1. Taking Vitamins, Is it Necessary? Randa N. Madrigal Kaplan University HW499

2. Multivitamins Many people in our society take a daily multivitamin, but is it necessary or safe?  Dieticians say that eating a variety of healthy foods is all you need to get the necessary vitamins and nutrients your body needs.  Taking “mega” doses of certain vitamins can cause problematic side-effects and may often pose severe health risks when taken with other medicines.  Consult a physician before taking any supplements of any kind if possible to avoid possible health risks or complications (NIH, 2013b).

3. Nutrition Insurance Policy  Eat a healthy diet from foods recommended from the USDA guidelines (USDA, 2010).  Take a multivitamin to cover any nutritional deficiencies.  As recommended by a physician.

4. Information Is Key  Rely on primary and secondary reputable sources rather than “popular” sources for current and reliable medical information such as The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) and The Medical Letter. o The American Academy of Family Physicians: The objectives of AAFP is the advocacy, practice enhancement, education and health of the public. http://www.aafp.org/patient-care.html o The Medical Letter: Trusted prescription drug information and facts since 1959. http://secure.medicalletter.org/

5. Don’t Go Overboard  Do not take more than recommended daily allowance.  Limit fortified foods such as protein bars, cereals, and other foods that contain folic acid.  Always consult with your physician before taking any supplements to learn any potential side effects or risks that they may pose to your health (NIH, 2013).

6. Vitamin Quality  FDA or Food and Drug Association regulates vitamins as a food not a drug (NIH, 2011).  The FDA does not evaluate the quality of supplements or assess their effects on the body.  Manufacturers are responsible for a supplements purity/quality.  If a supplement is found to be unsafe, the FDA can restrict or ban its use.

7. Getting the Right Amount  Eat a healthy diet.  Choose a daily multivitamin.  Consider a D supplement.  Just say NO to “mega” dose vitamins.  Avoid “Super” supplements (Harvard School of Public Health, 2015).

8. Common Mistakes o People often take large amounts of supplements, often hundreds to a thousands of times more than recommended to treat illnesses and disease(Stressing, 2015). o Taking supplements without the proper research and a physician’s guidance often leads to potential harm and sometimes an increased risk of death (Harvard School of Public Health, 2015).

9. New Evidence  According to (NIH), scientists are still discovering new information about common vitamins (NIH, 2013). o A recent study found that Vitamin E raised the risk of heart disease rather than lowering it as once thought (NIH, 2013).

10. Good to Know  Almost everyone can benefit from a calcium supplement (Stresing, 2015).  1,000 mg’s for adults, and 1,200 mg’s for adults over 50.  Calcium can interact with certain medications by limiting their absorption making them less effective.  B complex (600 units per day) for aging individuals.  Folate or folic acid is an essential supplement for pregnant or nursing women.  High doses of vitamin B3 or Niacin can harm the liver (Stresing, 2015).

11. Supplement Facts Links  Links to reliable dietary supplement facts : o National Institutes of Health (NIH) Fact sheets on dietary supplements. http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/list-all/ o National Institutes of Health (NIH)/Dietary Supplement Label Database. This link provides the user with a free database that allows them to look up the ingredients of thousands of dietary supplements. It includes information from the label on dosage, health claims and cautions. http://www.dsld.nlm.nih.gov/dsld/ o NIH’s free personalized on-the-go app for smart phones and tablets called MyDs (My Dietary Supplements). This app provides the user with personalized, on-the-go information about dietary supplements http://myds.nih.gov

12. References National Institutes for Health. (2013). Dietary supplement data base. Retrieved from http://www.dsld.nlm.nih.gov/dsld/ National Institutes for Health. (2013b). Should you take dietary supplements? Retrieved from http://newsinhealth.nih.gov/issue/aug2013/feature1 National Institutes for Health. (2011). Dietary supplements: What you need to know. Retrieved from http://ods.od.nih.gov/pubs/DS_WhatYouNeedToKnow.pdf Harvard School of Public Health. (2015).Vitamins. Retrieved from https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritio nsource/what-should-you-eat/vitamins/

13. References Continued Stresing, D. (2015). Everything You Need to Know About Vitamins. Retrieved from http://www.everydayhealth.com/diet- nutrition/vitamins-meds.aspx The Medical Letter. (2015) Retrieved from http://secure.medicalletter.org/ United States Department of Agriculture (2010). Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Retrieved from http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/DietaryG uidelines