20%, respectively. Excessive potassium supplementation (more than 3500 mg per day) increases the risk of palpitations and arrhythmia.
3. Diabetes: Avoid Vitamin B3
Large amounts of vitamin B3 supplementation (more than 17 mg per day for men, more than 13 mg per day for women) in diabetic patients can lead to elevated blood sugar levels. The higher the supplement dose, the more severe the resulting blood sugar problems.
4. Osteoporosis: Avoid Vitamin A and Phosphorus
High levels of phosphorus in the blood (from supplements exceeding 1000 mg/day) can lead to calcium loss from bones, increasing the risk of osteoporosis. UK health guidelines recommend a daily phosphorus supplement of no more than 250 mg. High-dose vitamin A supplementation is closely linked to a decrease in bone mineral density. Supplementing with more than 1.5 mg of vitamin A per day increases the risk of reduced bone density by 6% to 14%. The current recommended daily intakes of vitamin A are 0.7 mg for men and 0.6 mg for women.
5. Stomach Ulcers: Avoid Vitamin A
Research has found that taking vitamin A supplements at the same time as medication for stomach ulcers can severely weaken the latter's effectiveness.
In addition to vitamins, patients with kidney disease and prostate cancer should avoid calcium supplementation.
The two most common causes of kidney disease are high blood pressure and diabetes. Supplementing with more than 700 mg of calcium per day (the recommended daily amount) can lead to calcium buildup in the kidneys, and long-term calcium supplementation can lead to kidney stones.
Meanwhile, the Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center found that prostate cancer patients who supplemented with 500-1000 mg of calcium per day experienced more severe bone mineral loss. Exercise is the effective method for strengthening bones.