It is quite hard swallowing all this lot every day. I'm a bit concerned that I might be getting too much of some vitamins, or taking two that clash. But I don't want to stop anything that's doing me good.
I also eat three balanced meals a day.
NUTRITIONIST'S VERDICT: OVERDOSE
Sian is doubling up on some vitamins and minerals. Taking folic acid in advance of a planned pregnancy is wise, but she could be taking too much because it's also in the Well Woman supplement.
The evening primrose oil may help with the period problems, but the hair and nail and Well Woman formulations are both another spin on the multivitamin, which means she could be tripling up.
Ones to watch are zinc and vitamin D - it's not advisable to have more than 15mg and 10mcg a day respectively of these over the long term. She should also think about how much vitamin C she is taking, as more than 1000mg a day has been linked to problems such as excess wind and diarrhoea.
As she has been diagnosed with a fatty liver, I can see the sense in taking milk thistle and lecithin. The echinacea is a well documented immune enhancer.
However, Sian's balanced diet may provide all the vitamins and minerals she needs - in which case, the only supplement she should really take is folic acid and milk thistle.
SIAN HAMLET
Sian, 31, works in the film industry as a camera operator and director. She is single and lives in East London. She says:
I started taking a lot of supplements about ten months ago. I had been constantly tired since I was about 27, had digestive problems including bloating after eating, and developed acne and thrush.
I went to a nutritional consultant, who sent a hair sample for analysis. The results showed I had various imbalances, possibly brought on by too many antibiotics, food sensitivities and not enough time to relax.
She recommended a list of supplements, which I started taking last November. It's quite daunting to swallow so many tablets, but after three months I started to feel better.
I take potassium because the hair analysis showed my levels were low and because it helps my adrenal glands, which apparently weren't functioning well.
I take L-glutamine, which is like glucose, and chromium to regulate my blood sugar; acidophilus to rebalance the floras in my gut; the enzyme complex Hypo-D to improve digestion; and AD206 (AD is short for adrenal), because it contains herbs, and nutrients to support my adrenal glands.
The consultant also advised me to cut out processed foods - I now eat heaps of fresh produce and try to avoid dairy and wheat.
The GLA helps balance hormones, the herb Kolorex helps get rid of candida, and milk thistle cleanses the liver.
Unfortunately, I've missed several appointments with my consultant, so I have been taking some things for longer than she may have recommended.
NUTRITIONIST'S VERDICT: OVERDOSE
A mix of 'professional' supplements like this, which have been prescribed on an individual basis by a nutritionist, are OK, but only if taken in the short term.
Although seeing a nutritionist is far better than self-prescribing, some of these supplements have rarely been tested in large scientific trials.
Acidophilus (friendly bacteria) and the multivitamin are fine taken long-term, but I'd worry about the safety of the others when taken for many months.
It is vital to keep appointments with your nutritionist so your progress is reviewed. Many supplements are only meant to be taken short-term. If they are powerful enough to do what they claim they should be treated with great respect.
It's difficult to say how much of Sian's health improvement is due to diet rather than supplements. The digestive problems were probably caused by food intolerances, and I suspect the diet change is actually having the biggest impact.
INGRID PEACE
Ingrid, 24, a business public relations officer, is single and lives in Leeds. She says:
I've taken multivitamins ever since I became vegetarian, when I was about 14.
I have a hectic lifestyle, and grab meals on the move - I often eat lunch at my desk - so I try to make sure I have a good diet, including plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables and fibre.
I know it's better to get the vitamins we need through food, so I eat as well as I can and just take the multivitamin to be on the safe side. When I'm tired or feel a cold coming on, I take vitamin C or a dose of Seven Seas Tonic.
I always have cereal for breakfast; and a sandwich, usually egg or cheese with salad, or vegetable soup and bread at lunchtime, plus fresh fruit and a sugar-free cereal bar for extra fibre. In the evening I often cook pasta and vegetables or quorn, with a yoghurt or fresh fruit for dessert.
NUTRITIONIST'S VERDICT: SPOT ON
Ingrid eats healthily and has no reason to take specific supplements, so she is probably getting nearly all she needs from her diet, provided she has five portions of fresh fruit and vegetables a day.
She is taking a multivitamin simply as a nutritional insurance policy, which is what supplements are designed to be. The extra iron in the multivitamin is useful because she's vegetarian - plant sources of iron aren't as well absorbed by the body as meat sources are.
When she found adding evening primrose oil made no difference she was right not to carry on taking it.
There's evidence that 1000mg of vitamin C taken daily at the onset of a cold can shorten the duration of symptoms, so taking it as symptoms begin makes sense.
Click on the link below to find out what the most common supplements are useful for. |
