A man in his 60s came to me for advice because of anorexia. Upon questioning, he showed me a list of the 17 supplements he takes (written on a worn piece of paper). These ranged from vitamins, hormones and even steroids. He said he just wanted to live longer than others by consuming these “energy-giving supplements.” As it turned out, his urine showed a lot of protein (indicating kidney damage). I stopped taking all his supplements and his liver and kidneys gradually healed.
Another patient came to me with very high calcium levels, causing kidney failure. He bought it over-the-counter and took 60,000 units of 1 sachet of vitamin D daily for 3 months without doctor’s advice was meant to be ingested once). He had to be hospitalized and we were able to gradually lower his calcium levels.And his kidney function improved.
Do you really need vitamins and supplements?
Both cases are examples of misuse of vitamins and supplements. The lesson is that if you don’t have illness, you don’t need vitamins and minerals. Adequate vitamins/minerals can be obtained from vitamin D from sun exposure, calcium from milk, curds, cheese, etc., B12 from liver and seafood, protein from non-vegetarian sources, soybeans, milk and nuts. increase. , bengal gram, lentils, flaxseed.
Dietary supplements are available in pure form (e.g. vitamin B12, fish oil, vitamin D, whey protein, etc.) and mixed forms (multivitamins contain anywhere from a few to 30 or more vitamins and minerals together). included in). The latter are widely consumed.
When do you need supplements?
Patients should be supervised by a doctor or nutritionist. When food absorption is reduced in the intestine (malabsorption, pancreatic inflammation, or intestinal surgery), some vitamins become deficient.cancer, liver disease) require vitamin and protein supplements. People who consume large amounts of alcohol for a long period of time become deficient in vitamins. People with fragile bones and thin muscles need vitamin, calcium, and protein supplements.
Keep in mind that multiple deficiencies of vitamins and proteins can occur after acute infections (viral, bacterial) and have been seen to occur in severe forms in these patients. COVID-19 (new coronavirus infectious disease) Infection. Pregnant women clearly need vitamins to prevent birth defects from developing in their offspring. Some vegetarians also suffer from vitamin B12 and protein deficiencies. Thiamin supplementation will be necessary for those going through the alcohol withdrawal process.
Diabetics are often prescribed multivitamins. People taking metformin, a commonly prescribed drug, need vitamin B12. Multivitamins and vitamin D supplements will be required. Patients with renal impairment should be given protein supplements with great care. Diabetics often have high blood fats (“triglycerides”), and these may be effectively treated with fish oil capsules (made from oil from salmon and other fatty fish).
gym alert
Young men who want to build muscle are given protein supplements at the gym. However, total protein intake should be properly calculated according to body weight. Other additives such as body building hormones (anabolic steroids) should be avoided. These supplements are given at many gyms by unqualified people.
Taking other vitamins can also cause harm, as can excess vitamin D (see second patient above) and calcium. from, but from whole foods is fine) and avoid vitamin A if you are pregnant.
Multivitamins don’t serve a purpose
Some people think that one tablet of a multivitamin is enough to get all the vitamins and minerals. Certain vitamin/mineral deficiencies (vitamin B12, folic acid, calcium, iron, vitamin D, etc.) should be treated with pure specific vitamin/minerals (tailored therapy), 5 doses above the dose contained in a multivitamin capsule. It is administered at ~10-fold higher doses. Tablet. Severe deficiency requires administration of injectable vitamins.
Finally, there is a misconception that daily vitamin/mineral intake prevents heart disease and cancer. There is no evidence that this happens. Clearly, a daily multivitamin does not replace a healthy diet and exercise.
(Author is Padma Shree laureate and author of the book “Diabetes with Delight”)
