Vegeterians are at higher risk of vitamin deficiency

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Adults Urged to Take Daily Multivitamin

Tue Jun 18, 5:34 PM ET

By Alison McCook

 

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The elderly and those who follow

restrictive diets face the risk of vitamin deficiency, but even

people who eat a normal diet may not be getting enough of certain

vitamins, according to researchers.

 

 

Because low vitamin intake has been linked to a host of illnesses,

Drs. Kathleen M. Fairfield and Robert H. Fletcher of Harvard Medical

School ( news - web sites) in Boston, Massachusetts, recommend that

everybody--regardless of age or health status--take a daily

multivitamin.

 

It's rare to find a health-promoter that offers such a substantial

benefit with a relatively low cost and low risk of problems, Fletcher

told Reuters Health. " And when you have such a thing, " he added, " you

ought to jump on it. "

 

In two articles in the June 19th issue of The Journal of the American

Medical Association ( news - web sites), Fletcher and Fairfield

review studies published between 1966 and 2002 that investigated the

links between vitamin intake and diseases such as cancer and coronary

heart disease.

 

For example, studies have shown that taking the B vitamin folic acid

early in pregnancy can help prevent certain birth defects, while

others have suggested the vitamin might cut the risk of certain

cancers and heart disease.

 

Other vitamins, such as vitamin E, have been found to reduce cancer

risk when consumed at recommended levels, and vitamin D plus calcium

supplements have been shown to decrease the risks of bone loss and

fracture in the elderly.

 

In an interview with Reuters Health, Fletcher explained that certain

people are at higher risk of vitamin deficiency, particularly the

elderly, and those who follow restrictive diets, such as vegans, who

avoid all animal products. Although many vegans eat a lot of fruits

and vegetables, they may not be getting enough of certain fat-soluble

vitamins such as vitamin D and vitamin B-12, which are most often

found in animal products, he noted.

 

As people age, they also become less able to absorb some vitamins

from their diets, and research has suggested that people who drink

alcohol may need extra folic acid.

 

However, Fletcher pointed out that most Americans--except those who

follow what he described as a " super-perfect " diet--likely do not get

enough of certain vitamins in their diets and would benefit from

multivitamins, as well.

 

Indeed, a recent survey showed that only 20% to 30% of Americans

consume at least five servings of fruits and vegetables per day, the

recommended amount.

 

In addition, Fletcher said, some physicians may not understand the

importance of vitamin deficiency and may fail to recommend

multivitamins.

 

The evidence promoting the benefits of various vitamins is relatively

new, Fletcher explained, so doctors may not yet be aware of it.

Furthermore, vitamins are considered to be somewhat of an alternative

therapy and some doctors have " this prejudice against anything that's

not very orthodox, " the researcher stated.

 

Fletcher added that people should opt for the low-cost, and often

generic brands of multivitamins offered at pharmacies, as opposed

to " special-purpose " vitamins found at health-food stores, which

usually cost much more, and can actually contain doses of certain

vitamins that are too high.

 

Fletcher and Fairfield point out that excessive vitamin doses can

have adverse effects--including higher-than-recommended vitamin A

intake during pregnancy, which is linked to certain fetal anomalies.

 

SOURCE: The Journal of the American Medical Association 2002;287:3116-