Health & Fitness

Sunday August 9, 2009

Keep to the basics

The Council Responsible for Nutrition in the United States recommends a rational supplement programe.

A QUICK question – out of 100 people you know, how many do you think keep to a diet that is adequate for good health? 10, 20, 90? Your guess is as good as mine.

Suffice to say, the answer would probably be in the lower numbers. Try as we might to eat healthily, the demands of daily living often impinge on our efforts to be "good" when it comes to a wholesome diet.

We know it's important that we provide adequate nutrients for the body, not only for energy to cope with daily living, but also for the proper functioning of the body. So if our diets aren't sufficiently providing such nutrients, what can we do about it?

Some say supplements may help. In fact, a report published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in June 2002 recommends that "all adults take one multi-vitamin daily ... because multi-vitamins are simpler to take and cheaper than individual vitamins taken separately ... and because a large proportion of the population needs supplements of more than one vitamin."

This does make some sense, especially when you break down the population into different segments with different nutrient needs, such as pregnant women, the elderly, those with chronic lifetsyle diseases, and so on. While basic needs may be similar, certain nutrients are required more in different groups, for example, folic acid in pregnant women.

In fact, the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) in the United States has formulated a dietary supplement pyramid to provide an easy guide to supplement takers as to what to take. This pyramid is based on principles similar to food guide pyramids (see illustration).

In essence, this dietary supplement pyramid sits on a base deliberately chosen to highlight a key component – grain products in the case of the food pyramid and multi-vitamins in the case of the supplement pyramid.

The supplement pyramid makes it easier to understand that some vitamins and minerals are needed more than others, depending on both individual and general needs. For example, the CRN, in its website, states that "Substantial data suggests that higher intakes of folic acid, vitamin B6, and vitamin D will benefit many people, and a multivitamin will ensure an adequate intake of other vitamins for which the evidence of benefit is indirect."

CRN was founded in 1973 and is based in Washington, D.C. It is the leading trade association in the United States representing dietary supplement manufacturers and ingredient suppliers.

Although supplements should never be a substitute for a wholesome diet, it may be difficult for some individuals to obtain the required amounts of nutrients from conventional foods alone. So while we work to arrive at the final destination of a wholesome diet, supplements may be of help in that journey.

References:

1. JAMA, June 19, 2002, Vol 287, No 23.

2. The benefits of nutritional supplements, Council for Responsible Nutrition,
www.crnusa.org

This article is courtesy of Wyeth Consumer Healthcare. The information provided is for educational and communication purposes only and it should not be construed as personal medical advice. Information published in this article is not intended to replace, supplant or augment a consultation with a health professional regarding the reader's own medical care. The Star does not give any warranty on accuracy, completeness, functionality, usefulness or other assurances as to the content appearing in this column. The Star disclaims all responsibility for any losses, damage to property or personal injury suffered directly or indirectly from reliance on such information.