Vitamin supplementation has now surpassed 5 billion dollars per year. When you walk into a health store the shelves are loaded with various supplements that claim they help with various ailments. Picking the right supplement for you can be difficult and confusing .

Vitamin supplements (man-made) may be potentially dangerous if used in excessive amounts or without consulting a physician with appropriate nutrition training. According to a 2009 study called Use of Calcium Supplements and the Risk of Coronary Heart Disease in 52-62-Year-Old Women, experts cited that "Calcium or calcium+D supplementation appears to increase the risk of coronary heart disease among women before old age. In addition, vitamin E has been linked to prostate cancer and heart valve damage and is also a blood thinner.

The advantages of vitamins received from whole food nutrition (fruits and vegetables or whole food based supplements) when compared to consuming vitamin supplements (man-made) can be illustrated in the following example. An apple has over 10,000 phytonutrients (plant based nutrition) with vitamin C as one of those 10,000. A vitamin C tablet will only provide a portion of the vitamin C that is contained in the whole food (apple). Typically, the body does not recognize it as natural and therefore uses energy to get rid of it. The same can be said for other vitamin supplements such as vitamin E, calcium, etc. If you eat the apple, your body is equipped to process it and absorb the vitamins into the bloodstream where they can do their work at the cellular level.

Steve Ryland PT, DPT, President of Beachside Physical Therapy & Health Studio located at 1220 N. Hwy A1A, Suite 115 in Indialantic. Beachside Health Studio provides high-quality wellness and fitness services individualized for clients of all ages and fitness levels. For more information visit BeachsideHealthStudio.com or call 321-725-2267.