Vitamin Supplements: Hype or Help?
The Tribulations of Vitamins
The worldwide obsession of vitamin supplements has exponentially risen and vitamins have entrenched themselves in the lives of individuals due to a fallacious contention promoting the ideology that vitamins are beneficial. More and more scientific research has identified the health benefits to be “less spectacular than advertised” (Lemstra). Researchers from Johns Hopkins University are cited as saying, “most supplements do not prevent chronic disease or death, their use is not justified, and they should be avoided.” Vitamin supplements fail to live up to the “hype” and are marred with risks to users.
The relative ineffectiveness of Vitamins is a generally undocumented case. After a decade of testing a Vitamin pill to hinder Alzheimer’s by boosting cognitive conduct, Harvard researchers proclaimed the ineffectiveness of the pill. This is one of many cases unveiling the ineffectual state of Vitamins. Annals of Internal Medicine urges that Vitamins A, E, B, and Beta Carotine supplements, to name a few, are ineffect...
Vitamin D deficiency has been recognized as a highly prevalent condition worldwide and presented in approximately 30% to 50% of the general population [7]. High r...
The more the merrier right? Overtime people have continuously believed that vitamin supplements help the human body sustain a healthier body and well-being, however, have failed to realize the harm that vitamin supplements can do to the body; this is indicated by Paul Offit, the author of “The Vitamin Myth.” He states that over time researches and various studies have proved that Linus Pauling, the soul of the vitamin myth, statements of what vitamin supplements could do for the human body and or life. For example, the National Cancer Institute in 1994, researched smokers who were given various supplements over a period of time however those who were given supplements eventually showed signs of a more dangerous health state than those who did
According to the 2002 Harris poll, seven out of ten adults in the United States take vitamins, minerals, herbs, or other supplements (Schardt 2). Due to media advertising, dietary supplements are becoming more popular. Companies compete to have the best supplements. It is said that forty percent of American adults take vitamin supplements and over the counter products, which total in several billion dollars (Farley 2). Although many of the supplements claim to be healthy and help lose weight, the dangers are endless. Dietary supplements can be illegally spiked and are not safe. Therefore, putting regulations on dietary supplements and their safety hazards is necessary.
The school health club is thinking if they should ask people to take multivitamins for their health, the problem is that the health club doesn't know if multi vitamins will help or not. I'm here so I can persuade the health club to saying yes to multivitamins.
According to Advances in Nutrition (Vitamin/Trace mineral supplements), “The fraction of population that is elderly has been increasing, as has the consumption of vitamin/trace mineral supplements, which is now a Multibillion dollar industry. Yet the rationale for such supplement intake by the majority may be questioned.” () Questions like, are vitamin and mineral supplements necessary for life, or is our body capable of generating enough micro-nutrients from everyday nutrition and the environment?; and are vitamin supplements supposed to be used as substitutes for the natural intake of vitamins from whole foods, for people who do not have deficiencies? These are the questions most people need to ask themselves every day. Vitamin supplements are used widely throughout the world. Vitamin supplements were never supposed to be used as a substitute for a healthy whole foods diet, yet advertisements and social media have portrayed supplements to be the norm for Americans today. Most people buy into the whole vitamin supplement craze. Today, vitamin supplements are found in many forms like pills, liquid, chews, and even powdered formats. Instead of maintaining a balanced diet, most Americans would rather ingest a few pills. The prices, however, can range from affordable to thousands of dollars. Overall, Americans spend more than 10 billion dollars each year on vitamin supplements that they don’t even need, hoping that it would act like a barrier against some of the major chronic diseases.
A well-balanced diet contains all the necessary vitamins, and most individuals who follow such a diet can correct any previous vitamin deficiencies. However, persons who are on special diets, who are suffering from intestinal disorders that prevent normal absorption of nutrients, or who are pregnant or lactating may need particular vitamin supplements to bolster their metabolism. Beyond such real needs, vitamin supplements are also often popularly believed to offer "cures" for many diseases, from colds to cancer; but in fact the body quickly eliminates most of these preparations without absorbing them. In addition, the fat-soluble vitamins can block the effect of other vitamins and even cause severe poisoning when taken in excess.
“About 150 million people in the US use dietary supplements; about 79% use it on a daily bases, and 10% taking 5 or more per day” (Ranjani 478). Dietary supplements range from sports performance products, weight loss products, to a variety of herbal remedies. These supplements are used widely to help maintain or improve the health of the human body. While buying these products many assume that they are regulated and are safe for human consumption, however it may not be the case. “Supplements face no FDA requirements for premarket testing. Supplements can be placed on the market at the will of the makers and then remain legal for sale” (Quinones 32). Dietary supplements should be regulated like prescription drugs because it’s a safety hazard, can become addictive, and may lead to dangerous health problems.
Vitamin C is an essential in the body's defenses against infection. Susceptible children will not tolerate relatively unimportant infections and this can lead to prolonged illness and in the case of behaviorally disturbed children of symptoms previously well managed. Vitamin C is an extremely safe substance which is immensely beneficial to the brain and body in a multitude of ways. Its potential for preventing and treating autism has barely been touched. Vitamin C is heavily concentrated in the brain, but its exact role in brain function has not been fully understood. A recent search turned up 400 references referring to vitamin C and the effects of the brain, but the mystery still remains.
The Development of drugs and supplements used by mankind has evolved from what it once was in its early stages of existence. As with all man-made things, it is said that anything made by man can be improved (Moore, p35). With this concept, almost anything in nature can apply. In this case, the development of anabolic supplements and the human body. In the later years, the usage of supplements in sporting events have helped athletes achieve new goals which could not have been accomplished through training alone. With the Human body, there is only so much room for improvement until a limit has been achieved in the progress of a persons developments. With these limits in the development in the human body, certain frustrations can result from witnessing no benefits in physical training. Even for those individuals who are ill and plague with a disease, the usage of supplements can aid that individual back to health. The same reasoning can be applied to a bodybuilder who has reached his maximum and can no longer attain new goals. But certain questions arise when the usage of supplements are in to play, "Do they (supplements) actually working?","Are supplements hazardous to the health?","Are the supplements just a waste of money and don't benefit anything?". All of those questions are what the developers of chemist, doctors, and training consultant take into consideration before actually creating a new product or recommending someone to use supplements. The question that I would like to answer for myself, "Are supplements actually beneficial in attaining new gains and do they genuinely produce results?" The answer ...
Nearly 50 percent of American adults aged 18 and older who responded to the 2013 Gallup survey, took vitamin supplements regularly to maintain good health (Swift). Although there are many different areas to be considered when discussing "good health," a key component is getting the proper nutrients. The main purpose of taking vitamin supplements is to receive the nutrients that are not received through everyday food intake. There are many questions and concerns that surround the idea of vitamins and supplements. With more and more Americans are becoming uneasy with the hype surrounding this topic, increased amounts of information about overall health is being discharged. There have been a great deal of studies coming out to demonstrate both sides of the argument. One side being that vitamins are completely useless, are all talk, and have little, if any, benefits. The other side, which I am an advocate for, is that vitamins do have a purpose and that they provide the nutrients that aren 't being received in our diet. Taking vitamins have great benefits in helping live and maintain a healthy life. To
Dietary supplements are used to add additional nutritional value to the diet. Some common forms of supplements include: vitamins, amino acids, minerals, herbs, and enzymes, and can be found in a multitude of forms such as capsules, liquids, gel caps, powders, and tablets. Dietary supplements are becoming increasingly popular among Americans today. According to the Centers for Disease and Control, “Over half of the adults in the U.S. use at least one type of dietary supplement, the most common being multivitamins.”1 Many use these vitamins because they are believed to present a number of benefits, such as helping or treating diseases, etc. While dietary supplements can be beneficial to your health; Americans should also be cognizant of the health
Should we or should we not take multivitamins, that is the question. Based on the information given by article 1,2, and 3 Multivitamins are not good for you to take. Although individual vitamin supplements can be beneficial.
Imagine that there is a supplement or drug that strengthens your bones, boosts your immune system, prevents auto-immune diseases, aids in weight loss, helps prevent cancer and doesn’t cost you a cent. Research has led many to believe that this supplement does indeed exist, and it’s called vitamin D.
According to source 1, explains how it is better to take vitamins from vitamin-rich foods that to take them from pills. “... eating foods rich in vitamins still brings benefits , beyond preventing such diseases. Vitamin- rich foods also reduce our risk of most of the major killers, including heart disease and many types of cancer.” This is saying how vitamin-rich foods provides both, benefits for a healthy body and preventing diseases. It indicates that it is not healthy to take multivitamin if you don't need them because vitamin rich foods prevents many diseases, like heart attacks and several types of cancer. While the multivitamins don't,
Today people are becoming more aware of the advantages of using natural health products. Apart from it being a cost-efficient solution to maintain and attain healthier body, the products made from herbal and natural ingredients offer a myriad of benefits compared to those made from chemical and artificial ingredients. The followi...