Guest Column: Recommending Multi vitamins, Natural Supplements – Through the Scientific Spectacle

A great scientist, Thomas Edison had once wisely predicted along these lines- “The doctor of the future will no longer treat the human frame with drugs, but rather will cure and prevent disease with nutrition”.

However, it has been an ageless argument whether multivitamins & natural supplements may offer health benefits or is it just another glorified, commercially driven stint under the cover of “natural” & “safe”.

Here is an attempt to put down a few rational perspectives through a scientific spectacle:

1. Not Deficient does not imply Sufficient!!

The greatest dispute which goes against multivitamins & minerals is that they benefit only if you are deficient – while most of us are not, for most of the vitamins.

This has changed with an emerging concept of “optimal nutrition” which brings out that ‘optimal’ health benefits may be obtained by ‘additional’ consumption of multivitamins & natural supplements besides dietary intakes, rather than just attempting to meet deficiency checkpoint values.

2. Understanding Secondary Deficiencies in the Real World - Its Application of Integrative Medicine in the Truest Sense

Certain commonly encountered chronic diseases & pharmacotherapy regimens offered to treat them - both may independently lead to certain specific vitamin deficiencies, resulting in a multiple spectrum of symptoms in different individuals. To enlist a few causes of secondary deficiencies:

a. Vitamin D deficiency:

• Medications like Anticonvulsants, Steroids & AIDS medications may increase the risk of development of Vitamin D deficiency.


• There is data to suggest that Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) & certain types of hypothyroidism & hyperthyroidism – both may be associated to Vitamin D deficiency.

b. Vitamin B Complex Deficiency:

• Methotrexate – A drug used for the management of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) may result in Vitamin B9 (Folate) deficiency.


• The potential of Vitamin B12 supplementation in vegetarian Indian patients cannot be underemphasized enough. It may help to treat non-specific cramps and leg pains and poor concentration after ruling out major organic causes.

c. Coenzyme Q10 Deficiency

• Studies indicate that some diseases like Migraine & Male infertility secondary to poor sperm health are associated with diminished coenzyme Q10 levels in corresponding tissues.


• Statins reduce cholesterol by blocking the same pathway that produces coenzyme Q10 in the body; resulting in statin-induced coenzyme Q10 deficiency & muscle pains.

3. Knowing the Vitamin You Need

There is general notion amongst patients that the more number of vitamins they consume, the more health they will garner – this is not true; it is this belief which has diluted the visible benefits & value of multivitamins in the real sense. Specific vitamins & natural supplements hold specific health benefits – it is utmost critical to understand these & therefore help the patients make a “right choice” over “mass choice”. To list a few examples:

1. Vitamin D – Apart from healthy bones, possible support for allergies & recurrent respiratory & ear infections in children.


2. Vitamin E - Prefer Tocotrienols & higher Gamma Tocopherol containing supplements for cardiovascular benefits over Alpha Tocopherols. Tocotrienols, the relatively newer addition to Vitamin E family have shown great promise in remission of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and there is more research ongoing in this area.


3. Coenzyme Q10 – For improving heart health, migraine prophylaxis & support for sperm health.


4. Cranberry – support for healthy urinary system & may assist in preventing recurrent urinary tract infections.


5. Multivitamins – For improving general well-being to help relieve symptoms of fatigue & convalescence. Natural supplement containing Rhodiola Rosea has proven to improve symptoms related to stress and fatigue in various studies. It must be ensured that patients are directed to consume high-quality products to harness optimal benefits.

Summary

Differences of opinion may continue for eons & there shall always prevail enough points to debate upon for & against the use of vitamins and natural supplements; history will always remain a testimony to the fact that even the most life-changing drugs like Aspirin found its roots of inception 3500 years ago in plants belong to Family Salicaceae; found to be rich Salicycline containing glycosides.

Those patients who receive the right multivitamins &evidence based natural supplements in the right strength, most importantly after a correct diagnosis, to cater to their individualistic health goals; shall benefit in specific clinical scenarios, vouch upon their utility & hold on to what the father of medicine, Hippocrates, had quoted centuries ago – “Let food be thy medicine, & medicine be thy food”.

Dr Jeegar P Dattani is a guest columnist with Medical Dialogues and specializes in health communications and trainings. His areas of interest include Evidence-Based Lifestyle Interventions and Latest Innovative Medical Updates.