When you walk down certain aisles at your local pharmacy, you see rows and rows of supplements and vitamins. It might make you wonder, “Should I take these?” While some people can certainly benefit from supplementing their diets with pills, powders, or drops, not all supplements are helpful. Some can actually be harmful. Also, supplements can be expensive and you don’t want to spend money on something that might not actually do anything for you. Worse yet, it could interact with medications you’re taking. You should always talk to your doctor about which supplements might make sense for you, but here are five supplements that are almost never worth buying. Read on to learn more, and to ensure your health and the health of others, don’t miss out on these Sure signs you’ve already had COVID.
You won’t always find vitamin K on the Nutrition Facts labels of foods you buy at the supermarket, but this vitamin, which is actually a group of vitamins, performs several important functions in your body. The first thing it does is help create proteins that make the blood clot properly. It is also important for bone health.
That said, it is rare for adults to not get enough vitamin K. Usually when someone is deficient in vitamin K it is because they have a disease such as Crohn’s disease or celiac disease or have taken antibiotics for long periods of time. Newborns can also suffer from a deficiency, which is why they are often given a vitamin K injection in the hospital.
Most people get a lot of vitamin K from their diet, which means you usually don’t need a supplement. Some of the best sources of vitamin K include:
- Leafy green vegetables, such as kale, spinach, Swiss chard, collard greens, and lettuce
- Broccoli
- Brussels sprouts
- soybean and canola oils
There are some people who should not take vitamin K supplements. Because the compound is involved in blood clotting, it is not recommended for heart patients taking anticoagulants or blood thinners, such as warfarin (Coumadin).
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Caffeine itself is usually not a problem. In fact, it is probably the most widely used drug in the world. It wakes up your central nervous system and gives you a jolt of energy. Due to these effects, it is often used in energy drinks and added to other foods and beverages, such as water and gum. Up to 400 mg of caffeine per day (about four cups of coffee) is perfectly safe for most people. according to the maio Clinic.
The problem is that many supplements are highly concentrated. It’s easy to get too much caffeine. When you ingest too much caffeine, you can have Negative effects ranging from mild to severe. These include:
- Restlessness
- sleeping problems
- nervousness, tremors
- Irritability
- Headaches
- fast heartbeat
- High blood pressure
- Acidity
- Anxiety
- Dehydration
All in all, if you want to get high on caffeine, stick to naturally caffeinated beverages like coffee or tea, and keep an eye on the effect they have on you. If you feel nervous or have trouble sleeping at night, you may want to cut back.
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Vitamin C might be the most popular vitamin out there. People often take it as a way to boost their immune systems. It is true that our body needs vitamin C to stimulate white blood cells, the heroes of the immune system. Vitamin C is also important for making collagen, which is found throughout the body, such as in bones, cartilage, and skin. But it probably isn’t necessary to take a supplement either. For one, studies show that a vitamin C supplement does not prevent most people from getting a cold. (Although he may feel sick for less time.) Some people also take large doses of vitamin C, more than 3,000 mg a day, which could cause diarrhea and an increased risk of kidney stones.
Most people get all the vitamin C they need from food. Unless your doctor tells you to take a vitamin C supplement, follow the foods rich in vitamin c instead of:
- Red peppers
- oranges
- Kiwi
- Broccoli
- strawberries
- Cantaloupe
- Tomatoes
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This one is a bit tricky. Vitamin E is important for counteracting the effects of free radicals, supporting your immune system, and preventing dangerous blood clots. And the truth is that many Americans don’t get enough vitamin E from their diets. But there’s also no evidence that lower levels of vitamin E cause any harm. However, taking vitamin E supplements does have some drawbacks. It interferes with blood thinners, so patients taking warfarin (Coumadin) should not take it, and studies also suggest too much may increase the risk of prostate cancer.
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“Antioxidant” is an important buzzword for health and wellness. And for good reason: antioxidants are great at intercepting free radicals (highly reactive molecules) that can damage your body’s cells and even affect your DNA. But like most buzzwords, the true meaning can be a bit confusing. You can find antioxidants in many places like lycopene, selenium, and vitamins C, E, and A.
While they are all good for you, studies show that they are not necessarily good to take in supplement form. Research has found that antioxidant supplements can increase the risk of skin cancer and prostate cancer and even interfere with chemotherapy. You can also increase your risk of lung cancer if you smoke.
The best way to get antioxidants is through diet. Some Great Antioxidant-Rich Foods include:
- Broccoli
- Sweet potatoes
- Peppers
- almonds
- vegetables
- Oatmeal
- apricots
- carrots
- Eggs
- Tuna
- Salmon
- Integral rice
The supplements on this list fall somewhere on the spectrum between don’t do it and don’t bother. If you can get what you need by eating nutritious vegetables, crunchy peppers, and peanut butter—and you sure can—then stick to the real stuff and skip the supplements. And to protect your life and that of others, do not visit any of these 35 places where you are most likely to get COVID.
dr Shaili GandhiPharm.D., is the vice president of formulary operations at SingleCare.
