Can supplements be bad for you?

[Ultegra134]

Like Theymos suggested, if you have a balance diet, including meat, vegetables, fruit and so on, you're unlikely to have any deficiencies that would lead to the necessity of taking a supplement. The issue is lying on how many of us actually have the said diet, I'm pretty positive that most of us don't.

Personally, I rarely eat fruit and vegetables, while my food habits are quite messed up, due to me being too lazy or too tired to cook something of decent nutritional value. I was recently found with a vitamin D deficiency, along with B12, relatively low iron and hematocrit, possibly one or two more deficiencies that I can't recall now.

As a result, I'm taking a vitamin D supplement along with a multivitamin, I'm feeling a little better now, not something significant though but that could also be the placebo effect.

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[cmg777]

You want to take the supplements that have on the label "whole foods" especially with a multivitamin. Otherwise with the cheaper supplements they have fillers that are actually bad for you.

[Flyingjack123]

Yes excess of supplements can be really bad for health, for example excess of vitamins causes their accumulation and leads to hypervitaminosis.
This is important to  not to overtake the vitamins especially the fat soluble ones like A,D,E,K moreover excess of mineral intake can also cause their accumulation and toxicity.

So take supplements safely and moderately

[theymos]

Personally, I rarely eat fruit and vegetables, while my food habits are quite messed up, due to me being too lazy or too tired to cook something of decent nutritional value. I was recently found with a Vitamin D deficiency, along with B12, relatively low iron and haematocrit, possibly one or two more deficiencies that I can't recall now.

As a result, I'm taking a vitamin D supplement along with a multivitamin, I'm feeling a little better now, not something significant though but that could also be the placebo effect.

I've seen a lot of really good evidence recently about vitamin D, so I added that to my supplements about 6 months ago. Just recently I saw that it was strongly linked to a reduction in autoimmune disorders.

Some people can't digest B12 well via the stomach, so you might try a spray form or a tablet that dissolves under your tongue. Then it goes directly through the skin of your mouth into your bloodstream.

For increasing your fruit and vegetable intake, you might try dried, frozen, and canned options. Fresh fruits and veggies are a little nicer to eat, but they're more of a pain because you have to wash them, chop off the inedible parts, and figure out how to use them before they go bad. I often just take canned or frozen vegetables and add some oil and spices to make a quick side dish in less than 15 minutes. Dried apricots, cranberries, and prunes are quick & delicious.

[arielbit]

In reality you can't maintain the ideal diet everyday, sometimes you want to eat other stuff that has less omega 3s, then you supplement.

There are other things in the "supplement category" that can function as medicine, more like theraphy(since you will experience results a bit longer than synthetics but better since it does not have side effects, there are cases though that it can act faster and better than synthetics like oil of oregano for fungal issues.)

[Ultegra134]

Personally, I rarely eat fruit and vegetables, while my food habits are quite messed up, due to me being too lazy or too tired to cook something of decent nutritional value. I was recently found with a Vitamin D deficiency, along with B12, relatively low iron and haematocrit, possibly one or two more deficiencies that I can't recall now.

As a result, I'm taking a vitamin D supplement along with a multivitamin, I'm feeling a little better now, not something significant though but that could also be the placebo effect.

I've seen a lot of really good evidence recently about vitamin D, so I added that to my supplements about 6 months ago. Just recently I saw that it was strongly linked to a reduction in autoimmune disorders.

Some people can't digest B12 well via the stomach, so you might try a spray form or a tablet that dissolves under your tongue. Then it goes directly through the skin of your mouth into your bloodstream.

For increasing your fruit and vegetable intake, you might try dried, frozen, and canned options. Fresh fruits and veggies are a little nicer to eat, but they're more of a pain because you have to wash them, chop off the inedible parts, and figure out how to use them before they go bad. I often just take canned or frozen vegetables and add some oil and spices to make a quick side dish in less than 15 minutes. Dried apricots, cranberries, and prunes are quick & delicious.

I was also diagnosed a few years ago with a vitamin D deficiency, took a supplement for a month or two and felt a lot better. Stopped after a while because i continuously forgot to take them. My B12 is on the low side, but not that bad, I should repeat a blood test in a few months, provided that I receive the supplements daily.

Talking about fruits and vegetables now, I might get an apple or a banana every now and then, but too lazy and/or tired for something else.

[Marvell1]

I have heard since childhood that supplementary food vegetables are good for our body. And in various countries parents always try to feed their baby vegetables and nutrition containing food. But various studies have shown that many supplements contain a number of harmful ingredients that will do more harm than good.

Eating too many supplements can lead to death.
 
Let me give you an example, My father has always been a health-conscious person. He never took any food that contain too much oil and spice and always tries to eat vegetables and vitamin-containing food. But even after doing so much maintenance, my father became ill and various problems appeared in his body. Then I found out from the doctor that some supplementary food has harmed my father's body!!

At first, I became shocked, But later I searched about it on Google and what I found was really terrifying.

But, Supplementary food does some harm so it is not a matter of stopping eating it, everything should be eaten as measured.

Excessive intake of any food can lead to illness and even death,
Dr.  Millstein explained that,

“Supplements may interact with other medications you're taking or pose risks if you have certain medical conditions, such as liver disease, or are going to have surgery. Feb 4, 2020."
Source: https://www.pennmedicine.org/updates/blogs/health-and-wellness/2020/february/the-truth-about-supplements

[teosanru]

I keep seeing vegan propaganda about people being able to get all the nutrients they need from supplements and it's much healthier or something because most people are deficient.

However, this isn't backed by the NHS or NIH who both claim that most people get the right amount of different vitamins and minerals. The NHS and NIH both go as far as to state that a long term use of supplements could actually be harmful to the body. I'm guessing the doctors have it right but since both don't cite sources it's difficult for me to work it out.

I'ma make this self mod, I don't plan to delete anything but if somethings too spammy I reserve the right to delete it. I'm after an intellectual debate, I won't delete differing views especially if they're empirically backed.

I think your food and diet is pretty much enough to fulfil all the vitamin and minerals requirement of a healthy body. But the problem I think is our food and diet itself these days, one we have traded off our traditional healthy foods with some snacks and unhealthy fried foods which obviously Can't give that type of minerals and secondly the right timmings of our diet are also disturbed these days. I think our body does need some supplements based on the nutritional deficiencies in our diet but only for some period of time. If you are saying you need to take this supplement for rest of your life then I think it's just useless. Moreover this question I know has popped out because how aggressively these companies are marketing their supplement these days. I think if you are deficient in something and your doctor offers you supplement for sometime to treat that deficiency unless your body starts to make that vitamin on it's own using diet that is the best use of supplements.

[TheNineClub]

First and foremost, anything in excess can be bad for you, especially if it's the only thing. What I mean is that suplements are called that for a reason, the are suplemental to a healthy diet. Now, when I see doctors saying that most of people get enough of it from food is extremly vague because how manny people have they survayed, for what vitamins, in what enviroments, so on amd so forth. So I wouldn't say most people get enough, I would rather say that it depends grom person tonperson, and before geting to any conclusions, if possible, have some tests done to see if you are deficient.

[Gyfts]

There isn't a need to supplement unless you're undernourished or malnourished. Supplements won't be bad for you unless you over do it. At most, you get no benefit.

[Ultegra134]

First and foremost, anything in excess can be bad for you, especially if it's the only thing. What I mean is that suplements are called that for a reason, the are suplemental to a healthy diet. Now, when I see doctors saying that most of people get enough of it from food is extremly vague because how manny people have they survayed, for what vitamins, in what enviroments, so on amd so forth. So I wouldn't say most people get enough, I would rather say that it depends grom person tonperson, and before geting to any conclusions, if possible, have some tests done to see if you are deficient.

Most supplements, such as multivitamins, warn you that their usage shouldn't exceed 3 months at most. At least those I used to take warned its users. I remember this particularly from a multivitamin I was taking, Centrum Performance, which would often cause me tachycardia, after taking it for a few weeks.

Anything taken in excess can be harmful, especially if it's supplements that already have quite high dosages.

[Rruchi man]

There isn't a need to supplement unless you're undernourished or malnourished.

Not exactly the case, there are some vitamins and minerals your body needs that are produced in little (not enough quantity) or it doesn't produce at all. You can obtain such vitamins from food, and when a certain food that contains a certain vitamin you need is not available or in season, the next best option becomes supplements.

Supplements won't be bad for you unless you over do it.

Because these vitamins will become excess in your body, and it shouldn't be so. It should be taken in moderation and supplements should never take the place of food.

[Welsh]

There isn't a need to supplement unless you're undernourished or malnourished. Supplements won't be bad for you unless you over do it. At most, you get no benefit.

The thing is, the majority of people are malnourished. I think this is partly because of lack of knowledge, however I also believe its because of how modern life is. For example, we wasn't really designed to work eight to ten hour shifts every day, in fact there's plenty of research going into how biphasic sleeping patterns could potentially be a benefit to us, since that's likely how we operating before modern living introduced jobs.

It's going to sound a little weird, and it might not be accurate, but I wouldn't be surprised if first world countries have more malnourished in terms of a balanced diet, than those that live in third world countries. Obviously, malnourished is often associated with third world countries, and it's pretty obvious why, however first world countries tend to have awful working hours which means a lot of people skip lunch or don't eat regularly enough, which in turn causes issues with your health. Even if this is a extreme assumption to make, and isn't exactly accurate at least to the degree of first world countries having more malnourished people, I think the vast majority are still malnourished, and this is often down played.

Remember, just because your eating food, doesn't mean you're eating a balanced diet. Calories are what age you, and the majority are eating more calories than they require, and still not getting the benefits they would by eating half of those calories in a more balanced way.

I've seen a lot of really good evidence recently about vitamin D, so I added that to my supplements about 6 months ago.

Are you able to provide where this good source was? Would be interested to see how much they're recommending, and to what benefit it would provide. I don't currently supplement vitamin D at all.

[Gyfts]

Not exactly the case, there are some vitamins and minerals your body needs that are produced in little (not enough quantity) or it doesn't produce at all. You can obtain such vitamins from food, and when a certain food that contains a certain vitamin you need is not available or in season, the next best option becomes supplements.

Exactly, so someone eating a proper diet doesn't have a need for supplementation. Vitamin D in particular might be something someone might supplement, because of a sedentary lifestyle indoors, you won't get as much as you need. A lot of the multivitamins people take are nothing more than marketing gimmicks or placebos.

Because these vitamins will become excess in your body, and it shouldn't be so. It should be taken in moderation and supplements should never take the place of food.

I agree generally, but the harm of having excess vitamins in your body isn't anything significant unless you are triple dosing on every vitamin supplement imaginable. And even then it'd probably depend on other factors.

[Spontaneous]

 It depends on the right taking supplements, some people are taking a supplement that is not accurate to the specific problem of their body
, they just take even without the advice of the consultant .Taking supplements is good for our body when In a right dosage.

[im posible]

The best nutrition comes from natural foods that we consume, both animal and vegetable sources. Supplements are only needed if there are nutrients that are not met in the short term, not for long-term consumption.
In supplements, there are not only multivitamins that we need, but in the process other chemicals such as preservatives are also added, which if consumed long-term have a negative impact, especially on kidney health.

[Ultegra134]

The best nutrition comes from natural foods that we consume, both animal and vegetable sources. Supplements are only needed if there are nutrients that are not met in the short term, not for long-term consumption.
In supplements, there are not only multivitamins that we need, but in the process other chemicals such as preservatives are also added, which if consumed long-term have a negative impact, especially on kidney health.

Is there any study backing up what you're mentioning? I guess not. Supplements are often needed, not because nutrients from food aren't enough, but due to being in such a hustle and bustle environment, eating healthy in order to gain enough nutrients isn't always feasible by everyone. Thus, in some cases, supplements may be required for a short period of time. They are fine if they are taken for a few months, overdosing though isn't a healthy practice.

[Edith1994]

You are most likely to have side effects from dietary supplements if you take them at high doses or instead of prescribed medicines, or if you take many different supplements. Some supplements can increase the risk of bleeding or, if taken before surgery, can change your response to anesthesia.

7 Popular Supplements With Hidden Dangers

1. Vitamin D: Too Much Can Harm Your Kidneys
Vitamin D promotes calcium absorption in the body, and getting enough is central to health and well-being, offering the promise of protecting bones and preventing bone diseases like osteoporosis. Supplemental vitamin D is popular because it’s difficult (if not impossible) to get enough from food. Also, as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes, our bodies make vitamin D when bare skin is exposed to sunlight, but increased time spent indoors and widespread use of sunblock has minimized the amount of vitamin D many of us get from sun exposure.But enthusiasm for vitamin D supplements is outpacing the evidence. As it turns out, when healthy women take low doses of vitamin D (up to 400 international units, or IU) it does not necessarily prevent them from breaking bones, according to a U.S. Preventive Services Task Force report published in May 2013 in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine.

And taking high doses is not a good option. In healthy people, vitamin D blood levels higher than 100 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL) can trigger extra calcium absorption — and lead to muscle pain, mood disorders, abdominal pain, and kidney stones, notes the Cleveland Clinic. It may also raise the risk of heart attack and stroke.

“More is not necessarily better when it comes to micronutrient supplements,” says Manson.

The outlook is different for women who are over age 71, deficient in vitamin D, live in institutions, or have dark skin pigmentation. For them, the National Academy of Medicine reports, vitamin D supplements prescribed by a doctor are beneficial. To achieve vitamin D recommendations — 600 IU per day for people 1 to 70 years old and 800 IU per day for individuals 71 or older — include whole foods, such as salmon, tuna, milk, mushrooms, and fortified cereals in your daily diet. You can also spend a brief time in the sun without sunblock — about 10 to 15 minutes a day, according to the NIH.

2. St. John’s Wort: Avoid Drug Interactions
St. John’s wort is a plant used as a tea or in capsules to treat mild depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders. Small studies have shown St. John’s wort to be effective at treating mild depression. For example, a review published March 2017 in the Journal of Affective Disorders looked at of 27 clinical trials with a total of 3,808 patients and concluded that the herbal remedy worked as well as certain antidepressants at decreasing symptoms of mild to moderate depression.But, says Denise Millstine, MD, an internist in the department of integrative medicine at Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, Arizona, “The biggest issue with St. John’s wort is its medication interactions.”

A study published in July 2014 in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found that 28 percent of the time St. John’s wort was prescribed between 1993 and 2010, it was administered in dangerous combinations with antidepressant or anti-anxiety medication, statins, the blood-thinning drug warfarin, or oral contraceptives. For example, combining St. John’s wort with an antidepressant can cause serious complications, including a life-threatening increase in the brain chemical serotonin, according to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.

3. Calcium: The Excess Settles in Your Arteries
Calcium is essential for strong bones and a healthy heart, but too much is not a good thing. In fact, an excess of calcium, which is described by the NIH as more than 2,500 mg per day for adults ages 19 to 50, and more than 2,000 mg per day for individuals 51 and over, can lead to problems.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, “Researchers believe that without adequate vitamin D to help absorb it, the extra calcium settles in the arteries instead of the bones.”In addition, an analysis of 10 years of medical tests on more than 2,700 people in a federally funded heart disease study, published October 10, 2016, in the Journal of the American Heart Association, suggested that taking calcium supplements may increase plaque buildup in the aorta and other arteries. In contrast, a diet high in calcium-rich foods, such as dairy products and leafy greens, appeared to be protective.

“Get calcium from your diet if you can,” advises Dr. Millstine, noting that research shows that calcium is better absorbed through food than through supplements.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommends 1,000 mg of calcium a day for women ages 19 to 50, and 1,200 mg a day for women 51 and older. The recommendation for men ages 19 to 70 is 1,000 mg a day, and 1,200 mg a day for men 71 and older. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), 6 ounces of plain low-fat yogurt contains about 311 mg of calcium, a little less than one-third of the daily recommendations. Other good calcium sources include tofu, nonfat milk, cheese, fortified cereal, and juices.Calcium deficiency, or hypocalcemia, may be detected by routine blood tests. If you have low calcium blood levels, your doctor may prescribe a calcium supplement.

4. Multivitamins and Multiminerals: No Substitute for a Healthy Diet
Think that a healthy lifestyle requires not just eating good-for-you foods, exercising, and getting enough sleep, but also taking a daily multivitamin-multimineral supplement? You may be surprised to learn that the jury’s still out on whether those supplements are truly helpful.

One surprising study published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine, which examined data from nearly 40,000 women over 19 years, found that, on average, women who took supplements had an increased risk of dying compared with women who didn’t take supplements. Multivitamins also did little or nothing to protect against common cancers, cardiovascular disease, or death.
However, more recent research has found benefits to taking multivitamins. For example, a study published August 9, 2017, in the journal Nutrients concluded that frequent use of multivitamin and mineral supplements helped prevent micronutrient shortfalls that might otherwise cause health problems.

For women of childbearing age, taking prenatal vitamins with folic acid is recommended by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists to help prevent birth defects. Multivitamins might also be prescribed by your doctor if you have malabsorption syndrome, a condition in which the body does not properly absorb vitamins and minerals.

But for healthy people, Manson says, “a supplement can never be a substitute for a healthy diet."

5. Fish Oil Supplements: Choose Fish or Flaxseed Instead
Rich in omega-3 fatty acids, fish oil has been touted as a means to reduce heart disease. However, more and more evidence shows that fish oil supplements have questionable heart benefits. A study published January 3, 2019, in The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) found that omega-3 fatty acid supplements did nothing to reduce heart attacks, strokes, or deaths from heart disease in middle-aged and older men and women without any known risk factors for cardiovascular disease. An earlier study, published in May 2013 in NEJM, looked at people at high risk for cardiovascular disease and also reported no benefit.

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According to the NIH, omega-3 deficiency is “very rare in the United States.” Still, many people fail to consume enough omega-3s daily for optimal health. The best way to get adequate amounts is by eating a variety of foods that are rich in them, including:

Fish and other seafood, especially cold-water fatty fish, such as salmon, mackerel, tuna, herring, and sardines
Nuts and seeds, such as flaxseed, chia seeds, and walnuts
Plant oils, such as flaxseed oil, soybean oil, and canola oil
Fortified foods, such as certain brands of eggs, yogurt, juices, milk, and soy beverages.

6. Kava: Overuse Can Harm Your Liver
Kava is an herb that in concentrated forms has been used to treat general anxiety disorder with some success. An Australian study published online in 2015 in the journal Trials found that the South Pacific plant can be an effective alternative treatment to prescription medication for people diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). An earlier, smaller study, published in October 2013 in the Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology, also showed that taking kava significantly reduced anxiety compared with a placebo in people with GAD.However, taking too much kava, or taking it for too long, has been linked to serious liver damage, including hepatitis, cirrhosis, and liver failure. As a result, according to the NIH, the FDA has warned that people, especially those with liver disease or liver problems, or those who are taking drugs that can affect the liver, should talk to their healthcare practitioner before using kava. In addition, the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health reports that heavy consumption of kava has been associated with heart problems and eye irritation.

7. Soy Isolate: Careful With the Estrogen
Tofu, tempeh, and soy milk are all good sources of protein, fiber, and a number of minerals. Some women also take soy in supplement form because the plant contains estrogen-like compounds called isoflavones that may help relieve symptoms of menopause. However, concerns have been raised that the isoflavones in soy supplements may contribute to an increased risk of breast cancer.

The good news is that large-scale studies have not shown any increased breast cancer risk from eating whole soy foods, such as tofu and edamame, according to the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston.

In fact, at least one study, published March 6, 2017, in the journal Cancer, which looked at 6,235 breast cancer survivors, linked eating the equivalent of one serving of soybeans a week to a 21 percent lower risk of death from all causes during the nearly 10-year follow-up period.

But not enough research has been done on soy protein isolate (SPI) — the powder formed by removing the protein from the rest of the plant — to know its effect on breast cancer risk, Millstine says. (In addition to supplements, SPI is often found in power bars, veggie burgers, and some soups, sauces, smoothies, and breakfast cereals.)

The bottom line: “If you’re concerned about breast cancer, stay away from soy supplements and soy-based protein,” Millstine advises. “Soy intake from foods has not been shown to be of concern though.”

https://www.everydayhealth.com/news/supplements-risks-every-women-should-know/

[BernyJB]

Ok, initially, anything can be bad for you, even if it's not bad for anyone else.

A bit over 20 years ago, a Spanish philosopher came to Argentina, and was interviewed on a TV show. Among all the unproven, unscientific bullshit he said (which is to be expected from a philosopher), he said something that caught my attention. The guy was making a defense of drugs, and said "drugs don't kill anybody. Ignorance does". It's true.
Of course, with the huge amount of information available today comes a huge amount of misinformation. Here's what I  do:

1. Supplements are not regulated by the FDA, so as a norm I stay away from them. Not only because they can be "bad" for me, but also because they can be (and probably are) scams.

2. I use Wikipedia for EVERYTHING. If it's not in it, I don't use it. Period. I don't ever buy the hype, I research everything. If a product is not on Wikipedia, I research its ingredients.

3. If I can supplement with food, I do. I don't buy fads. I don't follow "gurus". I eat meat (when I can), sugar (as of late, less than 1 Lb. a day, but normally almost 2), fat, etc. If I'm in doubt, I check the Wikipedia page for it.

4. I don't trust ANY site, no matter how reputable it may be, that would provide any data regarding my health. I go to the basics, always.

5. I don't subscribe to any diet, EVER. I try to eat varied food, as much as my wallet will allow.

6. I use my head, always. It's there, anyway.
For example: some time ago, companies started marketing cooking oil as "cholesterol free". From the get go, that sounded ridiculous to me (cooking oil is vegetable oil, and cholesterol is an animal derived alcohol), but quite a lot of people fell for it. From then on, a whole "cholesterol free" market was born. Cholesterol free potato chips, cholesterol free cheetos, cholesterol free pop corn. All things that were naturally cholesterol free to start with.
I spent almost a decade trying to reason with people about it. Then, the Justice department mandated that any "cholesterol free" advertising was forbidden because "while not misleading per se, it implies a misleading concept".
Same happens with "diet" stuff, "fat-free", you name it. People don't want to eat sugar, and will gladly take aspartame, saccharin, and a bunch of other sweeteners (all known carcinogens) in its place. They don't want to use salt (sodium chloride) because it's unhealthy, and instead use sea salt (a known poison) to substitute it.

7. I don't fall for the "natural" bullshit. Hemlock is natural. So is curare, nicotine, opium, etc.

8. For the same reasons, I don't fall for the "if it's hard to pronounce, it's bad" bullshit. Some years ago, the Skeptic Society (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Skeptics_Society) launched a meme that listed a bunch of chemicals, all with very difficult names, saying "Don't eat this!" on top. Below the list, it said: Do you know it? It's a BANANA.

[Ultegra134]

~snip~

That's true, I've also read and seen myself that supplements aren't subjected to patent regulations by the National Drug Organization (the equivalent of FDA in Greece). I tend to stick to reputable brands when purchasing supplements, while also looking out for reviews, and at the same time, avoiding those "natural herbal" or whatever products, since in most cases, they are a complete waste of money.

I'm not against supplements, since I've noticed a difference myself, especially when I was an active cyclist, or when I had a deficiency in something. Certainly, a balanced diet is the key, however, I usually don't have the time or the energy to have one.