A study just released by the Center for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) indicates that more than 50% of consumers take a vitamin-mineral supplement of some type.  More women than men take them, and the most common type used is the multi-vitamin.  The study brings to mind some good discussion topics about supplements – Are they always a good idea?  Are there certain nutrients where supplements are recommended?  Are they ever harmful?  Nutrients from food vs. supplements: does it matter where they come from?

The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and other national nutrition guidance definitely suggest the preferred way to get all the nutrients you need is through food, and I tend to agree.  There are a host of nutrients in foods which our bodies need to stay healthy, many of which have not yet been defined or discovered.  Additionally, there are interactions between nutrients.  Vitamin C for example helps with the absorption of iron.  Certain nutrients (like vitamin D) are fat soluble, and so you must have some fat in your stomach and intestinal system for them to be absorbed.  Food in your stomach slows digestion, and allows for more of the vitamins and minerals to get absorbed.  I think the point, too, about choosing food first as your source of nutrients is that foods that tend to be high in vitamins and minerals are also high in other nutrients your body needs to stay fit and strong.  Vegetables, fruits and whole grains, for example, are sources of nutrients you get in supplements, but also have fiber, flavinoids, polyphenols, carotenoids, and a host of other beneficial nutrients not in that multvitamin.

If you’re a supplement user, the question you have to ask yourself is whether you’re taking them and believing that it means you don’t have to worry about what you eat.  The role of food is to sustain us – with energy, of course, but also all the other nutrients we need.  We need to respect this role of food and respect our bodies by feeding them what they need.

Another point to consider is that many foods in the grocery store, today, are fortified with vitamins and minerals.  Cereal, breads, pastas, energy drinks, and many other categories have nutrients added to them.  Use of these products should be factored in to whether or not you use supplements.

There are situations, though, where supplements might be warranted, to ensure you get the right levels of the various nutrients.  If you have a strong family history of macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness in older adults, you may want to take lutein.  Pregnant women, including those trying to get pregnant, should take folic acid, as it can reduce the risk of spina bifida in your child.  Omega-3 fatty acids are the one supplement I take as I’ve had a bad experience with salmon (no more details than that will be shared!) and don’t tend to get enough fatty fish (I do, however, add flax seed meal to all baked goods I make!).  You should, of course, always follow your medical professional’s advice when it comes to supplementation.

As I write this, I realize my opinion is even stronger than I thought in favor of food over supplements.  My objective here, really, is to get you to critically evaluate your own use of supplements, and their cost-benefit in your daily life.

Visit www.nuval.com, where natural sources of vitamins and minerals increase a score of a food’s overall nutrition quality.

I know what I’m about to say is controversial.  But it’s the truth, and it’s a topic that bears discussion.

When I was pregnant, I didn’t take prenatal vitamins.  Every month when I went in for check-ups, the nurse yelled at me.  But let me clarify.  I didn’t take the standard, fully loaded prenatal vitamin.  But I did take a pill form of those nutrients I didn’t get enough of from food that are so important during pregnancy – folic acid, calcium, iron.

As a pregnant dietitian, I felt like I was eating a good variety of the right foods so didn’t need to take a fully loaded pill.  Today, I take omega-3 supplements and sporadically, lutein supplements.  I do not give my son Jack vitamins at all.  But some of my colleagues will contend that it’s not possible to get all the nutrients we need at the right levels by eating food.  There we have it – the great debate on supplements or no supplements.

In my mind, it’s worth the old college try to get all that you need from food.  Why?  Because food has many as-of-yet undefined nutrients that our bodies need.  I think, too, that some of us take a daily vitamin as a license to make less healthy food choices, figuring we’re getting what we need in the pill form.

I’m not suggesting that pregnant women avoid taking prenatal vitamins (always follow your doctor’s advice!).  I’m just saying that the goal should be getting all the nutrients we need by eating a variety of foods from all food groups.

Voice your opinion – for or against supplements?

Visit www.nuval.com to experience a system that gives credit to the vitamins and minerals in food.