Vitamins are organic substances that are essential for the normal functioning of the body. Advertisements for vitamin supplements promise that they can boost immunity, slow down aging, improve memory, and more. However, few mention that, in reality, our bodies need vitamins only in small amounts, and we obtain most of them from food.

Research shows that taking excessive amounts of certain vitamins, such as vitamin D or E, can even cause serious health issues. For instance, an excess of vitamin D leads to abnormally high calcium levels in the blood, which can result in calcification not only of bones but also of soft tissues, heart, and kidneys, and may increase blood pressure, cause dehydration due to vomiting and diarrhea, etc. (For more details on vitamin D, refer to the article: “Vitamin D – Why Medical Corporations Avoid It?”)

Not only is there no mention of such side effects in the advertisements for vitamin supplements, but the effectiveness of most supplements is also unproven. For example, many of us believe that vitamin C can cure colds, but this is not true! Fifteen studies have been conducted, and none showed vitamin C’s effectiveness in treating colds. Moreover, excessive consumption of vitamin C may lead to menstrual cycle disruptions and the formation of kidney stones.

In 2006, a lawsuit was filed against the company producing one of the most well-known vitamin C supplements, Airborne, which was supposed to cure colds, for false advertising. The company paid $23 million and continued to sell the product, thus continuing to profit by selling “air,” only slightly changing the wording in their advertisements.

It’s important to note that in the U.S., there is a significant difference between proving the effectiveness of a drug and claiming its effectiveness in advertising. Companies can assert the benefits of their product even if they have not been scientifically proven.

For example, a company might claim that their cold remedy “relieves symptoms in 24 hours,” even if it only temporarily alleviates symptoms or is entirely ineffective, as in the case of vitamin C.

Since the 1970s, a large number of studies have been conducted on how antioxidant supplements affect health. Advertisements for such products suggest that they are so beneficial that they can even prolong life. However, the reality turned out to be quite different!

For instance, in 1994, a study was conducted in Finland involving 29,133 smokers aged 50 to 60. In the group taking dietary supplements with beta-carotene (a provitamin A), the incidence of lung cancer increased by 16%.

Another study involving over 1,000 chronic smokers, published in 1996, had to be halted approximately two years earlier than planned. After just four years of taking beta-carotene and vitamin A supplements, the number of lung cancer cases increased by 28%, and the number of deaths rose by 17%. These are not just numbers; in the group taking the supplements, 20 more people died each year compared to the placebo group.

A few more alarming facts: In 2007, a study by the National Cancer Institute in the U.S. showed that men taking multivitamins had a twofold higher risk of dying from prostate cancer compared to those who did not.

In 2011, a similar study involving 35,533 healthy men found that taking vitamin E and selenium supplements increased the risk of prostate cancer by 17%.

Of course, not all vitamins are useless; there are some that are essential for humans under certain conditions. Vitamins with proven effectiveness include folic acid for pregnant women, magnesium for muscle spasms, and iron for women of reproductive age.