Sample Nutrition Paper on Vitamin and Mineral Supplementation
Over about the past two decades, the use of vitamin and mineral supplements has increased significantly. Majority of the people have resorted to using the supplements to maintain their health, improve athletic performance, and prevent premature aging (Zhao et al. 945). Whether the issue of the use of vitamin and mineral supplements is good or bad is a subject of an ongoing discussion. However, based on the findings, the author of the present research paper establishes that the use of vitamin and mineral supplement is bad.
Before looking into the good and bad aspect of the food supplements, we should consider that people take the supplements for various reasons. For example, athletes take food supplements to boost their athletic performances, so they can earn huge revenues. Ordinary people who have access to the supplements from supermarkets, health food shops or pharmacies take them to boost their vitality, reduce the risks of developing chronic diseases such as arthritis and cancer (NHS Choices and Bazian 2). Besides, they take food supplements hoping to live longer, improve their health and well-being. Majority of the people that take food supplements to limit aging signs are women who do so for beauty purposes. In general, most of the people who use vitamin and mineral supplements are women, people with poor health and older people (NHS Choices and Bazian 4). However, some young people use the supplements to boost their vitality as well.
Inasmuch as vitamin and mineral supplements are good for body development, the increase of the supplements in the market is a bad tendency. Firstly, the increase is dangerous, because it particularly discourages people from following balanced diet and consuming the right types of food hoping to substitute real products by supplements. Consequently, people end up consuming food with no vitamins and minerals, because they think they can fully supplement them. In contrast to the general perception that food supplements can replace healthy diet, they cannot do so, because they are manufactured for people with health problems, not for the healthy people who can follow healthy diet (Helpguide.org Para. 6). Therefore, since the abundancy of food supplements creates an illusion for healthy people that they can replace healthy diet, the increase of food supplements in the market is a negative tendency.
Secondly, a lot of the people take vitamin and mineral supplements for the wrong reasons. As the study has established, majority of the people that take food supplements do so to prevent aging signs, improve their vitality, and enhance their performance in various areas of life. Although food supplements help people to achieve these goals, they are not meant for these reasons. More importantly, they should be used when prescribed by medical practitioners. However, majority of the people take them without such prescription. Given that majority of the people are likely to consume the supplements even without seeking advice from medical professionals, the increase of the supplements and being easily accessible is threatening.
Thirdly, the use of food supplements that our body does not need can interfere with the absorption of other nutrients in the organism. For instance, the use of mineral supplements with high calcium is dangerous to the absorption of zinc, manganese, and iron in the body (State Government Victoria Para. 19). Therefore, the increase of the use of the food supplements should be discouraged and limited to the people with medical prescriptions.
Works Cited
“Dietary Supplements: The Smart and Safe Use of Vitamins and Supplements”. Helpguide.Org, 2016, https://www.helpguide.org/articles/healthy-eating/dietary-supplements.htm. Accessed 17 February 2017.
NHS Choices and Bazian. Supplements: Who Needs Them?, 2011, http://www.nhs.uk/news/2011/05may/documents/BtH_supplements.pdf. Accessed 17 February 2017.
State Government Victoria. Vitamin and Mineral Supplements, 2012, https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/vitamin-and-mineral-supplements. Accessed 17 February 2017.
Zhao, Li-Quan et al. The Effect of Multivitamin/Mineral Supplements on Age-Related Cataracts: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Nutrients, 6, 2014.