Nutritional supplements could be a ‘waste of money’ for healthy or non-pregnant people

If you pay even a little attention to what you eat and drink, you’ve probably heard of nutritional supplements. Many people use them to fill in nutritional gaps in their diets. They have become so popular that they can be found in various forms such as tablets, capsules, drinks, etc.

Scientists at Northwestern Medicine, however, suggest that vitamin supplements are a waste of money for healthy, non-pregnant Americans. In the Press release that was just published today, they also add that there is not enough evidence to support the idea that it complements help prevent cardiovascular disease or cancer.

“Patients ask all the time, ‘What supplements should I take?’ They are wasting money and focusing on thinking that there has to be a magic set of pills that will keep them healthy when we should all be following the evidence-based practices of eating healthy and exercising,” said Dr. Jeffrey Linder, chief internal general services . medicine in the department of medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

Its effectiveness is not proven.

Based on a comprehensive review of 84 investigations, new guidelines from the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) state that there is “sufficient evidence” that taking multivitamins and combined or individual supplements will help prevent cardiovascular disease and cancer in people who are not healthy and who are not pregnant.

The task force does not recommend taking beta-carotene because of a possible increased risk of lung cancer, and vitamin E because its benefit in reducing mortality, cardiovascular disease, or cancer has not been shown.

“The harm is that by talking to patients about supplements during the very limited time we have to see them, we’re missing out on advice on how to really reduce cardiovascular risks, like exercising or quitting smoking,” Linder said.

Many Americans take supplements

In relation to the appeal supplements that address nutritional deficiencies on their diet, people in the United States spent about $50 billion on vitamins and dietary supplements in 2021. Linder and his team also state in the study published in the journal Editorial JAMA that more than half of adults in the United States take dietary supplements and their use is expected to increase.

Assuming that key vitamins and minerals can be extracted in pill form instead of following a balanced diet may seem much more accessible to people. On the other hand, the research team claims that fruits and vegetables contain a mix of vitamins, phytochemicals, fiber, and other nutrients that work synergistically. Therefore, micronutrients taken alone can have different effects on the body.

However, it’s important to note that Linder stated that people who are vitamin deficient can still benefit from dietary supplements. Also, the new USPSTF guidelines do not apply to women who are pregnant or trying to become pregnant.

“Pregnant people should be aware that these guidelines do not apply to them,” said Cameron, who is also a Northwestern Medicine physician. “Certain vitamins, such as folic acid, are essential for pregnant women to support healthy fetal development. The most common way to meet these needs is by taking a prenatal vitamin. More data are needed to understand how specific vitamin supplements may modify the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes and cardiovascular complications during pregnancy,” wrote the Editorial JAMA co-author, Dr. Natalie Cameron, an instructor of general internal medicine at Feinberg.

“Embracing a healthy diet and getting more exercise is easier said than done, especially among low-income Americans,” said Dr. Jenny Jia, a JAMA editorial co-author who studies chronic disease prevention in low-income families. through lifestyle interventions.

This, then, begs the question of how lower-income people can maintain a healthy diet in an industrialized food system that does not prioritize health.