It’s pretty wild how many people take supplements thinking they’re doing good, but some of these popular ones might actually be causing harm. We’re talking about things that could mess with your blood vessels and other important body parts. It turns out, what seems logical isn’t always what’s best for your health. Let’s dig into why some common supplements might be doing more harm than good and what you should consider instead.
The Calcium Conundrum: More Harm Than Good?
Calcium is a big deal for our bodies. It’s super important for strong bones, making our muscles work right (even our heart!), and helping our nerves send signals. As we get older, especially for women after menopause, our bones can get weaker. This is because the process of rebuilding bone slows down, and we start losing more bone than we make. So, it makes sense to think, “Hey, I’ll just take a calcium supplement to keep my bones strong!”
But here’s the kicker: the research on calcium supplements is a bit messy. While some studies hint at a benefit for reducing bone fractures, when you look at the really good studies (the ones with less bias), calcium supplements don’t seem to help much at all. It’s not a clear win.
The Alarming Side of Calcium Supplements
What’s really concerning is the growing evidence that calcium supplements might actually be bad for your heart. Back in 2010, a study looked at a bunch of calcium supplement trials and found that people taking them had about a 30% higher chance of having a heart attack. Yikes!
More recently, a study in South Korea found even scarier numbers. People with osteoporosis who took calcium supplements without vitamin D saw their heart attack risk go up by almost 90%. Vitamin D is important here because it helps your body handle calcium properly. If you don’t have enough vitamin D, it seems to make the problems with calcium supplements even worse.
Another study, this time with a lot of women in Sweden, found that high calcium intake was linked to a higher risk of death from all causes, including heart disease. So, what’s going on?
Scientists think that calcium supplements cause a quick spike in calcium levels in your blood. This spike might make it more likely for calcium to build up in the walls of your arteries, which isn’t good for your heart.
Dietary Calcium: The Better Way
So, does this mean you should avoid calcium altogether? Absolutely not! Calcium is an essential nutrient. Adults generally need about 1,000 milligrams a day. The key is how you get it.
Getting calcium from your diet seems to be the way to go. Unlike supplements, calcium from food doesn’t cause those sudden spikes in blood calcium. In fact, one big study found that people with the highest dietary calcium intake had a 27% lower risk of calcium buildup in their arteries. But for those who used supplements, the risk was 22% higher.
This really points to the idea that the source of calcium matters. Supplements carry a risk that doesn’t seem to come with calcium from natural food sources. Another study even found that calcium supplements increased the risk of death from heart disease in men, but dietary calcium had no negative impact.
For most people, boosting your calcium intake through foods like milk, yogurt, and cheese is a safe way to get what your body needs without increasing your heart disease risk. There are some exceptions, like vegan women who might struggle to get enough calcium from their diet alone and may need supplements, but it’s always best to talk to a doctor.
Other Supplements to Watch Out For
Calcium isn’t the only supplement that might have hidden downsides. Let’s look at a few others that might be sitting in your medicine cabinet.
Iron: A Double-Edged Sword
Iron is vital for carrying oxygen in your blood, making energy, and helping your muscles work. Not getting enough can make you tired and foggy. But with supplements, it’s easy to get too much. A little too much iron can mess with other important minerals like zinc and upset your stomach. A lot too much iron can even damage your organs.
Like calcium, the safest way to get iron for most people is through your diet. Adult men need about 8 milligrams a day, and women need about 18 milligrams until menopause. The easiest iron for your body to use comes from animal sources. You can also find iron in plant foods like leafy greens, white beans, and lentils, but you might need to eat more of them to hit your targets.
Of course, some people do need iron supplements, like pregnant women, those with heavy periods, or people with certain digestive issues. But it’s always smart to take iron supplements only if your doctor recommends it and keeps an eye on you.
Vitamin E: The Antioxidant That Might Backfire
Vitamin E is an antioxidant found in vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, and leafy greens. People often claim it can help you live longer and prevent cancer and heart disease. Because of these claims, supplement makers have pushed people to take more of it.
But here’s why that might be a bad idea:
- Deficiency is Rare: Most people get plenty of vitamin E from their diet because it’s in so many foods. A vitamin E deficiency is super rare and usually only happens with unusual health problems.
- Interferes with Exercise: Too much vitamin E can actually mess with the benefits you get from exercise. And exercise is one of the best things you can do for your health!
- May Shorten Lifespan: This is the really concerning part. A big review of many studies found no proof that antioxidant supplements help you live longer. In fact, the evidence suggested that vitamin E might even increase your risk of dying. That’s the opposite of what we want!
There are different forms of vitamin E, and some argue that certain forms (tocotrienols) might be better. But we don’t have long-term safety data for these, and they work in similar ways to other forms. So far, there’s no real sign that vitamin E supplements extend life. Instead, there’s a worry that they might increase mortality rates, and too much has even been linked to a higher risk of prostate cancer.
Vitamin A: Another Antioxidant to Be Wary Of
Similar to vitamin E, high doses of vitamin A supplements also seem to be linked to increased mortality. And too much vitamin A can weaken your bones, damage your liver, and even cause birth defects. Like vitamin E, vitamin A deficiency is very rare. Most people can get all the vitamin A they need from a healthy diet without needing supplements.
Resveratrol: The Hype That Fizzled
Resveratrol is another popular supplement marketed for extending lifespan. The idea came from early research that suggested it could boost an enzyme called sirtuin 1, which is linked to aging. One early study even claimed it extended the lifespan of yeast by 70%! This caused a lot of excitement.
But it turns out, those initial results were just a lab error. Oops! Even after that, researchers kept looking for benefits, but the results have been pretty disappointing. Studies have shown that resveratrol doesn’t really work as hoped. It’s absorbed into the bloodstream, so it’s not an absorption problem; it just doesn’t do what people thought.
Resveratrol has also been suggested to help with type 2 diabetes, but current research doesn’t support that claim either.
The Unexpected Downside of Resveratrol
So, does resveratrol do anything at all? Well, yes, but not in a good way. Recent research using advanced technology found that resveratrol doesn’t directly activate sirtuin 1. Instead, it actually stresses cells and interferes with how DNA is copied during cell division, which is definitely not good.
There was a thought that maybe combining resveratrol with exercise could boost the benefits of exercise, since exercise also stresses cells in a good way. But the opposite happened! One study found that resveratrol supplementation reduced the positive effects of high-intensity exercise on blood pressure, cholesterol, and how efficiently the body used oxygen. There’s even some evidence that resveratrol can lower testosterone levels.
Right now, there’s no good evidence that resveratrol supplements are beneficial, but there is evidence of harm. So, taking resveratrol supplements is probably not a good idea.
Key Takeaways
What We Learned About Supplements
- Calcium Supplements: Can increase the risk of heart attacks and calcification in arteries, especially without vitamin D. Getting calcium from food is much safer and more effective for bone health.
- Iron Supplements: Easy to take too much, leading to zinc deficiency, digestive issues, and even organ damage. Get iron from food unless a doctor advises otherwise.
- Vitamin E Supplements: Deficiency is rare. May interfere with exercise benefits and could even increase mortality. Dietary sources are usually sufficient.
- Vitamin A Supplements: Deficiency is rare. High doses can weaken bones, damage the liver, and cause birth defects. Best obtained from a healthy diet.
- Resveratrol Supplements: Initial hype was based on a lab error. No good evidence for lifespan extension or other health benefits. May stress cells and reduce the positive effects of exercise.
It’s clear that when it comes to supplements, more isn’t always better. In fact, sometimes it can be worse. Always talk to your doctor before starting any new supplement, and remember that a balanced diet is usually the best way to get the nutrients your body needs.