In general, if you feel like you need a vitamin, you want to try something without seeing a doctor; it's generally okay to take a multivitamin once a day. In general, vitamins aren't regulated by the government, so you need to think a little bit in terms of what brands to take. This may seem unimportant, after all, they are available without a prescription. However, not needing a prescription doesn't mean there isn't a real risk of harm.
That's why it's crucial that you talk to your doctor before adding any supplement to your routine, including a daily multivitamin. Why? Here are five compelling reasons. People generally believe that vitamins should be safe and that, even if they do not produce any benefit, they are unlikely to cause harm. It's very common for people to assume that they are deficient in certain vitamins or minerals and to buy accordingly.
Some studies have looked at the effect of vitamin E in preventing prostate cancer or lung cancer and have even found that this leads to a small increase in risk. In the United Kingdom, calcium and vitamin D supplements are recommended for perimenopausal or postmenopausal women at risk of osteoporosis, as they have been shown to improve bone mineral density and prevent fractures. For vitamins and minerals, check the% of the daily value (DV) of each nutrient to make sure you're not getting too much. When you're looking for that bottle of vitamin C or fish oil pills, you might wonder how well they'll work and if they're safe.
Research shows that taking vitamin E as a supplement can interfere with blood-thinning medications, such as warfarin (brand name Coumadin) and aspirin, and cause increased bleeding and bruising. You feel tired or weak and immediately blame it on a vitamin B deficiency, for example, or maybe you break a bone and assume that you're deficient in calcium. For example, in the beta-carotene and retinol efficacy trial (CARET), 18,000 current or recent smokers and workers working with asbestos were randomly assigned vitamin A or placebo and were followed up. However, taking a bottle of vitamins will never be as good for you as eating a nutritious and balanced diet.
In pregnant women, high doses of vitamin A have been shown to increase the risk of neural tube defects by a factor of 3.5.They can do a blood test to check your vitamin and mineral levels (more on that later) and help you determine the right dose of supplements for you, if any. After 6 years, there was a 28% increase in lung cancer and a 17% increase in mortality in the vitamin A group. If your body has enough vitamins on board, if you take additional vitamins, you will simply excrete them in your urine and feces.
