Is relying on supplements when dietary nutrition falls short really reliable?
2026-07-10
Supplements to Make Up for Poor Diet" — Is This Approach Really Reliable?
Relying on melatonin for insomnia and vivid dreams, vitamin supplements for dull yellowish skin, fish oil for poor concentration and memory decline, or composite nutrient formulas for daily fatigue and suboptimal health… These are the popular "wellness guides" circulating online about nutritional supplements.
But is the practice of "supplements to make up for inadequate dietary nutrition" truly healthy? Let’s hear what relevant experts have to say.
Supplements Gain Popularity Among Youth for Their "Convenience and Efficiency"
"I’ve finished emptying the bottle and can confirm: compare my skin tone now with before — it’s clearly improved! Previously, I had poor diet and irregular sleep, but using this supplement really made a difference…" In a newly posted note, netizen "Nini" shared her wellness tips in detail.
Today’s younger generation is significantly shifting their wellness approach. Various nutritional supplements, highlighted in marketing for their "convenience and efficiency," have become viral products in the wellness market.
He Xiaona, a post-95s citizen of Nanning, said: Unlike older generations who prefer dietary nourishment and slow-paced lifestyle adjustments, she and many peers believe that elaborate dietary regulation is time-consuming and laborious. Swallowing supplements casually is more convenient and efficient, "especially when our irregular diet and sleep schedules are hard to change, taking supplements can immediately fill nutritional gaps and ease anxiety about suboptimal health."
However, blind supplementation also hides health risks. Yu Haitao, a Ph.D. from the Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene at Jilin University’s School of Public Health, warned: Nutritional supplements cannot replace natural diets and healthy lifestyles. Long-term self-administration of supplements without scientific assessment may increase the metabolic burden on the liver and kidneys, disrupting the body’s natural nutritional metabolism balance.
Supplements Cannot Replace Dietary Nourishment
"Only when dietary intake fails to meet nutritional needs should supplementation occur, tailored to one’s physiological characteristics and nutritional requirements." He Yu, deputy chief physician of the Clinical Nutrition Department at the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, said. Natural foods contain not only multiple nutrients but also other components beneficial to health, playing a crucial role in preventing chronic diseases and promoting overall well-being.
Yu Haitao added: Theoretically, people without special physiological needs (such as pregnant women, patients in recovery periods, etc.) can achieve nutritional balance through balanced diets. A balanced diet maximally meets the body’s needs for normal growth and development, immunity, and physiological functions, supplies energy and nutrients, and reduces the risk of diet-related chronic diseases.
"Taking composite vitamins doesn’t mean you can eat fewer vegetables and fruits. Supplements lack dietary fiber and cannot replace the role of whole grains and produce in maintaining gut health; they also cannot treat diseases. Chronic conditions like hypertension and diabetes require formal medical management, not health supplements," Yu Haitao emphasized.
The Chinese Dietary Guidelines (2022) recommend: Consume an average of 12 or more types of food daily and 25 or more weekly, balance meals across five major categories — cereals and tubers, vegetables and fruits, meat/fish/eggs/dairy, soy and nuts, and oils/salt. Healthy individuals over 2 years old adopting a balanced dietary pattern can achieve nutritional balance.
"Normal people don’t need to pursue so-called wellness tonics or nutritional supplements. Eating three proper meals daily is the simplest and most important way to maintain wellness," He Yu explained. A reasonable diet is the foundation of a strong immune system. Human cells constantly undergo metabolism, with daily meals as their primary nutrient source. No single food or supplement can prevent diseases and sustainably maintain effectiveness.
When Are Supplements Actually Necessary?
Experts indicate that children, pregnant women, the elderly, those with picky eating or vegetarian diets, and patients in post-surgical recovery, chronic wasting diseases, or gastrointestinal/hepatic disorders should consider additional nutritional supplements when normal diet cannot achieve balanced nutrition.
Yu Haitao suggested: When specific nutrient deficiencies are confirmed — such as low serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D, hemoglobin, or ferritin levels — supplements can be used. During physiological periods with surging nutritional demands that diet alone cannot meet, supplements are also needed, such as extra folic acid and calcium for pregnancy, or calcium and DHA for lactation.
He Yu warned: Selecting nutritional supplements should be based on daily dietary habits, targeting specific nutrient needs. Long-term excessive use of a single nutrient type can lead to imbalanced nutrition, and in severe cases, toxicity — such as overdosing on fat-soluble vitamins.
"For some patients or special populations, supplementing a single nutrient alone is far insufficient. Selection should be made under the guidance of clinical nutritionists, dietitians, or physicians to avoid severe malnutrition," He Yu stressed.
Edit：WENWEN Responsible editor：LINXUAN
Source：People's Daily Overseas Edition
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