The new guidelines say that supplements can help you meet specific nutrient requirements. For example, older people and others with little sunlight exposure may need a vitamin D supplement. Women of childbearing age may reduce the risk of certain birth defects by consuming foods rich in folate, a B vitamin or by taking a folic acid supplement. Pregnant women should get 400 micrograms a day, especially in the first weeks of pregnancy. Pregnant women also benefit by taking supplements of vitamins A, C and E and iron.
Older women can reduce the risk of osteoporosis by taking calcium supplements.
So I take a supplement. The problem with all this pill popping, Dr. St. Jeor says, is that people too easily begin to rely on supplements to make up for a less than virtuous diet. But satisfying the recommended daily allowances for every vitamin and mineral doesn't mean you're getting all the nutrients you need in the right balance. Food contains other nutrients that scientists are only now beginning to learn are important. Supplements also can have a darker side.