Americans may take too many vitamins

http://today.reuters.co.uk/misc/PrinterFriendlyPopup.aspx?type=healthNews&storyID=2006-05-17T210657Z_01_N17309310_RTRIDST_0_HEALTH-VITAMINS-DC.XML

Americans may take too many vitamins, experts say
Wed May 17, 2006 10:07 PM BST

By Maggie Fox, Health and Science Correspondent

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Americans may be taking too many vitamin
supplements in the hope of staying healthy and living longer, a panel
of U.S. experts said on Wednesday.

Some people clearly need supplements, the panel said -- for instance,
older women benefit from taking calcium and vitamin D to strengthen
their bones, and younger women need to take folic acid to reduce birth
defects in any children they may have.

But no studies show strongly that people prosper from popping
multivitamin and mineral supplements and some suggest that eating
healthily and exercising provide more benefit, the panel said.

"Half of American adults are taking multivitamins and minerals and the
bottom line is that we don't know for sure that they're benefiting from
them," said Dr. J. Michael McGinnis, a senior scholar with the
Institute of Medicine, who chaired the panel.

"In fact, we're concerned that some people may be getting too much of
certain nutrients," added McGinnis, whose organization advises the
federal government on health issues.

The 13-member panel included experts in nutrition, biostatistics,
biochemistry, toxicology, geriatric medicine, family medicine,
pediatrics, cancer prevention, consumer protection and other fields.

They said much more study was needed on what vitamins Americans lacked
in their diets and whether taking supplements provided actual benefit.

Many people may assume that because vitamins and minerals are vital for
health, that more is better. But some are toxic at high levels,
including vitamin A and iron, and others are simply excreted in the
urine.

Beta-carotene was shown in a surprise study to raise the risk of lung
cancer in smokers.

The panel said anti-oxidant vitamins and zinc might help nonsmoking
adults with early stage, age-related macular degeneration, which can
cause blindness.

But many foods are fortified with vitamins and minerals, so the value
of supplements is often questioned.

There are no good studies showing people who take multivitamin or
mineral supplements can prevent chronic diseases such as cancer and
heart disease.

Many of the studies that suggest a protective effect also show that
people who take vitamins tend to take care of their health in other
ways, such as eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, exercising and
not smoking, so it is difficult to determine whether the vitamins were
responsible for health benefits.


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