Essay - Vitamins Jaret, Peter (2006, Oct). Vitamins: What to Take, What...

Vitamins

Jaret, Peter (2006, Oct). Vitamins: What to take, what to eat. Prevention, 58(10).

Summary

***** author clarifies several controversies over the health benefits of nutritional supplements. A recent National Institutes of Health report revealed that multi-vitamin supplements may offer few health *****. However, health care workers continue to advocate ***** use of vitamin and mineral supplements. Because it focused on a n*****rrow population, did not examine the preventative benefits of ***** supplements, and ***** on only a few studies, the NIH p*****nel study was flawed.

While whole food sources remain the optimal means of acquiring ***** recommended doses of vitamins ***** *****s, most *****mericans do ***** consume enough ***** grains, fruits, and vegetables. Therefore, vitamin and mineral supplements can make up for dietary insufficiency. Concentrating on calcium, folic acid, beta carotene, vitamin E, and selenium, the author outlines optimal doses and discusses possible adverse effects ***** taking nutritional s*****plements. *****ach of these vitamins ***** minerals *****s potential health care benefits, largely in terms of the prevention of disease or ***** birth defects. Ideally, ***** and minerals should be *****d via whole food sources but supplementation can make up insufficiencies, especially when taken under the supervision of a health care professional.

Analysis

The article is useful f***** the following reasons. First, because it is written for a general audience, it offers patients ***** opportun*****y to learn more about vitamin ***** mineral ***** and how it may apply to them. Second, the in*****mation contained in the article is backed by scientific research, even if the material is broad and *****ized. Third, ***** article reviews the role of several key dietary supplements: *****, folic acid, beta carotene, Vitamin E and selenium. Patients already familiar with each ***** these vitamins or minerals will be pleased ***** read the brief rep*****ts detailing their benefits or drawbacks. Patients un***** with any or all of them ***** learn much and have a valuable starting point for conducting their own research online or through ***** health ***** providers. Fourth, the ***** plays up the importance of deriving nutrition from whole foods ***** ***** possible or necessary offers dietary tips such as which ***** contain the ***** beta carotene.

In spite of its value ***** a gener*****l audience, *****ever, the article fails to provide sufficient scholarly research to help health care workers ***** clear informed dec*****ions regarding *****ir patient's nutritional care. Health care workers may be stymied by the conflicting information available on nutritional s*****plementation even after *****ing the article. Moreover, the article focuses on only five ***** and neglects ***** address a whole set ***** important vitamins and minerals ***** patients may either be lacking in their diets or simply curious ***** taking.

Although limited in scope and written f***** a gener*****l and not a scholastic *****, however, the article ***** basic guidelines for ***** care professionals. Health care professionals who do not specialize in nutrition might find ***** information valuable in offering patients some guidance ***** support. The author does offer specific dosage recommendations that health