Vitamin supplements: What do most Americans need? That is the question I will be attempting to answer in the following few pages. To start, I will talk about their beginning as well as their recent growth in popularity in the past decade. I will discuss the medical views that are for and against the use of supplements, what types are most important, and what types people need. To conclude, I will tell about the supplements that I take and whether I will continue to do so.

Many years ago, there existed diseases such as scurvy, rickets, and everyday colds. These illnesses were the cause of a lot of sickness and sometimes led to other illness and death. Chemists looked everywhere for a cure. Then came the first supplement to become popularized in its uses this was vitamin C. This wonder pill was said to help the body fight colds and other sickness. With the discovery and use of these new vitamins the Food and Nutrition Board convened in 1941 to determine adequate dietary intakes of essential nutrients. At this time deficiency diseases were a common public-health problem. Since that meeting, with the process of food fortification and improved diets, these diseases have

As far as beta-carotene's abilities and uses go, there have been mixed reports. On one hand, these are being praised as a modern day "Fountain of Youth" saying that research was showing that it may reduce the risks of some forms of cancer, heart disease, strokes, as well as slow the aging process. The findings showed that supplement takers over the age of 65 scored better on tests of cognitive abilities such as reading and remembering maps. (Godbey, 20) In a test published by the National Cancer Institute persons who received supplements including beta-carotene had a reduced cancer rate of 13 percent below previous levels. (Antioxidants, 2) In another report by the American Heart Association, women who consumed high amounts of antioxidant containing foods had a 33 percent lower risk of heart attack and 71 percent lower risk of stroke than women who did not consume high amounts of beta-carotene. In other studies, low beta -carotene levels in smokers is highly correlated with increased risk of lung cancer and death from all cancers. Along with these helpful effects, beta-carotene is now being linked with a significantly stronger immune system that reduces infection-related illness by 50 percent. (Skerrett, 27)

What should one avoid in vitamins? Avoid alcohol-based products often called tonics or elixirs. Don't use products that have ingredients that have no proven value to human nutrition. Avoid storing vitamins in hot, humid places like bathrooms or near stoves and ovens.

What should one look for in a multivitamin? Women should look for iron, but men should not. Men should avoid iron in supplements because it may cause heart disease and colon cancer. One should then look for all of these vitamins: A, D, B6, folic acid, magnesium, zinc, and chromium. There are three others that have been recommended but should be taken separately in order to get proper dosage amounts. These are vitamin C, E, and calcium. These three are the most important and useful to our body, health and bones. Things to look for other than ingredients, include: expiration date (one should only buy what you can use before that time), ability to be absorbed (this is also called the dissolution rate) and a U. S. Pharmacopeia label, meaning that this vitamin has been tested and does indeed dissolve properly. (U of M, 3)

A lot of my research talked about women's needs. During the first few weeks of pregnancy, women need plenty of vitamin B and folic acid to help protect the fetus from a common birth defect, spina bifida. Studies on developing embryos have shown that vitamin A helps control cellular differentiation and maturation. If women are pregnant or breast-feeding they need more vitamins A, C, B1, B6, B12, folic acid, iron, and calcium than usual. For women taking prenatal vitamins containing folate as to help prevent birth defects, new studies show that the majority of the prescriptions failed to dissolve in the body for absorption. Women with estrogen in high-dose birth co

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Approximate Word count = 2018
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)