Is There Any Benefit to Taking Vitamins? The Answer Might Surprise You

Most people take dietary supplements either following a doctor's recommendation or believing it benefits their health. A new study found that there is no benefit to taking most dietary supplements.

A large study by the University of Toronto found that there is no benefit to taking most dietary supplements and vitamins. The study's findings, published in the Journal of American College of Cardiology, showed that after reviewing existing data and studies from 2012-2017, taking multivitamins, calcium, and vitamin C did not provide an advantage or reduced risk in preventing heart attacks, cardiovascular diseases, strokes, or premature death.

"We were surprised to find such minimal positive effects from the most common supplements that people consume," said Dr. David Jenkins, the lead author of the study. "Our review found that if you want to use multivitamins, vitamin D, calcium, or vitamin C, it is not harmful - but it also does not offer any notable advantage."

The results showed that indeed, taking folic acid alone or in combination with vitamin B can reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases and even stroke. However, a very small effect was shown by vitamin B3 (niacin and antioxidants), which might indicate an increased risk of death from any cause. The researchers estimate that these risks might be related to negative effects on blood sugar levels, and it's important to know that taking large amounts of antioxidants can be harmful. On the other hand, these risks might be related to the fact that people sometimes tend to think that taking vitamins can substitute for a healthy and balanced diet.

"These findings suggest that people should be aware of the supplements they are taking and ensure they are appropriate for the specific deficiencies of vitamins or minerals they have been advised to take by their healthcare provider," explained Dr. Jenkins.

Can taking vitamins actually replace a healthy diet?

According to the researchers' examination of supplement data that included A, B1, B2, B3, B6, B9 (folic acid), C, D, and E; iron, beta-carotene, calcium, zinc, magnesium, and according to some studies, there are still a few vitamins that have been more beneficial than others. For example, zinc has been linked to easing cold symptoms, contrary to what people believe vitamin C does. Also, for example, vitamin D which is hard to obtain from food, so its absence in the body means supplements can indeed help.

"In the absence of significant positive data - aside from the potential reduction of folic acid risk in stroke and heart diseases - it is recommended to rely on a healthy diet to get the recommended amount of vitamins and minerals. So far, no vitamin study has proven to be better than healthy servings of unprocessed plant foods like fruits, vegetables, and various types of nuts and seeds," said Dr. Jenkins.