You probably don't need a general vitamin-mineral supplement if you are eating a reasonably varied diet most of the time, aren't restricting calories to lost weight, and generally don't skip meals. This doesn't mean you have to be a "perfect eater" - no one is! Taking extra supplements won't add extra energy. If you are fatigued because of a poor diet, only better nutrition can correct this problem. Being on a sleep-deprived schedule will require that you find a way to get more rest. Downing some B vitamins won't do the trick. Vitamins and minerals do not increase your appetite or cause weight gain.

Some students take a multiple vitamin-mineral supplement as sort of an "insurance policy" if they can't be sure they are eating well a lot of the time. But keep in mind that a supplement can never make up for eating poorly. And a multiple vitamin mineral supplement is just that; it can't provide your needed protein, energy, carbohydrates, nor fiber. Only food can give you these needed nutrients. 

The recommendation for daily calcium intake for people from 19 to 50 years old is 1000 mg. What does this mean in terms of food? You need to get the equivalent of slightly more than 3, 8-oz.servings of dairy products or calcium-fortified equivalent foods per day. That may be quite a challenge, so we encourage you to try for at least 3 servings, and then add a calcium supplement. Calcium supplements are better absorbed from the intestine in the presence of lactose (the sugar of milk) and protein. Taking the calcium supplement with a glass of milk is ideal. Once the calcium gets absorbed into your bloodstream, your bones will take up the calcium better in the presence of vitamin D. That's why almost all dairy products and many calcium supplements are fortified with vitamin D.

Other foods high in calcium that are absorbed well are calcium-fortified orange juice, tofu that is packaged in calcium brine, calcium-fortified cereals, and almonds. Easy ways to work in that extra calcium is to sprinkle cheese on your salad or baked potato, order lattes and cappuccinos if you drink coffee, or whip up a smoothie with low fat yogurt and fruit for a study break snack.

A great buy for calcium as well as multiple vitamin and mineral supplements can be found at the Health Services pharmacy. It should be noted that most multiple vitamin-mineral supplements do not contain enough calcium to be used as calcium supplements.

After your early 20's, your bones will have reached 90% of their "peak bone mass." ( Bone mass continues to develop until about age 30, however.) This means that if you are a woman, you will be carrying to menopause the density that your bones have accrued when you were much younger. Osteoporosis and bone fractures are becoming a very large problem for older women (and some men). The most important preventive measure you can do is to increase calcium intake now, along with regular "weight bearing exercise." Examples are walking, jogging, racket sports, Frisbee, and other activities in which your body weight is supported by your own bones. Working out with weight resistance exercise machines and free weights is also very helpful for increasing bone density, no matter what your age. 

If you are a heavy smoker, you may need as much as an extra 100 mg. of vitamin C per day (easily met by drinking an extra glass of orange juice, a large portion of broccoli, melon, or green pepper). Research has not convincingly shown whether or not extra vitamin C is helpful in warding off colds. It may help lessen the severity of a cold, however. Extra vitamin C is usually recommended around the time of surgery to aid in wound healing. Taking high amounts of vitamin C over a very long period of time can actually lead to "rebound scurvy," the deficiency disease of vitamin C. This is because the body can adapt to these extremely high levels. When one resumes a more normal intake, the body thinks it is then in a deficiency state (babies born to mothers who consume these very high levels during pregnancy sometimes develop this rebound scurvy after birth). 

Unfortunately, a lot of money is spent on protein supplements (usually in a powdered form), in the hopes that the protein consumed will go straight to the protein of your muscle. If it were only that easy, we could all save a lot of time in the gym!

The body likes to take a more indirect route, however. Much of this high level of protein is actually converted to carbohydrates and fats in the body. Too much extra protein can put a burden on the kidneys, be dehydrating, and can cause calcium loss from the body. Your protein needs are usually met quite easily by a slight increase of protein in the diet. Most Brown students, unless they are restricting calories, get about 1-1/2 to 2 times the protein they need just with a regular diet. This is true for both vegetarians and meat-eaters.

More details about eating for working out and various sports supplements can be found in the Nutrition Resources section.