Vitamin D supplements may not be as beneficial as drug companies would like you to believe.
There is little proof to support the claim that vitamin D supplements provide the benefits they claim to produce among healthy people, reported BBC News.
Vitamin D supplements are often used by people suffering from various levels of Vitamin D deficiency and are said to prevent rickets, treat weak bones and even cure skin conditions such as psoriasis and vitiligo.
However, a research study published in the Lancet showed that vitamin D supplements may not be as helpful as they are reputed to be. Scientists carried out a meta-analysis of 100 trials to determine the effects of vitamin D supplementation in adults.
At the end of the trial, researchers discovered that vitamin D supplements showed no signs of significantly reducing the risk of heart disease, stroke, cancer and death among the participants.
They had both healthy and hospitalized patients take vitamin D supplements for several months but the vitamins also failed to reduce risk of hip fractures.
According to scientists, even individuals who are slightly vitamin D deficient could benefit more from lifestyle changes rather than additional doses in the form of these supplements.
"(General practicioners) shouldn't be rushing around getting blood tests done for the average healthy person," Royal College of Pediatrics and Child Health chairman Dr. Colin Michie told BBC News. "Instead, the old-fashioned advice still holds true. Eat more fish, watch your diet and how you lead your life - unless you're specifically at risk."
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