Supplements: nutrition in a pill? Australian Prescriber. Malnutrition and nutritional supplements. Australian Prescriber ; January Iodine supplementation for pregnant and breastfeeding women. Dietitians Association of Australia. Vegetarian diets. Nutrition Australia. Revised Nov MJA Open.
Is a vegetarian diet adequate. Therapeutic Goods Administration. Buying medicines and medical devices over the Internet. Skip to content. Women At some stages in life, women have increased nutritional needs and may need to take supplements to meet their requirements.
Menstruation Iron : Women may need extra iron to make up for losses in heavy menstrual periods. This may occur in women who eat meat as well as those who follow a vegetarian diet, as the main problem arises from heavy blood loss. A blood test can confirm whether iron levels are low.
Self-diagnosis is not advisable, as excess iron from supplements can be harmful. Pre-pregnancy Folate : is an important nutrient for the developing fetus. Taking supplements of folic acid the manufactured form of folate for at least one month before conceiving, until the 12th week of pregnancy helps reduce the risk of neural tube defects, such as spina bifida.
A specific folic acid supplement is needed as the amount in most multivitamins is insufficient. A diet rich in natural folate is also important. Folate is found in leafy vegetables such as spinach, Asian greens and watercress, asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, peas, and beetroot and also in legumes, nuts and seeds, oranges, wheatgerm, wholegrains, Marmite and Vegemite, milk, eggs and some fortified cereals.
Iodine: Food Standards Australia New Zealand has made it mandatory for the salt added to breads to be iodised. This provides adequate amounts of iodine for most people, but not necessarily during pregnancy. The NHMRC recommends that women take an iodine supplement of micrograms each day when pregnant, breastfeeding or contemplating pregnancy. Pregnancy Higher levels of some vitamins and minerals are needed during pregnancy and lactation.
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However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. There's also a possible placebo effect to taking supplements, she adds. The greatest issue with supplements is that they are not regulated by the FDA. It's not all bad news, though. For instance, some research has shown that folic acid and B-complex vitamins may reduce the risk of stroke.
Taking high amounts of vitamin B6 for a year or longer has been associated with nerve damage that can impair body movements the symptoms often go away after the supplements are stopped. Supplements can play an important role for some high-risk groups.
For instance, adults diagnosed with osteoporosis may require extra vitamin D and calcium beyond what they get from their regular diet. Supplements also can help people with Crohn's disease or celiac disease, conditions that make it difficult to absorb certain nutrients.
People with vitamin B12 deficiency almost always need a supplement. Some research also has found that a formula of vitamin C, vitamin E, carotenoids, zinc, and copper can reduce the progression of age-related macular degeneration, a major cause of vision loss among older adults.
The message here is that supplements prescribed by a doctor are helpful for people with certain medical issues. Otherwise, it's best to get your vitamins and minerals from food and not a pill. As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles. No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.
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Get helpful tips and guidance for everything from fighting inflammation to finding the best diets for weight loss Some of the most popular supplements come in a multivitamin which can help you avoid taking a dozen pills each day , but they can also be purchased as a standalone supplement. The simplest common denominator?
Some common dietary supplements include:. Also, the products you buy in stores or online may be different from those used in studies, so studies may be misleading. Also, federal regulations for dietary supplements are less strict than prescription drugs. Some supplements may contain ingredients not listed on the label , and these ingredients can be unsafe.
Certain products are marketed as dietary supplements and actually contain prescription drugs within them — drugs that are not allowed in dietary supplements. Read about the potential dangers of weight-loss supplements.
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