With so many vitamins and supplements available these days, it can be hard to figure out which ones you actually need to take. A physician offers some advice.
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CLEVELAND - With so many vitamins and other supplements available these days, it can be hard to know which ones to take.
According to Neha Vyas, MD, family medicine physician with Cleveland Clinic, you really don’t need any.
“I tell my patients that if you have a healthy diet and you yourself are a healthy adult, you really don’t need to supplement with any vitamins,” said Dr. Vyas. “That being said, if you are pregnant or are considering conception, then a prenatal vitamin is a good place to start.”
Dr. Vyas said for those who have trouble getting the right nutrients from their diet, they may want to consider taking a multivitamin. However, it’s best to consult with your physician first.
In cases where individuals don’t have access to a lot of sunlight, she would recommend taking vitamin D.
And if they’re at risk for osteoporosis, she would suggest calcium.
Dr. Vyas said there are different tests available to determine what a person might be deficient in, which can be very helpful.
Ultimately though, she said nothing can replace a healthy diet.
“A good diet is one that incorporates a lot of different colors into the foods that people eat,” she said. “If you want to follow a particular diet, the Mediterranean diet has a good number of healthy fats, healthy grains, and a good variety of fruits and vegetables, and that’s a great place to start.”
Dr. Vyas said it’s important to tell your physician about vitamins you’re taking, especially if you are on other medications.
She said there could be drug interactions you are unaware of.
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