Some health professionals claim that they are essential to make up for the fact that most of us aren't eating enough fruit and veg.

一些專業護理人員聲稱它們對於彌補多數人未攝取足夠蔬果這個狀況是必不可少的。

Others say that supplement pills do nothing and you're wasting your money.

其他人則認為這些營養補充品毫無作用，你只是在浪費錢。

So, what's the truth?

那麼真相是什麼呢？

Let's start with some facts.

讓我們從一些事實開始。

48% of British adults regularly take a multi-vitamin or dietary supplement, and this translates to a lot of money.

48% 的英國成年人會定期服用綜合維他命或膳食補充劑，這意味大量的金錢累積。

By 2025, sales of vitamins and supplements are expected to reach a record £559 million, an increase of 13% from 2020.

到了 2025 年，維他命和補充劑的銷售預計將達到 5.59 億英鎊，比 2020 年增加 13%。

Now, the general consensus in the scientific community is that vitamin supplements don't actually do very much unless there is already a nutritional deficiency.

現今科學界的普遍共識是，維他命補充品實際上作用不大，除非已經有缺乏營養的情況。

And this is where it starts to get interesting because it means that it matters who is taking the supplements.

而事情就從這裡開始變得有趣，因為這表示補充品者的身份變得很重要。

In 2018, Cochrane, a hugely respected organization that reviews medical research, published a review of all the available evidence on the use of Omega 3 supplements during pregnancy.

2018 年， Cochrane 是一間備受尊敬、專門審查醫學研究的大型組織，他們根據目前已知關於孕期使用 Omega-3 的所有證據發表了評論。

They found that supplementing with Omega 3s during pregnancy reduced the risk of having a premature baby⏤one born before 37 weeks⏤by 11% and reduced the risk of having a very premature baby⏤one born before 34 weeks⏤by 42%.

他們發現在孕期補充 Omega-3 將生出早產兒（未滿 37 週出生的嬰兒）的風險降低 11%，極度早產兒（ 未滿 34 週出生的嬰兒）的風險則降低 42%。

And for that reason, they recommend that women pregnant with one baby, rather than twins, for example, be advised to supplement with 500 to 1,000 milligrams of Omega 3s every day from the 12th week of pregnancy.

出於這個原因，他們建議懷有一個孩子而且不是雙胞胎的婦女從懷孕的第 12 週就開始每天補充 500 至 1,000 毫克的 Omega-3。

Pregnant women should also take a folic acid supplement to support the development of their baby's nervous system.

孕婦還應該補充葉酸以幫助嬰兒神經系統的發展。

One surprising place where nutritional supplements seem to make a big difference is prison.

一個營養補充品似乎會發生大量影響、令人意外的地方就是監獄裡。

A series of studies stretching back nearly 30 years has found the same remarkably consistent finding.

追溯一系列的研究到近 30 年前，發現了同樣驚人的一致結論。

Providing prisoners with vitamins and mineral supplements reduces violence by a third compared to placebo.

與安慰劑相比，提供維他命和礦物質補充品給囚犯可減少三分之一的暴力行為。

Scientists are still trying to work out exactly why this is.

科學家們仍在試圖弄清楚這到底是為什麼。

One possibility is that, for example, we know that the chemicals that your brain uses to send messages⏤called neurotransmitters, like serotonin⏤are made from nutrients.

一種可能性是，我們知道大腦藉由像是神經遞質的化學物質來傳遞信息，神經遞質像血清素一樣，是由營養物質製成的。

So, not having enough nutrients is like a chef not having all the right ingredients for a recipe.

所以沒有足夠的營養物質就像一個廚師沒有為食譜準備好所有的正確材料。

This research has the potential to dramatically improve the conditions in prisons and other similar settings.

這項研究有可能極大地改善在監獄和其他類似環境中的狀況。

Not only would prisoners feel calmer and more able to manage their emotions, but it would make prisons safer for staff.

不僅囚犯們會感到更平靜且更能夠管理自己的情緒，對監獄工作人員而言也更加安全。

Another unexpected but consistent finding is that vitamins, in particular, B vitamins, can help you to manage stress.

另一個意外但一致的發現是，維他命，特別是維他命B，可以幫助你掌管壓力。

And a group of researchers in New Zealand showed that supplementing people with vitamins and minerals following the acute stress of an earthquake reduced their risk of later development of post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, compared to those who didn't take the nutrients.

而紐西蘭的一組研究人員展示，在經歷地震而產生的急性壓力反應後，服用維他命和礦物質營養品的人們和沒有服用的人相比，能夠減少得到創傷後應激障礙（又稱為PTSD）的風險。

And in later life, some studies have shown that supplementation with B vitamins alongside Omega 3s can slow down the rate of something called neurodegeneration.

而在後來，一些研究表明，若服用維他命B和Omega-3的營養補充品， 可以減緩神經退化障礙的速度。

Now, this is when brain cells stop functioning properly and they even die.

神經退化障礙是指腦細胞停止正常運作，甚至死亡。

And these kinds of illnesses are currently the leading cause of death here in the UK, and there's no cure.

而在英國，這類疾病目前是造成死亡的主要原因，而且沒有治療方法。

So, anything that can help to protect the brains earlier in life will be really important for everybody's health.

所以，對於每個人的健康而言，在生活中任何能夠趁早幫助保護大腦的東西將非常重要。

But, of course, we need to wait for more research before we know exactly who would benefit from what kind of treatment.

但當然，我們需要等待更多的研究才能知道誰才確切地在這樣的治療中受益。

So, this all sounds great, but there are a couple of very important downsides to supplements for some groups of people.

目前聽下來一切都很好，但營養補充品但對於某些人群來說，也有幾個非常重要的弊端 。

And one⏤now infamous⏤research study highlights this risk.

而一項現在聲名狼藉的研究就強調了這個風險。

Testing the theory that antioxidants could protect against cancer, individuals with a high risk of lung cancer were given high doses of beta-carotene and retinol, two forms of vitamin A.

為了測試抗氧化劑可以防止癌症的理論，患有肺癌高風險的人被給予高劑量的 β-胡蘿蔔素和視黃醇，他們是兩種形式的維他命A。

However, the study had to be halted early because the supplement group developed more aggressive cancers than the placebo group, and they had a higher death rate even years after the end of the trial.

然而，該研究不得不提前停止，因為補充劑組與安慰劑組相比，發展出了攻擊性更高的癌症，在試驗結束後，他們的死亡率也較高。

It's thought that the high doses of antioxidants interfered with the immune system, allowing the cancer to grow unchecked.

人們認為，高劑量的抗氧化劑干擾了免疫系統，讓癌症不受控制地增長。

So, if you are undergoing any kind of medical treatment, it's really essential that you discuss any plans for supplementation with your care team.

因此，如果你正在接受任何種類的醫療治療，和你的護理團隊討論所有關於營養補充品的計劃真的非常重要。

And, on top of that, some vitamins such as A, D, E, and K at high doses over a long time can lead to toxicity.

除此之外，一些維他命，像維他命如A、D和K，長時間大劑量地使用會導致中毒。

So, supplements might be beneficial for some people at greater risk of nutritional deficiencies or where there is an additional nutrient demand.

所以，對於處於缺乏營養風險或需要額外營養補給的人而言，營養補充劑可能更有益處。

That might be families on low incomes, pregnant women, people with diabetes, or anyone on a restricted diet or one that involves cutting out whole food groups such as vegans, vegetarians, or people with coeliac disease.

像是低收入戶者、孕婦、糖尿病患者，或是對於飲食有限制的人、以及不吃某一類別食物的人，像是素食者和純素者，或患有乳糜瀉的人。

But it seems that most of us would just be better off trying to take steps to improve our overall diets.

我們大多數人似乎都會試圖採取一些方法來更好地提高飲食品質。

And I know that can sound daunting because we can have an all-or-nothing approach to diets and think that we have to throw everything out of the cupboards and start from scratch.

但我們會在提高品質上做得太過火，覺得應該把櫥櫃裡全部的食物都丟掉然後從零開始，我知道這聽起來可能有些嚇人。

But that kind of approach can be too much too soon, leaving you feeling overwhelmed and discouraged.

但是全部打掉重練的做法可能太操之過急和太過火了，而讓你感到不知所措和灰心喪氣。

And when I'm working with people one-to-one, I generally suggest that they start just by adding one piece of fruit or vegetables to their normal meals.

而當我和人們一對一進行這件事時，我一般建議他們從在正常的飲食中添加一塊水果或蔬菜開始。

So, that might mean slicing a banana over your cereal, adding a handful of spinach to your lunchtime sandwich, or half a can of lentils to your pasta sauce.

所以，這可能意味著在你的麥片上加一個香蕉，在午餐時的三明治中添加一把菠菜，或在你的意大利麵醬中加入半罐小扁豆。

Over time, this approach can improve your diet quality without much effort.

隨著時間的推移，這種方法可以不費吹灰之力地提高你的飲食品質。