DON’T BOTHER WITH VITAMIN EH, IT DOESN’T REALLY MATTER

Mom was right, there’s no substitute for healthy eating. Some of the most popular vitamin and mineral supplements — such as vitamins C and D and calcium — had zero effect on lessening a person’s risk for cardiovascular disease, heart attack, stroke or premature death, a new study found.

“We were surprised to find so few positive effects of the most common supplements that people consume,” David Jenkins, the study’s lead author and University of Toronto nutritional sciences professor, said in a statement.

“Our review found that if you want to use multivitamins, Vitamin D, calcium or Vitamin C, it does no harm — but there is no apparent advantage, either.”

The study reviewed data on vitamins A, B1, B2, B3 (niacin), B6, B9 (folic acid), C, D and E; and mineral supplements, including calcium, iron, zinc, magnesium, and selenium.

The only pills found to be beneficial were folic acid and B vitamins, which may reduce a person’s risk of heart disease and stroke, accorodng to the study.

“It’s most beneficial to rely on a healthy diet to get your fill of vitamins and minerals,” Jenkins said.

“So far, no research on supplements has shown (there is) anything better than healthy servings of less-processed plant foods, including vegetables, fruits and nuts.”