The Truth About Supplements
Vitamin D has been hailed as a wonder supplement, preventing everything from cancer to heart attacks. But is all the hype surrounding vitamin D too good to be true? In a recent study published in the British Medical Journal, no proof was found that vitamin D supplements improved the health of patients who took them. However, many studies have shown vitamin D to be very beneficial. Although food is usually the best source for vitamins, vitamin D is absorbed through the skin when it’s exposed to sunlight. However, it is always important to wear sunscreen when you are out in the sun. Therefore, you may not absorb enough vitamin D through your skin. Your doctor can do a blood test to see if you are getting enough vitamin D. Ask your doctor and pharmacist any questions you may have about vitamin D.
Reviewed by:
Review Date:
October 23, 2015Citation:
Image courtesy of Kiosea39 | Dreamstime.com Image courtesy of Iakov Kalinin | Dreamstime.com Image courtesy of Gary Bass | Dreamstime.com Image courtesy of Sornpet Petpairot | Dreamstime.com Image courtesy of Joanne Zh | Dreamstime.com Image courtesy of Sathit Plengchawee | Dreamstime.com Image courtesy of Bert Folsom | Dreamstime.com Image courtesy of Oksun70 | Dreamstime.com NIH, "Multivitamins, mineral/supplements" FamilyDoctor.org, "Fiber: How to Increase the Amount in Your Diet" FamilyDoctor.org, "Vitamins and Minerals: How to Get What You Need" WomensHealth.gov, "Folic acid fact sheet" Harvard Health Publications, "Benefits of vitamin D supplements still debated" The BMJ, "Vitamin D and multiple health outcomes: umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of observational..." Johns Hopkins Medicine, "Is There Really Any Benefit to Multivitamins?" Harvard Health Publications, "Fish Oil: Friend or Foe?" JNCI, "Plasma Phospholipid Fatty Acids and Prostate Cancer Risk in the SELECT Trial" Mayo Clinic, "Vitamin B12" NIH, "Vitamin B12" Mayo Clinic, "Nutrition and Healthy Eating" NIH, "Calcium"
Last Updated:
October 23, 2015