The Truth About Vitamins: What Nutritional Supplement Research Actually Shows in 2025

The Truth About Vitamins: What Nutritional Supplement Research Actually Shows in 2025

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Introduction

Why People Take Supplements

1. Common motivations: health, energy, prevention

Surveys across diverse populations reveal that individuals primarily consume supplements for perceived wellness benefits. The dominant motivations revolve around a desire to “improve overall health” (45%) and “maintain health” (33%). Many supplement users express a belief that these products provide nutritional insurance—filling potential gaps in their dietary intake even when clinical deficiencies are absent. Additional motivations include supporting “bone health” (25%), with this concern being significantly more prevalent among women (36%) than men (11%).

Beyond general wellness, people seek supplements for specific outcomes such as increasing energy levels (11%), supporting mental health (4%), addressing prostate concerns in men (4%), and managing weight loss (3%) or menopausal symptoms in women (2%). These motivations stem from a powerful narrative about supplements being “healthy and natural” that has persisted for nearly a century.

For physically active individuals, the rationale shifts slightly. Athletes and regular exercisers report taking supplements primarily for health preservation, improved physical well-being, and cartilage protection. Interestingly, gender differences emerge in motivation patterns—women more frequently consume supplements for overall health maintenance or as part of weight management programs, whereas men focus on performance enhancement, increasing muscle mass, and improving speed and explosiveness.

Pregnant women represent another group with distinct motivations. Many expectant mothers take prenatal supplements to achieve “peace of mind,” believing supplementation provides certainty that their nutritional requirements are being met. This perspective reveals how supplements often function as psychological reassurance rather than addressing confirmed nutritional deficiencies.

2. Marketing vs medical advice

A striking disconnect exists between professional medical guidance and consumer supplement behavior. Only 23% of supplement use occurs based on healthcare provider recommendations. Similarly, among people with diabetes, merely 44.58% report using supplements under medical supervision. This gap highlights the influence of marketing forces in shaping consumer decisions.

The regulatory environment facilitates this marketing-driven consumption pattern. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates dietary supplements as a subcategory of food rather than as pharmaceutical products. This classification creates a critical distinction—while supplement manufacturers cannot claim their products “lower heart disease risk,” they can use suggestive phrases like “promotes heart health” or “supports immunity”. Every supplement label must include a disclaimer stating: “These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease”. Nevertheless, this mandatory language seems to have minimal impact on consumer perceptions.

The economics of supplement production additionally fuels aggressive marketing practices. Because vitamins are relatively inexpensive to manufacture, companies can allocate substantial resources toward advertising. Modern digital platforms further amplify these marketing efforts, enabling precise targeting of consumers with specific health concerns. This targeted approach contributes to the perception that supplements provide solutions for particular health conditions, despite limited evidence supporting such claims.

3. Who uses supplements the most?

Demographic patterns in supplement use reveal clear trends across age, gender, and lifestyle factors. During 2017-2018, 57.6% of American adults reported using dietary supplements in the previous month. Women consistently demonstrate higher consumption rates (63.8%) compared to men (50.8%). Moreover, supplement use progressively increases with age—notably, nearly one-quarter of adults aged 60 and over (24.9%) reported taking four or more different supplements concurrently.

Product preferences remain relatively consistent across demographic groups. Multivitamin-mineral formulations represent the most commonly used supplements, followed by vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acid products. Usage patterns for these products show consistent growth over time, with the percentage of adults reporting dietary supplement use increasing across all age groups between 2007-2008 and 2017-2018.

Socioeconomic and lifestyle factors strongly correlate with supplement consumption. Users tend to report better overall health status, maintain health insurance coverage, exercise more frequently, practice moderate alcohol consumption, and avoid cigarette smoking. Educational attainment and income level additionally predict supplement use, with higher levels associated with increased consumption. This pattern creates an intriguing paradox—those least likely to have nutritional deficiencies based on lifestyle factors are most likely to take supplements intended to address such deficiencies.

University students represent another group with notable supplement use patterns. Research across Japanese, New Zealand, Italian, Croatian, and US student populations found supplement prevalence ranging from 17% to 66%. Among these students, nutritional knowledge positively correlates with supplement use, and those consuming supplements typically demonstrate healthier dietary patterns, including higher consumption of vegetables, fruits, legumes, seeds, and nuts.

 

What Counts as a Vitamin Supplement?

Vitamin supplements encompass a diverse array of products designed to deliver nutrients beyond what individuals obtain through diet alone. These products exist on a spectrum ranging from comprehensive nutrient combinations to highly targeted formulations for specific health concerns.

1. Multivitamins vs single-nutrient supplements

Multivitamins contain multiple vitamins and minerals in a single formulation, serving as nutritional insurance for potential dietary gaps. Half of all American adults, including 70 percent of those aged 65 and older, take a multivitamin or another vitamin or mineral supplement regularly. This widespread consumption creates a $12 billion annual market.

Single-nutrient supplements, conversely, focus on delivering concentrated amounts of specific vitamins or minerals. These targeted supplements address particular deficiencies or increased needs due to lifestyle or health factors. For instance, individuals with limited sun exposure might require vitamin D supplementation, whereas those with iron-deficiency anemia may need iron supplements.

The decision between multivitamins and individual supplements depends largely on personal health needs. Generally, multivitamins offer a holistic approach to filling nutrient gaps, although the contained amounts may be insufficient for addressing specific deficiencies. Individual supplements provide higher concentrations of specific nutrients, allowing for more personalized supplementation strategies.

Timing considerations additionally distinguish these approaches. When taken together in higher amounts, certain minerals and vitamins compete for absorption in the digestive tract. Subsequently, spacing individual supplements throughout the day optimizes nutrient absorption compared to taking everything simultaneously in a multivitamin.

2. Fortified foods vs pills

Fortification involves deliberately increasing micronutrient content in foods to improve nutritional quality and provide public health benefits. Introduced in the 1930s and 1940s, fortified foods were designed to boost vitamin and mineral intake through commonly consumed products like grains and milk.

Two distinct fortification approaches exist. Fortified foods contain nutrients not naturally occurring in the original food (such as vitamin D added to milk), whereas enriched foods have nutrients restored after processing (such as B vitamins returned to refined grains). The World Health Organization recommends large-scale food fortification as a cost-effective intervention to combat vitamin and mineral deficiencies, particularly through universal salt iodization and grain fortification.

Pills offer concentrated nutrient delivery but lack the food matrix that may enhance absorption. Essentially, both approaches have merits—fortified foods seamlessly integrate into diets, whereas supplements provide precise dosing and targeted nutrition.

Historically, food fortification has virtually eliminated diseases like rickets and pellagra in the United States. Nevertheless, fortification doesn’t automatically make processed foods healthful, as many fortified products contain high levels of sodium, fat, and sugar.

3. Specialized blends and condition-specific formulas

Specialized supplement blends target specific health concerns or demographic needs. These condition-specific formulations contain carefully selected ingredients intended to address particular health conditions or nutritional requirements.

Condition-specific oral nutrition supplements help meet the needs of patients with certain chronic or acute conditions. For example, diabetes patients might benefit from higher-protein, lower-sugar formulas, whereas kidney disease patients require carefully controlled protein and electrolyte levels. Cancer patients often need formulas that avoid certain vitamins and minerals with metallic aftertastes.

Marketers frequently promote specialized supplements for demographic groups with unique nutritional needs. Women’s supplements typically target urinary tract health, hormonal support, and reproductive health across life stages from preconception through menopause. Men’s formulations often focus on testosterone support, cardiovascular health, and prostate health. Older adults may benefit from bone and joint health formulations containing calcium, glucosamine, or herbal blends.

Clinical evidence supports some specialized formulations. Using condition-specific oral nutrition supplements has been shown to accelerate healing of pressure ulcers in hospitalized patients, particularly those with malnutrition. Ultimately, specialized supplements may offer targeted nutritional support, yet their efficacy varies considerably depending on formulation quality and individual health circumstances.

 

What the Research Really Shows

Methodological rigor plays a crucial role in determining the reliability of nutritional supplement research findings. Understanding different study designs helps practitioners evaluate supplement claims more effectively.

1. Observational studies vs randomized trials

The methodological divide between observational studies and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) explains many conflicting findings in supplement research. Observational studies typically show inverse correlations between serum vitamin levels and health outcomes, yet RCTs often fail to replicate these benefits. This discrepancy stems from fundamental limitations—observational studies cannot fully account for the “healthy user bias,” as individuals with healthier diets and lifestyles are more likely to take supplements. Consequently, attributing health benefits distinctly to supplements rather than overall healthy behaviors becomes problematic. RCTs, wherein participants are randomly assigned to treatment or placebo groups, provide stronger evidence for causal relationships. Yet even these gold-standard trials face challenges, as participants often have adequate baseline nutrient status or continue taking supplements outside the study protocol.

2. Do vitamin supplements work for chronic disease?

Evidence regarding vitamin supplements for chronic disease prevention remains largely disappointing. Multiple reviews have found that multivitamin/mineral supplementation shows minimal effect on cardiovascular disease risk, cancer incidence, or cognitive decline (except in specific populations). Findings from the Women’s Health Initiative trial demonstrated that calcium and vitamin D supplementation increased hip bone density by 1.06% but showed no benefit in preventing colorectal cancer. First, many vitamin trials did not limit participation to individuals with nutritional deficiencies. Second, trials sometimes permitted supplement use in control groups, potentially masking treatment effects. Third, supplementation doses and durations vary considerably across studies, making comparison difficult.

3. Evidence-based supplements: what holds up?

Despite generally underwhelming results, certain supplements demonstrate evidence-based benefits for specific populations. Folic acid supplements before and during early pregnancy prevent neural tube defects in infants. Likewise, vitamin D (700-800 IU daily) combined with calcium (1000 mg daily) may reduce hip and non-vertebral fracture risk in populations with low baseline vitamin D or calcium levels. For men who smoke, vitamin E supplementation was associated with a 32% reduction in prostate cancer incidence and 41% reduction in prostate cancer mortality in the Alpha-Tocopherol Beta-Carotene trial. Henceforth, nutritional supplement research increasingly focuses on targeted interventions for specific populations rather than universal recommendations.

4. The COSMOS trial and cognitive health

The COcoa Supplement and Multivitamin Outcomes Study (COSMOS) represents a groundbreaking advancement in understanding supplement effects on cognitive health. This large-scale randomized trial tested whether daily cocoa extract (500 mg flavanols) or a commercial multivitamin-mineral (MVM) improved cognition in older adults. Remarkably, while cocoa extract showed no cognitive benefit, MVM supplementation resulted in statistically beneficial effects on global cognition compared to placebo. The magnitude of this effect was equivalent to slowing cognitive aging by approximately two years. Moreover, these benefits appeared most pronounced in participants with cardiovascular disease history. The consistency of findings across three separate COSMOS cognitive studies provides strong evidence that daily multivitamin supplementation helps prevent memory loss and cognitive decline in older adults.

5. Supplement research articles: what’s new in 2025?

Recent research from 2025 reveals promising findings regarding vitamin D supplementation and biological aging. A new report from the VITAL (VITamin D and OmegA-3 TriaL) shows that vitamin D supplementation helps maintain telomeres—protective caps at chromosome ends that shorten during aging. This randomized controlled trial demonstrated that vitamin D3 supplements (2,000 IU daily) considerably reduced telomere shortening over four years, preventing the equivalent of nearly three years of aging. Importantly, omega-3 fatty acid supplementation had no similar effect on telomere length. These findings align with previous VITAL results showing vitamin D benefits in reducing inflammation and lowering risks of advanced cancer and autoimmune disease. Thus, emerging evidence positions vitamin D supplementation as a promising strategy to counter biological aging processes, though researchers emphasize the need for additional investigations.

 

 

Health Outcomes: What Works and What Doesn’t

Examining specific health outcomes reveals a nuanced picture of supplement efficacy across different conditions. Recent nutritional supplement research demonstrates varying levels of evidence supporting supplement use for prevalent health concerns.

1. Cardiovascular disease and vitamins

Contrary to popular belief, antioxidant vitamins (A, C, E) show minimal cardiovascular benefits in large-scale trials. The Physicians’ Health Study II found that neither vitamin E nor vitamin C supplementation reduced major cardiovascular events among male physicians. Beta-carotene supplementation even increased cardiovascular mortality by 10% in certain populations. Vitamin E supplementation specifically showed no effect on myocardial infarction, stroke, or cardiovascular death.

B vitamins once held promise due to their homocysteine-lowering effects, yet clinical trials demonstrate that folic acid, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12 supplementation fail to reduce cardiovascular events. Currently, omega-3 fatty acids represent one of few supplements with modest cardiovascular benefits, as high-dose (4g daily) prescription formulations can lower triglyceride levels by 20-30% in patients with hypertriglyceridemia.

2. Cancer prevention: myths vs facts

Many consumers take antioxidant supplements believing they prevent cancer, yet evidence contradicts this assumption. Surprisingly, the Selenium and Vitamin E Cancer Prevention Trial (SELECT) found that vitamin E supplementation increased prostate cancer risk by 17%. Beta-carotene supplementation among smokers likewise increased lung cancer incidence by 18% in the CARET trial.

Interestingly, calcium supplementation (1000 mg daily) reduced colorectal adenoma recurrence by 19% compared to placebo in patients with previous adenomas. Still, no vitamin supplement has shown broad cancer prevention benefits across the general population.

3. Cognitive aging and memory

Beyond the COSMOS trial findings mentioned previously, vitamin B12 supplementation presents mixed results for cognitive protection. Deficiency correction improves cognition in individuals with documented deficiencies, yet supplementation shows no benefits in those with normal baseline levels.

Vitamin E (2000 IU daily) temporarily slowed functional decline in patients with moderate Alzheimer’s disease, delaying nursing home placement by approximately 230 days compared to placebo. Meanwhile, recent research examining omega-3 fatty acids found inconsistent effects on cognitive function, with benefits possibly limited to specific cognitive domains or early intervention timeframes.

4. Bone health and osteoporosis

Calcium and vitamin D supplementation yields modest fracture reduction benefits primarily among institutionalized elderly individuals. The combination reduced hip fracture risk by 30% in nursing home residents but showed minimal benefits in community-dwelling adults. Supplementation timing appears crucial—calcium plus vitamin D started before age 25 yields greater bone density benefits than interventions beginning after age 50.

Vitamin K2 (menaquinone) has emerged as a promising bone health supplement, with 180 mcg daily reducing vertebral fracture risk by 60% and hip fracture risk by 77% in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis.

5. Type 2 diabetes and supplements

Evidence regarding supplements for diabetes prevention or management remains mostly underwhelming. Chromium picolinate initially showed promise for improving glucose control, yet subsequent research yielded inconsistent results. Vitamin D supplementation (4000 IU daily) demonstrated a modest 15% reduction in progression from prediabetes to diabetes in individuals with baseline insufficiency but no benefit in those with normal levels.

Most herbal supplements marketed for diabetes lack robust clinical evidence. Cinnamon extract yields inconsistent effects on hemoglobin A1c, with meta-analyzes suggesting minimal clinical relevance. Ultimately, evidence-based supplements for diabetes remain elusive, with nutritional interventions secondary to established lifestyle modifications and medical therapies.

 

Risks of Overuse and Poor Regulation

Beyond efficacy considerations, supplement safety deserves equal attention. The potential dangers of dietary supplements stem from both inherent toxicity risks and inadequate regulatory oversight.

1. Excess intake and toxicity

Unlike water-soluble vitamins that typically flush out through urine, fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) accumulate in body tissues, creating potential for dangerous buildup with excessive supplementation. Vitamin toxicity manifests through various symptoms including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, and skin problems. In extreme cases, excessive supplementation may lead to osteoporosis, heart problems, liver damage, neurological issues, and even death.

Vitamin D toxicity specifically can cause abnormally high blood calcium levels, resulting in kidney stones, excessive thirst, mental confusion, and weight loss. Taking 100 mcg (10,000 IU) or more daily puts individuals at risk. Iron overdoses present particular danger, potentially causing intestinal bleeding, coma, low blood pressure, liver failure, and death if not promptly treated.

2. Adulterated or mislabeled products

Regulatory gaps enable widespread supplement adulteration. Since 2007, FDA has identified over 1,050 tainted dietary supplements. Weight loss and sexual enhancement products often contain undeclared pharmaceuticals—one study found 17.5% of weight loss supplements contained hidden drugs including sibutramine and fluoxetine.

Under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act, manufacturers bear responsibility for ensuring product safety before marketing. Yet practically, this approach facilitates sales of adulterated and mislabeled products. An estimated 23,000 individuals annually visit emergency departments due to supplement-related adverse events.

3. Interactions with medications

Dietary supplements frequently interact with medications, occasionally with dangerous consequences. St. John’s wort reduces effectiveness of many medications including HIV drugs, heart medications, and statins. Vitamin E combined with blood thinners increases bleeding risk. Indeed, certain antibiotics and pain relievers cause blood thickening, whereas some cold medications increase blood thinner potency.

Grapefruit juice interferes with statin-based cholesterol medications, requiring alternative treatment approaches. Ultimately, approximately three-quarters of U.S. adults use dietary supplements, often unaware of these interaction risks.

4. Do supplements work if you already eat well?

For individuals with balanced diets, supplements typically offer minimal benefits. According to Harvard medical experts, nutrients are most potent when obtained from food, where they appear alongside hundreds of carotenoids, flavonoids, minerals, and antioxidants absent from most supplements. If nutritional needs are met through diet, excess vitamins are simply excreted.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans emphasizes meeting nutritional needs primarily through foods rather than supplements. Accordingly, supplements should supplement—not replace—healthy eating patterns, and only with healthcare provider recommendation.

 

Who Might Actually Benefit from Supplements?

Certain population groups face unique nutritional challenges that make supplementation a prudent choice based on nutritional supplement research. Even as skepticism grows about universal supplement use, evidence points to specific groups who may truly benefit from targeted supplementation.

1. Pregnant women and folic acid

Folic acid supplementation stands as one of the most firmly established nutritional interventions for pregnant women. This B vitamin helps prevent serious birth defects of the brain (anencephaly) and spine (spina bifida) that form in the first few weeks of pregnancy. The U.S. Public Health Service recommends that women who could become pregnant get 400 mcg of folic acid daily. Women who had a previous pregnancy affected by neural tube defects should take a higher dose of 4,000 mcg daily, starting one month before conception and continuing through the first trimester. Taking folic acid before and during early pregnancy can reduce the risk for neural tube defects primarily when taken from one month before conception through the first 2-3 months of pregnancy.

2. Older adults and vitamin B12

Aging frequently compromises vitamin B12 absorption. From 5 to 15 percent of adults have vitamin B12 deficiency, which develops slowly and becomes more common with increasing age. The primary issue isn’t insufficient dietary intake but rather impaired absorption caused by decreased stomach acid production. Up to 30% of adults over 51 years have atrophic gastritis with low stomach acid secretion. Mayo Clinic experts routinely recommend B12 supplements for older adults. The body responds rapidly to high-dose vitamin B12, with nerve symptoms subsiding over weeks to months.

3. Vegans and vegetarians

Plant-based diets create specific supplementation needs. Vitamin B12 presents the greatest concern for vegans, as it’s found almost exclusively in animal products. Vegans have higher risks of B12 deficiency unless they consume B12-fortified foods or supplements. Other nutrients often requiring supplementation in vegan diets include vitamin D, long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, iron, zinc, calcium, and iodine. Vegans consuming too little dietary calcium should consider daily supplements, especially those getting less than 525 mg daily.

4. People with restricted diets or absorption issues

Individuals with absorption disorders face unique supplementation requirements. Malabsorption syndrome prevents effective nutrient absorption, potentially leading to deficiencies in both macronutrients and micronutrients. Conditions affecting absorption include inflammatory bowel diseases, celiac disease, cystic fibrosis, and short bowel syndrome. For instance, Crohn’s disease affecting the ileum can impair vitamin B12 absorption. Additionally, certain medications like sulfasalazine and methotrexate may interfere with folic acid absorption. In these cases, targeted supplementation becomes necessary rather than optional.

 

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Conclusion

The landscape of vitamin supplementation presents a paradox worthy of careful consideration. Despite widespread popularity and substantial consumer spending, nutritional supplement research reveals minimal benefits for most healthy adults. Nevertheless, targeted supplementation offers genuine value for specific populations facing unique nutritional challenges.

Evidence consistently undermines many common reasons people take supplements. Most multivitamins fail to prevent cardiovascular disease, cancer, or general mortality in well-nourished populations. Similarly, antioxidant vitamins often disappoint in clinical trials, occasionally demonstrating harm rather than benefit. This reality stands in stark contrast to marketing claims that shape consumer perceptions and drive billions in annual sales.

Recent findings from the COSMOS trial, however, provide compelling evidence for multivitamin benefits on cognitive function in older adults. Daily multivitamin use effectively slowed cognitive aging by approximately two years compared to placebo groups. Additionally, new research from the VITAL trial suggests vitamin D supplementation may preserve telomere length, potentially slowing biological aging processes.

Certain demographic groups undoubtedly benefit from specific supplementation protocols. Pregnant women require folic acid to prevent neural tube defects. Older adults often need vitamin B12 due to age-related absorption difficulties. Vegans must supplement B12 or consume fortified foods to avoid deficiency. Patients with malabsorption conditions likewise require targeted nutrient support tailored to their specific needs.

The current regulatory environment allows supplement manufacturers considerable freedom regarding product claims and quality control. This framework creates potential dangers through excess intake, adulteration, mislabeling, and drug interactions. Consumers must therefore approach supplementation decisions thoughtfully, ideally consulting healthcare providers rather than relying on marketing promises.

Healthcare practitioners should thus adopt an evidence-based, personalized approach to vitamin recommendations. Rather than prescribing supplements universally, clinicians must consider individual nutritional status, health conditions, medication regimens, and dietary patterns. Food-first nutrition strategies remain preferable for most patients, with supplements serving as targeted interventions for documented deficiencies or established preventive needs.

Though vitamin supplements cannot compensate for poor dietary choices, they serve valuable roles when properly prescribed for appropriate candidates. Future research will undoubtedly continue refining our understanding of supplement efficacy across different populations and health conditions. Until then, both practitioners and consumers benefit from approaching vitamin supplementation with informed skepticism balanced by recognition of their legitimate applications in specific circumstances.

Key Takeaways

Despite widespread use and $55.7 billion in annual sales, most vitamin supplements provide minimal health benefits for well-nourished adults, with research consistently failing to show protection against cardiovascular disease, cancer, or mortality.

• Most healthy adults don’t need supplements – evidence shows minimal benefits for cardiovascular disease, cancer prevention, or general mortality in well-nourished populations.
• Multivitamins may slow cognitive aging by 2 years in older adults, based on breakthrough COSMOS trial findings showing memory and cognition benefits.
• Specific groups genuinely benefit: pregnant women need folic acid, older adults require B12, vegans must supplement B12, and those with absorption disorders need targeted support.
• Supplement safety risks include toxicity from fat-soluble vitamins, drug interactions, and poor regulation allowing adulterated products to reach consumers.
• Food-first nutrition remains superior – nutrients work best when obtained from whole foods rather than isolated supplements, with supplementation reserved for documented deficiencies.

The evidence suggests a targeted, personalized approach to supplementation based on individual health needs rather than universal recommendations, with healthcare provider guidance essential for safe and effective use.

 

Frequently Asked Questions:

FAQs

Q1. Are multivitamins effective for improving cognitive health in older adults? Recent research from the COSMOS trial shows that daily multivitamin use may slow cognitive aging by approximately two years in older adults, particularly benefiting those with a history of cardiovascular disease.

Q2. Do vitamin supplements prevent chronic diseases like heart disease and cancer? Most studies have found that vitamin supplements do not significantly reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, or overall mortality in healthy, well-nourished adults. However, specific supplements may benefit certain populations with documented deficiencies.

Q3. Who can benefit from taking vitamin supplements? Certain groups may benefit from targeted supplementation, including pregnant women (folic acid), older adults (vitamin B12), vegans and vegetarians (B12, iron, zinc), and individuals with restricted diets or absorption issues.

Q4. Are there risks associated with taking vitamin supplements? Yes, risks include potential toxicity from fat-soluble vitamins, interactions with medications, and issues related to poor regulation such as adulterated or mislabeled products. It’s important to consult with a healthcare provider before starting any supplement regimen.

Q5. Is getting nutrients from food better than taking supplements? Generally, yes. Nutrients are most potent when obtained from whole foods, where they appear alongside hundreds of other beneficial compounds. For most people with balanced diets, supplements offer minimal additional benefits and should not replace healthy eating patterns.

 

 

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