Vitamin supplements can be an efficient way to add vitamins lacking in our diet. But they’re not a silver bullet.<\/b><\/p>\n
The market for vitamin and mineral supplements is estimated to be worth $32.7bn (\u00a324.2bn)<\/a>, and over 74% of Americans<\/a> and two-thirds of Britons<\/a> admit to using them in an effort to improve their health.<\/p>\n However, the pills are mired in controversy, with some studies suggesting they have no discernible health benefits<\/a>, and others finding they could even harm you<\/a>. So what does the evidence really say? Should we all be taking vitamin supplements, or just some of us? Does anyone even need to take them?<\/p>\n Vitamins and minerals are compounds that our bodies do not make, but which are nevertheless essential for our health. As we cannot make them, we must get them from our food. Examples include vitamin A<\/a>; which is vital for good eyesight and maintaining healthy skin; vitamin C,<\/a> which is essential for a healthy immune system, and vitamin K<\/a>; which is necessary for blood clotting. Essential minerals, meanwhile, include calcium, magnesium, selenium, potassium, and others<\/a>. Vitamins and minerals are classed as micronutrients because we only need them in small amounts compared to macronutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.<\/p>\n