Dietary supplements are additional minerals and vitamins that can be used to add nutrients to the diet or to reduce the risk of developing health problems such as osteoporosis or arthritis. They are available in many forms: capsules, powders, liquids or pills. Sometimes dietary supplement ingredients are added to foods, including drinks.
These are products that can be purchased without prior medical registration, with the ensuing advantages and disadvantages. A priori, eating a variety of healthy foods is the best way to get the nutrients your body needs.
The dangers of taking vitamin supplements
Multivitamin supplements cannot replace a variety of foods that are important for a healthy diet. Food doesn’t just provide vitamins and minerals. In addition, they contain fiber and other ingredients that may have a positive effect on health. However, some people do not get enough vitamins and minerals from their daily diet, and their doctors may recommend supplements. They can provide nutrients that may be missing from your daily diet. Therefore, the role of the doctor is very important.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH, abbreviation in English) recommend that you consult your doctor before taking any supplement. One reason is that some supplements can change the way a drug works.
Vitamin D: essential nutrition for bones
Vitamin D is an essential nutrient because it helps absorb calcium, prevent osteoporosis, and is needed by the immune system to fight bacteria and viruses that attack it.
This substance can be taken in several ways. Perhaps one of the most famous is through the sun. The body produces vitamin D when bare skin is exposed to the sun. Most people get at least some vitamin D this way. Another option is to include foods such as oily fish or grains in your diet.
Consequences of excess vitamin D
We can also get vitamin D in the form of a dietary supplement. Two forms of vitamin D are available in supplements: D2 (ergocalciferol) and D3 (cholecalciferol). Both increase blood levels of vitamin D, although D3 can increase levels higher and longer than D2. Because vitamin D is fat-soluble, the NIH notes, it is best absorbed when taken with a meal or snack that contains some fat.
But, as these experts pointed out, you should be careful with any supplements and their excess consumption. For vitamin D, blood concentrations that are too high (above 150 ng/mL) can cause nausea, vomiting, muscle weakness, confusion, pain, loss of appetite, dehydration, excessive urination and thirst, and kidney stones.
In addition, the NIH warns that extremely high vitamin D levels can cause heart failure or arrhythmias.
