Can taking a daily vitamin be bad for your health?

Yes, they can be bad for your health! According to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, vitamins in high doses can affect your health. I am shocked to hear the news. My entire life, I have been taking vitamins and vitamin supplements. It wasn’t until recently that I sat with a nutritionist friend of mine to discover what foods I should be eating more of and foods I should avoid. I thought a vitamin would also help correct my poor eating habits. Didn’t drink enough milk? Take some calcium.

In the article, ‘Are too many vitamins bad for your health?’ it stated, “The information that large doses of some vitamins can be harmful is not new. When taken in excess, the fat-soluble vitamins -- vitamins A, D, E and K -- are stored in body fat tissues. This can lead to toxic buildup in the liver, brain and heart.”

This was news to me!

I have always been a dancer. Only recently, though, have I become a “foodie,” “an aspiring cook,” -- you get my drift… Before my revelation that food was an art unto its self, I would pay little attention to my food choices. Carbs and chocolate would call to me in the night. I tried ‘balancing’ it all by taking a daily vitamin. In fact, I took those suckers like candy. I had read that taking certain vitamins could help with fatigue, headaches and yes the dreaded PMS. I even frequently suggested ‘resting, drinking more water and taking a daily vitamin,’ to friends who were suffering various ailments.

After visiting my nutritionist, I corrected some of my poorer eating habits – chocolate is always a welcome treat. She introduced me to the site, ‘Fitnesspal.com.’ For the past 3 months, I have been actively tracking my foods and working out. But even during the past three months, I took vitamins as part of my daily routine.

So how should we get all the vitamins we need?

The doctor on the show told the viewers that ‘Nothing can replace a diet of vegetables and fruits and the wrong dosage of a vitamin can actually be damaging to your health.’ The only vitamin that he recommended we all need to take more of is vitamin D. Why you may ask? Since we are all taking better care of our skin and wearing sunscreen daily our bodies are not getting enough sun, which naturally soaks in vitamin D.

There’s plenty of great information around on healthy eating. I recommend this one; it covers the 29 healthiest foods on our planet. What are your thoughts on vitamins being “bad” for you? Are you as shocked as I am? What other sites, references would you recommend?