Do you really need to take a vitamin every day? - KOMO News

By Herb Weisbaum Published: Sep 12, 2012 at 10:31 AM PDT Last Updated: Sep 12, 2012 at 10:31 AM PDT

It seems like everyone's taking a vitamin or mineral supplement these days. Supplements may seem safe enough. But as Nancy Metcalf at Consumer Reports points out: you probably don't need them.

"In some cases, the risks of supplements can outweigh the benefits," Metcalf said. "We say if you are generally a pretty healthy person you can skip them."

If you do take supplements, you might wonder whether you should you take them with food or on an empty stomach? The medical editors at Consumer Reports say it generally best to take them with food, so you don't get an upset stomach.

There is one major exception: iron pills. You need a good amount of acid in your stomach to absorb the iron. So iron pills should be taken after you eat, when there's lots of acid in your stomach or with an acidic beverage, like orange juice.

Consumer Reports encourages you to talk to your doctor or pharmacist befor e you add any supplements to your diet, especially if you're taking prescription medications. There could be a potentially dangerous drug interaction.

And remember, you can overdose on vitamins and minerals. So skip the mega-doses.

More Info:
10 surprising dangers of vitamins and supplements
Dangerous supplements: What you don't know about these 12 ingredients could hurt you