The temptation to down vitamin supplements with the promise of health benefits and even improving our looks can be overwhelming, but do we really need them? The NHS says taking too many or taking supplements for too long could actually be harmful.
Ideally everyone should get all their necessary vitamins and minerals by eating a healthy, balanced diet. However there are are certain supplements the Department of Health and Social Care recommends for some groups of people at risk of deficiency.
To stay healthy, NHS recommendations include eating at least five portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables every day, basing meals on higher fibre starchy foods such as potatoes, rice, bread or pasta, choosing unsaturated oils and spreads in small amounts and drinking plenty of fluids. Iron, calcium and vitamin C are essential nutrients that your body needs in small amounts to work properly, the Mirror reports.
Here is what the NHS says about the vitamin supplements that could benefit some groups - and why you should be cautious about fizzy tablets:
Warning over fizzy tablets
Fizzy (effervescent) vitamin supplements can surprisingly contain up to 1g of salt per tablet, according to the NHS. It says people should consider changing to a non-effervescent tablet, particularly if you have been advised to reduce your salt intake.
Folic acid supplement in pregnancy
It has long been highly recommended that anyone pregnant or trying for a baby should take a 400 microgram folic acid supplement every day until you're 12 weeks pregnant. These folic acid supplements must be taken before getting pregnant, so it is important to start on them before you stop using contraception, or if there's a chance you might get pregnant.
Folic acid can help to prevent neural tube defects, such as spina bifida - where a baby's spine and spinal cord fail to develop properly in the womb.
Benefits of a vitamin D supplement
Most of us get all the vitamin D we need through sunlight on our skin and through eating a balanced diet. But during the autumn and winter, you need to get vitamin D from your diet as the sun is simply not strong enough for your body to make enough of it.
As it's hard for people to get enough vitamin D from just food, the NHS recommends that everyone - including pregnant and breastfeeding women - should think about taking a daily supplement containing 10 micrograms of vitamin D during the autumn and winter. Some of us are at greater risk of vitamin D deficiency and as such are advised to take a daily supplement. The NHS recommends:
- People not often exposed to the sun – perhaps if they are housebound, frail, in a care home, or often wear clothes that cover most of their skin when outside should take a daily supplement of 10 micrograms of vitamin D
- Babies being breast fed should be given a daily supplement of 8.5 to 10 micrograms of vitamin D from birth. And this is even if the mother is taking a vitamin D supplement.
- Babies having 500mls (roughly a pint) or more of formula a day should not be given a vitamin D supplement, because infant formula is fortified with vitamin D and other nutrients.
- All children aged from one to four years should be given a daily supplement containing 10 micrograms of vitamin D.
Vitamin A, C and D supplements
The NHS says it's a good idea for youngsters aged from six months to five years to take a daily dose of supplements containing vitamins A, C and D. If you have a medical condition, a GP may recommend certain supplements; for example you could be prescribed iron to treat iron deficiency anaemia.
You can find more NHS guidance on vitamin supplements HERE.
