… micronutrients (vitamins, carotenoids etc.) often undergo false expectations in regard to their efficacy?
It should be considered that
- micronutrients cannot compensate for unhealthy lifestyles such as mainly living on junk food, smoking, or drinking; they are not “magic bullets”.
- micronutrients mainly show health benefits when they balance an existing deficiency
- the relationship between diet and chronic disease is very complex: it is almost certain that several factors have to vary simultaneously for a positive effect to be observed
- high doses do not necessarily mean high benefits.