Do we really need to take nutritional supplements?

Do we really need to take nutritional supplements? I think the answer to this question is ‘yes’.

Many people take a good multivitamin and mineral supplement as an insurance policy – just in case the diet is not quite right, but there seems to be mounting evidence that people are often short of nutrients, such as iron, magnesium and zinc. This may not be enough to bring about the classic deficiency illnesses, such as scurvy and goitre, but a lot of people feel less than well a lot of the time. May be a good all round nutritional supplement is not just an insurance policy but also a necessity for some people.

Children’s requirements are different to adults not only in terms of taste(!) but alos in terms of the strength of different nutrients. Women past menopausal age are advised to take a multivitamin supplement that doesn’t contain extra iron.