Medical expert of the article
New publications
Vitamins will not help prevent cardiovascular disease
Last reviewed: 16.10.2021
All iLive content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.
We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses ([1], [2], etc.) are clickable links to these studies.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please select it and press Ctrl + Enter.
Many people around the world have become accustomed to regularly drink a complex of vitamin preparations, mineral supplements or various vitamins separately. Such preventive measures, in their opinion, will help to protect against cancer, heart attacks, strokes and, in general, simply to strengthen one's own health. But recent studies in this area have shown that vitamins are not able to protect the body from cancer or heart attack.
There is no evidence that vitamins and various nutritional supplements may become useful in the future, and such preventive methods are not capable of preventing heart and blood vessel problems, says lead researcher Hopkins Edgar Miller.
Experts came to such conclusions after analyzing 27 different studies in which almost half a million people participated. Based on such large-scale observations, the experts compiled a detailed report, the title of which was quite eloquent: "Enough: enough to spend money on vitamins and mineral supplements."
Also, experts note that vitamin complexes can in some cases even harm human health. For example, excessive intake of vitamin E and C contributes to a reduction in life expectancy, earlier experts from the University of California noted that a lack of vitamin D in the body contributes to the development of depressive conditions.
The human body is not able to independently develop and store vitamin C. To increase the amount of this vitamin, which helps strengthen the body's defenses, a person takes the drug in the form of tablets. Experts have studied the concentration of nutrients in vitamin complexes and concluded that such drugs contain a dose of vitamins that is many times higher than normal. In a day a person needs 40 milligrams of vitamin C, 3-4 milligrams of vitamins A and E, which support the structure of cells.
In order to determine how the overabundance of vitamins affects the body, scientists conducted experiments on laboratory rodents. Two-month-old mice were given vitamins C and E daily at the doses contained in vitamin complexes. As a result, the life span of mice participating in the experiment decreased, in comparison with mice that did not receive additional vitamins.
As a result of the conducted studies and observations, experts came to the conclusion that vitamins in tablets contain a dose of useful substances dangerous for health and life. Admission of such drugs can significantly shorten life. As experts mark, the most optimum way of replenishment of quantity of vitamins in an organism is the balanced healthy food. Vitamin E can be obtained additionally by consuming oil, nuts, eggs, greens, milk, meat, liver. Vitamin C is found in many vegetables and fruits, particularly citrus fruits.
It is worth noting that the production of vitamin complexes every year brings to its owners more than twelve billion dollars.