Are Vitamin Supplements Really Worth their Price?

Introduction:

Vitamins are substances our bodies can’t make. Therefore they need to be obtained through our diet. If we didn’t get vitamins in our diet we would die or be seriously ill. (Precision Nutrition, 2014)

Vitamin supplements are mostly artificial tablets, powders, injections and liquids. They are intended to enhance vitamin intake or supply vitamins to the body that you are unable to ingest through your diet. 54% of women and only 46% of men globally, take vitamins and/or mineral supplements daily. (Precision Nutrition, 2014)

Over 56% of Americans with an annual income of over $90,000 take vitamin supplements. Although 70% of Americans with an income of lower than $24,000 don’t take them. (Gallup Well Being, 2014)

That means that the less wealthy can’t always afford vitamin supplements. But do they need them? Here are all the different types of vitamins (see table below). It could be argued that the general public don’t know the difference between all of them, or even know there were that many.

How does Vitamin C work?

Vitamin C is a vitamin found in sources of fruits and vegetables, especially citrus fruits.

Historically Vitamin C was used for preventing and treating scurvy. Scurvy is rare now a days but sailors, astronauts, pirates and people who spend long periods at sea without fruit and vegetables are more prone to Vitamin C deficiency, which leads to scurvy. (NASA, 2013)

Today people take Vitamin C supplements to prevent the common cold and infections. Although that isn’t always factually true. One scientist from Australia said, “It doesn’t make sense to take Vitamin C tablets 365 days a year to lessen the chance of catching a cold.” (Professor Harri Hemila, 2013)

(US News, 2014)

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...1.htm. [Accessed 21 May 14].

• Livestrong. 2014. The Pros and Cons of Vitamin Supplements. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.livestrong.com/article/349831-the-pros-cons-of-vitamin-supplements/. [Accessed 21 May 14].

• NHS. 2014. Health claims about vitamin D examined. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.nhs.uk/news/2013/06June/Pages/health-claims-about-vitamin-D-examined.aspx. [Accessed 21 May 14].

• NASA. 2013. Keeping Astronauts Healthy in Space. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.nasa.gov/vision/space/travelinginspace/30sept_spacemedicine.html. [Accessed 22 May 14].

Images

• Joachim & Schloss, (2008), 14 Vitamin letter chart [ONLINE]. Available at: http://pantryparatus.com/blog/vitamins/ [Accessed 21 May 14].

• The Doctor's Vitamin, (2014), Encapsulating machine [ONLINE]. Available at: http://www.madehow.com/Volume-3/Vitamin.html [Accessed 21 May 14].