The truth about vitamin supplements

The truth about vitamin supplements

Author: ZOE November 24, 2022 Duration: 49:01
Good information about vitamins is hard to find. With over 70% of Americans and 40% of Brits using them, it's a hugely lucrative market, which means numerous voices in the media and online pusing a pro-vitamin agenda. All without the scientific evidence to support their claims.  So do we need vitamins to lead a healthy life? Or could these supplements actually cause serious health complications? In this episode, Jonathan speaks with Prof. JoAnn Manson and Dr. Sarah Berry to better understand how vitamin supplements affect our health. JoAnn Manson is a professor of epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health and one of the world's most cited researchers. She’s run multiple enormous studies with over 20,000 participants to uncover the real effects of vitamin supplementation on our health. Dr. Sarah Berry is one of the world's leading experts on human nutrition, who has personally run over 20 randomized clinical trials looking at how humans respond to different fats. Download our FREE guide — Top 10 Tips to Live Healthier: https://zoe.com/freeguide Timecodes: 00:00 - Introduction 02:29 - Quickfire questions 04:27 - Why are people confused about supplements? 05:17 - Which supplement does the majority of the population benefit from taking and why? 05:51 - What are dietary supplements and vitamins? 09:33 - Why is there so much advertising suggesting supplements? 10:54 - JoAnn’s research 14:07 - About vitamin C 15:15 - Megadosing 19:51 - VITAL and COSMOS trials 25:13 - Should we take vitamin D 27:37 - Omega-3 32:48 - Variation & personalization 36:51 - Actionable advice on supplements 38:45 - Should children take supplements? 42:13 - Should we all take a standard dose multivitamin? 44:54 - Summary 46:25 - Goodbyes 46:57 - Outro Episode transcripts are available here. Check the trials mentioned in today’s episode: AREDS 2, COSMOS, Physicians' Health Study II, VITAL Follow Sarah: https://twitter.com/saraheeberry Follow ZOE on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zoe/ This podcast was produced by Fascinate Productions.

Ever feel like the advice on eating well shifts with the wind? ZOE Science & Nutrition cuts through the noise by going straight to the source. Each conversation, hosted by Jonathan Wolf, sits down with leading researchers who are actually shaping our understanding of the human body, particularly the profound role of gut health. This isn't about quick fixes or fad diets; it's a deep and accessible exploration of the science itself. You'll hear these experts break down complex studies on nutrition and metabolism, then translate those findings into clear, actionable steps you can consider for your own life. The discussions span how food impacts everything from your energy levels and immune system to long-term weight management and disease prevention. Tuning into this podcast feels like having a direct line to the frontiers of nutritional science, all presented in a grounded, engaging way that makes even the most intricate topics relatable. It’s for anyone who’s curious about the real reasons behind why we eat what we eat and how those choices fundamentally shape our health.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 304

ZOE Science & Nutrition
Podcast Episodes
Artificial sweeteners - worse than sugar? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:58
Artificial sweeteners are everywhere. Not only in diet soft drinks but in many foods that you wouldn’t expect. You’ve probably eaten some today without realising. Sweeteners have been around for over a hundred years yet…
Can spices improve your health? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:58
Kanchan Koya grew up in a house filled with wonderful fragrances from the spices simmering on her grandmother’s stove. In India, it was a common belief that spices were more than just pleasant tastes. Ancient wisdom said…
How healthy are meat and dairy alternatives? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:56
Vegan diets are increasingly popular. As more of us reduce our animal product consumption, countless new meat and dairy alternatives appear on our supermarket shelves. Manufacturers market these products as healthy optio…
How food can improve your mood [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:27
We’ve all felt the effects of food on our mood, so it would stand to reason that dietary intervention for mental health would be well studied and a regularly deployed treatment. But this is far from reality, as historica…
Can you reverse damage from a bad diet? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:15
A recent study claims that eating a hotdog reduces life expectancy by 38 minutes, and eating salmon could extend it by 70 minutes. At face value, this data implies you can eat your way to immortality. Taken with a pinch…
How to control blood sugar spikes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:23
Biochemist Jessie Inchauspe heads into work one morning at a genetics lab in California. During the morning meeting, management offer staff the chance to self-test a new medical device. Jessie accepts. She couldn’t have…
Saturated fat: Monstrous or misunderstood? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:40
If you're confused about the health effects of fats, you are not alone. You've probably read the headlines - fats are killing us! Then found claims they’re actually healthy in the same publication the following week. Sat…
This is what the Keto Diet does to your body... [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:35
Keto has been promoted as a magic bullet for weight loss by its supporters and slammed as dangerous by its opponents. It's no surprise - completely removing almost all carbohydrates is not what most people consider ‘a ba…
Processed foods - convenient or catastrophic? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:35
The word ‘processed’ has become synonymous with being unhealthy. The mainstream media encourages us to detox from processed food or offers us ‘10 easy ways’ to stop eating it. But nearly everything we consume has undergo…