Micronutrient deficiencies, vitamin pills and nutritional supplements

In the 21st century, it is hard to reconcile the concepts of the Western diet and overconsumption with the risk of micronutrient deficiencies. However, deficiencies can arise from poor dietary intake, alone or combined with physiological or metabolic injury. Micronutrients are essential to fulfil a broad range of biochemical and physiological functions, and are tightly regulated by homeostatic processes. Diagnosis of deficiency is complex and requires the use of separate investigations (dietary, functional, biochemical). While the role of micronutrients in the prevention or treatment of diseases (including cancer, type 2 diabetes) is of interest, a key driver for the vitamins and supplement market is their advertised potential to optimize health and performance in healthy individuals. The evidence so far indicates that multivitamins supplements offer no health protection, increase all-cause mortality, and risk of cancers in some subgroups. A nutritionally balanced diet is a safer way to achieve sufficiency.