Pill Poppers Anonymous
I know you’re out there…all you pill poppers who love to take endless amounts of health supplements…but are they all even necessary?
A couple of weeks ago we talked about omega-3 supplementation, where I also promised a post on multivitamins, so here it is (this also gives me the chance to tackle a reader’s question on protein powder).
Vitamin and mineral supplementation – is it necessary? Long story short: it depends!
…I guess you want more information. Generally speaking, healthy individuals (not including pregnant women and seniors) following Canada’s Food Guide are already meeting their vitamin and mineral needs through food. In other words, supplementation isn’t needed!
Actually, the proper use of vitamins and mineral supplements is already in the name: “supplements”! They’re NOT meant to replace food and proper meals as they cannot replicate the intricate and complex nutrient-nutrient relationships found in whole, unprocessed foods. I.e., they’re not called vitamin and mineral “meal replacements” for a reason!
Think of the nutrients in food as members of a volleyball team, each player responsible for differing yet critical roles. The team can only masterfully execute complex plays when all members are present to perform their roles! In the same way, each food possesses an assortment of nutrients (or “players") with a particular role, where the complex interaction of their functions helps to bring us the nourishment we need—something supplements can’t do! Prioritizing supplements over food is like trying to recreate the same play with unequal amounts of liberos, setters and powers! It doesn’t work!
Moreover, please don’t pop double the supplements thinking you’re going to get double the health effects! Remember, nutrient-nutrient relationships are complex, where too much or too little of a good thing is a bad thing!
Here are some examples to illustrate what I mean:
Iron poisoning can occur when children consume too many iron supplements.
Overconsumption of Vitamin A supplements results in decreased absorption of other important fat-soluble nutrients such as Vitamin D, E and K.
Copper plays an important role for iron absorption. As a result, copper deficiency may also lead to iron deficiency.
With that being said, there are definitely times when vitamin supplementation is needed, especially when nutrient demands cannot be met through food intake alone, such as:
Folic acid, iron and vitamin B12 for pregnant women.
Vitamin D for men and women over 50 (at least 400 IU).
Vitamin A droplets for children in countries that lack rich sources of Vitamin A.
Just so you are up-to-date with current research:
Recent studies have shown that some vitamins and minerals taken in higher doses can help reduce the risk of chronic diseases, such as the case with vitamin D and osteoporosis.
While other studies show taking folic acid, and vitamin E at high doses can cause harm.
A couple of weeks ago, a reader asked which protein powder I would recommend in morning smoothies. Well, using the same logic as the vitamin and mineral supplementation debate, I recommend getting protein from food sources rather than from a powder. For example, try using Greek yogurt instead of regular yogurt for smoothies. Greek yogurt contains 13g of protein while regular yogurt contains only 4g.
But to answer your question, there is no research I know of that recommends one type of protein powder over another. So I’m sure there’s nothing wrong with the one you’re using.
Take home message: Eat healthy and you wont have to take a multivitamin unless you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or over 50. Don’t forget about your omegas!
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Image courtesy of AnnaShvets
