Do We Really Need Supplements?
Author: Deb Drewke - Chicago Athlete
Date: 15 Jun 2002
Category: Articles
Athletes and non-athletes alike commonly practice vitamin and mineral supplementation. Tremendous quantities of vitamins and minerals are gulped down daily to improve health and performance. Is supplementation really necessary? Supplementation can benefit certain groups of individuals. Those individuals include people who restrict their calories such as runners, dancers, gymnasts and wrestlers to maintain a low body weight; people who eliminate certain food groups from their diet such as dairy products; people who eat too few fruits and vegetables; and those who eat a majority of their daily calories from fast foods or highly processed, convenient foods. All of these individuals are eating diets void of a sufficient amount of nutrients to maintain good health. The most common vitamin deficiencies in the diet are for vitamin B6, folate, vitamin C, vitamin E and beta-carotene. Vitamin overload is unlikely unless an individual is consuming large quantities of vitamin-fortified foods such as breakfast cereals or large doses of a specific supplement. Eating a wide variety of foods assures exposure to the widest spectrum of nutrients without consuming too much of any single nutrient. Vitamins obtained from the diet are preferred over supplements because natural foods contain other important nutrients or phytochemicals that are not found in supplements. Phytochemicals provide protective health and disease-fighting benefits. They are predominantly found in fruits and vegetables. If a person is nutrient-deficient because of their diet, then they should consume a better diet. Vitamin and mineral supplementation can improve sports performance only in those athletes with a true deficiency. Taking more than the body needs will not enhance performance. Concentrate on consuming wholesome healthy foods instead of pills. Athletes who wish to be on the safe side of avoiding a deficiency may choose to take a multivitamin and/or mineral supplement each day or every other day. The supplement should not exceed the recommended dietary allowances (RDA) or adequate intake (AI) for vitamins and minerals. Overload may occur if the supplement contains many times the recommended amount. Choose products produced by nationally known manufacturers and those with the initials UPS (United States Pharmacopoeia) on the label. Reputable manufacturers often have strict quality control procedures and will more likely provide a reliable product. Supplements with the UPS initials on the label have been tested for quality in terms of disintegration, potency or strength, and purity. UPS is a not-for-profit voluntary organization that sets standards assuring the integrity and uniformity of drugs and health care products. The standards set by UPS are legally enforceable by the Food and Drug Administration. Let this be a guide since the supplement industry is not regulated. ****Deborah Drewke is a registered dietician at Swedish Covenant Hospital's Cardiac Rehabilitation Department, Chicago, IL.
