Do I need vitamin supplements?

• We spend at least £335 million a year on vitamin and mineral supplements and, according to market researchers Mintel, that could reach £500 million by 2001.
• Our bodies can't make vitamins and minerals (except vitamin D) so we must get them from food to stay healthy.
• Taking supplements is another option. Interestingly, however, studies show that vitamin supplement users tend to have more nutritious diets and a healthier lifestyle than non-users. Also, if you're physically active, you tend to eat more to fuel your exercise and therefore your nutrient intake is greater. If you're a keen jogger, for example, you may need more dietary iron to replace the blood cells damaged while pounding the streets.
• Nutrition scientists think that, in some cases, the benefits of foods rich in a particular nutrient may not be solely due to that nutrient, but also to other equally important food chemicals, e.g. phytochemicals, which are not included in supplements. The only way you can get the rich mixture of vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals found in food is actually to eat food.
• According to nutrition surveys, men are most likely to have marginal intakes of certain minerals, for example zinc, magnesium, selenium and potassium, and also of vitamin E. The best way to get these is to include wholegrains such as wholemeal bread, wholegrain cereals (e.g. porridge, Weetabix, Shredded Wheat) and brown rice, nuts, greens, beans and lean meat or fish in your daily diet.
• If you smoke your vitamin C needs double, but you can get enough by having a glass of orange juice and at least four other portions of fruit and vegetables daily — although it's better not to smoke! Moreover, vitamin C supplements providing in excess of 200 mg a day are NOT recommended for smokers — two large international studies have indicated that large doses of anti-oxidant nutrients may hasten the development of lung cancer.
• Supplements of specific nutrients are useful if you have to restrict certain foods due to a health problem. For example, a calcium supplement is useful to maintain good bone strength if you have a milk allergy and can't manage other calcium-rich foods.
• If your diet is restricted in some way, for example you avoid dairy foods due to a milk allergy, you may need a calcium supplement if you're not getting enough calcium-rich foods.
• If you decide you still want to take a vitamin supplement as an "insurance policy", the best type is a one-a-day, multivitamin and mineral, that contains amounts close to the recommended daily allowances (RDAs). Steer clear of high-dose supplements, and that way you can't overdose — high intakes of some nutrients can be harmful or interfere with the absorption of others.
• And remember, supplements will only ensure that you don't develop a nutrient deficiency, rather than promote optimal health. This is because they don't provide all the fibre, phytochemicals and other nutrients you get by eating real food.