Vitamins overrated?

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MityMax96
MityMax96 Posts: 5,778 Member
I have often felt if you eat a balanced diet, you shouldn't need them....

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/multivitamin-researchers-say-case-is-closed-supplements-dont-boost-health/

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  • _John_
    _John_ Posts: 8,641 Member
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    Vitamin D supplements are still iffy (on uselessness) particularly for darker skinned folks.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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    if you eat a balanced diet, do you need anything?
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
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    lots of food isn't as nutrient dense these days, due to poor soil quality, early picking, long storage etc.

    supplementing is probably a good idea, but having good supplements is vital..
  • 199WillDo
    199WillDo Posts: 87 Member
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    Vitamin D supplements are still iffy (on uselessness) particularly for darker skinned folks.

    Its not just "darker skinned folks". It depends on where you live. ie people that live in the Midwest typically have to take Vit D supplements because they do not get the sun that the south gets.
  • Derf_Smeggle
    Derf_Smeggle Posts: 610 Member
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    “We believe that the case is closed -- supplementing the diet of well-nourished adults with (most) mineral or vitamin supplements has no clear benefit and might even be harmful,” concluded the authors of the editorial summarizing the new research papers, published Dec. 16 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
    The important follow-up would be how many Americans qualify as "well-nourished" and what qualifies as well-nourished. I do not take a multivitamin daily, or even regularly. I also do not eat as healthy as I should. On occasion I will take a multivitamin for a week when I'm feeling run down or off. Anecdotally, I notice that helps pull me out of the funk.
    “The ‘stop wasting your money’ means that perhaps you're spending money on things that won't protect you long term,” editorial co-author Dr. Edgar Miller, a professor of medicine and epidemiology at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, told CBS News’ chief medical correspondent Dr. Jon LaPook. “What will protect you is if you spend the money on fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans, low fat dairy, things like that ..exercising would probably be a better use of the money.”
    There is a question out there regarding whether or not the singular compounds identified as the "vitamins" are truly representative of what constitutes the completeness of the various vitamins. For example, we all know that the beta-carotene molecule is recognized as vitamin A. However, there is an argument that in whole food sources there are numerous micronutrients and phytochemicals that occur naturally along side beta-carotene.

    The argument is that a "vitamin" is actual comprised of a complex of chemicals that are necessary biologically. It is one hypothesis as to why certain geographical diets (example - "Mediterranean Diet") appear to have an effect of reducing certain health risks, such as, cancer and heart disease. Yet when they test the stand alone vitamin molecules for the benefits from these diets the results usually do not work out the same.

    The "whole food" vitamin hypothesis has yet to be effectively test though, as far as I know.
    More strikingly, it found enough evidence to recommend against taking beta-carotene or vitamin E for preventing both diseases, finding they not only didn’t help but the former may raise risk for lung cancer for already at-risk individuals.
    Yeah... Funny story there. There are two very large scale studies, one of which I believe was done in Denmark, on mega-dosing of these two vitamins for months or even years at a time. They actually halted the study early because the morbidity rate and mortality rate of lung cancer in smokers skyrocketed. In the conclusion of one of the studies they completely neglected to mention that it appeared mega-dosing increased lung cancer in a section of the test subjects. Instead it blandly reported that the vitamin supplementation had no positive effect.... :noway:

    Those studies are both a few years old, maybe approaching 10 or more for one. :ohwell:
  • gigglesinthesun
    gigglesinthesun Posts: 860 Member
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    another thing is that vitamins aren't prescribed and can interact with other issues/medications

    my personal example would be that I thought I needed more iron, because I was so tired all the time. When I mentioned it to my doctor they did a blood test and turned out that I wasn't deficient in iron after all, I had high iron levels, which can also cause tiredness
  • ereck44
    ereck44 Posts: 1,170 Member
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    Vitamin D supplements are still iffy (on uselessness) particularly for darker skinned folks.

    Its not just "darker skinned folks". It depends on where you live. ie people that live in the Midwest typically have to take Vit D supplements because they do not get the sun that the south gets.

    We also don't get the sun damage, thankfully. Vitamin D supplements for me.
  • Arbeidslyst
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    lots of food isn't as nutrient dense these days, due to poor soil quality, early picking, long storage etc.

    supplementing is probably a good idea, but having good supplements is vital..

    I don't take any pills that isn't prescribed to me by a doctor. The signs of deficiency of any vitamins or minerals can be unclear and have the same symptoms if you have to much as if you have to little and there are health dangers that comes with both.

    If you think you need more vitamins then go to the doctor and get tested, don't start taking anything by yourself.
  • Shellz31
    Shellz31 Posts: 214 Member
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    I have thought for years that multi-vitamins were useless. I think it's fine to take certain vitamin supplements if you know you're deficient or don't consume near enough of a certain vitamin. Iron if you're doctor says you're deficient or Vit D in the winter seems reasonable. As a vegetarian who doesn't consume a ton of dairy, I pop a B12 vitamin a few times a week. But multi-vitamins run you the risk that you'll overconsume a vitamin and that can have negative consequences (depending on the vitamin). There's not much proof they protect us so why run the risk?
  • eric_sg61
    eric_sg61 Posts: 2,925 Member
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    I don't take any pills that isn't prescribed to me by a doctor.
    And this why they don't want you buying supplements. Keep the paychecks of the pharma industry intact. Got any vics or percs I needa fix man
  • Derf_Smeggle
    Derf_Smeggle Posts: 610 Member
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    I think too that we misunderstand "supplementing". Often times we are seeing vitamin and mineral supplements with 500%, 1000%, and more of the RDA. That isn't "supplementing". It's overdosing.

    We over emphasize the idea that bigger is always better. If a little is good, a lot must be more gooder...:noway:
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    I would think we would get enough for a balanced diet.

    I have multi vitamins I use 2-3 times a week when I remember to take them, I figure this way I won't overdose and it can help a bit.
  • Arbeidslyst
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    I don't take any pills that isn't prescribed to me by a doctor.
    And this why they don't want you buying supplements. Keep the paychecks of the pharma industry intact. Got any vics or percs I needa fix man

    ?

    You do know doctors tell you if you're deficient in vitamins after you take a blood test, right? If I don't know I need specific nutrients I'm not going to pay the Supplement Industry intact.

    I've been told by my doctor to either take a calcium supplement or in other ways up my intake.
  • Arbeidslyst
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    I think too that we misunderstand "supplementing". Often times we are seeing vitamin and mineral supplements with 500%, 1000%, and more of the RDA. That isn't "supplementing". It's overdosing.

    We over emphasize the idea that bigger is always better. If a little is good, a lot must be more gooder...:noway:

    It gives you expensive urine, but nothing more.
  • Derf_Smeggle
    Derf_Smeggle Posts: 610 Member
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    I think too that we misunderstand "supplementing". Often times we are seeing vitamin and mineral supplements with 500%, 1000%, and more of the RDA. That isn't "supplementing". It's overdosing.

    We over emphasize the idea that bigger is always better. If a little is good, a lot must be more gooder...:noway:

    It gives you expensive urine, but nothing more.
    In some cases it can increase a person's risk of certain types of cancer, so not just expensive urine.
  • BenjaminMFP88
    BenjaminMFP88 Posts: 660 Member
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    As much as I'm uncertain as to the necessity and effectiveness of vitamins, I'm not certain any article I read on a main broadcast newschannel would be enough to sway me in either direction. I'll wait for a reliable study that I can read through...
  • jaygreen55
    jaygreen55 Posts: 315 Member
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    As much as I'm uncertain as to the necessity and effectiveness of vitamins, I'm not certain any article I read on a main broadcast newschannel would be enough to sway me in either direction. I'll wait for a reliable study that I can read through...

    Here are links to the studies that the media reports are based on: (The Annals of Internal Medicine)

    Oral High-Dose Multivitamins and Minerals After Myocardial Infarction: A Randomized Trial
    http://annals.org/article.aspx?articleid=1789248

    Long-Term Multivitamin Supplementation and Cognitive Function in Men: A Randomized Trial
    http://annals.org/article.aspx?articleid=1789250

    Vitamin and Mineral Supplements in the Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease and Cancer: An Updated Systematic Evidence Review for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force
    http://annals.org/article.aspx?articleid=1767855

    The accompanying editorial:

    Enough Is Enough: Stop Wasting Money on Vitamin and Mineral Supplements
    http://annals.org/article.aspx?articleid=1789253


    The Annals is a well respected and reliable medical journal. Right up there with the New England journal of medicine
  • 34blast
    34blast Posts: 166 Member
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    jaygreen55 has a good post with good references.

    I used to supplement with everything. The only benefit I got was placebo. I do nothing now and eat healthy and feel 50 times better. I think most supplements offer more harm than good. Supplements are mostly created to make the manufacturer money. They are good at targeting our fears and giving false hope about health. Unless you are deficient, you don't need them (vitamins). What you need to do is eat and live a healthier lifestyle.