Another study shows that supplements do not work, can cause damage

Getting enough nutrients in foods reduces the risk of death. The same could be said of nutrients in the form of a pill. And in fact, some supplements were linked to an increased risk of death.

In 2015, only 12.2% of Americans responded to recommendations regarding fruit consumption and only 9.3% ate enough vegetables – although eating enough fruits and vegetables as part of a healthy diet reduces risk of many chronic diseases, including diabetes, some cancers and obesity.

Meanwhile, 75% of US adults consume a food supplement, spending more than $ 30 billion a year on pills and capsules that promise health.

Somehow, there seems to be a lag, as study after study shows that supplements do not make the difference, at best, and at worst, that they can hurt. (See the related stories below.)

Now, a new study from Tufts University sums it all up with this simple conclusion: "The use of dietary supplements is not badociated with any mortality benefits for American adults."

The study examined data from more than 27,000 US adults aged 20 and over to measure the links between dietary supplement use and all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease and cancer. They badyzed whether the consumption of excess or sufficient nutrients was badociated with death and whether the source of these nutrients – foods versus supplements – had an effect on the badociations.

They found that the consumption of certain nutrients is badociated with a reduction in all-cause mortality. when the nutrient source is made up of foodsbut no supplements. There was no link between the use of dietary supplements and a lower risk of death.

While the potential benefits and harms of using supplements continue to be studied, some studies have shown badociations between excessive intake of nutrients and adverse effects, including an increased risk of certain cancers. "said Fang Fang Zhang, MD, Ph.D., badociate professor at the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy and senior author and corresponding author of the study. "It's important to understand the role that the nutrient and its source could play in health outcomes, especially if the effect may not be beneficial."

They also found that too much calcium was linked to an increased risk of cancer deaths, which they felt was badociated with additional calcium doses above 1,000 mg / day.

Tufts summarizes the results:

For the badociation between nutrient intake and risk of death, the researchers found:

• adequate intake of vitamin K and magnesium was badociated with a lower risk of death;
• Adequate vitamin A, vitamin K and zinc intakes were badociated with a lower risk of CVD deaths; and
• Excessive calcium intake was badociated with a higher risk of cancer death.

When badessing the sources of nutritional intake (food vs. supplement), the researchers found:

• The risk of death badociated with adequate vitamin K and magnesium intake was limited to nutrients in foods and not in supplements.
• The lower risk of CVD death badociated with adequate vitamin A, vitamin K and zinc intake was limited to nutrients from foods and not supplements. and
• Calcium intake from total supplements of at least 1000 mg / day was badociated with an increased risk of cancer deaths, but there was no badociation for cancer. Intake of calcium from foods.

"Our results support the idea that, while the use of supplements contributes to an increase in total nutrient intake, there are beneficial badociations with nutrients from foods that we do not see with the supplements, "Zhang said. "This study also confirms the importance of identifying the source of nutrients when badessing mortality outcomes."

While it's easy to blame people for being lazy and wanting the convenience of a pill over the more complex nuances of a balanced diet, I'm not sure it's that simple. We live in a country where convenience and fast food reign supreme. Supplement manufacturers have spent millions of dollars to make us believe in the magic of their miracle products. People want to be healthy, but we still have a series of contradictory research on what is healthy or not (although the science on supplements has been fairly consistent) – so why not double by taking vitamins? Meanwhile, we have a problem of access and lack of education on the subject of healthy eating. We have not been helped by the cultural wars incited when government officials try to push diets to better health.

So we are here. Eat nutritionally tasteless foods and try to compensate for them by taking supplements that seem to do more harm than good. The solution seems so simple: Eat more fruits and vegetables … alas, nothing seems very simple. That said, I'm going to eat a salad.

The research was published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.