Top 10 Reasons to Avoid Taking Vitamin Supplements

Vitamin supplements have few health benefits

That’s the conclusion of a recent review of vitamin research. Well developed, highly controlled studies found the following about taking vitamin supplements.

10 Studies Showing Vitamin Supplements Do Not Help

1. Vitamin E & C intake did not reduce cancer rates.

2. Vitamin E & C did not help with heart disease.

3. Vitamin E does not lower prostate cancer risks (& may increase them).

4. Vitamin C has been shown to protect cancer cells in addition to healthy cells.

5. High doses of Vitamin E were associated with a higher risk of dying.

6. Beta carotene was associated with an 18% increase of lung cancer in smokers.

7. Vitamin A supplements were related to an increase risk for hip fractures.

8. A study of Vitamins A, C & E plus beta carotene showed people taking these had a 6% higher death rate than people taking a placebo.

9. Vitamin supplements did not reduce infection rates in elderly people.

10. Beta carotene plus Vitamin A found a 28% increase in lung cancer rates in people exposed to asbestos.

But it isn’t all doom and gloom for the vitamin supplements. There are some people who can benefit.

People who benefit from Vitamins

1. Vitamin B12 is beneficial for elderly people
2. Folic acid is helpful for women of child-bearing age
3. Vitamin D helps protect bones in women over 65
4. Marathon runners (and jogglers) had 50% less colds when taking Vitamin C supplements.

That last group is of most importance here.

The message is that taking multivitamins is probably not helping you and in some cases, could actually be harming your health. A better alternative is to make sure you eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables.

Stop popping vitamin pills.