Patients often come to us with questions about vitamin and mineral supplements. Sometimes they come to us with bags full of the things they are taking. However, for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cancer prevention, the answer is pretty easy according to USPSTF (United States Preventative Services Task Force) guidelines. They evaluated 17,459 unique citations as well as 379 full-text articles that included randomized clinical trials and observational cohort studies. The conclusions of their research showed that there was little to no benefit in taking vitamin or mineral supplements to prevent CVD, cancer, or death.

Although they are often marketed like drugs, nutritional supplements are regulated as foods, with less stringent standards. Current medical culture pushes the practice of evidence-based medicine. We cannot counsel patients about supplements because there is little evidence to support their use. Additionally, many patients assume that they are safe, but some of them can be harmful in several ways. They can interact with medications the patient may be taking for medical conditions and some have been shown to cause liver and other organ damage.

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