Get savvy about vitamin supplements

By Gannett Media Service

Walk down the supplement aisle at your drugstore, and you can't miss the claims on labels: "melts pounds," "lowers stress," "cures heart disease," "boosts energy," "restores youth." But do vitamin and mineral supplements really ward off disease and make us look and feel better? Popping a pill may sound like the perfect way to get the nutrients you need, but experts say supplements don't take the place of a variety of foods.

"Supplements are meant to enhance, not replace, an already healthy diet," said Sonya Angelone, MS, RDN, CLT, a registered dietitian nutritionist and spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. "If someone has nutrients missing from their diet or has increased needs based on pregnancy, athletics or a medical condition that alters nutrient needs, then I would recommend supplements. But I would stay clear of anything that makes too many claims."

So how do you know which vitamins and minerals you absolutely need and which are a waste of money?

Start with a multivitamin

Each year, Americans spend billions of dollars on vitamin and mineral supplements. Although taking supplements never has been proven to help people live longer by preventing heart disease and cancer, they can fill gaps in your diet and help prevent nutritional deficiencies. Some of the most common vitamins and minerals that people tend to be deficient in include calcium, potassium, magnesium and vitamins A, C and D.

To avoid shortfalls in your diet, experts recommend taking a quality multivitamin. A multivitamin is especially helpful for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, vegetarians and vegans, people with a medical condition that limits their absorption of nutrients, people with food allergies and intolerances or people who eat a limited variety of foods.

"The bottom line is it's worth taking a multivitamin especially if it's supplying vitamin D, B12 and magnesium and potassium which people don't get enough of in some foods," said Angelone.

Get more of these

In addition to a multivitamin, Angelone recommends individual supplements when needed. Ask your health-care provider or a registered dietitian which supplements may be right for you and how much you need for health benefits.

Here are some common missing nutrients:

Vitamin D. This nutrient can benefit heart health, strengthen the immune system and slash your risk of colon and breast cancer. It also promotes calcium absorption. The recommend daily allowance (RDA) of vitamin D is 600 IU daily up to age 70, and up to 800 IU over age 70.

Magnesium. This mineral helps maintain normal muscle and nerve function and bone growth. The RDA for magnesium is 310-320 milligrams for women over age 30; for men the RDA is 400-420.

Potassium. Many people are deficient in this blood pressure regulator, said Angelone, who recommends up to 4,700 milligrams a day.

Calcium. The National Institute of Health says aim for 1,000 milligrams of calcium if you're 50 or younger, and 1,200 milligrams if you're over 51.

Vitamin B-12. This important nutrient helps maintain the body's nerve and blood cells and helps make DNA.

The RDA for adults is 2.4 micrograms daily.