Vitamins and Minerals: What you need to know

Understanding how vitamins and minerals interact in our body gives us a valuable means of taking our health into our own hands. Research into the effects of these micronutrients has been enlightening. For example, we now know that a large fraction of Americans are not getting enough vitamin D, and the range of consequences may be far greater than we thought. Recent studies suggest that vitamin D does more than help build strong bones; it may help to prevent hypertension, certain types of cancer, and some autoimmune diseases. We also believe, with an increasing degree of certainty, that getting enough folic acid can counteract some of the adverse effects of consuming alcohol.

Researchers are constantly making such discoveries, and often their findings have far-reaching effects. But it’s worth keeping in mind that while nutrition research can yield powerful answers, it also raises new questions. Nutrition is endlessly complex, and the research is invariably in a state of flux. Not only do nutrients interact with one another (making it difficult to isolate their effects) but they also interact with genes, drugs, and even lifestyle factors. For some nutrients, such as selenium, there’s a narrow range between too little and too much, and that amount varies from person to person.

This Special Health Report provides the latest evidence and mineral and vitamin information so that you can make healthy choices about what foods to eat and what supplements to take. Because nutritional science continues to evolve, this report also contains tips on how to judge new studies on vitamin benefits and put the findings in context.

Prepared by the editors at Harvard Health Publications in consultation with Meir J. Stampfer, M.D., Dr.P.H., Professor of Epidemiology and Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health. 45 pages. (2008)