Benefits of supplements: Why they’re important
Normally, most people should be able to get all the nutrients they need from a balanced diet. However, supplements can provide you with extra nutrients when your diet is lacking or certain health conditions (such as cancer, diabetes, or chronic diarrhea) trigger a deficiency. In most cases, a multivitamin/mineral supplement will provide all the micronutrients your body needs. They are generally safe because they contain only small amounts of each nutrient (as measured by the daily value, or DV). Individual nutrients are available as supplements, usually in doses larger than your typical multivitamin. They can be used to treat a deficiency, such as an iron deficiency, or reduce the risk of a medical condition, such as hypertension. For example, large doses of vitamin B3 (niacin) may help raise "good" high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, while folic acid has long been used to reduce the risk of a birth defect called spina bifida. Antioxidants, such as vitamin C and vit