Sometimes, our body needs a helping hand. While the well-oiled machine should run perfectly well with a balanced diet and exercise, a bit of metaphorical lubricant can keep you performing at the highest level.
This is where supplements come in. A vast array of vitamins, herbs and plants with purported health benefits are available to us. But not all of these remedies agree with each other.
Take calcium carbonate, for example. This is taken in the form of a tablet to treat symptoms caused by too much stomach acid. It’s a pretty common treatment, used to manage heartburn, indigestion, an upset stomach or more serious acidity issues.
However, for some, this commonly taken medicine has an enemy. “High doses of some minerals may interfere with absorption of other minerals through a variety of mechanisms. Calcium carbonate tends to cause problems for iron supplements,” Edward Saltzman, associate professor of medicine at Tufts University, told BBC Science Focus.
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To be best absorbed, iron supplements need a comfy bed of stomach acid to settle into. This puts it in direct opposition to antacids containing calcium carbonate.
This is just one of the many examples where supplements act against each other, reducing their effects or outright removing the benefits altogether.
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This can have a more serious effect in other supplements, like zinc and copper. The two are crucial for functioning health and are very interlinked. Taking one can lead to a deficiency in the other.
“Zinc supplements may outright impair the absorption of copper. This could be from natural foods, fortified foods or supplements. Because of this, both zinc and copper supplements shouldn’t be taken at the same time,” Says Saltzman.
A similar situation can be seen in the folic acid fortification of products. Folic acid is often added to foods and supplements. This is a synthetic version of the vitamin folate which helps the body make healthy red blood cells.
In high doses, folic acid supplements can reverse the neurological problems of vitamin B12 deficiency. This is especially serious for anyone on a plant-based diet; B12 deficiency is more of a risk for this group.
Saltzman highlights the fact that, although it is uncommon, there is a chance that the combination of these vitamins can result in a 'masking' of B12 deficiency since blood tests are often the first clue to deficiency.
When it comes to vitamin B12, its effects can also be reduced by taking vitamin C. This, however, can be easily fixed by spacing out the vitamins, taking B12 and C a few hours apart.
This is a common theme for vitamins where, while they can be taken together, they will reduce each others effects. The same problem is seen with calcium and magnesium. Taking the two at different times of the day can improve absorption.
While rarely a danger to the individual, there are plenty of supplements that can impact each other. “Drug-nutrient combinations can influence absorption, metabolism, or excretion. It’s always a good idea to consult a reliable source when taking multiple vitamins and supplements to see how they’ll mix,” says Saltzman.
About our expert, Dr Edward Saltzman
Edward Saltzman is an associate professor at the School of Medicine for Tufts University. His research focuses on obesity and body weight regulation in humans.
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