By Martha A. Simpson, D.O., M.B.A.
Associate Professor of Family Medicine
Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine
SOME FOLKS NEED MULTIVITAMINS, VITAMIN D AND CALCIUM SUPPLEMENTS
Question: Should I take a vitamin every day? Should my husband and I take the same vitamin? We are both over 50, so should we take a different vitamin than a younger adult?
Answer: This may sound like a simple set of questions that are easy to answer with nothing more than a “yes,” or “no.” In point of fact, though, it’s a lot more complicated than that. There’s a lot to consider when it comes to the subject of vitamin supplements.
The first thing to keep in mind is that there is no substitute for eating a balanced diet. In general, a balanced diet will supply the vitamins and nutrients that you need. So if you are a healthy adult, eating around 2,000 calories a day, using the food pyramid as your food choice guide, you should be getting virtually everything you need in the vitamin and nutrient department.
But, for many reasons, people don’t or are unable to receive the proper amount of nutrients their bodies need. You might want to consider taking a supplement if you are:
Also, post menopausal women, those who’ve had surgery and are not able to eat adequately and lactose intolerant persons who strictly avoid dairy, may have a special need for supplements.
For the rest of us, I generally believe in following the food-first rule. There is, though, one possible exception. A number of recent research studies have shown that the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for vitamin D may be too low and that many Americans do not get the ten to 15 minutes of sunlight per day needed by the body to manufacture sufficient vitamin D.
In the summer months in North America, a light-skinned person generates more
than 10,000 IUs of vitamin D with less than a half-hour of sunlight exposure.
This amount would be smaller in the winter months because of the angle of the
sun and the amount of UVB radiation that penetrates the earth’s atmosphere.
The current RDA is 400 IUs, the amount necessary to prevent ricketts. However,
some nutrition experts are now recommending that it be raised to 1000 IUs. If
they are correct, it may be a good idea to get your extra vitamin D from supplements
rather than the “natural way” because of the increased risk of skin
cancer associated with too much sun exposure.
If you think you need a multivitamin supplement, I’d recommend you look
for one that has both vitamins and minerals. Pick one that has 100 percent of
the RDA or daily value (DV) of most everything in it -- except for calcium.
Excessive doses of most vitamins are generally wasted. They also waste your
money. Excess dosages of some vitamins -- especially vitamin A, niacin and iron
-- can be dangerous.
Age generally isn’t a factor when choosing a vitamin, but pregnant women, who are usually under 40, need special supplements related to their pregnancy. You and your husband can take the same vitamin, but you may need some extra calcium. You both can take extra vitamin D, but do not exceed 1,000 IUs.
Family Medicine® is a weekly column. To submit questions, write to Martha A. Simpson, D.O., M.B.A., Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine, P.O. Box 110, Athens, Ohio 45701, or via e-mail to readerquestions@familymedicinenews.org. Medical information in this column is provided as an educational service only. It does not replace the judgment of your personal physician, who should be relied on to diagnose and recommend treatment for any medical conditions. Past columns are available online at www.familymedicinenews.org.