CENTRAL MINDANAO UNIVERSITY

College of Human Ecology

Department of Nutrition and Dietetics
University Town, Musuan, Maramag, Bukidnon

Vitamania – The sense and nonsense of vitamins with Dr. Derek Muller

A Critique Paper

On

FOOD AND NUTRITION RESEARCH 1 (ND95.1)

Submitted by:

Shyne Y. Baja

Submitted to:

Dawn Fatima Cuevas, RND

Instructor, ND95.1

OCTOBER 2022
 On August 12, 2018, SBS aired its informed documentary Vitamania, made by Emmy Award-winning
Australian filmmaker Genepol Productions. Hosted by Dr. Derek Muller, an Australian scientist who embarks
on an epic journey of the world of Vitamania, an absorbing and meticulously researched history of the
beginnings and causes of our obsession with vitamins and nutrition as outlined by The New York Times, In
addition, the show grapples with the dietary supplement industry and the dangers of both deficiencies and
excessive intake of various vitamins. Also, the film features interviews with experts in the fields of nutrition and
medicine, presenting a wide range of viewpoints on how vitamins affect health and overall well-being. As a
result, it encourages viewers to generate queries, change perceptions, and widen their knowledge about the
way vitamins work. This critique paper aims to assess the positive impact of the documentary’s effectiveness
in conveying the function of vitamins towards overall well-being, pinpoint potential areas where it might exhibit
inaccuracies, and provide recommendations.
Among its chief benefits is imparting knowledge to create a cornerstone of enlightenment. By
presenting all types of vitamins, individuals can gauge their uses and be open to applying them to create a
better future away from the complications of vitamin deficiencies. In addition, one of its notable strengths is its
retrospective view. It outlined the origin of how vitamins were discovered by Casimir Funk and in what way
they can cure diseases and conditions associated with vitamin deficiencies. It presents situations depicting the
effects of vitamins when not taken at adequate levels. Examples presented are the scurvy caused by
deficiency in vitamin C, Rickets due to vitamin D insufficiency, and night blindness because of a lack of vitamin
A. Through this, it makes the viewers appreciate how essential vitamins are and illustrates the crucial role
vitamins play in mitigating nutritional deficiencies, highlighting their significance. Due to the clear depiction of
the film, from showing diseases and how they affected the lives of many, it elicits a good response.
Furthermore, it highlighted the importance of generating vitamins from natural foods. Emphasizing the
need to obtain it from dietary sources since there is a disparity between nutrients from supplements compared
to whole foods. The advantage of natural foods is that they provide a broader spectrum of nutrients and
enhance absorption and effectiveness. Nutrients from food are generally more readily absorbed by the body
than supplements. Also, excessive intake of certain vitamins through supplementation can lead to toxicity. To
support this statement, the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) recommend that nutrient needs
should be met primarily through foods. As outlined also by the VNS Health Organization, vitamins present in
supplements are not tested by the Food and Drug Administration and sometimes contain hidden ingredients.
Inline, with the previous remark it accentuates scaling up of Supplement Industries which connotes
varied reactions. First, it may be attributed to increasing consumer interest in health and wellness; however, it
also delves into controversies such as the quality and purity of the supplements since the film states that
supplements are not thoroughly examined and carefully assessed, which can prompt viewers to make
informed choices in buying. According to Shmerling 2019 of Harvard Medical School, most supplements are
not rigorously tested as a prevention or treatment for conditions for which they are promoted, and the
ingredients on the label may not accurately reflect what’s in the supplement. Moreover, the FDA does not
generally review and test dietary supplements before they are sold to customers.

Although the positive effects are evident, However, it's crucial to consider the negative aspects as well.
One of them is that there’s not much depth, which means that some of the content is superficial, lacks detail,
and doesn’t explore the topic or subject thoroughly, maybe because of the time constraint and the number of
vitamins to be addressed. Given that the film is also tailored towards the public, the producers might also want
to make the masses easily understand the basic concept. Nonetheless, because of this, the viewer might only
grasp the surface level of the subject, which can lead to misconceptions or incomplete knowledge. Thus, in
considering the use of vitamins and supplements, as a recommendation, though it can play a supportive role, it
should never be regarded as a replacement for a well-rounded, nutritious diet, and if in times of doubt or
question, always seek guidance from a healthcare professional.

In conclusion, vitamins play a significant role in mitigating diseases associated with vitamin
deficiencies. At that time, it remained undiscovered. People experienced various health issues and
complications, which later led to the deaths of numerous individuals. Yet, after the identification of vitamins,
these problems were managed up to the current moment. Through the film, it opens the minds of people and
instigates provocative questions about how useful it is. Although it is deemed useful, the show strongly
emphasizes that nutrients should always come from foods first and then supplements as a secondary option to
achieve the needed amount of nutrients. Also, proper discretion and some advice from a healthcare
professional are needed when ingesting supplements since they can lead to toxicity if taken excessively and to
make sure that they are safe since the FDA does not rigorously test each supplement. Overall, the film
succeeds in enlightening viewers about the world of vitamins, their importance, and the challenges they pose.