Vitamins to Supplement or Not Reading Answers

Jan 25, 2023

Vitamins to Supplement or Not Reading Answers is an academic reading topic and a detailed study about Vitamins as a health supplement. The given IELTS topic has originated from the book named “E-ENG-school IELTS Reading Test With Answers Key (New Edition)”. The topic named Vitamins to Supplement or Not Reading Answers comes with 13 different wide range of questions. Three different types of questions are included in this topic, like, complete the following sentences, Yes/No/Not Given, and choose the correct letter. The candidates should thoroughly read the IELTS reading passage to recognize the synonyms and identify the keywords and answer the questions below. IELTS reading practice papers can be taken into consideration by the candidates in order to score a good score in the reading section in which similar topics like Vitamins to Supplement or Not Reading Answers has been included.

Check: Get 10 Free Sample Papers
Check: Register for IELTS Coaching - Join for Free Trial Class Now

Section 1

Read the Passage to Answer the Following Questions

Vitamins To Supplement or Not Reading Answers

Mineral, vitamin, and antioxidant health supplements make up a multi-billion-dollar industry in the United States alone, but do they really work? Evidence suggests supplementation is clearly indicated in special circumstances, but can actually be harmful in others. For the general population, however, supplements have negligible or no impact on the prevention of common cancers, cardiovascular diseases, cognitive decline, mortality, or any other major indicators of health. In pursuit of a longer, happier and healthier life, there are certainly better investments for most people than a tube of vitamin supplements.

Particular sub-groups of the population can gain a proven benefit from supplementation. Folic acid has long been indicated as a prenatal supplement due to its assistance in foetal cell division and corresponding ability to prevent neural tube birth defects. Since Canada and the United States decided to require white flour to be fortified with folic acid, spinal birth defects have plummeted by 75%, and rates of neuroblastoma (a ravaging form of infant cancer) are now 50% lower. In countries without such fortification, or for women on low-carbohydrate diets, a prenatal multivitamin could make the crucial difference. The United States Department of Health and Human Services has concluded that the elderly may also benefit from extra vitamin D; calcium can help prevent bone fractures; and zinc and antioxidants can maintain vision while deflecting macular degeneration in people who would otherwise be likely to develop this affliction.

One problem with supplementation by tablet is the poor record on digestibility. These tablets are often stocked with metal-based minerals that are essentially miniature rocks, and our bodies are unable to digest them. Even the vitamin elements of these pills that are theoretically digestible are often unable to be effectively extracted by our bodies when they arrive in such a condensed form. In Salt Lake City, for example, over 150 gallons of vitamin and mineral pills are retrieved from the sewer filters each month. According to the physician’s desk reference, only about 10% – 20% of multivitamins are absorbed by the body. The National Advisory Board is even more damning, suggesting that every 100mg of tablet corresponds to about 8.3mg of blood concentration, although noting that this can still potentially perform a helpful role in some cases. In effect, for every $100 you spend on vitamin supplements, over $90 of that is quite literally flushed down the toilet.

A final argument against multivitamins is the notion that they can lead people – consciously or not – to the conclusion that supplementation fills in the gaps of an unhealthy diet and mops up afterwards, leaving their bodies none the wiser that instead of preparing a breakfast of fresh fruit and muesli, they popped a tiny capsule with coffee and a chocolate bar. In a seven-year study, however, the Heart Protection study did not find any positive outcome whatsoever from multivitamins and concluded that while vitamins in the diet are important, multivitamin tablets are safe but completely useless. There is evidently no shortcut around the task of buying, preparing, and consuming fresh fruit and vegetables every day. Boosting, supplementing, and fortifying products alter people’s very perception of what healthy food is; instead of heading for the fresh produce aisle in the supermarket, they are likely to seek out sugary, processed foods with a handful of extra B vitamins as a healthy choice. We cannot supplement our way out of a bad diet.

Section 2

Solution With Explanation

Questions 14-16

Choose the correct letter, A. B, C, or D. Write the correct letters in boxes 14-16 on your answer sheet.

Question:14 The writer does not recommend multivitamin supplementation for____

A pregnant woman.
B young children.
C anyone prone to eye problems.
D old people.

Answer: A
Supporting Statement: In countries without such fortification, or for women on low-carbohydrate diets, a prenatal multivitamin could make the crucial difference.

Keywords: Women, multivitamin supplementation
Keyword location: para 2, line 3
Explanation: The third line of paragraph 2 expains that a prenatal multivitamin could make all the difference in places where fortification is not available, especially for preganant women on low-carbohydrate diets.

Question:15 According to the writer, vitamin E has been shown to____

A lead to heart problems.
B be good for heart health.
C support the immune system.
D have no effect.

Answer: A
Supporting Statement: “vitamin E thought to improve cardiovascular health, was contraindicated in a study that demonstrated higher rates of congestive heart failure among such vitamin users”
Keywords: heart failure among such vitamin users.
Keyword location: Para 3, line 5
Explanation: Line 5 of pargraph 3 states that according to a study, vitamin E users had greater risks of congestive heart failure, despite the fact that vitamin E is supposed to boost cardiovascular health.

Question:16 The Medical letter Group believes antioxidant supplementation___

A is ineffective in attacking free radicals.
B alerts the immune system to the presence of free radicals.
C attacks both free radicals and the immune system.
D prevents the immune system from responding to free radicals.

Answer: D
Supporting Statement: The supplements counteract the free radicals, the immune system is not placed on alert, and the disease could sneak through the gates.
Keywords: The supplements counteract the free radicals, the immune system is not placed on alert,
Keyword location: Para 3, line 7
Explanation: The seventh line of paragraph 3 implies that we run the danger of weakening that message and throwing off the body's delicate balance of antioxidants and free radicals by taking supplements. The supplements combat free radicals, preventing the immune system from going on high alert and allowing the disease to slip through the cracks.

Questions 17-21

Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 2?
In boxes 17-21 on your answer sheet, write

YES	if the statement agrees with the views of the writer
NO	if the statement contradicts the views of the writer
NOT GIVEN	if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this

Question: 17 Some multivitamin tablets have indigestible ingredients.

Answer: Yes
Supporting Statement: “One problem with supplementation by the tablet is the poor record on digestibility.”
Keywords: poor record on digestion
Keyword location: Para 4, line 1\
Explanation: The first line of paragraph 4 states that the results obtained from the multivitamin tablets suggest that their contents are difficult to digest. So, the statement is correct.

Question: 18 Some individual vitamins are better absorbed than others in tablet form.

Answer: Not Given
Explanation: No available information is given in the passage in order to prove the validation of the above said statement.

Question:19 Our bodies cannot distinguish food-based from supplement-based vitamins.

Answer: Not Given
Explanation:No justified information is provided in the passage to prove the above said sentence as a relevant one.

Question: 20 Multivitamins can lead to poorer overall eating habits in a person’s life.

Answer: Yes
Supporting Statement: “A final argument against multivitamins is the notion that they can lead people – consciously or not – to the conclusion that supplementation fills in the gaps of an unhealthy diet and mops up afterward, leaving their bodies none the wiser that instead of preparing a breakfast of fresh fruit and muesli, they popped a tiny capsule with coffee and a chocolate bar”
Keywords: leaving their bodies none the wiser that instead of preparing a breakfast of fresh fruit and muesli, they popped a tiny capsule with coffee and a chocolate bar
Keyword location: Last Para, line 1
Explanation: The first part of the concluding paragraph explains that the idea that multivitamins can persuade people, whether intentionally or unintentionally, to believe that supplementing fills in the gaps of an unhealthy diet and cleans up afterwards, leaving their bodies unaware that they popped a little capsule with coffee and a chocolate bar instead of making a breakfast of fresh fruit and cereal, is one last argument against them. Therefore, it is a correct statement.

Question:21 People typically know that fortified processed foods are not good for them.

Answer: No
Supporting Statement: “Boosting, supplementing, and fortifying products alter people’s very perception of what healthy food is; instead of heading for the fresh produce aisle in the supermarket, they are likely to seek out sugary, processed foods with a handful of extra B vitamins as a healthy choice”
Keywords: alter people’s very perception of what healthy food is
Keyword location: Last Para, line 5
Explanation: The fifth line of the last paragraph enhances that people's perceptions of what healthy food is change as a result of boosting, supplementing, and fortifying items; instead of gravitating toward the supermarket's fresh produce section, they are more likely to look for processed meals that are high in sugar and B vitamins as a healthier alternative. Therefore, it is an incorrect statement.

Questions 22-26

Classify the following groups of people according to whether they believe

Write the correct letter A, B or C, in boxes 22-26 on your answer sheet.

A	the supplementation may have a positive effect
B	the supplementation may have a negative effect
C	supplementation has no effect

Question: 22 The United States Department of Health and Human Services

Answer: A
Supporting Statement: “The United States Department of Health and Human Services has concluded that the elderly may also benefit from extra vitamin D; calcium can help prevent bone fractures, and zinc and
antioxidants can maintain vision while deflecting macular degeneration in people who would otherwise be likely to develop this affliction.”
Keywords: benefit from extra vitamin D; calcium
Keyword location: Para 2, line 4
Explanation: Line 4 of paragraph 2 suggests that the United States Department of Health and Human Services has determined that senior persons may also benefit from additional vitamin D, calcium can help avoid bone fractures, zinc and antioxidants can preserve eyesight while fending off macular degeneration in those who would otherwise be at risk for developing this condition.

Question:23 The National Institutes of Health

Answer: B
Supporting Statement: The National Institutes of Health has noted a “disturbing evidence of risk” in tobacco users: beta-carotene, a common ingredient in multivitamins, was found over a six-year study to significantly contribute to higher lung cancer and mortality rates in smokers.
Keywords: a common ingredient in multivitamins, significantly contribute to higher lung cancer and mortality rates in smokers
Keyword location: Para 3, line 1
Explanation: The first line of paragraph 3 suggests that in a six-year research, beta-carotene, a common component of multivitamins, was discovered to dramatically increase lung cancer and mortality rates in smokers, which has been acknowledged as "disturbing evidence of risk" by the National Institutes of Health.

Question: 24 The Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Sciences

Answer: C
Supporting Statement: “ Antioxidant supplementation has no purpose nor does it achieve anything, according to the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Sciences, and the Medical Letter Group has gone further in suggesting they may interfere with treatment and promote some cancers. ”
Keywords: no purpose nor does it achieve anything
Keyword location: para 3, line-4
Explanation: The fourth line of paragraph 3 suggests that according to the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Sciences, taking antioxidant supplements has no benefit and accomplishes nothing. The Medical Letter Group has gone even farther, claiming that antioxidant supplements may hinder cancer treatment and even encourage some cancers.

Question: 25 The National Advisory Board

Answer: A
Supporting Statement: The National Advisory Board is even more damning, suggesting that every 100mg of tablet corresponds to about 8.3mg of blood concentration, although noting that this can still potentially perform a helpful role in some cases.
Keywords: perform a helpful role in some cases
Keyword location: para 4, line 4
Explanation: Line 4 of paragraph 4 implies that the National Advisory Board is even more harsh, estimating that every 100mg of tablet corresponds to around 8.3mg of blood concentration, despite recognising that this may still play a potentially beneficial role in some circumstances.

Question:26 The Heart Protection Group

Answer: C
Supporting Statement: In a seven-year study, however, the Heart Protection study did not find any positive outcome whatsoever from multivitamins and concluded that while vitamins in the diet are important, multivitamin tablets are safe but completely useless.
Keywords: did not find any positive outcome
Keyword location: last Para, line 3
Explanation: Line 3 of the concluding paragraph suggests that although vitamins in the diet are necessary, multivitamin tablets are safe but entirely ineffective, according to the Heart Protection study, which examined the effects of taking them over a seven-year period and found no good results.

Read More IELTS Reading Samples