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Q.

Are vitamins and mineral supplements for middle-aged men really necessary?

Related Topics: Vitamin
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Based on the current evidence, the answer is a definitive “no.” “For me,” says Christian Gluud, MD, a vitamin researcher at Copenhagen University Hospital in Denmark, “the simple answer is don’t use them.”

“Except for certain defined population groups,” says Irwin H. Rosenberg, MD, director of the Nutrition and NeuroCognition Laboratory at Tufts University, “there is no evidence that supplemental vitamins and minerals are beneficial for your health."

To be sure, vitamin supplements can be beneficial for some people. After the age of 55 or so, your body starts to lose the capacity to make vitamin D from sunshine, and adding a vitamin D pill may be a good idea. The elderly also lose the ability to absorb vitamin B12 from their diet, and some of this deficiency can be met by taking a B12 supplement. Cancer patients, or people eating fewer than 1,000 calories a day, may have vitamin deficiencies. Vegans may need some B vitamins and iron unless they are meticulous about getting these nutrients from their diet.

This answer should not be considered medical advice...down arrowThis answer should not be considered medical advice and should not take the place of a doctor’s visit. Please see the bottom of the page for more information or visit our Terms and Conditions.up arrow

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