Half of all Americans take vitamins as part of their daily routine. Consumers spend about $30 billion a year on supplements.
Most people say it makes them feel better. John Staryk at Village Health Mart said he definitely notices a difference.
“I don’t have the energy I have when I take them,” Staryk said. “My mental clarity, my mental focus, my concentration is off.”
But Dr. James Orlowski, chief of Pediatrics at Florida Hospital, offers a reality check.
“Data just is not there," he said. "There’ve been some very good, very large studies. And, pretty much, they blew the lid off all the vitamins in terms of having any significant protection.”
Orlowski warns that some studies now suggest taking too much of certain vitamins can be harmful.
“Especially vitamins E and A and Beta Carotene," he said. "Some recent studies have shown they worsen the prognosis for people with diseases like lung cancer,” Orlowski said.
Some consumers swear by their daily dose of vitamins. But Orlowski said there’s a simple explanation for that, too.
“The mind is very powerful,” Orlowski said. “If you think it’s going to work, it’ll work.”
There are some supplements that have shown beneficial effects in studies, such a calcium and vitamin D for women. Other research shows a multivitamin has shown some promise for men.