Vitamins don't . . . . what??

+ A report was published recently that said vitamins don't prevent disease.  What should you make of this?

Studies and editorials reported in the December, 2013, issue of the journal, Annals of Internal Medicine, supported this government advice:  belief that they can prevent chronic diseases is not a reason to use vitamin supplements, and in fact, they are not needed by most people.  Other researchers say it's still too early to tell if supplements really are a total waste of money.  So, who do you believe, and why?

To really get the hard data, one must look at who is financing the research, how the data was collected, how rigorously the study followed standard research protocols, how the statistical analysis was done, etc.  Whew, that's a lot of work!  Luckily, there are nutrition experts who enjoy this kind of work, and they agree on a few basic points regarding vitamins:  

points to remember:

• Heart disease and many other chronic conditions have a cluster of risk factors.  Vitamins apparently have much less impact than choices such as whether people smoke; how much exercise they get; if they routinely get the right amount of sleep; how much sugar, saturated fat, and alcohol are in their diets; etc. 
• Some people are in situations where it is hard for them to get all the vitamins and minerals they need without eating too many calories - we simply don't have to work them off like people did before modern machinery made lives easier.  Pregnant women are a frequently cited example of this.  Some older people have trouble absorbing all the vitamins in their food, and supplements often make sense for them, too.
• There are diseases that increase the need for some vitamins because the body does not handle food normally; such as genetically-transferred diseases of malabsoprtion.
• If you decide you want to take a supplement because you think it's cheap insurance, read labels.  Many vitamins act as drugs if routinely taken in larger amounts than the body needs.  Others are just flushed out of your system (a needless expense).  Some help (or hinder) use of others, so the proportions among the vitamins (and minerals) is important, too.  Because of this, it is wise to take supplements that don't provide over 100% of the recommended daily value of any component, unless your doctor has a good reason for you to do otherwise. Better yet, get your vitamins from a well-balanced diet.  This way, the proportions will be okay; and, you may be getting useful nutrients that haven't yet been isolated and studied.

Eat well!  Be well! (And, don't stress out over the news you read!)