Are vitamins really that good for you?

We ask the experts whether supplements are beneficial

What did you have for breakfast this morning? Toast? A bowl of cereal? Perhaps a multivitamin, because you never quite hit your daily fruit and veg quota; or an omega 3 to boost your flagging brain power?

Every day, millions of us – an estimated 38% of the population – take vitamins and dietary supplements to stay healthy and ease illnesses.. But could we be wasting our money?

"The body struggles to absorb and use some supplements effectively," explains nutritionist Libby Limon. "So they should only be taken to redress an imbalance – for example, if you are depleted in certain nutrients because you aren’t getting them through your diet, or you have a higher need due to exercise, stress or illness."

Side effects?

"Before you consider taking supplements, ask yourself a number of questions," says nutritional therapist Jacqueline Newson.

Some vitamins may have a negative effect on certain medications. For example, "vitamin K can reduce the ability of blood thinners such as warfarin to prevent blood from clotting," warns Jacqueline.

It’s always advisable to seek professional advice before taking supplements. Speak to your GP, especially if you take regular medication, or contact the supplement company directly.

Gimmick or good for you?

Before you take any supplements, take a look at your diet.

"It is really important that we eat a varied mix of complex carbohydrates, healthy fats, adequate protein, a little dairy food and plenty of fruit and vegetables," says Jacqueline.

"Supplements should be used to enhance a healthy diet, not as a substitute for actual food. Real whole food provides thousands of nutrients that work together to promote good health and this cannot be duplicated with a cocktail of supplements."

But if your diet is less than perfect, you can’t – or won’t – cook, or have a chronic illness, then some supplementation, like a multivitamin, will be beneficial.

Is expensive better?

Often, the price of more expensive vitamin supplements is due to better quality ingredients.

"Good quality supplements have more easily absorbed nutrients at higher dosages," explains Libby. "You really do get what you pay for in terms of nutritional supplements. If you buy cheap, they probably won’t do you any harm but probably won’t do you any good, either."

Try taking a quality wholefood supplement such as Real Health Wholefood Women’s Multi, which contains no synthetic ingredients and is easily absorbed by the body.

Too much of a good thing?

We all have very different needs in terms of levels of vitamins, so what’s good for one person might not suit another.

"Generally, it would be difficult to overdose on water-soluble vitamins such as C and Bs. However, fat soluble vitamins A, D and E can build up in the body tissue and cause toxicity," explains Libby.

"Vitamin A is one that people should be aware of. Too much build up in the body can cause blurred vision, dizziness and bone softening. Even at lower doses, it is a risk during pregnancy – it can cause birth defects, therefore you shouldn’t take it if you are pregnant."

Iron is another that can overload the body if taken when not needed. Joint and bone pain, and greying of the skin are signs of too much iron.

What to take...

Want to give your body a vitamin boost? Nutritionists Libby Limon and Jacqueline Newson reveal the ones you really need and how you can add them into your diet, sensibly and safely.

Important for making red blood cells, keeping the nervous system healthy and for releasing energy from the food we eat.

It’s largely found in animal products like meat, salmon, milk, cheese and eggs, so vegans and vegetarians are often deficient and will need to take a supplement to boost their levels. Try Holland & Barrett Vitamin B12 Tablets.

We need good levels of vitamin C to produce adrenalin in response to stress, but chronic stress can deplete our levels.

 Up your fruit and vegetable intake, especially oranges, peppers, broccoli, pineapple and kale. Or take a supplement such as Altrient C, which guarantees almost 100% absorption.

Due to the lack of sunshine in the UK and the fact lots of us spend long periods of time indoors working, many people are deficient in vitamin D.

This affects our bone strength, our mental health and our immune systems. Look out for D3 in supplement form. Try Healthspan Super Strength Vitamin D3.

Omega 3 fatty acids

Omega 3 helps protect against diabetes, heart disease and stroke, as well as the benefits for brain health and memory.

Found in oily fish such as salmon and tuna, most of us are deficient in omega 3 as we just don’t eat enough food that contains it. Look for supplements that have Omega 3 EPA and DHA like Equazen Capsules, Boots.

Magnesium

Vital for the normal functioning of the nervous system, bone health and reducing tiredness and fatigue. High magnesium foods include dark leafy greens, nuts, seeds, fish, beans, whole grains, avocados, yogurt, bananas, dried fruit and dark chocolate. Or try Vitabiotics Ultra Magnesium, tablets.