When 31-year-old media professional Shweta Bhasin experienced unusual hair loss, her dermatologist suggested a routine blood test to check for deficiencies. She was found to be low on iron, vitamin D and vitamin B 12. Her dermatologist suggested a three-month course of supplements for an immediate nutrient boost and then asked her to have a balanced diet to sustain her micronutrient levels. But since having a proper diet required a lot of effort and discipline, she decided to take all-purpose multivitamins to keep her blood markers normal. Still she didn’t feel great. Then she developed gastrointestinal problems and bouts of insomnia, the after-effects of popping too many pills without medical advice. “That’s because multivitamins or any supplement cannot replace a good diet,” says Vaishali Verma, Consultant, Nutrition And Dietetics, HCMCT Manipal Hospital, Dwarka. “Pills are meant to supplement a healthy diet. Not replace it,” she adds. Do we need multivitamins at all? A balanced diet of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and lean proteins packs all the nutrients your body needs for tissue repair, hormonal balance and energy levels. You don’t need multivitamins if your diet is proper. In fact, if you pop multivitamins mindlessly, as they are easily available over the counter, you may develop hypervitaminosis. What does overdosing on multivitamins mean? The body storage levels of vitamins are abnormally high and can lead to toxic symptoms and diverse health effects. Iron overdose may include vomitting, diarrhoea and weakness. People with severe overdoses may develop coma, low blood pressure and liver failure. Calcium overdose can impair the functioning of the kidneys, increase the pH of the blood, cause nausea and vomitting, mental confusion and even irregular heartbeats. Vitamin D overdose can contribute to high levels of calcium in the blood. Vitamin A overdose can cause nausea and vomiting, dizziness and blurry vision. Do we need multivitamin supplements while ageing? Yes. That’s because our body becomes less efficient at absorbing nutrients from food after 55 to 60 years. This is because of changes in stomach acid production, enzyme activity and intestinal functions. But follow the doctor’s advice only on taking multivitamins. Each regime is individualised according to your blood reports. For how long after an infection should we be taking multivitamins? Doctors recommend multivitamins after a fever, infection or surgery when the body goes through a nutrient imbalance and the patient has a decreased appetite. Multivitamins work as a support system because the gastrointestinal system is suppressed, there are digestive issues and the body is in stress. Once the patient recovers, this dependence must go and the focus should be on a balanced diet. If you need to focus on a healthy diet, set realistic goals. Do not follow any diet plan but take some mindful steps. It can be simple things like increasing your water intake, having home-cooked meals at the right time and ensuring you get quality sleep. Working on a daily basis to right one habit can help us achieve our targets.
