Many of us take vitamins to stay healthy, but it turns out that it can even be harmful. Doctor Alexander Myasnikov is convinced that healthy people who eat well do not need to take multivitamins to prevent any diseases.
Why do people need vitamins?
Vitamins are substances that are necessary for normal metabolism. All vitamins, with the exception of D, cannot be synthesized by the human body on its own, so they must be obtained externally, through food. We have all heard about diseases associated with a deficiency of certain vitamins: pellagra, scurvy, pernicious anemia, rickets and many others.

For many years, the manifestation of hypovitaminosis (vitamin deficiency), especially of antioxidant vitamins, has been associated with an increase in the number of cases of atherosclerosis, the development of many types of cancer and other diseases. But now the situation has changed somewhat.

A look at vitamins today

Now vitamins are considered as medicines that are prescribed to combat hypovitaminosis. Vitamins have no other indications, including for the purpose of preventing diseases.

Today it is believed that with normal social conditions, an ordinary, normal diet contains absolutely sufficient amounts of vitamins to maintain health.

When are vitamins needed?

Vitamins are necessary if a person:

• alcoholic,
• a patient with some kind of metabolic disorder,
• patient with intestinal malabsorption.

In such cases, vitamins are prescribed by a doctor as a medicine. Healthy people do not need to take vitamins as a preventive measure. Let's look at the dangers of consuming synthetic vitamins.

VITAMIN A

Vitamin A not only does not prevent the development of cataracts, but is also fraught with very serious side effects. For example, people who consume vitamin A - beta-carotene and at the same time smoke, began to get lung cancer more often. We have since realized that beta-carotene is associated with increased lung cancer mortality among smokers. The harmful effects of vitamin A on the fetus are also well known (the child is born with defects). In older women, vitamin A increases osteoporosis.

VITAMIN C

Vitamin C has no effect on cancer prevention. In a relationship cardiovascular diseases Unfortunately, consuming vitamin C also does not provide anything positive.

VITAMIN E

Doctors talk a lot about antioxidants, in particular vitamin E, and recommend it to prevent cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and infections. At first, cardiologists rejected this misconception. A little later, research results arrived that convincingly showed that vitamin E in large doses increases mortality from all causes, and, in particular, from cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Taking vitamin E does not offer any prospects for preventing cancer.

GROUP B VITAMINS

Previously, scientists believed that theoretically, B vitamins could reduce the risk of cancer because they interfere with the mechanisms of DNA synthesis and the restoration of damaged DNA. In practice, it is not possible to determine such a connection; there is no evidence that taking synthesized B vitamins is any significant in preventing cancer. The same turned out to be true for cardiovascular diseases: experimental evidence for the assumption that B vitamins have a beneficial effect on the vascular wall was not confirmed.

FOLIC ACID

Modern clinical trial data is so contradictory that so far doctors have refrained from advising people to take folic acid to prevent these diseases. However folic acid recommended for pregnant women, but not to make the pregnant woman feel better or to maintain her health. We are talking about the health of the unborn child, about the prevention of congenital defects of the fetal nervous system. It has been proven that such defects occur much less frequently when taking folic acid.

VITAMIN D

Vitamin D is the only vitamin that is synthesized by the human body under the influence of sunlight. There is a theoretical basis for the use of this vitamin for the prevention of cancer and heart disease. But they are not enough to recommend its use specifically for this purpose.

IN Lately The topic of vitamins has become so relevant that writing this article has simply become a necessity. Today I will tell you what role vitamins play for our body, what vitamins to take, And how to take vitamins correctly: drink in courses or drink continuously? What foods can vitamins be combined with?, and which ones are absolutely forbidden? I will try to answer all these and many other questions regarding the role of vitamins for the human body in great detail in this article.

Since childhood, we have all heard from our mothers and grandmothers that we need to eat fruits and berries in order to be healthy and not get sick. Of course, there is most of the truth in this - fruits are indeed very rich in vitamins and antioxidants, but not only them and not in any form... But more on that a little later, but now let's talk about the need for vitamins, why we need them at all ? Can't we really live without them?

Why are vitamins needed?

Vitamins are substances that do not carry energy, like proteins, fats and carbohydrates, but they are vital for a person for the normal functioning of absolutely all systems and organs. Their contribution to our health is simply COLOSSAL.

Functions of vitamins:

• Increases the body's resistance to various diseases and infections: stimulates the production of antibodies, neutralizes toxins, regulates metabolism and tissue nutrition.
• Regulate the normal state of the central nervous system.
• Stimulates hematopoiesis and the stability of blood vessels.
• Help the body resist negative factors, affecting the body at elevated physical activity, stress, nutritional deficiencies, etc.
• They inhibit oxidation processes, which cause chronic diseases and early aging.

These are not all the functions that are inherent in vitamins, there are ten times more of them, but even based on the above, we can conclude that vitamins are important aspect our health, and any prolonged hypovitaminosis can have serious consequences in the future.

How to take vitamins

To accurately answer this question, you need to know what kind of lifestyle you lead and what diet you follow. If we talk about the usual pace of life (work-home-family and fitness 2-3 times a week) and about clean eating no calorie surplus. By “clean” I mean a diet that does not include eating fast food, carbonated, fatty and sweet foods every day (an exception may be once a week as a food). So, if we talk about this lifestyle, then you definitely can’t do without taking vitamin-mineral complexes, and what’s more? permanent basis . You are probably wondering now: why is this??? Indeed, on the contrary, proper nutrition should supply us with all the necessary vitamins, minerals and other useful elements. But not everything is so simple and unambiguous.

 When we reduce caloric intake through lower calorie and healthy products, then AUTOMATICALLY we reduce the intake of vital components into our body - bioflavonoids, vitamins, phytosterols, amino acids and other beneficial substances. Yes, the quality of the food itself becomes a thousand times better than it was BEFORE the decision to switch to proper nutrition, but the chemical and biological composition of today's products, the same vegetables and fruits, is so poor that they need to be eaten at least 5 times more than before a couple of decades ago in order to gain your daily norm vitamins and minerals.

Of course, you can minimize this nuisance by buying a house somewhere in the mountains in an ecologically clean area and growing your own vegetables and fruits, but I think that for many this step is something out of science fiction. Therefore, let's return to our reality - life in a metropolis.

Scientists have found that a sufficient amount of minor components is present in the volume of food containing 5-6 thousand calories !!! Such calorie is not suitable for every professional athlete, not to mention ordinary people like you and me. Therefore, in order to be healthy, not to suffer from hair loss, aching nails, dry skin and even hormonal imbalances (especially for women), then with the transition to proper nutrition and playing sports, I advise you to start taking AT LEAST two mandatory supplements - these are and vitamin-mineral complex. These two supplements need to be taken CONSTANTLY, no need to take breaks!

Our body needs building and plastic material for the formation of new and regeneration of old cells 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 365 days a year. In order for the body to work like a clock, and for us to feel healthy and full of energy, the supply of nutrients must be continuous EVERY DAY! No need to take any breaks! You eat, drink, sleep every day, not 30 days every six months. Likewise, your body needs nutritious nutrition every day, regardless of your training or rest days. Yes, there are specific supplements that an ordinary person leading a normal lifestyle without heavy physical or mental stress should take all the time, but the duo OMEGA-3 + VITAMIN COMPLEX should be in the diet of any person - no matter whether he is engaged in fitness or not - ALWAYS!

What vitamins to take

Nowadays, various companies produce many vitamin-mineral complexes, and they are all completely different in composition and quality. In my article I gave an example of some good companies vitamins for women, so I won’t repeat myself, but I think it’s definitely worth mentioning those vitamins that are powerful antioxidants.

The presence of the following vitamins must be required in the vitamin and mineral complex you choose.

Redox vitamins

Vitamin E– a fat-soluble antioxidant that normalizes the muscular system, protects against oxidation, the effects of toxins and carcinogens on cells, improves blood supply to the heart muscle and general blood supply to the body, supports the reproductive function of both women and men.

Vitamin C– water-soluble antioxidant. Vitamin C reduces the risk of developing cancerous tumors chest, lungs and gastrointestinal tract, protects against heart disease, supports immune and nervous system, promotes the absorption of iron and calcium.

Vitamin A - fat-soluble hormone vitamin. Supports visual acuity, immune system and resistance to various infections, is responsible for bone growth and normal skin condition .

B vitamins – necessary for the normal functioning of the nervous and digestive systems, the metabolism of proteins, fats and carbohydrates, strengthen the immune system and help fight stress. With increased physical activity, the daily dose should increase by 1.5-2 times.

VitaminD– fat-soluble hormone vitamin. Very important for bone formation, as well as for removing lead from the body. Helps maintain a healthy immune system.

So we found out what vitamins do we need first of all, but this knowledge is not enough to become owners good health and getting rid of all chronic diseases. Vitamins have such a unique feature - they are very finicky. Not all vitamins are compatible with each other; some destroy some and enhance the effect of others.

Compatibility of some vitamins with each other:

• Vitamin B1 does not combine with vitamins B2 and B3;
• Vitamin A does not combine with vitamin D;
• Vitamin A should be taken together with vitamin E;
• Vitamin B 12 should be taken together with vitamin B9 (folic acid);
• Calcium should be taken along with vitamin D.

 INTERESTING:

Vitamin D helps in the absorption of calcium in the body, which is why completely low-fat cottage cheese should not be eaten constantly, as you can get osteoporosis and calcium deficiency over time. The thing is that 0% fat cottage cheese contains a negligible amount of vitamin D, since this vitamin is FAT-SOLUBLE, and there is NO fat in low-fat cottage cheese! This fact makes it impossible for the body to absorb calcium from low-fat cottage cheese. It turns out that you eat cottage cheese as a source of calcium, and as a result you can also develop early osteoporosis. Therefore, choose cottage cheese with a low fat content (2-5%), but not completely fat-free.

When to take vitamins

Before you start taking vitamins by the handful, you need to know at what meal and with what foods it is best to do this. Few people know that taking vitamin-mineral complexes along with fiber nullifies all your hard work and efforts to become healthier. The fact is that fiber acts as a real purifier and absorbent in our body. Getting inside, it transits through our entire gastrointestinal tract, cleansing it of excess stale “garbage” and toxins. It is not digested like all other nutrients, but rather binds proteins, fats and carbohydrates, helping the food bolus pass through more easily. gastrointestinal tract, improving his motor skills. So this is it binding property and plays a key role in taking a complex of vitamins along with fiber.

By eating a portion of fresh vegetables or fruits and taking vitamins at the same time, you, roughly speaking, are “flushing down the toilet” all your vitamins. Fiber, which is found most often in vegetables and fruits, prevents vitamins from being absorbed into the blood and entering the cells, but directly removes them from the body. What to do?

It is best to take vitamins in those meals when you have a protein component (cottage cheese, cheese, eggs, meat, fish). One of the main functions of proteins is transport, since albumins (protein substances) found in the blood play the role of “parasites” that deliver all the nutrients and beneficial substances to the tissues and cells of the body. It is for this reason that vitamins drunk at a meal where proteins were present are 100% likely to be delivered to their destination. Even if you eat a small portion of vegetables or fruits (fiber) with protein, albumin will still deliver your vitamins to the cells.

So, remember: IT’S BEST TO TAKE VITAMINS WITH PROTEINS.

You can talk about the importance of vitamins for hours, but without specific numbers, all efforts will be in vain. To receive maximum benefit from the vitamin-mineral complex you purchased, you need to know what doses of a particular vitamin a person needs. Of course, it is impossible to name the optimal daily intake of vitamins for absolutely all people; each person will have their own doses.

To satisfy the need of a particular organism for optimal nutrition, you need to take into account many factors: its working conditions, lifestyle, condition digestive system, metabolism, hormonal levels and much more. It is impossible to prescribe the same dose of vitamin C to a person leading a sedentary lifestyle and to an athlete preparing for a competition (the differences will be enormous), but the global health system has defined these recommended allowances (RDA) as follows (Tables 1, 2, 3) :

Table 3 Daily norms of physiological needs for vitamins for other segments of the population*

A prejudice that arose in the early days of the pharmaceutical industry, when technology was, to put it mildly, imperfect. Today by chemical composition synthesized vitamins are completely, that is, absolutely, that is, down to the molecule, identical to the “living” natural vitamin. These are the same chemical compounds with the same activity. Moreover: synthetic vitamins often obtained from the most natural sources: vitamin P is from chokeberry, B12 and B2 are synthesized by microorganisms, as in nature, and vitamin C is isolated from natural sugar. So now you know the answer to the question of what vitamins a child can take and more.

Myth No. 2: Instead of swallowing pills, it’s better to eat more vegetables and fruits

No, we are only FOR an abundance of vegetables and fruits in your diet! But only if you spend some time and study which vitamin is absorbed how. Because even after eating half a kilo of carrots, you won’t get even a fraction of vitamin A. It is fat-soluble, and without fat in the stomach it is simply excreted from the body. And vitamin PP, contained, for example, in corn, in natural form It’s not digestible at all, even though you consume the fruits of the “queen of the fields” from morning to night. And there are a lot of such nuances! Therefore, it is very difficult to obtain the vitamins the body needs from vegetables and fruits alone.

Myth No. 3: I feel great, which means I have enough vitamins

Popular

Research conducted by the Institute of Nutrition's Vitamin and Mineral Laboratory Russian Academy medical sciences, showed stunning results: vitamin C deficiency was detected in 70% of people, 80% of the body lacks B vitamins, and if we take statistics on vitamin B6 separately, then tests of ALL subjects showed its deficiency. And no wonder! For example, to get the required daily intake of vitamin B1, you need to eat almost a kilogram of grain bread or a kilogram of lean meat. Weak?

Myth No. 4: Constantly taking vitamins will cause addiction to them.

Well, yeah, yeah. Likewise, constant eating causes addiction and a feeling of hunger in its absence. You also have a serious dependence on water and air. If vitamins are used wisely, they physically cannot cause addiction, since they are natural substances for the body. These are not drugs, foreign compounds, or drugs. So the question of whether you can take vitamins disappears by itself.

Myth #5: Vitamins and minerals interfere with the absorption of each other

Manufacturers of vitamin complexes for separate administration have put a lot of effort into promoting this myth about vitamins. But they cheated a little when conducting experiments: let’s say, when proving that vitamin C interferes with the absorption of vitamin B12, they took a standard daily dose of vitamin B12, and a tenfold dose of vitamin C.

Myth No. 6: Hypervitaminosis is a serious risk!

Can everyone take vitamins? Yes! To develop hypervitaminosis, you need to make a lot of effort. For example, 5-10 times the daily intake of vitamins. Let’s say, drink a bottle of rosehip syrup, eat a kilogram of lemons, and “polish” the top with ascorbic acid. By the way, only fat soluble vitamins: A, E, D, K and F. Overeating them to the point of serious complications is not an easy task, believe me. But a shortage will have a much more serious impact on health. Vitamins for women after 30 are simply necessary.

Myth No. 7: Heat treatment destroys all vitamins

This applies only to vitamin C, and even then it is not entirely correct: vitamin C is generally the most unstable, a kind of delicate violet! Literally everything destroys it: cold water, cooking, frying, stewing, reheating, alkaline environment, storage in metal containers, and even just contact with air. So don't rely on vegetables and fruits. Rosehip syrup is more reliable. Just store it in a dark, dry place and do not overcool. Other vitamins are practically not affected by heat treatment.

Myth No. 8: Vitamins kill you

We hope you laughed now, but this “sensation” was discussed quite seriously by people who misinterpreted the results of research from Swedish statistical institutes. They allegedly found that older people who took the vitamin died more often than those who did not take it. In fact, the study said that seriously ill older people are more likely to take vitamins than those who feel well, since people (not just in Sweden, by the way) tend to do nothing until the thunder strikes. This is how completely trivial news became a sensation in someone's in capable hands. Don't believe nonsense!

Myth No. 9: At the end of summer and beginning of autumn, you need to “vitaminize” for the whole winter

Alas and ah: even after taking a shock dose of the vitamin, its amount in the body returns to the average within a day at most. So if now you’re choking on another apple in the hope that in chilly November vitamin C will protect you from a cold, don’t torture yourself. Vitamins that will help you survive the winter.

Myth No. 10: You can choose your own vitamins

Not exactly a myth, but still. There won't be much harm if you randomly choose a vitamin complex for women and start taking it according to the instructions. But experience shows that this does not bring significant changes in well-being. So if you want a truly noticeable effect, it is better to consult a doctor and get tested to find out what exactly you lack for complete happiness. For example, there are special vitamins for hair growth. Be healthy!

We would like to thank the technologists and specialists of Marbiopharm for their assistance in preparing the material.

21.02.2019, 10:54

Who among us at the end of winter did not feel a loss of strength or complain about the condition of our hair and skin? People usually explain this with the concept of “spring vitamin deficiency.” Take vitamins, microelements and biologically active additives has now become a sign healthy image life. Meanwhile, doctors often do not approve of the preventive use of vitamins, being of the opinion that these are serious drugs, the use of which without examinations and indications can be dangerous. The AP journalist talked with Elvira Sayutina, an endocrinologist at the Blagoveshchensk City Clinical Hospital, about the benefits and harms of vitamins and microelements, why meat cannot be replaced by pomegranates and apples, and why even in the sunny Amur region we experience a lack of vitamin D.

— Elvira Vadimovna, the eternal question: to drink or not to drink vitamins to prevent vitamin deficiency?

— I believe that you should take vitamins only when prescribed by a doctor. Exactly according to the indications. Nowadays, many people gain knowledge from the Internet, and there you can read anything. People start self-medicating, there are a lot of them - they use drugs without knowing what they are for.

There are diseases that are caused by a lack of one or another vitamin or microelement. The same anemias. They can be iron deficiency, B12 deficiency anemia, and so on. This is due to a person’s age and poor nutrition.

If the doctor prescribed vitamins, then, of course, you need to take them.

— Opponents of prophylactic intake of vitamins say that in sufficient quantities all necessary healthy person microelements are found in the food we eat. Is this really true?

— Yes, but only if we eat right.

— I doubt that we all eat right. They say about Amur residents that we do not eat enough fruits, vegetables, meat...

— I don’t agree about meat. Residents of the Amur region eat more meat than vegetables and fruits. In this regard, there is an opinion that against this background there is an increased risk of developing cancer of the rectum and intestines. When a person eats a lot of meat and few vegetables, he has a more pronounced tendency to constipation, that is, defecation occurs with straining, cracks and hemorrhoids can occur, which can subsequently provoke malignant processes in the intestines.

There are diseases in which a person needs additional vitamins. Let's take pellagra - when there is a deficiency of vitamin PP. Or scurvy - a disease of sailors in which a lack of vitamin C and a poor diet led to death. However modern man eats much better than the inhabitants of the Middle Ages. However, our diet is mostly incorrect. Still, the diet should contain a sufficient amount of vegetables and fruits.

— Is this the main source of vitamins and microelements?

— Yes, but vitamins are different. For example, vitamin D is produced when human skin is exposed to the sun and ultraviolet radiation. Various studies have been conducted that say that in order for a person to get enough vitamin D, 80% of his body must be open. That is, you have to practically walk around in a swimsuit. And so we rarely go, if only on vacation for 14 days a year. That is, we have a vitamin D deficiency.

There is an opinion that increased intake of vitamin C during a cold helps to recover faster. However, not all experts agree with this statement. “I recently read the work of a scientist about the influence ascorbic acid. He conducted an experiment on himself. However, his results cannot be regarded as the norm for everyone, since the scientist had vitamin deficiency due to a strict diet due to gastrointestinal disease. When he started taking the vitamin, his condition improved,” says Elvira Sayutina.

— Even among the Amur residents?

— Yes, despite the fact that we have a fairly sunny region, compared to St. Petersburg, for example. In any case, before taking any medications, vitamin complexes, you need to make sure that you have a vitamin deficiency.

— How can you be sure?

— We need to get tested. See a therapist. He will give you a referral for a blood test from a vein. Of course, not all vitamins are determined by analysis. But B12 deficiency anemia can be identified by its characteristic symptoms. In any case, a doctor should prescribe medications, even seemingly harmless multivitamins. There are not only avitaminosis and hypovitaminosis, but also hypervitaminosis - when a person takes a large number of vitamins

— What is dangerous about hypervitaminosis?

— Depending on which vitamin is in excess, hypervitaminosis manifests itself differently. For example, vitamin D. A lack of vitamin D in children is accompanied by the development of rickets. In adults, the risk of osteoporosis may increase; vitamin deficiency contributes to weight gain. Vitamin D is involved in getting calcium into the bones. It is responsible for strength and bone mineral density. When a person has enough vitamin D, they have a lower risk of fractures than people with low levels of vitamin D and calcium, respectively. If there is a lot of vitamin D for some reason, this rarely happens, but it does happen, calcium absorption is impaired. And calcium begins to go to the wrong place. Instead of being deposited in the bones, it can begin to be deposited in the kidneys, that is, the excess contributes to the development urolithiasis. Calcium can be deposited in blood vessels and cause atherosclerotic plaques. Any intake of vitamins should be based on the “do no harm” principle.

— How often should I be tested for the level of vitamins and microelements?

— At least once a year.

Beef vs pomegranates

— Why might people lack vitamins?

— Often, older people have a malabsorption of certain microelements, such as iron or vitamin B12. This can lead to the development of anemia. This is very serious illnesses, requiring serious treatment, including blood transfusion. That is, a person may need additional vitamins due to age.

A lack of vitamins may be associated with a stomach disease or some other ailment in which the lack of a certain vitamin is not compensated for by food. For example, the same iron deficiency anemia. Only iron supplements will help.

There are a lot of patients with anemia.

“They say you should eat pomegranates, supposedly they contain a lot of iron. Nonsense! Iron is only found in red meat.”

- What is the problem? Why are there so many sick people?

— They don’t eat meat or little of it; there are vegetarians. Or people choose to eat the wrong meat. To get iron, you need to eat beef, and many people eat chicken because it is cheaper. Nutritious food includes chicken, pork, and beef in the diet.

To replenish iron, you need red meat; white meat will not have an effect. They also say that you should eat pomegranates, supposedly they contain a lot of iron. Nonsense! Iron is found only in red meat.

— More apples, they say, we need to eat...

— There are different types of iron: divalent, trivalent... When a person eats an apple, iron, when interacting with air, immediately oxidizes and turns into the iron that we do not need. Our body needs exactly what is contained in beef.

Healthy people do not need omega capsules

— In addition to vitamins and microelements, there is another very popular dietary supplement - omega (3, 6, 9). There is a lot of talk about its benefits and lack of it in our body. Everyone wants to raise smart, capable children, and they themselves want to avoid depression, loss of strength, and so on. Therefore, more and more often you can hear recommendations to definitely take omega, especially omega-3. Do we really need it in capsule form?

— Omega has recently begun to be talked about also in connection with the fashionable trend of anti-aging therapy - anti-aging therapy. To slow down the aging process, it is suggested to use certain drugs, including omega.

Should it be used for prevention? If a person normal level cholesterol, and in general the lipid spectrum is normal - the level of total cholesterol, high-density lipoproteins, low-density lipoproteins and other indicators, if there are no concomitant diseases, if you are young, then omega may not be worth taking.

I can say this about myself personally. I drank omega. Before taking it, I took tests - cholesterol, lipoproteins, all indicators were absolutely normal. I decided to take omega for two months, after which I took the tests again - the indicators became worse. We didn’t go beyond the norm, but we rose. In my opinion, a healthy person should take omega after 40 years of age. Or if there are any disorders, for example, lipid metabolism.

If everything is normal, there is no arterial hypertension - increased blood pressure, if you feel normal, then taking omega is generally not justified.

Over the past decade, the country has been gripped by a real vitamin hysteria. The Institute of Nutrition of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences speaks of a frightening decrease in vitamins and minerals in food products. Pharmacy counters are littered with super-mega-multivitamin complexes that promise us hair like Rapunzel, nails like a concrete plant worker mixing concrete by hand, and so much energy that it’s enough to destroy three marathons without stopping.

And the main thing is that we cannot do without these vitamins. They can do it without us, but we can’t do it without them.

Another important detail: vitamins are not produced by the body, but come from food. Moreover, there is no such plant or animal in nature that would contain all the necessary vitamins and microelements, so we have to scrounge: extract vitamin C from oranges and sea buckthorn, obtain vitamin A by picking out the liver from cod, and so on.

And here we come to the first interesting point. Should you take a magic pill whose label says it contains a daily dose of absolutely every vitamin known to man, or spend a little time, money and brain power to create a balanced one for yourself? Can vitamins found in tablets completely replace those we can get from food?

Answer: unlikely.

And it’s not even a matter of the structure of the vitamin itself - reproducing the structure of the molecule is not so difficult.

Vitamins can do without us, but we cannot do without them.

The fact is that by consuming any natural spring vitamins, you receive in addition a number of substances that promote the absorption of this very vitamin. In addition, obtaining the vitamin from food ensures its gradual entry into the body and reduces the “competition” for the absorption and assimilation of various incompatible micronutrients. Whereas, by grabbing a tablet with one and a half daily dose of all vitamins at once, you get a consistent sharp increase in their concentration in the intestines, then in the cells responsible for absorption, and then in the bloodstream.

This, frankly, is not very natural and not exactly what your body expects, and it will try to get rid of this unexpected gift. Therefore, a significant part of the vitamins from these complexes is not absorbed, and as a result we get high-quality urine of various shades, enriched with vitamins and minerals.

And one more thing: not a single manufacturer, especially when it comes to dietary supplements, can give you a guarantee that when creating its complex, all technologies were followed to completely eliminate the antagonistic effects of vitamins on each other (for example, calcium is incompatible with iron when taken simultaneously and etc).

Studying the issue of hypovitaminosis, every time I come across the same phrase in different variations:

The Institute of Nutrition of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences conducted a study that showed that last years the content of vitamins and minerals in vegetables, fruits, meat, and fish has decreased sharply. The researchers took 1963 as a starting point and found that since then the vitamin A content in apples and oranges has decreased by 66%. And now, in order for the body to receive the same amount of retinol as our fellow citizens received 50 years ago, you need to eat not one fruit, but three.

I do not at all question the professionalism and competence of the bearded and not so bearded professors at the Institute of Nutrition of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, the question just naturally arises: why 1963? What apples and oranges did you take? From which countries and villages? What was the method? How was the average statistical value of total hypovitaminosis calculated for almost 150 million residents of our country? Just like in the song: “Just believe it, and you will understand later”...

And by the way... Dentists have not seen scurvy due to vitamin C deficiency for many decades; people with night blindness have long stopped counting pillars with their foreheads. evening time, and somehow there are no “beriberians” to be found.

And finally, the third point that you can think about in pleasant company in the evening, drinking and snacking on apples from your grandmother’s orchard. Are you sure of the quality? multivitamin complex that you came to the pharmacy for?

The choice is now huge. More than 200 multivitamin preparations are registered in Russia. And dietary supplements can be counted ad infinitum. For pharmaceutical companies, this is a bottomless barrel - producing multivitamin and mineral complexes in different variations and different boxes. Add sulfur or selenium, and the new product is ready - receive it, sign for it. We increased the dosage of vitamin E - let's draw a heart on the box, and forward to the masses. So what is this: profitable business or real care for patients?

So, should you drink or not drink?

1. If there is a problem, go to the doctor. Healthy people only need vitamin D (for children) and folic acid (for pregnant women). For the rest, go and get an appointment number. Now, by the way, there is online registration, it’s very convenient, they say.
2. If the doctor has diagnosed polyhypo- or vitamin deficiency (by the way, there is no revision of such a diagnosis in the International Classification of Diseases X), take the multivitamins prescribed by the doctor, or listen to another opinion. If hypovitaminosis is proven, take a specific vitamin or group essential vitamins(for example, iron for iron deficiency anemia, and so on).
3. If in the spring the hand still reaches out to the pharmacy counter, the brain has not yet moved away from hibernation and life is not sweet without magic pill, choose complexes from large, proven pharmaceutical companies, preferably with separate administration in two or even three stages, to improve absorption and eliminate “competitive” interaction of components. A year-round intake of multivitamins is not necessary for an ordinary healthy person with a “gentleman’s set” of two or three colds a year.
4. To drink or not to drink is up to you. Remember: no one else is or will be concerned about your health except you. Don't complain about the poor quality of food and the widespread lack of vitamins - eat right. Minimize and optimize the cooking of foods, eat a varied diet, regularly consume seasonal fruits and vegetables, and replace White bread and baked goods using healthier grains.

And most importantly, do not self-medicate!