DEAR DOCTOR: Do I really need to take a multivitamin? It seems to me that as long you're eating right, you're covered.
DEAR READER: Multivitamins are the most widely used supplements in the United States. It is estimated that between one-third and one-half of all Americans take a multivitamin each day.
What are vitamins, exactly? They're nutrients that we need in small quantities to maintain various metabolic functions that, when taken in total, add up to good health. Vitamins help the body to produce energy, ward off cell damage, facilitate in the absorption and utilization of minerals and play varying roles in the regulation of cell and tissue growth.
Vitamins must be taken in food because the body either doesn't produce them in adequate quantities or doesn't produce them at all.
For most patients who eat a balanced diet, one that includes whole grains, a variety of vegetables and fruits, adequate lean protein and dairy products, there's no need for a multivitamin. However, when a patient's diet isn't ideal, then a multivitamin can offer insurance for the deficient vitamins and/or minerals.
Of course, there are exceptions, including pregnant women and nursing mothers, elderly adults whose appetites have diminished, vegans or others on a restricted diet, and individuals with chronic conditions such as iron deficiency anemia.
If you decide to make a multivitamin part of your daily regimen, keep in mind that it cannot take the place of a balanced and healthy diet. Not only do fruits, vegetables, whole grains and leafy greens contain vitamins, they also provide fiber, which is important to good health. Whole foods also contain trace nutrients and other useful compounds that no pill or supplement can re-create.
Elizabeth Ko, M.D., is an internist and primary care physician at UCLA Health.
Send your questions to askthedoctors@mednet.ucla.edu, or write: Ask the Doctors, c/o Media Relations, UCLA Health, 924 Westwood Blvd., Suite 350, Los Angeles, CA 90095. Owing to the volume of mail, personal replies cannot be provided.)