Supplemental Insurance Needed?

Throughout my life I’ve never been a big proponent or fan of taking vitamins or supplements. When I was a kid, my disdain for vitamins was mostly because they tasted terrible. Usually they were flavored badly, a poor attempt to mimic an orange or cherry, and the consistency was usually on par with chalk. Not that I ever ate chalk – but you get the idea.

Recently, with the advent of softgel vitamins and supplements, I’ve actually taken a liking to them. Soft, chewy, with a nice taste- they are almost like candy – the gummy bears of the supplement world.

So, even though I’m still a bit dubious regarding their benefits – I view them as a tasty snack. And who doesn’t like a tasty snack that might do you some good?

And while millions of people take vitamins and other supplements for their perceived benefits (and maybe for the taste – like I now do) are they really getting any benefits from them?

A recent study has put most of the claims of vitamins and supplements into serious doubt.

The study, conducted by researchers at Tufts University and published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, and made available on-line on

May 7, 2019, came to the conclusion that while the intake of certain vitamins and minerals is linked to a lower risk of early death, these benefits are only seen when those nutrients come from food, not supplements.

The study analyzed information from more than 27,000 adults in the U.S. ages 20 and up who took part in a national health survey between

1999 and 2010. Participants were then tracked for about six years, on average.

The study results were summarized in an article posted on the website LiveScience:

“The study found that people who consume adequate amounts of vitamin K or magnesium had a lower risk of death from any cause during the study period, compared with those who didn't get adequate levels of these nutrients. In addition, people who consume adequate levels of vitamin A, vitamin K, zinc or copper had a lower risk of death from heart disease, compared with those who didn't get adequate levels of these nutrients.

But when the researchers considered the source of these nutrients — food vs supplements — only nutrients from food were tied to a lower risk of death from any cause or heart disease.

In addition, the study found that consuming high levels of calcium from supplements — at least 1,000 milligrams per day — was linked to a higher risk of death from cancer. But there was no link between intake of calcium from food and risk of death from cancer.”

So, what should you do?

Talking to your doctor about what you need and how best to stay healthy is always the preferred choice.

And don’t binge eat the vitamin gummies. It sounds like the regular, sugary gummies might be better for you.