Do you use vitamins and supplements?

People of all ages use vitamins and supplements to support good health.

Whether by taking a daily multivitamin or specialised supplements to help strong hair and nails, there seems to be a supplement for everything.

Vitamins and supplements are big business in the UK – the market is worth over £670 million and they are readily available in chemists, supermarkets and health food stores.

Yet reports have challenged how effective taking vitamins and supplements really are. There is a lot of misinformation out there about what vitamins and supplements can truly do.

For most of us, we get everything we need by eating a healthy and balanced diet and don’t need to add anything additional.

An NHS report has found that there was little evidence to support the big claims of most supplements – and benefits many people swear by simply aren’t there.

Yet for certain groups, for example those with darker skin who are not exposed to a lot of sun, people over the age of 65 or young children, there are studies that support taking supplements such as multivitamins, and vitamins A, C and D are of benefit.

Specific vitamins and supplements are also prescribed at different times, such as taking iron if you’re anaemic or folic acid while pregnant, so vitamins and supplements clearly do have their place.

Do you use supplements that haven’t been prescribed by your doctor? Do you see the benefit? Share your views at Speakers Corner.