One of the most bemusing phenomena I have noticed as a private practice dietitian is the manner in which most clients respond to the question “do you take vitamin/mineral supplements?”

I would say about 75% of my clients do not take vitamin/mineral supplements.

The bemusement comes from the fact that I so often get a downtrodden response as if my clients believe they have somehow let me or themselves down by neglecting to take a  vitamin/mineral supplement.

I always find my self pointing out that it is not a bad thing that you aren’t taking vitamins/mineral supplements and, in fact, it is my preference and goal that we ensure that you will have no use for them due to the strength of your diet.

I am obviously not anti supplement if the context is appropriate, but my client base is always very amenable to my dietary feedback and I find my self so rarely recommending supplements.

Obviously certain considerations must also be respected ( ie: Health Canada recommendation for 400 IU vitamin D in adults >50 and multivitamin with folate supplementation for women of childbearing age) especially if an obvious nutrient deficiency and lack of interest in eating the corrective foods exists.

However, if we look at population data there are only a few  key vitamins/minerals  that the majority Canadians fall short in and these short comings are generally rectifiable with the introduction of some very important nutrient dense foods.

This same trend tends to manifest itself in my clients and thus  I don’t end up frequently recommending multi or single vitamin supplements.

That money is honestly better spent on whole foods.

Until next time,

Andy De Santis RD MPH