Some information and quotes are from an article in the Washington Post 2/9/10 by Melissa BellIt's amazing what we'll pop into our mouths for the sake of health: fish oil, CoQ10 (whatever that is), folic acid and even charcoal. Taking a Flintstones multivitamin doesn't seem to be enough.
Some nutritionists and doctors say you shouldn't be taking supplements because there is no proof that they work.
Supplements try to reduce food to a single component, a nutrient or an anti-oxidant. No study or test has proven what exactly makes food, such as fruits and vegetables, so healthy. It may not be one thing; it may be the combination.
Personally, I see dietary supplements as insurance with a high deductible. I try to get the nutrients that I need from the food that I eat. However, I've had two bouts of melanoma, so I don't go in the sun without hat, long sleeves, pants and sunblock. I take vitamin D and yes I take calcium. Although the latter, I think I'm overdosing.
Certain medical conditions, such as diabetes, supplements are highly recommended. Benjamin Caballero, a professor at the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, said he does not think any "healthy person with a healthy diet should take dietary supplements, with a few exceptions: pregnant women; children under the age of 6 months who are being breast-fed (breast milk is not rich in vitamins A,C and D; and people with gastrointestinal problems."
As a whole, says Marion Nestle, a professor of nutrition at NY University, Americans are not vitamin-deficient: these (supplements) are for the worried well."Nutritionists and doctors emphasize that people concerned about their diet should vary their food, not their food supplements.
Nutrient recommended foods:
- Omega-3s: salmon, tilapia, tofu
- Calcium: milk, broccoli
- Potassium: bananas, shellfish, cucumbers
- Magnesium: red meat, citrus, apples
- Vitamin D: eggs
- Vitamin B-12: yogurt, scallops
- Folic acid: spinach, liver, grapefruit
- Antioxidants: cinnamon, pecans, cranberries
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