8 myths about vitamins and supplements

The term “natural” is fairly meaningless in relation to the safety or effectiveness of a supplement. To provide an extreme example, cyanide is a natural compound that ferns produce. Of course, we are not suggesting that any supplements contain cyanide.

Some natural plant compounds do have medicinal properties, but there is more to it than that. For instance, dandelion roots are a laxative, whereas dandelion leaves are a diuretic.

Many of these products contain active ingredients that might interfere with other drugs. 

Supplements might, therefore, boost or reduce the effects of pharmaceutical drugs.

The idea that taking vitamin and mineral supplements will protect our hearts is reassuring. 

However, a large review and meta-analysis published in 2018 could find no significant benefit. 

Although there is a grain of truth to this slice of “common knowledge,” the evidence that vitamin C can prevent a cold is weak.

The scientists found that vitamin C supplementation did not prevent the common cold in the general population. However, they did conclude that it reduced the severity of symptoms and the duration of the cold.

Scientists have carried out a large number of studies to investigate whether vitamin D might help reduce or treat cancer. 

A large meta-analysis published in 2019 concluded that, although vitamin D did not reduce the incidence of cancer, it did reduce cancer mortality. Similarly, a large clinical trial published a year later found that although vitamin D supplementation was not linked with decreased cancer incidence, it was associated with a reduced incidence of advanced cancer.

Probiotics are foods or supplements that contain microorganisms, whereas prebiotics are foods or supplements that contain compounds designed to promote gut bacteria.

In most instances, we still don’t know which probiotics are helpful and which are not. We also don’t know how much of the probiotic people would have to take or who would be most likely to benefit. Even for the conditions that have been studied the most, researchers are still working toward finding the answers to these questions.

Antioxidants are compounds that prevent oxidation, and they include vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium, and carotenoids, such as beta carotene. In general, fruits and vegetables are rich in antioxidants.

Research has shown that people who eat more vegetables and fruits have lower risks of several diseases; however, it is not clear whether these results are related to the amount of antioxidants in vegetables and fruits, to other components of these foods, to other factors in people’s diets, or to other lifestyle choices