What's the Verdict?
The war between food and supplements started when pharmaceutical companies realized they could bottle nutrients and sell them. These magic pills have been extremely successful, with over 75% of Americans taking it - creating an industry valued over $122 billion.
The Easy Button
Many folks turn to supplements for a boost to their overall health. And why not? In an age of once-daily multivitamins and aisles upon aisles of supplements, it’s never been more convenient to tailor your personal nutrition needs.
I was conditioned to take vitamins and quite frankly, it was easier to just pop a couple of pills than figuring out which food provides what nutrients.
My personal stash used to include a bottle for multivitamin, fish oil, D3, ZMA, Saw Palmetto, C, Green Superfood, BCAA, Creatine, Fiber and Hair/Skin. I also have a tub of protein powder and casein. These totaled over $250 a month.
Do Supplements Work?
Many research showed there simply isn’t enough evidence that taking vitamins actually help with anything.
The National Institutes of Health has spent more than $2.4 billion to study the effectiveness and the results are still unclear.
Of the studies conducted, multivitamins didn’t make people live longer, slow cognitive decline or lower their chances of diseases like heart disease, cancer or diabetes.
"Step right up and get your miracle pill. Do they work? Sometimes..."
Missing Out
Researchers still haven’t figured out what’s really in our food. New beneficial phytochemicals are being discovered every day.
For example, sulforaphane was discovered in 2007 as a cancer chemo preventive phytochemical (and of course that following year the vitamin market exploded with sulforaphane supplements).
When you replace whole foods with supplements, you’re missing out on things which are beneficial to us that scientists haven’t even discovered yet.
Too Much of a Good Thing
That was the one question that kept lingering in my head. I loaded myself up with so many supplements that my urine turned florescent.
Was I simply pissing all my money away?
Turns out our body can only absorb so much at a given time. Consuming vitamins and minerals beyond what our body needs isn’t going to give us more energy or increase our protection against disease.
I was just flushing the money I spent on vitamins down the toilet, literally.
Better Use of Your $$$
There’s an editorial in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine titled “Enough Is Enough: Stop Wasting Money on Vitamin and Mineral Supplements.”
And they’re absolutely correct!
While supplements may have some benefits, you’re better off spending that money on whole foods.
I converted the $250/month that I spent on my own supplements into a grocery fund that feed the entire family.
Preferred Method
It’s best to improve our diet before using supplements. That's why they call it supplements - it's meant to be in addition to, not replacement of. Nutrients are most potent when they come from food.
"Whole foods are accompanied by many nonessential but beneficial nutrients, such as hundreds of carotenoids, flavonoids, minerals, and antioxidants that aren't in most supplements," says Dr. Lo.
There are 6 major nutrients: proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, fiber and water. What are some good food sources for vitamins and minerals? Check out this article.
Exceptions
Like everything in life there's exceptions to the rule.
Maybe you have a medical condition that affects how your body digests nutrients like chronic diarrhea, food allergies, food intolerance and certain diseases.
Pernicious anemia is an example of this where the body can't absorb vitamin B12 very well and you'd counter that with a high dosage shot.
Another example is pregnancy - folic acid and iron for women of child-bearing potential is very important. Your ability to absorb nutrients decrease with age, so older folks may need that extra boost. Or maybe you follow a diet that excludes entire food groups.
If you think you need a vitamin and mineral supplement, please talk to your doctor or dietitian. Make sure you ask about dosage, side effects and possible interactions with any medications you take.
Closing Thoughts
In theory I will pick whole food vs supplements any day of the week (and twice on Sundays). In practice however, sometimes that choice isn't always black and white.
What if an individual has a hectic schedule or need an extra boost that isn't provide anywhere in the food choices. Case in point, I still take my daily dose of Saw Palmetto and on some occasion rely on my post workout protein shake cause I didn't have time to eat.
So find that balance approach to life and don't stress about it too much. Don't ever let anyone shame you for doing something that may be deemed as "inferior". You do you, and they do them.
But if you have a choice and the ability to, then get your nutrients from whole foods vs popping a pill. It's a cheaper and healthier option.
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