title: "Doctor, should I take vitamins?".
abstract: Ingestion of vitamin and mineral supplements is widespread in North America despite the fact that nutritional deficiencies are rare except among small groups with unusual or severely restricted food intakes. Recommended Nutrient Intakes (RNIs) for Canadians have recently been revised. These values can be used to assess individual food intakes when the correct procedures for collecting nutrient intake information and the critical difference between the RNIs and a patient's individual requirement for nutrients are understood. Some of the dangers of overconsumption of supplements and the myths which contribute to this misuse are examined.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bright-See
references.citation: Can Fam Physician. 1983 Nov;29:2164-8
references.pmid: 21283478
references.citation: Can Med Assoc J. 1981 Nov 15;125(10):1126, 1128
references.pmid: 7198932
references.citation: Am J Dis Child. 1980 Sep;134(9):875-9
references.pmid: 6998282
references.citation: Can Med Assoc J. 1983 Jan 15;128(2):150-2
references.pmid: 6848159
references.citation: Bull N Y Acad Med. 1982 Apr;58(3):254-62
references.pmid: 6956410
references.citation: Can J Neurol Sci. 1976 Feb;3(1):59-61
references.pmid: 130200
references.citation: JAMA. 1974 Dec 2;230(9):1300-1
references.pmid: 4479598
references.citation: Am J Clin Nutr. 1982 Jul;36(1):185-6
references.pmid: 7091029
references.citation: Lancet. 1980 May 31;1(8179):1164-5
references.pmid: 6103986
references.citation: Pediatrics. 1980 May;65(5):893-7
references.pmid: 7189278
references.citation: JAMA. 1978 Apr 14;239(15):1532
references.pmid: 633565
references.citation: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1982 Oct;79(19):6023-7
references.pmid: 6964397
references.citation: Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol. 1977;17:133-48
references.pmid: 326160