Supplements are not medicines, do healthy Indians really need them every day

Walk into a pharmacy, browse through an online health store or scroll through social media, and you are likely to come across several products promising better health, stronger immunity, improved energy and overall wellness. From multivitamins and vitamin D capsules to protein powders and combinations containing dozens of ingredients, supplements have increasingly become part of everyday health conversations.For many people, taking a daily supplement has become a routine, much like drinking a glass of water in the morning. Some consider it a way to compensate for an irregular diet, while others believe that consuming additional vitamins and minerals can protect them from future health problems.But do healthy people actually need all these supplements?Doctors say that most healthy Indians can meet their nutritional requirements through a balanced and diverse diet. While certain deficiencies are common in India and may require supplementation, taking vitamins and minerals without a specific need is not necessarily beneficial. According to experts, supplements should be used to address identified nutritional gaps rather than treated as a daily health insurance policy.A BALANCED INDIAN DIET CAN MEET MOST NUTRITIONAL NEEDSDr Anoop Misra, Chairman, Fortis-C-DOC Centre of Excellence for Diabetes, Metabolic Diseases and Endocrinology, New Delhi, and Padma Shri awardee, says most healthy Indians do not require daily supplements. "A balanced and diverse Indian diet, comprising whole grains, pulses, vegetables, fruits, nuts, dairy and adequate protein, can meet most nutritional requirements," he explains.However, he points out that deficiencies of vitamin B12, vitamin D, iron and calcium are relatively common in certain population groups, particularly among vegetarians.According to Dr Misra, supplementation should be guided by dietary intake, individual risk factors and clinical and laboratory assessment rather than prescribed routinely to everyone.This means that a person's age, eating habits, lifestyle and existing health conditions should be considered before recommending supplements.NOT EVERYONE NEEDS A DAILY MULTIVITAMINDr Gayana Shankaramurthy, Director and Head, Nuclear Medicine and Theranostics, KIMS Hospitals, Bengaluru, also believes that most healthy adults do not need a daily supplement.She points out that a well-planned Indian diet can meet almost all nutritional requirements. Such a diet should include cereals and millets, pulses, milk or curd, seasonal vegetables and fruits, nuts and seeds, along with eggs, fish or meat for those who consume them.She also refers to the ICMR-NIN Dietary Guidelines for Indians, 2024, which emphasise obtaining nutrients through a variety of food combinations and caution against unnecessary protein supplementation.However, she says it would also be incorrect to assume that nobody needs supplements."Vitamin D and vitamin B12 deficiencies are very common in India, B12 especially among vegetarians. Iron and folic acid are essential in pregnancy, and older adults may need calcium. But these are specific needs, and a blood test or a doctor should identify them. Advertisements and social media should not," she says.WHEN DOES THE BODY ACTUALLY NEED SUPPLEMENTSCertain groups may have a higher risk of nutritional deficiencies and may require additional supplementation.For instance, people following vegetarian or vegan diets may be at greater risk of vitamin B12 deficiency. Pregnant women may require iron and folic acid, while people with limited sun exposure or certain medical conditions may need vitamin D supplementation.Older adults and individuals with digestive disorders or conditions that affect nutrient absorption may also require specific supplements.However, doctors caution against self-diagnosis. Fatigue, weakness, hair fall and low energy can have several underlying causes and should not automatically be attributed to vitamin deficiencies.A medical assessment and appropriate laboratory tests can help establish whether supplementation is necessary.SUPPLEMENTS ARE NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR A HEALTHY DIETAnother common misconception is that taking supplements can compensate for unhealthy eating habits. Doctors say this is not how nutrition works.Whole foods provide a combination of vitamins, minerals, fibre, protein and other beneficial compounds that cannot always be replicated by a capsule or tablet.Dr Shankaramurthy warns that supplements should not be treated as a replacement for poor eating habits."A supplement is meant to correct a documented deficiency. It is not a daily insurance policy, and it is certainly not a substitute for poor eating habits," she says.She also cautions that supplements are not harmless simply because they are widely available.Consuming excessive amounts of certain vitamins and minerals can have adverse effects. Taking multiple products together may also increase the risk of exceeding recommended intake levels or experiencing interactions with regular medication.The growing popularity of supplements does not mean that every healthy individual needs to consume them daily. While supplementation plays an important role in correcting nutritional deficiencies and meeting specific medical needs, it should not become a routine without proper assessment.Doctors recommend prioritising a varied diet, identifying individual nutritional gaps and seeking medical advice before starting supplements.The key is not to consume more nutrients than the body needs, but to ensure that it receives the right nutrients in the right amounts.- Ends