Last updated
17 October 2009

Vitamin and mineral pills considered

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Vitamin and mineral pills - Are they any good?

There is much less controversy surrounding vitamin pills compared with dieting pills as vitamin pills have long been taken by adults and children alike. Many of you will undoubtedly remember 'Sanatogen Children's Vitamins', fruity flavoured multi-vitamins that your parents used to encourage you to take at breakfast time every morning.

Vitamins are a small group of substances that are essential in tiny quantities for growth and development. Most vitamins cannot be manufactured by the body, hence they must come from the food and drink that we consume.

If you follow a balanced diet, your diet should provide all the vitamins and minerals that your body needs. However, if your diet is lacking in any way (for instance, you might be a vegetarian or vegan and not eat meats) or if you have vitamin or mineral shortfalls for any other reason, you might need to top up your vitamin and mineral balance with supplements to ensure that your body has what it requires to function properly.

Many people undertaking intense training for sport often make use of supplements to address vitamin and mineral shortfalls. When training so intensively, it can be difficult for sportsmen and athletes alike to extract sufficient amounts of these substances naturally from the foods they eat - vitamin and mineral supplements are therefore essential for them to optimise their performance.

Possible dangers from vitamin pills

If you are training intensively or you are addressing vitamin and mineral shortfalls for any other reason, It is important to avoid mega doses - like too much of anything, vitamins and minerals can have toxic effects if taken to excess. Just remember, the fact that the body needs vitamins is undisputed, but more is not necessarily better!

The potential for toxic effects is particularly true for fat-soluble vitamins, such as Vitamin A, that will be stored in the liver. If excess is consumed over a period of time, Vitamin A stored in the liver can reach toxic levels leading to liver damage. It is important that pregnant women avoid consuming excess Vitamin A as research exists which suggests that such an excess can cause harm to the unborn baby.

Even Vitamin C has natural laxative effects which can be unpleasant.

Essentially, it is important to take care when taking any sort of supplement. Guidance is provided by the recommended daily allowances that are printed on the labeling of many food, drink and supplement products, but always consider speaking with your GP for further clarification.

Essential vitamins

The tables below consider the most common vitamin in more detail. This information is based on Food Standards Agency (FSA) recommendations and publications.

Note: Mg refers to miligrams and that 1mg is equivalent to 1,000mcg, that being 1,000 migrograms.

Vitamin A

Benefits	RDA	Sources	Poisoning / Overconsumption
Helps with eyesight, health of skin, mucus linings and the immune system.	Men - 0.7 mg; Women - 0.6 mg	Cheese, eggs, oily fish, milk, fortified margarine and yoghurt.	Vitamin A is fat-soluble and as such is stored in the body for a long time. Large amounts of vitamin A can cause harm to unborn babies - it is therefore recommended that pregnant women speak to their GP for more information. Consuming too much vitamin A for a long period of time can also cause bones to become more prone to fracturing, particularly in elderly women.

Vitamin B6

Benefits	RDA	Sources	Poisoning / Overconsumption
Helps the body absorb protein and carbohydrate. Also helps haemoglobin to form, that being the substance that carries oxygen around the body.	Men - 1.4 mg; Women - 1.2 mg	Pork, chicken, turkey, cod, bread, whole cereals, eggs, vegetables, peanuts, milk, potatoes.	Vitamin B6 may cause nerve problems in large doses - effects, however, in some cases, can be reversed. It is advisable to not exceed the RDA.

Vitamin B12

Benefits	RDA	Sources	Poisoning / Overconsumption
Helps the body to produce red blood cells. Helps to keep the nervous system healthy.	It also helps the body release energy from the food we eat and is required to process folic acid.	Adults - 0.0015 mg (approx)	Meat, salmon, cod, milk, cheese, eggs, yeast extract, and some fortified breakfast cereals. Vitamin B12 dissolves in water, so any excess is generally passed in urine. Taking 2 mg or less of vitamin B12 supplements a day is unlikely to cause any harm according the the FSA.

Vitamin C

Benefits	RDA	Sources	Poisoning / Overconsumption
Helps protect cells, keeping them healthy. It alos help the immune system and provides natural laxative effects.	Adults - 60 mg	Can be found in most fruit and vegetables. Good examples include peppers, broccoli, sprouts, sweet potatoes, oranges and kiwi fruit.	Large doses of Vitamin C can cause diarrhoea, due to its natural laxative effect, and nausea. Taking 1000 mg or less of vitamin C supplements a day is unlikely to cause any harm according to the FSA.

Vitamin D

Benefits	RDA	Sources	Poisoning / Overconsumption
Helps regulate the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body - these are needed to help keep bones and teeth healthy.	5 mcg (micrograms). Most people should be able to get all the vitamin D they need from their diet and by getting a little sun.	Sunlight - the action of sunlight on the skin allows our bodies to manufacture vitamin D. Food sources include oily fish, eggs and fortified breakfast cereals.	Vitamin D is fat-soluble so can accumulate in the body - overdosing is dangerous. Excess consumption of vitamin D for a long period of time can weaken the bones. Taking 25 micrograms (0.025 mg) or less of vitamin D supplements a day is unlikely to cause any harm according to the FSA.

Vitamin E

Benefits	RDA	Sources	Poisoning / Overconsumption
Helps protect cell membranes by acting as an antioxidant.	Men - 4 mg; Women - 3 mg	Plant oils (soya, corn, and olive), nuts and seeds, and wheatgerm (found in cereals and cereal products).	Vitamin E is fat soluble hence there is a slight risk of overdose through prolonged excess consumption. Taking 540 mg or less of vitamin E supplements a day is unlikely to cause any harm according to the FSA.

Folic acid

Benefits	RDA	Sources	Poisoning / Overconsumption
Works together with vitamin B12 to form healthy red blood cells. Helps reduce the risk of neural tube defects such as spina bifida, cleft palate or cleft lip in unborn babies if taken from the start of trying for a baby and during the first 3 months of pregnancy.	Adults - 0.2 mg. Note: if you are pregnant or thinking of having a baby it is recommended that you take a daily 0.4 mg supplement from the time you stop using contraception until the 12th week of pregnancy.	Broccoli, sprouts, asparagus, peas, chickpeas and brown rice.	Folic acid dissolves in water, so excess is generally passed in urine. If you are taking folic acid supplements, the FSA notes that it is important not to take too much to avoid any harmful side effects. Taking 1 mg (1000 micrograms) or less of folic acid supplements a day is unlikely to cause any harm according to the FSA.

Essential minerals

The tables below consider the most common minerals in more detail. This information is based on Food Standards Agency (FSA) recommendations and publications.

Note: Mg refers to miligrams and that 1mg is equivalent to 1,000mcg, that being 1,000 migrograms.

Calcium

Benefits	RDA	Sources	Poisoning / Overconsumption
Helps build strong bones and teeth, helps regulate muscle contraction (ncluding the heartbeat) and makes sure blood clots normally.	Adults - 700 mg	Milk, cheese, green leafy vegetables, soya beans, tofu, nuts, bread, products made with fortified flour, and fish (where bones are eater) such as sardines and pilchards.	Calcium, taking in high doses, could lead to stomach pain and diarrhoea. Taking 1500 mg or less of calcium supplements a day is unlikely to cause any harm according to the FSA

Iron

Benefits	RDA	Sources	Poisoning / Overconsumption
Helps produce red blood cells, which carry oxygen around the body. It also helps the immune system.	Men - 8.7 mg; Women - 14.8 mg	Liver, lean red meat meat, beans, nuts, dried fruit, whole grains, fortified breakfast cereals, and dark green leafy vegetables.	The side effects of Iron, taken in high doeses, includes constipation, nausea, vomiting and stomach pain. Very high doses of iron can be fatal, particularly if taken by children, so it is important keep iron supplements out of the reach of children. In terms of adults taking supplements, 17 mg or less per day is unlikely to cause any harm according the FSA.

Magnesium

Benefits	RDA	Sources	Poisoning / Overconsumption
Helps in the process of turning the food we eat into energy. Also builds strong bones, teeth and muscles.	Men - 300 mg; Women - 270 mg	The richest sources are green leafy vegetables (such as spinach) and nuts. Good sources include bread, fish, meat and dairy foods.	Magnesium, taken in high doses, can cause diarrhoea. In terms of supplements, having 400 mg or less per day is unlikely to cause any harm according to the FSA.

Zinc

Benefits	RDA	Sources	Poisoning / Overconsumption
Helps to create new cells and enzymes, helps in the proceesing of carbohydrate, fat and protein, andhelps with wound healing and the immune system.	Men - 5.5 to 9.5 mg; Women - 4 to 7 mg	Meat, shellfish, milk, cheese, bread, and cereal products such as wheatgerm.	High doses can lead to stomach cramps, nausea and vomiting. Taking high doses of zinc reduces the amount of copper the body can absorb which can lead to anaemia and to weakening of the bones. The FSA advises against taking more than 25 mg of zinc supplements a day.