Vitamins in question
Researchers continue to argue about the benefits of vitamins
Melinda Wenner Moyer, in her article Nutrition: Vitamins on trial, published in the journal Nature (10 times longer than this retelling, based on 20 sources, we recommend reading the original at least in machine translation – VM), tried to analyze all the opinions of scientists on this issue that exist today.
Of course, now no one doubts that vitamin B1 prevents the development of beriberi disease, and vitamin C prevents the development of scurvy. However, is it worth it to regularly consume vitamins for millions of apparently healthy people who do not have any complaints about their well-being? Scientists are divided into two camps on this issue. Some urge Americans to "stop spending money" on the purchase of vitamins. According to them, studies have not yet proven the indisputable benefits of vitamins for health, besides, most residents of developed countries already receive a full diet.
However, prominent experts in the field of nutrition say that vitamin deficiency is widespread in the United States, and additional intake of vitamins is extremely necessary to maintain the health of the population. Their statements are supported by data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, according to which a quarter of Americans do not receive enough vitamins A, C, D, E, as well as calcium and magnesium. 97 percent of American adults don't get enough potassium.
Such heated discussions continue to this day. A lot of blind placebo-controlled studies have not been able to unequivocally prove either the benefits or harms of taking vitamins. In part, the researchers explain this by the imperfection of the research design, incorrect analysis of the data obtained and other technical errors. Proposals are increasingly being made to cancel the results of all previous studies on vitamins and start studying this issue from scratch using the most modern technologies.
Experts also emphasize that when conducting new research, it is necessary to completely exclude the possibility of the influence of the pharmaceutical industry on the results. The annual turnover of the market of vitamins and dietary supplements is approximately 68 billion US dollars. Multivitamins are the most commonly purchased medications on the planet. At the same time, according to surveys, most people take them not to correct diagnosed vitamin deficiency, but independently. People take too many vitamins and minerals just to improve their overall well-being. Do not forget that excessive intake of vitamins can also be dangerous for health. For example, excessive consumption of beta-carotene may increase the risk of developing tumor diseases due to stimulation of cell division.
In conclusion, the author of the article writes that additional intake of vitamins is certainly useful, but for a certain category of people, in certain doses and with a certain intake regime.
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru03.07.2014