Should we all be taking vitamin supplements?

a product taken to enhance diet or health, containing vitamins or minerals

Billions of people buy vitamin and mineral supplements.

vitamin pillmultivitamin

an illness or medical condition

High doses of vitamin C have not been shown to prevent colds or cure disease.

ailmentillnesscondition

A quantity of medicine or a drug taken or recommended as effective

high doses

dosage

absolutely necessary or required

Vitamins are essential for health.

necessaryvitalcritical

A substance that inhibits oxidation, especially one used to counteract the deterioration of stored food products

At very high levels, antioxidants may even act as pro-oxidants, creating the very damage they were meant to prevent.

free radicaloxidationoxidize

A provitamin A carotenoid found in many plants and some animal tissues

Studies have shown that high doses of beta-carotene supplements may be harmful to smokers.

carotenoidprovitamin Avitamin A

A tablet or capsule containing a combination of several different vitamins and minerals, intended to supplement a diet

What about multivitamins?

vitamindietary supplementmineralnutritional supplement

A substance that provides nourishment essential for growth and the maintenance of life

The body needs nutrients to function properly.

nutritionvitaminsminerals

physical or other injury or damage

the sun can cause harm

damageinjury

A chemical element or substance required in trace amounts for the normal growth and metabolism of a living organism

Ideally, we should get all these micronutrients from food.

vitaminsminerals

to present as worthy of acceptance or belief

What do studies suggest about the effectiveness of this new treatment?

indicateimplyrecommend

a lack or shortage of something

Some studies suggest benefits, especially in older adults or people with specific deficiencies.

deficitinsufficiency