Your vitamin supplements could be doing more harm than good, doctor warns

QUESTION: Hi Dr.Zac, am I being hoodwinked into buying vitamin supplements, or do they actually work? I’ve been feeling constantly tired despite getting enough sleep, and I suspect I might be low on iron.

I’ve looked into supplements, but there are so many options.I’m even being targeted on social media with subscription services, based on answers to a quiz – recommending things like vitamin D, C, iron, B12, magnesium, zinc, fish oil and ashwagandha.

Some of these personalised quizzes seem great, but I’m not sure if any of this will actually help or if I’m just wasting money.What should I do before committing to taking 10 different pills a day? – Margaret, 42, Glenelg, SAANSWER: Let me start by saying, the internet is absolutely saturated with (sometimes rather questionable) medical advice and vitamin supplements are no exception.What to take, when to take it, and how much of it you need … It’s like standing in a vitamin aisle that’s somehow turned into a labyrinth, with a handful of “experts” shouting from every direction about the magic cure-all supplements.But before you go on a wild vitamin shopping spree (and end up swallowing half the supplement aisle), let’s talk through this logically.Tired, fatigued and wondering about iron?Fatigue isn’t just about how much sleep you get, but what kind of sleep you’re getting.There are different types of sleep, including light sleep, deep sleep and REM sleep, and if you’re not cycling through them properly, you might wake up feeling just as tired as when you went to bed.Beyond sleep quality, vitamin and mineral deficiencies could be playing a role.Common culprits include:• Iron deficiency – which can lead to anemia, causing weakness and exhaustion.• Vitamin B12 deficiency – essential for energy production and red blood cell formation.• Vitamin D deficiency – which has been linked to fatigue, muscle weakness and low mood.But guessing isn’t the best approach – gettin...