These Popular Supplements May Not Have the Desired Effect

There was a time – especially in the 1980s – where antioxidants like vitamins A, C and E were popular. Scientists thought these nutrients might be the key to lowering cancer and heart disease risks.

Unfortunately, research didn’t pan out — and higher doses of these supplements led to problems for consumers in these studies. Vitamin A was linked to an increased risk of hip fractures and prostate cancer. Higher doses of vitamin E increased prostate cancer risk as well as heart disease, respiratory infection and overall mortality risk. 

That’s why it’s really important to check in with your physician before you start a new supplement. 

Other supplements might be safe to consume but might not actually do much. Although some doctors swear by multivitamins, especially in older Americans, plenty of studies have found little impact. There is no evidence that multivitamins make a difference in heart disease or cancer risk or cognitive decline, three of the reasons many people take them.

Even supplements like fish oil lack the full support of science, even if studies have shown consuming foods rich in fish oil like salmon and mackerel significantly lower the risk of heart disease. 

Why? Scientists aren’t sure but think that vegetables and proteins, which are more complex than the individual nutrients in them, may contain other ingredients that make consuming them a better delivery mechanism that supplements alone.