Dubai: For all you happy vitamin pill buyers who stock up over the counter, here’s some advice: “Never buy vitamins over-the- counter (OTC). That’s not advisable. They should be taken only by prescription by a doctor,” says Safeek Ali, dietitian, Welcare Hospital.

Dieticians advise against popping supplements as most essential vitamins can be found in the food we eat. “You can get vitamin A which is essential for good vision, healthy skin and for the immune system, from carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach and broccoli,” says Ali.

Supplements are only recommended for people who are vitamin deficient and for those who feel weak. A layman, he says, will not know what vitamins his body needs.

“That can only be found out from a blood test.”

Or from a chemical manifestation in the skin, eyes or the nails, which a medical expert can recognise, adds Ali.

The reason why the dietician warns against popping vitamins on your own without a prescription is that they can be toxic if taken in high doses. “A high dose of vitamin A, could lead to hypertension,” he warns.

Doctors earlier warned that at least half of the UAE population is suffering from hypertension or high blood pressure. Adding high doses of vitamin A will aggravate the condition. Also vitamin A, a fat-soluble vitamin, is stored in the body, mainly in the liver. Too much of this vitamin can cause bone pain, headaches and loss of appetite, warn doctors. Children are more vulnerable to vitamin A overdose, they say.

According to Mohammad Al Falahgi, senior dietician, Medcare Hospital, taking vitamin supplements is not necessary but having said that many people in today’s rushed lifestyle do not eat the right types of foods. An overdose of vitamin C, for example, can lead to diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, headache, cramps. A large orange is sufficient for a day’s recommended dosage of vitamin C, according to nutritionists.

“Not many people eat the right combination of foods,” he says. According to researchers at Johns Hopkins, it is dangerous to take high doses of vitamin E supplement. “A lot of people take vitamins because they believe it benefits their health in the long-term. But our study shows that a high dose did not prolong life, but was associated with a high risk of death,” according to the study.

Who needs supplements?

The elderly, as with age, the body absorbs less nutrition from foods. The other group which needs supplements are pregnant women, who need iron or folic acid, which is sometimes not possible for them to get from foods. Pregnant woman also need folic acid or vitamin B9 which is important for the production of the body’s genetic material and helps in the development of tissues and cells.

They also need vitamin B12 which works with vitamin B9 in the production of red blood cells. The amount needed cannot be got from fresh food alone and supplements are needed for pregnant women. Children, too, sometimes can require vitamin supplements.

A balanced meal

As long as you are eating from the five main food groups — grain, fruits and vegetables, dairy, meat and protein and foods containing fats and oils — in the correct proportions, “You won’t need supplements,” says Ali.