Vitamin supplements have taken over the world. Over 52% of US citizens take some form of supplements. Although vitamin supplements are often believe to only have good effects they also can become toxic. So when should and should we not take vitamin supplements?
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First evidence that vitamins exist were found in the 18th century when James Lind treated Scurvy patients with fruits. In the 20th century vitamins were discovered. In humans, there are 13 vitamins. Vitamins have different roles in our cells. Vitamin A is important for our sight, Vitamin D regulates the metabolism of the bone and vitamin C and E are antioxidants. In the 1950s vitamin supplements were produced at a large scale.
Vitamin supplements can be very important for our bodies. However, we often do not need vitamin supplements as we take up enough vitamins through our diet. Excessive amounts of vitamin supplements can lead to vitamin toxicity. Vitamin toxicity means that we have taken up so much vitamins that they lead to unwanted effects. Vitamin supplements can lead to damages in the kidneys, high levels of calcium in the blood and systemic damages to organs (depending on the vitamin supplement and how long it was taken at what concentration).
Nonetheless, vitamin supplements are often important. Vitamin supplements can help to treat vitamin defficiencies. Vitamin B9 is also important during pregncancy and vitamin supplements can help there. Elderly people are advised to take vitamin D as it help to keep bones strong and critically ill patients could be helped with vitamin C supplements (in combination with other treatments.)
There are many vitamin supplements misconceptions. Vitamin supplements unfortunately do not help to treat heart disease or cancer. Vitamin supplements also do not help to slow down aging or prevent the flu.
References:
bmcgeriatr.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12877-020-01614-8
www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S001236921551828X
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6039380/
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1742-1241.2012.03008.x
www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD000980.pub4/full
www.pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33206192/
https://assets.speakcdn.com/Assets/2606/0e6994939_1518542503_847fullpaper2018jamavitamin-and-mineral-supplements-what-clinicians-need-to-know.pdf
www.link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11657-019-0589-y
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23798048/
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