Researched Argument Essay

1
Adam Shaffer
Researched argument essay
Professor J. May
December 5th, 2015

Should You Be Taking a Daily Multivitamin?

The majority of people have heard at some point in their lives that they
should be consistently taking a multivitamin day in and day out. One third of all
Americans are taking these little pills daily (Multivitamin/Mineral.) These vitamins
can be costly and with no visual effects, taking them every day may seem useless.
While some people may argue that they are extremely important and vital to your
overall health, many others are quite skeptical about their performance on your
body. So should we all be taking that daily vitamin packed with a grocery list of
ingredients we dont know the benefits of, or should we save our money and just
hope for our health to carry us naturally? It truly boils down to a simple factor; do
these pills truly do anything for your health? I believe daily multivitamins and
minerals do wonders for your body, your mind, and your overall health level.
We all know that is it quite difficult to eat a diet that stays in check with the
recommended nutrients, calories, and macros. 1 With one out of every four
Americans eating out every day (Zhang.), it can be very hard to obtain the right
amounts. Many factors contribute to this ongoing problem. A busy schedule may
make it strenuous to eat right as well as easily available and cheap processed,
unhealthy food. I personally do not stay within my caloric range nor do I eat enough
of the right nutrients. Filling in these gaps that your food diet leaves behind is
crucial to your health. A daily multivitamin packed with certain compounds such as
iron, calcium concentrate, vitamin A, B, C, Etc., can help to fill your nutrient gaps;
creating a more well-rounded, complete diet (Fortmann). In a recent survey
conducted by Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index showed that nearly 64 percent of
Americans are obese and out of shape. Obesity and poor athletic condition can
cause a massive array of harmful health problems such as diabetes, high
cholesterol, heart disease, and many more that Americans lead the world in. Some
will argue that these diseases can be brought on by other means as well no matter
how healthy a diet you have. It isnt just about diet and family history however; you
can start the battle early on before it becomes too late. To battle these horrific
diseases, first off a better diet and exercise would help tremendously, but also a
healthy intake of vitamins and minerals would help to counteract these diseases.
There is abundant scientific evidence that certain vitamins can help reduce the risk
of many chronic debilitating diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, and

Researched Argument Essay

cancer, stated Dr. Edward R. Rosick in a recent article on Life Enhancement. My
question is why would you not take these vitamins if there is a chance you will be
safe from maladies. A recent paper on the relationship between vitamin
supplements and optimal DNA functioning stated, Current recommended dietary
allowances for vitamins and minerals are based largely on the prevention of
diseases of deficiency . . . because diseases of development, degenerative diseases,
and aging itself are partly caused by damage to DNA, it seems logical that we
should focus better our attention on defining optimal requirements of key minerals
and vitamins for preventing damage to both nuclear and mitochondrial DNA. While
there is evidence backing up these pills and the truth behind most American diets
lacking, I see no reason to not be taking your daily multi.
Multivitamins do more than just defend your body against many chronic
diseases they also support a plethora of bodily functions. Vitamins and minerals can
do a variety of good for your body. Whether you would like to improve your fertility
or your metabolism, there are vitamins out there to help. Securing good heart
health is a main staple in many people's lives especially as you get older and your
risk goes up. Vitamin A, B, and E as well as Beta Carotene have a high chance to
protect you from heart disease. Niacin is also linked to the lowering of high
cholesterol. All of which can be found in different vitamins and supplements. For
example take a look at Riboflavin and its benefits. This one mineral can help with
skin, hair, blood, and brain health as well as converting food into energy. Vitamin
B12 can do such things as protecting white blood cells and promoting normal
growth and functions of the body. Your body is an incredibly complex system that
has thousands of activities going on at any given time. We are, in a way, a walking
talking machine. For fuel we need to add to our bodies the right substances to
maintain and promote our bodily functions and health. The only common rebuttal to
all this may be that the each human body is different and reacts differently to each
substance, so one may work for one person and not for the other so why waste the
money? Well, to put it simply, why take the chance of lacking in one area. Take what
you know your lacking in and if its helps than great! If it does nothing, than at least
your still providing your body with what it may need at any given time.
Obviously the choice is yours on whether or not to spend that extra bit of
cash at your local supplement shop on those multivitamins. I would truly
recommend it, especially to the average American who probably lacks more than
half of why he/she needs. These pills and powders can really be a benefactor in your
overall condition.

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Notes
1. Macros are short for macronutrients such as carbs, fats, proteins, and sugars.
These are the building blocks of our food and the most important factors to
watch for during diet.

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List of Works Cited and Consulted

Bannon, Patricia, Mrs. "7 Nutrients Lacking In Your Diet." Fox News Health. Fox News, 23 Nov.
2013. Web. 8 Dec. 2015. <http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/11/23/7-nutrientslacking-in-your-diet.html>.
Brian. "Disease Prevalance In Long Term Users of Multiple Dietary Supplements Vs. Nonusers." Help4osteoarthritis. N.p., 21 Apr. 2014. Web. 29 Nov. 2015.
<http://help4osteoarthritis.com/tag/benefits-of-supplementation/>. In this graph, all of the
users of multiple dietary supplements have had a lesser percent of disease in many
categories such as stroke and heartattack. This goes against almost all of the sources that
stated these supplements wont lower your chance of disease. The only thing lacking in a
graph however is the exact dietary pills taken. This graph does have validity backing it.
University Of California, Berkeley, School Of Public Health were deeply involved with
this study.
Fortmann, Stephan P., Dr. "Do Supplements Really Work." Consumer Reports. Consumer
Reports, May 2014. Web. 29 Nov. 2015.
<http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/2014/05/do-vitamin-supplementswork/index.htm>. Although this articles and the few doctors who have given their
knowledge to support this article agree with the Web MD websites opinion that
supplements can fill gaps in your diet, they also say that many supplements do not
actually do as they say. For example vitamin E does not prevent prostate cancer. Also

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such supplements as omega 3 acids are advertised to support cardiovascular health and
prevent disease but they may only be true on one aspect. They are good for your health
but will not prevent disease.
Harvard Womens Health Organization. "Dietary Supplements: Do They Help or Hurt?" Harvard
Health Publications. Harvard Medical, 1 Jan. 2013. Web. 29 Nov. 2015.
<http://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/dietary-supplements-do-they-help-orhurt>. A Harvard medical study went in depth to see just how valid the promises these
new vitamin and mineral supplements are. What they found can be summed up by saying
the manufacturers of these supplements only observed effects individually and did not
extensively research and prove their products to be effective. Although using these
supplements will not hurt if taken correctly, they will not live up to what they intend to do
and are advertised as. Often the enthusiasm for these vitamins and supplements outpaces
the evidence. And when the rigorous evidence is available from randomized controlled
trials, often the results are at odds with the findings of the observational studies, explains
Dr. JoAnn Manson, chief of preventive medicine at Brigham and Womens Hospital,
professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, and principal investigator of a large
randomized trial known as VITAL (Vitamin D and Omega-3 Trial).
Jacobsen, Jessica. "Fueling the Performance Market." Beverage Industry Oct. 2015: 50-54. Print.
"WHETHER IT'S THE HIGHLY TRAINED ATHLETE OR THE CASUAL RUNNER,
MORE consumers are turning to beverages to support their workout regimens," says
Jessica Jacobsen, editor of beverage industry, and these drinks are bringing in eleven
million a year. With their growing popularity, scientists have been adding better
ingredients to the mix to ensure better results. Many of these drinks are a main staple in

Researched Argument Essay

the common athlete. These drinks are a very good way to ingest carbs, complex sugars, or
proteins in a quick and convenient time. Most of these supplements do not ensure drastic
results but do what they intend.
Mintz, Barbara B. "Sports Performance Supplements and Enhancers: Fact or Fiction?" The
Exceptional Parent Oct. 2014: 16-18. Print. These supplements in the mind of Barbara
Mintz, a doctor and health adviser, says that these supplements do not stand up to their
promises. They will not increase muscle mass and fitness leaps and bounds on their own.
They may contribute to overall health and performance, but it takes a lot more to the mix
for a truly successful health grade. "Unfortunately, many supplement manufacturers
haven't done a good job of following standards prior to distribution nor has the FDA
enforced its own regulations on a regular basis," says Barbara. It is better to just eat
healthily and proper and exercise rather than to rely on other outside sources.
Mottram, David R. Drugs In Sport. 5th ed. Vol. 5. Chicago: Routledge, 2012. Print. This take on
supplementation goes beyond your everyday multi-vitamin and protein shake and
explores the world of Anabolics. Steriods are proven to have tremendous success and can
add lean muscle to anyone. They are also proven to do great damage to your body and is
the reason they are "illega". Many athletes will still use these to get ahead of the pack.
When talking about supplementation, steroids definitely work well but may not be great
for your overall health.
"Multivitamin/Mineral Supplements." National Institutes of Health. US Department of Health, 8
July 2015. Web. 7 Dec. 2015. <https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/MVMSHealthProfessional/>. Intro into what these pills are, a short history of multi's, and a quick
fact sheet about them.

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Phillips, Bill. The Better Man Project. Chicago: Routledge, 2015. Print. Chapters 3 and 4 Bill
Philips, editor of Men's Health and Fitness magazine, speaks of supplementation and
overall diet. Like most other of the sources listed, he believes that the effectiveness is
limited with these supplements. They do help your level of fitness if you incorporate
them with a well balanced diet and workout regime. Many factors make up your overall
health and supplementation is a piece of this complex puzzle Phillips says.
Z, Zhang. "Most Americans Dont Get Enough Nutrients, But They Consume Over-The-Top
Levels Of Fat And Sodium: Study." Medical Daily. Lecia Bushak, 2014Zh. Web. 7 Dec.
2015. <http://www.medicaldaily.com/most-americans-dont-get-enough-nutrients-theyconsume-over-top-levels-fat-and-sodium-study-308141>.
Zelman, Kathleen M., Mrs. "What Vitamin and Mineral Supplements Can and Cant Do." Web
MD. Web MD, c2015. Web. 29 Nov. 2015. <http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-andsupplements/nutrition-vitamins-11/help-vitamin-supplement>. Although supplements can
fill gaps in your diet with certain vitamins and chemicals your body may not produce
enough of, scientists still do not know clearly know the true effectiveness of these
supplements. Kathleen Zelman does say that these supplements, "can be advantageous
." Health willl always be important and these vitamins, she argues, can help to sustain a
more adequate diet.