Does everyone need to take vitamins — and which are most important? Here’s what to know

Advertisements and societal media often suggest that vitamin supplements are important for optimal wellness — but are they truly indispensable for everyone?

"Vitamins person go a multi-billion-dollar industry, with shelves afloat of supplements promising better health, much vigor and a longer life," Andrea Soares, a registered dietitian from Top Nutrition Coaching successful Miami, Florida, told Fox News Digital.

Just implicit 57% of American adults took dietary supplements betwixt 2017 and 2020, with multivitamins and minerals being the astir popular, according to a caller study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 

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But what does this mean for you? Fox News Digital spoke to the experts to find out.

What is simply a vitamin?

Vitamins are nutrients that are indispensable for the assemblage to relation normally, according to Jennifer Messer, president of the New Hampshire Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and a registered dietitian successful New Hampshire.

Just implicit 57% of American adults took dietary supplements betwixt 2017 and 2020, with multivitamins and minerals being the astir popular. (iStock)

"We cannot marque vitamins successful our bodies, and truthful we indispensable get them successful our diets," she told Fox News Digital.

(The 1 objection is vitamin D, which radical tin besides get from the sun.)

Vitamins are either fat-soluble oregon water-soluble, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

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Fat-soluble vitamins — A, D, E and K — are stored successful the body’s fatty tissue, liver and muscles, truthful they are absorbed amended erstwhile taken with fatty foods.

Water-soluble vitamins are not stored successful the body, truthful immoderate excess magnitude is usually excreted successful the urine.

Fat-soluble vitamins are stored successful the body’s fatty tissue, liver and muscles, truthful they are absorbed amended erstwhile taken with fatty foods. Water-soluble vitamins are not stored successful the body, truthful immoderate excess magnitude is usually excreted successful the urine. (iStock)

Thirteen vitamins are considered "essential." 

These see vitamins A, C, D, E and K, arsenic good arsenic the B vitamins (thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, biotin, B6, B12 and folate), according to the NIH.

"For astir people, a well-balanced fare is capable to conscionable regular vitamin needs," Soares told Fox News Digital.

"For astir people, a well-balanced fare is capable to conscionable regular vitamin needs."

Vitamin A is easy obtained from eating a balanced diet, vitamin E is abundant successful communal foods, and astir radical get capable vitamin C if they devour fruits and vegetables similar oranges, strawberries and doorbell peppers, she said.

Some radical don’t get capable vitamins from dietary sources, however.

When are vitamin supplements necessary?

Certain vitamin deficiencies tin perchance origin wellness problems.

"In the U.S., the FDA updated nutrition labels to bespeak nutrients of nationalist wellness interest owed to deficiencies oregon inadequacies successful the wide population," Messer told Fox News Digital.

"An individual’s supplement requirements volition alteration based connected aesculapian conditions, dietary restrictions, malabsorption issues and nutrient deficiencies," an adept said. (iStock)

Vitamin A helps maintain good eyesight, for illustration — and children who get an inadequate magnitude are astatine hazard for blindness, according to the CDC. 

As vitamin D supports bony wellness and immune function, radical with constricted prima vulnerability whitethorn beryllium much prone to bony diseases similar osteoporosis, probe has shown.

"As of caller regulations, vitamin D is required connected nutrition labels," Messer noted.

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Vitamin B12 is indispensable for reddish humor compartment accumulation and nervus function, according to Soares.

Folate supports DNA synthesis and prevents neural conduit defects (birth defects of the brain, spine oregon spinal cord), truthful it is important for women to get capable amounts earlier and during early pregnancy, per the CDC.

It’s a communal misconception that vitamin supplements are beneficial for everyone, an adept pointed out. (iStock)

It’s a communal misconception, however, that vitamin supplements are beneficial for everyone, according to Messer.

"Technically, each vitamins are indispensable — however, it is unnecessary to supplement a vitamin unless you are recovered to beryllium deficient," she said.

"An individual’s supplement requirements volition alteration based connected aesculapian conditions, dietary restrictions, malabsorption issues and nutrient deficiencies."

"It is unnecessary to supplement a vitamin unless you are recovered to beryllium deficient."

Certain groups whitethorn person a greater request for vitamin supplements than others.

"While a vegan diet tin fulfill galore nutrient requirements, determination are definite vitamins, specified arsenic vitamin B12 and vitamin D, that whitethorn request person attention," Messer said.

Vitamin A is easy obtained from eating a balanced diet, vitamin E is abundant successful communal foods, and astir radical get capable vitamin C if they devour fruits and vegetables similar oranges, strawberries and doorbell peppers, an adept said. (iStock)

People who request to debar definite foods owed to allergies oregon intolerances whitethorn besides necessitate supplementation. 

People managing certain gastrointestinal conditions similar Celiac disease, Crohn’s illness oregon ulcerative colitis tin person impaired nutrient absorption, peculiarly with fat-soluble vitamins, Messer noted.

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Liver illness tin besides impair the body's quality to store immoderate vitamins, peculiarly those that are fat-soluble.

Chronic kidney illness tin impact the equilibrium of definite vitamins, particularly vitamin D, Messer said.

The prime and information of dietary supplements tin alteration widely, arsenic they are not FDA-regulated. (iStock)

Athletes with a precocious grooming load whitethorn besides necessitate further vitamins to enactment vigor metabolism and bony health, she added.

Experts urge consulting with a doctor earlier taking a supplement. A elemental humor trial tin uncover if immoderate nutrients are astatine deficient levels.

Ensuring supplement safety

Fat-soluble vitamins — A, D, E and K — tin accumulate successful the assemblage and pb to toxicity if taken successful excess, according to Messer.

"Water-soluble vitamins (like B and C) are mostly excreted if taken successful excess, but mega-dosing tin inactive person unwanted broadside effects," she told Fox News Digital.

Experts urge talking to your doc earlier starting immoderate caller supplements.

The prime and information of dietary supplements tin alteration widely, arsenic they are not FDA-regulated.

"It's important to take reputable brands and products owed to imaginable variances successful the magnitude of nutrients listed connected the label, arsenic good arsenic imaginable contamination," Messer advised.

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She recommends searching for a third-party tested seal connected the supplement’s label, specified arsenic "USP Verified," which indicates that the merchandise "contains the ingredients listed connected the statement successful the declared potency and amounts."

Many radical often inquire astir vitamin D supplements, Messer said.

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"It's important to supplement lone with the required magnitude of vitamin D if a deficiency is confirmed done labs," she cautioned.

(The Endocrine Society — a planetary enactment focused connected endocrinology and metabolism — present nary longer recommends regular screening oregon vitamin D supplementation for healthy adults nether the property of 75 years old.)

People tin summation vitamin D levels done vulnerability to sunlight. (iStock)

"It tin beryllium unsafe if vitamin D levels stay precocious implicit a prolonged period, arsenic excessive amounts whitethorn origin an array of issues, including kidney stones," Messer added. 

It's besides important to beryllium alert of immoderate imaginable interactions betwixt vitamins and other medications, experts say.

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"Medication interactions hap erstwhile vitamins similar K trim the effectiveness of humor thinners, oregon calcium affects antibiotic absorption," Soares warned.

Experts urge talking to your doc earlier starting immoderate caller supplements to sermon imaginable risks and harmless dosage amounts.