Did You Know Just That Many Cancers Are Linked To A Vitamin Deficiency?
Do We Need Vitamin
and Mineral Supplements If Foods Are Fortified?
by Mary Calvagna, MS
Fortification:
the addition of vitamins, minerals, or both to a food product
in excess of what was originally found in the product.
Supermarkets are
stocked with iodine-fortified salt and vitamin D-fortified
milk. During processing, flour and bread get a shot of thiamin,
riboflavin, niacin, and iron. Some brands of orange juice
have a boost of calcium, and even some salad dressings have
a little extra vitamin E. When you walk through a grocery
store, you see fortified food products everywhere. And with
good reason—fortification can help prevent nutrient deficiencies.
The
Benefits of Folic Acid Fortification
All enriched grain products—white flour, bread, rice, and
pasta—have been fortified with folic acid since 1998. The
U.S. Food and Drug Administration mandated this fortification
in response to a growing body of research showing a connection
between low folate intakes in pregnant women and neural
tube defects in their newborns.
This fortification
appears to be effective, as the number of infants born with
neural tube defects has dropped. Another health benefit
has been seen as well—homocysteine levels in middle-aged
and older adults have declined.
Homocysteine is a
normal by-product of metabolism, but elevated levels in
the blood are associated with an increased risk of heart
disease and stroke. The level of homocysteine in your blood
is influenced in part by the amount of certain B vitamins—folic
acid, B6, B12—in your diet. Several studies have found that
higher blood levels of B vitamins are related to lower concentrations
of homocysteine.
So in today's highly
fortified society and in light of the improvements in overall
health, is it still necessary to take a daily multivitamin
and mineral supplement?
To
Supplement or Not To Supplement?
The authors of a study published in the Journal of Nutrition
set out to determine just that. "Since a variety of
foods are now commonly fortified with nutrients," says
Diane McKay, PhD, lead author of the study, "we were
interested in determining if multivitamin supplementation
still provided a health benefit."
Researchers studied
80 adults (average age 60) for eight weeks. Forty received
a daily supplement that contained 13 vitamins (including
folic acid, B6, and B12) and 14 minerals, most at 100% of
the daily value. The other participants received a placebo.
Vitamin, mineral,
and homocysteine levels in the blood were measured to assess
nutrient status during the study. Researchers found that
the people who took the supplement had significantly higher
B-vitamin levels and lower homocysteine concentrations than
those who took the placebo.
"The multivitamin
appears to have increased several vitamin [levels] into
a more optimal range relevant to reducing risk of chronic
disease," says Dr. McKay. While it is best to get your
vitamins and minerals through food, taking a multivitamin
and mineral supplement may be a good step toward insuring
that you have your nutrition bases covered.
RESOURCES:
American Dietetic Association
http://www.eatright.org/
Food
& Nutrition Center
Mayo Clinic
http://www.mayoclinic.com/
SOURCES:
D.L. McKay, et al. Multivitamin/mineral supplementation
improves plasma B-vitamin status and homocysteine concentration
in healthy older adults consuming a folate-fortified diet.
Journal of Nutrition2000;
http://www.swedish.org
/16312.cfm
