Gummy vitamins
“These are basically just a sugar pill — you might as well go have a sweet,” Khan declared. “They can be very easily over-consumed and can lead to mineral toxicity.”
UCLA Health recommends checking the label to ensure the gummies contain the proper amount of nutrients and not too much sugar, looking for a certification seal on the package to signify the gummies have been third-party tested and sticking to the recommended dose.
General multivitamins
About a third of Americans, especially people 65 and older, take a multivitamin every day.
“These have a bit of everything in them,” Khan explained. “Some of the doses of each nutrient are so low they’ll hardly have an effect on you. Also, you don’t need all the vitamins in the multivitamin.”
Some researchers say that multivitamins are a waste of money — there’s no evidence they reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer or premature death, for example …
Hair, skin and nail multivitamins
Supplements devoted to hair, skin and nail health have become popular thanks to the Kardashians and social media advertisements, but Khan favors “solution-focused supplements” — individual vitamins or supplements that target a specific health concern …
4 useless supplements you’re likely already getting enough of through your diet, according to nutrition experts
BUSINESS INSIDER – The supplement industry is exploding, but nutrition experts don’t recommend getting your vitamins and minerals from pills.
Supplement sales reached a record-breaking $55 billion in sales in 2020, and the industry has recorded huge gains since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Emma Laing, a clinical professor at the University of Georgia and a registered dietitian, said most healthy adults get their nutrients through food rather than supplements, as food offers biochemicals and fiber that don’t come from a pill.
“Foods like whole grains, vegetables, and legumes are generally considered affordable foods that are also nutrient-rich,” Laing told Insider. “It would be difficult to manufacture a supplement that would mimic the exact nutrient profile of these foods and yield the same health benefits.”
Plus, Americans may not realize they are getting enough vitamins and minerals through their diet already. Insider spoke with three dietitians to understand which vitamins and minerals Americans are typically eating enough of through their diet, making supplements unnecessary.
Though Americans typically get enough vitamins A, C, B and zinc through the Western diet, experts said people should strive to get every nutrient through a balanced diet. People with deficiencies diagnosed by a doctor, or those who have limited diets due to food allergy or intolerance, could require supplements, per Laing …
