Multivitamin

timbotina

Pros and cons of taking a daily multivitamin.......go

Alyssa_Is_LosingIt

Pro: placebo effect-induced sense of accomplishment with minimal effort

Con: expensive pee

DoubleUbea

What about the OTC vitamins the doctor tells you do take?

Alyssa_Is_LosingIt

DoubleUbea wrote: »

What about the OTC vitamins the doctor tells you do take?

Being diagnosed as deficient in a certain micronutrient and taking a supplement at the advice of a doctor is different than just deciding to buy a bottle of Centrum.

OP to be serious I don't think taking a basic multi is going to necessarily hurt you, but in most cases it's unnecessary and is quite literally flushing that money down the toilet.

AnnPT77

Not a substitute for good nutrition, so don't soft-pedal sensible eating.

Possibly a tiny, chancy micronutrient insurance policy.
Lovely bright-yellow urine.

Use an affordable one that meets your needs, and don't megadose. Take it with food, if you decide to take one.

Cherimoose

timbotina wrote: »

Pros and cons of taking a daily multivitamin.......go

It's been debated to death, so search the forum.......go.

Here's my take on it: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/comment/42147027/#Comment_42147027

timbotina

Thanks all, hadn’t been taking one...trying to eat healthy and get all I need thru diet/eating right...some days just fatigued by evening...may need to retweek my eating vs thinking a vitamin will help. Try to spread protein/carbs throughout the day...but some days, probably need to watch more

tinkerbellang83

timbotina wrote: »

Thanks all, hadn’t been taking one...trying to eat healthy and get all I need thru diet/eating right...some days just fatigued by evening...may need to retweek my eating vs thinking a vitamin will help. Try to spread protein/carbs throughout the day...but some days, probably need to watch more

If you're feeling fatigued, surely better to go to the doctor and find out if you're deficient in something and then if necessary supplement only what you might be deficient in?

Also worth looking at your calorie intake, are you eating enough?

WholeFoods4Lyfe

I never recommend taking any vitamin or supplement unless you've undergone testing to determine an actual deficiency. Otherwise it is just expensive pee.

toxikon

Here's a very good writeup on the pros/cons of taking a multi: https://examine.com/nutrition/do-you-need-a-multivitamin/

Cherimoose

WholeFoods4Lyfe wrote: »

I never recommend taking any vitamin or supplement unless you've undergone testing to determine an actual deficiency. Otherwise it is just expensive pee.

Not sure what your credentials are, but my doctor recommended vitamin D instead of testing for it, because deficiencies are common, and the test is expensive.

As far as the other nutrients, testing for every single one of them would be ridiculously expensive, so taking a 10 cent multivitamin is a low-cost, low-risk insurance. I eat pretty healthy so i only take one twice a week.

WholeFoods4Lyfe

Cherimoose wrote: »

WholeFoods4Lyfe wrote: »

I never recommend taking any vitamin or supplement unless you've undergone testing to determine an actual deficiency. Otherwise it is just expensive pee.

Not sure what your credentials are, but my doctor recommended vitamin D instead of testing for it, because deficiencies are common, and the test is expensive.

As far as the other nutrients, testing for every single one of them would be ridiculously expensive, so taking a 10 cent multivitamin is a low-cost, low-risk insurance. I eat pretty healthy so i only take one twice a week.

You can get a comprehensive test that covers I think 12-13 vitamins for an out of pocket cost of around $500, but most insurance will cover this cost. Same with a Vitamin D test which is about $50 out of pocket. As to Vitamin D deficiencies, yes, they are very common, but I still find the test worthwhile instead of spending 2-3 times the cost of the test supplementing when it may not be necessary. There are other tests that can be done for free or low cost, like Iodine you can test for just by placing on your skin and tracking how long it fades, or Zinc can be tested by holding aqueous zinc in your mouth and timing how long it takes for the liquid to develop a bad taste. There are others as well, all of which are easily searchable on Google if you are so inclined.

For the record, my credentials are irrelevant, I'm entitled to reply and provide me opinion just as you are.

CSARdiver

Pro - fluorescent pee!

Con - waste of money unless to resolve a documented deficiency

Note - anytime you choose to supplement with a multivitamin is a good general rule to increase your water intake, but that's considering the average person who doesn't drink enough water.

kshama2001

Cherimoose wrote: »

WholeFoods4Lyfe wrote: »

I never recommend taking any vitamin or supplement unless you've undergone testing to determine an actual deficiency. Otherwise it is just expensive pee.

Not sure what your credentials are, but my doctor recommended vitamin D instead of testing for it, because deficiencies are common, and the test is expensive.

As far as the other nutrients, testing for every single one of them would be ridiculously expensive, so taking a 10 cent multivitamin is a low-cost, low-risk insurance. I eat pretty healthy so i only take one twice a week.

I did get tested for D deficiencies, and I was, no surprise, I burn easily and don't spend a lot of time in the sun.

But you're right, D deficiencies are very common and I agree that's not something for which it is essential to test before supplementing.

kshama2001

timbotina wrote: »

Thanks all, hadn’t been taking one...trying to eat healthy and get all I need thru diet/eating right...some days just fatigued by evening...may need to retweek my eating vs thinking a vitamin will help. Try to spread protein/carbs throughout the day...but some days, probably need to watch more

When my anemia is untreated I have crippling fatigue. Lots of conditions and deficiencies can cause fatigue and I don't think a multi is a good solution. For example, between food and supplements, I have to get about 400% of the RDA of iron to stay in Low Normal. This is something I monitor closely with my doctor.