Do vitamins make a big difference?

Zander1255 · September 2013

Obviously, I'm sure they have their benefits. A friend was saying she takes a multi-vitamin and several direct supplements (C, E, Cranberry Extract, etc.) and claims it helps suppress her appetite and gives her a tremendous amount of energy. I'd like to try it but vitamins can be expensive and I'm at a tough point financially at the moment. Has anyone had similar results with a vitamin regimen?

harleygroomer · September 2013

I take a handful daily and on the days when I DO NOT take them--YES I can tell a difference. And if I get busy and go a few days I get REALLLLLY cranky

jlahorn · September 2013

Actually, recent studies show that taking vitamin supplements can do more harm than good:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/daviddisalvo/2012/10/19/vitamins-good-for-you-bad-for-you-or-what/

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/09/opinion/sunday/dont-take-your-vitamins.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/01/should-you-take-a-multivitamin_n_1725380.html

http://www.cnn.com/2013/06/19/health/vitamins-offit/index.html

sally_jeffswife · September 2013

I do notice I am a bit less sleepy when I take them. Also they are really good for your hair. The migraine meds I have to take make my hair really dry and I noticed the vitamins help quite a bit with that.

benol1 · September 2013

It depends whether you are deficient or not.
If you can get all your vitamins via your food - that is excellent.
I'm vegan so I take a B12 (1000mg), and its just coming out of winter so I also take a Vitamin D.
The other supplement I take is a probiotic.
My recommendation for most people is to do the wholefoods plant-based diet. Eating a wide variety of vegetables, fruit, nuts, pulses and grains you are getting the vast majority of your vitamins and many micro phytonutrients that are deficient in the standard western diet.
Wishing you all the best.

Ben

ninerbuff · September 2013

Actually, recent studies show that taking vitamin supplements can do more harm than good:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/daviddisalvo/2012/10/19/vitamins-good-for-you-bad-for-you-or-what/

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/09/opinion/sunday/dont-take-your-vitamins.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/01/should-you-take-a-multivitamin_n_1725380.html

http://www.cnn.com/2013/06/19/health/vitamins-offit/index.html

Have to agree here. Peer review does show that mega doses of vitamins can cause more harm than good. Personally I take one about an hour or so before I workout, but I also train in a fasted state (at least a 10 hour fast if not longer).
The main reason why one would take one is if they may be lacking in food that's nutrient dense. Hopefully most here are trying to achieve meeting their macros/micros a day.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

ironanimal · September 2013

I feel like a corpse without taking high dose Vitamin D through 75% of the year.

Mr_Knight · September 2013

Obviously, I'm sure they have their benefits.

Yes.

Any money spent on vitamins won't be spend on actual food, so you'll eat less automatically.

Myhaloslipped · September 2013

I take calcium and vitamin D. Multivitamins make my hunger get way out of control.

Zander1255 · September 2013

Thank you everyone for the input! I try to eat a good variety of fruits, vegetables and grains, in addition to good portions of meat, so hopefully I'm getting most of what I need from that. I'll look at all the info more and decide what might work for me. Thank you all again!

Do vitamins make a big difference?

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