Most vitamins are useless, but not all. Here's What You Should Take – Business Insider Italia



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  • Recent research has concluded that most vitamins do not improve our health
  • A new review of more than 100 studies found no evidence that people taking the most popular vitamins have a lower risk of suffering from heart disease, heart attack, stroke or premature death, whatever the cause [19659002] Includes multivitamins, vitamins C and D and calcium
  • . A small number of supplements such as folic acid for pregnant women exceptions to this rule.
  • Read on to find out what supplements to take and which to avoid .

This seems to be a simple and obvious tip: eat vegetables, do some exercise and, of course, take your vitamins.

But also not

Decades of research have failed to find substantial evidence that vitamins and supplements bring a significant benefit to our health. In fact, recent studies go in the opposite direction, supporting the thesis that some vitamins could be harmful.

ALSO READ: Vitamins are useless

Several supplements, for example, have been badociated with an increase in some tumors while others have been badociated with an increased risk of developing kidney stones. Others have been linked to an increased risk of death from any cause

Here are the vitamins and supplements you should take – and the ones you should avoid.

Multivitamins: forget it. You can get everything you need with a balanced diet.

For decades, it has been hypothesized that multivitamins are fundamental to general health. Vitamin C "improves your immune system" Vitamin A protects your eyesight; Vitamin B gives you more energy.

Scientific research suggests that all these things are wrong. A new review of more than 100 studies published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology No. actually found some evidence linking multivitamins to a reduced risk of suffering from heart disease, heart attack, stroke or death for any cause.

Some studies also suggest that consuming excess vitamins can cause harm. A large, long-term study in 2011 of nearly 39,000 older women found that women who had been taking vitamins for more than 20 years were actually at a higher risk of death than women who had taken vitamins for more than 20 years. did not take any. 19659012] Vitamin D: to take. It helps keep the bones strong and it is difficult to get them food.

Vitamin D is not present in most foods, but it's a key ingredient that keeps our bones strong and helps us absorb calcium. Sun exposure helps our body produce vitamin D, but it can be difficult to take enough during the winter.

Several recent studies have found that people who took vitamin D daily longer, on average, than those who did not have it.

Antioxidants: Avoid them. Excessive consumption has been badociated with a greater risk of contracting certain tumors and in their place you can eat red fruits.

Vitamins A, C and E are antioxidants found in many fruits – especially in red fruits – and vegetables. They have been announced for their potential for protection against cancer.

But studies suggest that if taken in excess, antioxidants can actually be harmful. A long-term study of male smokers showed that those who regularly took vitamin A were more likely to develop lung cancer than those who did not take it. And a review of studies conducted in 2007 on different types of antioxidant supplements has the formula as follows: "Beta-carotene, vitamin A and vitamin E treatment may increase mortality."

Vitamin C: forget that. It will probably not help you get cold, and you can eat citrus in its place.

A review of 29 studies, conducted in 2013, involving more than 11,300 people, found no "beneficial effect of vitamin C on the duration or severity of cold". The only one case where the authors observed some benefits of vitamin C supplementation was for marathoners, skiers and soldiers living in subarctic climate regions – but even in this small group of people, the beneficial effect observed was very

"The fact that vitamin C supplementation does not work to reduce the incidence of colds in the general population means that regular vitamin C supplementation is not justified," wrote the study authors, 19659007] ALSO READ: Diet, fitness, lifestyle: how should be your daily routine according to science

In addition to the lack of benefits for health, high doses of vitamin C can be harmful. Studies suggest that megadoses of 2000 milligrams or more of vitamin C may increase the risk of suffering from painful kidney stones. To be sure, take vitamin C from the food. Strawberries are rich in this nutrient.

Vitamin B3: no. Eat salmon, tuna or beets instead.

For years, vitamin B3 has been sold to treat everything from Alzheimer's disease to heart disease. But recent studies have called for an end to the over-prescription of this nutrient.

A large 2014 study of more than 25,000 people with heart disease found that gave people long-term doses of vitamin B3. increase the levels of "good" cholesterol or HDL does not reduce the incidence of heart attacks, strokes or death

In addition, people who took B3 supplements in the l? The study developed, to a greater extent than those who took a placebo, infections, liver problems and internal bleeding.

Probiotics: no thanks. Research is not yet advanced enough to bring significant benefits; in their place you can eat yogurt.

Probiotics – costly bacterial supplements that can cost up to 1 dollar (0.86 euro) per pill – have become a big deal. As of 2012, the market for these products reached $ 23.1 billion worth (about 20 billion euros).

The idea behind them is simple: support the billions of bacteria that bloom in the world. Our intestines play a crucial role in regulating our health

READ ALSO: Probiotics of today are almost useless, but in the future they could become # 39; most important integrator

But probiotics are naturally present in yogurt and other fermented foods. And until now, the effects of probiotic supplements have been the most disparate. Sometimes they help, sometimes no. So, rather than spending money on an expensive pill, it is better to have a snack with a perfect one.

Zinc: take it. This is one of the only supplements that can have an effect on colds.

Unlike vitamin C, which studies have found does not do much to prevent or treat colds, zinc can be worth it. The mineral appears to interfere with the replication of rhinoviruses, the bacteria that cause colds.

In a review of studies conducted in 2011, researchers looked at people who had recently become ill and started taking zinc. They compared these people with a group who had just taken a placebo. Participants taking zinc had shorter colds with less severe symptoms.

Vitamin E: avoid. Excessive consumption has been linked to an increased risk of certain cancers and you can eat spinach in its place.

Vitamin E antioxidant has become popular because of its presumed ability to protect itself against cancer. But a large study in 2011 of nearly 36,000 men showed that the risk of prostate cancer increased in men taking vitamin E compared to men who had just taken a placebo.

A 2005 study badociating high doses of vitamin E with a higher overall risk of death. So if you are trying to get more vitamin E, prepare a fresh spinach salad and skip the pill. Dark vegetables are rich in this vitamin

Folic acid: Take it if you are pregnant or want to become pregnant.

Folic acid is a vitamin B that our body uses to create new cells . The National Institutes of Health recommends that pregnant women or who want to become pregnant take 400 micrograms of folic acid a day because their bodies need larger amounts of this nutrient when they harbor a developing fetus .

In addition, numerous large studies have linked folic acid supplementation before and during pregnancy with a decrease in neural tube defects that can cause severe and life-threatening brain abnormalities, spine or spinal cord of the child.

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