At some point, supplementing with vitamins and minerals became a trend. People would always pull out a small bottle from time to time, pour out some colorful pills, and say they need to "replenish." However, you can't just take vitamins indiscriminately, as the disadvantages often outweigh the benefits. Before you open that vitamin bottle next time, remember to think about whether you really need them. Do you take vitamin supplements?
At some point, supplementing with vitamins and minerals became a trend. People would always pull out a small bottle from time to time, pour out some colorful pills, and say they need to "replenish." However, you can't just take vitamins indiscriminately, as the disadvantages often outweigh the benefits. Before you open that vitamin bottle next time, remember to think about whether you really need them.
Recently, newspapers have started to condemn vitamin supplements, claiming that Vitamin B is linked to breast cancer, that supplements can increase cholesterol, and even shorten a person's lifespan. This has left many people who were enthusiastically taking supplements to fight cancer and other diseases confused, as they suddenly discovered that the very pills they used to protect themselves from disease might actually cause certain diseases. So what's going on?
Last year, 14 studies by international medical institutions found that antioxidant supplements used to treat gastrointestinal cancer might potentially reactivate cancer cells; another study showed that postmenopausal women with diabetes who took Vitamin C supplements had an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Do all medicines used to treat diseases have some other side effect that causes illness? Or are those reports just sensationalism?
This is a difficult question to answer directly. Because both proponents and opponents of taking vitamin or mineral supplements have their own reasons. The advocates argue that imbalanced diets and some modern food processing methods mean that most of us, in addition to our normal diet, need to supplement with vitamin tablets and minerals to help us maintain good health and fend off certain diseases. However, the opponents argue that while an abundance of certain nutrients in the body can protect us from some diseases, there is no evidence to prove that taking vitamin tablets or minerals has the same effect. They believe that only a small number of us need these vitamin tablets or minerals, and that most people can get all the substances we need through a healthy, balanced diet. Taking these supplements or capsules might, in fact, endanger our health.
The latter view may be a bit too idealistic. Because most people, due to being busy, stressed, and having irregular lifestyles, not only find it hard to achieve a balanced and healthy diet, but this also affects our absorption of vitamins and minerals, leading to deficiencies in these nutrients and a weakened immune system. This is precisely why taking vitamin tablets is so popular.
However, all medicines have some toxicity, and nutrients are no exception. Therefore, before we put a vitamin tablet in our mouths, we must first understand what our body lacks, what we should supplement, how much to supplement, and any contraindications for use.
How to safely take vitamin and mineral tablets
1. Generally speaking, taking a multivitamin/mineral supplement is better than supplementing with a single nutrient. This can help avoid excessive intake of a single nutrient, which can affect the absorption of others. For example, excessive calcium intake can hinder iron absorption, and large amounts of zinc can affect copper absorption;
2. Store them in a cool and dry place, and take them before their expiration date, as expired vitamins are completely ineffective;
3. If you are taking other medications along with vitamin tablets, for safety's sake, it's best to consult your doctor. For example, Vitamin E cannot be taken with blood thinners;
4. When a small dose is sufficient, don't think that more is better. Excessive intake of a certain substance can sometimes be very dangerous. As the saying goes, too much is as bad as too little. Fat-soluble vitamins A, D, and E are more likely to cause excessive intake because they can accumulate in the body.
5. Excessive intake of other nutrients can also be dangerous. For instance, too much iron can easily cause gastrointestinal problems, and excessive calcium intake can lead to abdominal pain, headaches, and tissue calcification. Many books list the tolerable upper intake levels for various vitamins and minerals, which can be used as a reference.