Can vitamin supplements really improve your health? Some may be beneficial, but the key to the success of vitamins and minerals is to consume them in a balanced diet.
Overwhelmed by the endless shelves of vitamin and mineral supplements you find at the grocery store?
There are many options that sound great, but there are also many questions: Which ones really work? How effective are they really? Are they worth what they cost?
These are good questions for anyone who wants to live healthier and avoid heart disease and stroke Collagène Marin livraison Abidjan. But before you start shopping for everything from vitamin A to zinc, remember that there’s only one way to make sure you’re getting the vitamins and minerals your body needs: eat healthy foods.
Supplements can be beneficial, but the key to the success of vitamins and minerals is consuming them in a balanced diet. Before taking vitamin and mineral supplements, talk to your doctor about your personal eating plan.
Food comes first!
“Nutritionists recommend foods first because they provide a variety of vitamins and minerals, as well as dietary factors not found in a vitamin or mineral supplement,” said Penny Kris-Etherton, Ph.D., RD, and professor. degree from the College of Health and Human Development at The Pennsylvania State University.
For example, he notes that foods provide many bioactive compounds and dietary fiber that are not typically present in supplements. And some supplements do not allow complete absorption of vitamins.
“If taken on an empty stomach, without any food, some of the fat-soluble vitamins will not be absorbed as well as if the supplement were taken with a fatty food,” said Kris-Etherton, who is also an American Heart volunteer. Association.
Supplements Can Help
Although diet is essential to obtain the best vitamins and minerals, supplements can help. For example, if you are trying to eat healthy foods but are still lacking in some ways, supplements may help. The key is to make sure they are taken as a complement to healthy diet choices and nutrient-dense foods. They are supplements, not substitutes. Use supplements only if your health care professional has recommended them.
“A supplement will generally provide 100% of the recommended daily allowance of all vitamins and minerals,” Kris-Etherton said. “Therefore, many nutritionists will agree that taking a supplement is fine if nutrient needs are not met by a healthy food-based diet.”
Do what suits you best.
As noted above, before taking vitamin and mineral supplements, talk to your doctor about your personal eating plan. Also keep in mind these recommendations from the American Heart Association:
Do this:
Follow a healthy diet. There is no substitute for a balanced, nutritious diet that limits excess calories and saturated fat, trans fat, sodium and dietary cholesterol. This approach has been shown to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease in both healthy people and people with heart disease.
Patients with heart disease should consume approximately 1 gram of omega-3 fatty acids called EPA + DHA. Ideally, they come from fish. This can be difficult to obtain through diet alone, so a supplement may be necessary. As always, consult a doctor first.
If you have high triglycerides , try to consume 2 to 4 grams of EPA+DHA daily.
Don’t do this:
Do not take antioxidant vitamin supplements such as A, C, and E. There is no scientific data to suggest that these supplements allow you to dispense with other measures such as reducing blood pressure, lowering blood cholesterol levels or quitting smoking.
Don’t base everything on supplements. There is not enough data to suggest that healthy people benefit from taking certain vitamin or mineral supplements above the recommended daily allowance. Some observational studies have suggested that supplement use may reduce cardiovascular disease rates or risk factor levels.
However, these studies do not make it clear whether it was the supplements that produced these improvements.
AHA Scientific Position
We recommend that healthy people get adequate nutrients by eating a variety of foods in moderation, rather than taking supplements. An exception related to omega-3 fatty acid supplements is explained below.
The Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) published by the Institute of Medicine are the most accurate estimates of safe and adequate dietary intakes available. Almost any nutrient can be potentially toxic if consumed in large quantities for a long time. Interactions may occur between dietary supplements and prescription drugs, and between multiple dietary supplements taken simultaneously. Too much iron can increase the risk of chronic disease, and too much vitamin A can cause birth defects.
There is not enough data to suggest that healthy people benefit from taking certain vitamin or mineral supplements above the RDIs. Although some observational studies have suggested that lower rates of cardiovascular disease or lower levels of risk factors occur in populations that use vitamin or mineral supplements, it is not clear whether this is due to these supplements. For example, those who take supplements may be less overweight and be more physically active.
Additionally, vitamin or mineral supplements are not a substitute for a balanced, nutritious diet that limits excess calories and saturated fat, trans fat , sodium, and dietary cholesterol. This dietary approach has been shown to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease in both healthy people and people with coronary heart disease.
What about antioxidant vitamins?
Many people are interested in antioxidant vitamins (A, C and E). This is due to what is suggested by important observational studies in which healthy adults who consumed large amounts of these vitamins are compared with others who did not take them. However, these observations are subject to bias and do not demonstrate a cause-and-effect relationship. Scientific data does not suggest that consuming antioxidant vitamins can eliminate the need to lower blood pressure, lower blood cholesterol, or quit smoking cigarettes. Clinical trials are underway to determine whether increasing intake of vitamin antioxidants may have an overall benefit. However, a recent large, placebo-controlled, randomized study failed to demonstrate any benefit of vitamin E in heart disease. Although antioxidant supplements are not recommended, foods that are sources of antioxidants are recommended, especially plant-based foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole foods, and vegetable oils.
What about omega-3 fatty acid supplements?
Eating fish has been associated with a lower risk of developing heart disease. Based on available data, the American Heart Association recommends that patients without documented heart disease consume a variety of fish, preferably fish containing omega-3, at least twice a week. Some of these types of fish are salmon, herring and trout.
Patients with documented heart disease are advised to consume approximately 1 gram of EPA+DHA (types of omega-3 fatty acids), preferably from fish, although EPA+DHA supplements could be considered, but consult a doctor first.
For people with high levels of triglycerides (blood fats), 2 to 4 grams of EPA + DHA per day are recommended, in capsule form and under medical supervision.