Vitamins: The good, the bad, and the ugly

摘要

The data that a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables is associated with increased longevity and improved quality of life is overwhelming.1'2 In some magical way, this has been translated into the concept that rather than eating a healthy diet, a "quick fix" is to take multivitamins or other supplements. Fifty-three percent of persons in the United States take supplements, with 39% using multivitamins. The supplement industry is worth $14 billion. In the last year, there was a 5.7% increase in spending on supplements in the United States.