Questioning the value of Vitamins

I read an interesting, if somewhat worrying, article on BBC online last week that got me thinking. The review suggested that some vitamins, far from being good for you, may actually shorten your life. Is it time to throw out those dusty jars of multi-vitamins in the cupboard?

The review, of 67 studies, found ‘no convincing evidence’ that antioxidant supplements cut the risk of dying.

The trials involved 233,000 people who were either sick, or healthy and taking supplements for disease prevention. The scientists, at Copenhagen University, said that Vitamins A and E could interfere with the bodies natural defences. Vitamin A supplements were linked to a 16% increased risk of dying, beta carotene to a 7% increased risk, and Vitamin E to a 4% increased risk. It is as yet unclear why these vitamins may be having this negative effect, but the team speculates that beta-carotene may interfere with how the body uses fat. Vitamin C, occupant of oranges all over the world, did not seem to have any effect either way, but the scientists reckon that more work needs to be done in this vitamin.

This is not just an important matter for people’s health; the supplement market is worth over £330 million in the UK.

The Department of Health has said that people should try to get the vitamins they need from their diet and avoid taking large amounts of supplements. However, the Health Supplements Information Service, funded by the association which represents those that sell supplements, responded that people are not able to get everything they need from their diet.

As with many scientific reviews, these findings probably need to be looked at in more detail. Nevertheless, I still think that this highlights the more general issues around health and well being in this country – we should concentrate on eating well and exercising as much as possible – we used to survive without supplements, surely we still can now?