Dietitians often use the phrase “Food First” to encourage their clients to eat a balanced diet which should provide the body with all the nutrients it requires. But what happens when the body can’t absorb certain nutrients due to age or medication? What to learn more about the need to supplement our diets with Vitamins and Supplements? If so keep reading:
What Are Dietary Supplements?
Dietary supplements are intended to add to or supplement the diet and are different from conventional food. Common supplements include:
- Vitamins
- Minerals
- Botanicals or herbs
- Botanical compounds (such as caffeine and curcumin).
- Amino acids
- Live microbials (commonly referred to as “probiotics”).
Vitamins
Vitamins are a group of substances that are needed for normal cell function, growth, and development. There are 13 essential vitamins. This means that these vitamins are required for the body to work properly.
They are: Vitamins A, C, D, E, K, B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B6 (pyridoxine), B12 (cyanocobalamin), Pantothenic acid (B5), Biotin (B7), Folate (folic acid or B9)
Vitamins are grouped into two categories:
- Fat-soluble vitamins are stored in the body's liver, fatty tissue, and muscles. These are vitamins A, D, E, and K. These vitamins are absorbed more easily by the body in the presence of dietary fat.
- Water-soluble vitamins are not stored in the body. The nine water-soluble vitamins are vitamin C and all the B vitamins. Any leftover or excess amounts of these leave the body through the urine.
Function and Food sources
A vitamin deficiency occurs when you do not get enough of a certain vitamin. Vitamin deficiency can cause health problems. Not eating enough fruits, vegetables, beans, lentils, whole grains and fortified dairy foods may increase your risk for health problems, including heart disease, cancer, and poor bone health (osteoporosis). Common deficiencies for older adults include the B vitamins, calcium, and vitamin D.
- Vitamin B6 is also called pyridoxine. Vitamin B6 helps form red blood cells and maintain brain function. This vitamin also plays an important role in the proteins that are part of many chemical reactions in the body. The more protein you eat the more pyridoxine your body requires. It is found in potatoes, bananas, chicken breasts, and fortified cereals.
- Vitamin B12, like the other B vitamins, is important for metabolism. It also helps form red blood cells and maintain the central and peripheral nervous systems. While older adults need just as much vitamin B12 as other adults, some have trouble absorbing the vitamin naturally found in food. A doctor may recommend that you eat foods like fortified cereals with this vitamin added or take a B12 supplement. Strict vegetarians and vegans are at greater risk of developing a vitamin B12 deficiency.
- Biotin (B7) is essential for the metabolism of proteins and carbohydrates, and in the production of hormones and cholesterol.
- Niacin (B3) helps maintain healthy skin and nerves. It also has triglyceride-lowering effects at higher doses.
- Calcium is a critical component of bone. Calcium is also essential for muscle contraction, and muscle contraction is vital to existence. Calcium works with vitamin D to keep bones strong at all ages. Bone loss can lead to fractures in both older women and men. Calcium is found in milk and milk products (fat-free or low-fat is best), canned fish with soft bones, dark-green leafy vegetables like kale, and foods with calcium added, such as breakfast cereals.
- Vitamin D is also known as the "sunshine vitamin," since it is made by the body after being in the sun. Some experts have suggested that a few minutes of sunlight directly on the skin of your face, arms, back, and legs (without sunscreen) every day can produce the body's requirement of vitamin D. However, the amount of vitamin D produced by sunlight exposure can vary greatly from person to person. It is very hard to get enough vitamin D from food sources alone. Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium. You need calcium for the normal development and maintenance of healthy teeth and bones. It also helps maintain proper blood levels of calcium and phosphorus. Most people in the United States consume less than recommended amounts of vitamin D. Talk with your doctor about adding vitamin D-fortified milk and milk products, vitamin D-fortified cereals, and fatty fish to your diet, or using a vitamin D supplement.
How are Dietary Supplements Regulated?
Under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA), companies are responsible for ensuring that the dietary supplements they sell are safe and properly labeled. The FDA does NOT have the authority to approve dietary supplements or their labeling before they are sold to the public. However, the FDA can intervene if products are found to be unsafe.
What Are the Risks of Dietary Supplements?
Some supplements can interact with medications, interfere with lab tests, or have dangerous effects during surgery. Benefits include nutrient supplementation and health maintenance. Always be cautious, read the label, and check with your health care professional to help you decide what supplement, if any, is right for you.
Notable Interactions:
Vitamin B6 and Levodopa
Taking vitamin B6 with levodopa, a medication used to treat Parkinson's disease, may reduce its effectiveness. Some forms of levodopa are combined with carbidopa, which helps manage this interaction. If you're taking levodopa or levodopa-carbidopa intestinal gel (LCIG), you might develop a vitamin B6 deficiency. This deficiency can lead to anemia, depression, nerve issues, and other health problems. Your healthcare provider might monitor your vitamin levels and recommend B6 supplements if necessary. If you're on LCIG, it's important to take B6 only as directed by your provider.
Vitamin K and Warfarin
Vitamin K can reduce the effectiveness of blood-thinning medications, such as warfarin.
Common sources of vitamin K include romaine lettuce and vegetables like cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, spinach and kale.
Iron or Calcium and Thyroid Medication
Iron and calcium supplements can interfere with the absorption of thyroid medications like levothyroxine. To prevent absorption issues, take these supplements and thyroid medication at least four hours apart.
Blood Thinners and Vitamin E
Vitamin E can raise the risk of bleeding if used with blood-thinning medications, such as warfarin.
Tips to Be a Safe and Informed Consumer
Before taking a dietary supplement, talk with your health care professional. They can help you decide which supplements, if any, are right for you. You can also contact the manufacturer for information about the product.
- Take only as described on the label. Some ingredients and products can be harmful when consumed in high amounts, when taken for a long time, or when used in combination with certain drugs or foods.
- Do not substitute a dietary supplement for a prescription medicine or for the variety of foods important to a healthy diet.
- Do not assume that the term "natural" to describe a product ensures that it is safe.
- Be wary of hype. Sound health advice is generally based upon research over time, not a single study.
- Learn to spot false claims. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.