Multivitamins? Yes or No

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cashidy
cashidy Posts: 152 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello!
I take a one a day multivitamin with 100% or more of everything (including iron) 5 days a week. I also take a fish oil and a yogurt culture pill (acidophilus).

My question is: is taking a multivitamin good? I felt like it is since I am cutting calories and sometimes don't eat the right things, so it makes up for those days when I might be lacking a few nutrients.

I was told by someone else that multivitamins are "poisonous" or generally not good for your health.

What is your advice?

Thank you in advance!
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Replies

  • lynnskaggs
    lynnskaggs Posts: 11 Member
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    I take an iron (because I have always been anemic) and Centrum energy....I've seen good results and have never heard anything bad, it's what my pharmacist suggested
  • cashidy
    cashidy Posts: 152 Member
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    On the same thread, do taking vitamins really reduce cravings because your nutrients are being met at a basic level?
  • cashidy
    cashidy Posts: 152 Member
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    lynnskaggs wrote: »
    I take an iron (because I have always been anemic) and Centrum energy....I've seen good results and have never heard anything bad, it's what my pharmacist suggested

    Me too! I sometimes dip into anemia so I was told to take one, and finally have been on track with having them 5 days a week. I only take them 5 days a week cause I take one each day at my desk at work. I also figure it gives me two days to detox if I got too much ADEK.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
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    cashidy wrote: »
    On the same thread, do taking vitamins really reduce cravings because your nutrients are being met at a basic level?

    There is little reliable evidence that cravings are linked to vitamin deficiencies (barring a few rare medical conditions).
  • jjpptt2
    jjpptt2 Posts: 5,650 Member
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    I take them because my diet sucks and I'm pretty certain I'm deficient in a number of things.

    I've seen no correlation between vitamins/nutrient intake and cravings... but cravings can result from a number of reasons, so I can't say for certain. Though I am and will remain skeptical.
  • lynnskaggs
    lynnskaggs Posts: 11 Member
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    me too....I don't take them over the weekend because I don't remember to....also too much iron messes with my thyroid meds....and I don't see a correlation between cravings and vitamins....last night I wanted something comforting but had taken vitamins all week so.....I doubt it.

    My iron gets so low that my gold jewelry will turn my skin black, that's why I started my iron pills
  • spiriteagle99
    spiriteagle99 Posts: 3,676 Member
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    I take a multi plus extra iron because my ferritin was low and it was affecting my running, badly. Most multivitamins don't contain 100% of those vitamins that can do harm if taken in excess (like iron and calcium) but do contain 100% or more of those vitamins that are flushed out if not needed. They aren't dangerous unless you OD on what you are taking. I've read that they aren't necessary for most people, but I know I don't get enough vegetables or calcium, so I use the multi to fill in some of the gaps.
  • PennWalker
    PennWalker Posts: 554 Member
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    I've started taking a multivitamin for the vitamin D.

    Low vitamin D is linked to colon cancer. I had a medical exam that caught a problem before it turned into cancer, so I'm very lucky. I have a lifelong habit of not eating dairy. I still don't want dairy, but I can get the same vitamins in fortified plant milk (I like cashew) and other fortified food, plus I've started vitamin pills.
  • Fit_in_Folsom
    Fit_in_Folsom Posts: 220 Member
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    I take a multi every day. Not sure if it helps with cravings, but I do think it is important for me. I try to go with some of the higher end brands for quality, but I always question if that is getting me anything ;-)
  • annacole94
    annacole94 Posts: 997 Member
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    Any woman of childbearing age that's sexually active that might keep an accidental pregnancy should probably just take prenatal multivitamins. Something like half of pregnancies are unplanned, and the folic acid that is most of the point of prenatal vitamins is most needed most early on.

    I still take them, despite being permanently done having children, as I donate blood and they have a good level of iron compared to other multivitamins. Plus I can get a big bottle cheap at Costco.

    I don't think there's any magic to it - take it if you like, and don't spend too much money on anything fancy. If you're bothering with probiotics, the ones that are refrigerated are better than those just on the shelf, and fermented foods are better than either. Plus lactofermented veggies are delicious and inexpensive.
  • bpotts44
    bpotts44 Posts: 1,066 Member
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    Everyone should have their blood serum Vitamin D tested and supplement up to 40 ug/l. This is going to involve supplementation of 1000-5000 IU for most people daily. Multivitamins will not have close to enough. You should probably take some A with the D especially if you don't get much A in your diet.
  • annacole94
    annacole94 Posts: 997 Member
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    bpotts44 wrote: »
    Everyone should have their blood serum Vitamin D tested and supplement up to 40 ug/l. This is going to involve supplementation of 1000-5000 IU for most people daily. Multivitamins will not have close to enough. You should probably take some A with the D especially if you don't get much A in your diet.
    Ah yes, particularly if you live in a place where there is winter. I take 1000 IU Vitamin D/day from whenever I start wearing clothing that covers 99% of my body until I take it off in the spring. ;) Plus what's in my multi. My doctor actually declined to test my levels and pretty much said everyone comes back low. I live in Canada - there's no Vitamin D being made in my skin from Oct - Apr.
  • CSARdiver
    CSARdiver Posts: 6,252 Member
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    cashidy wrote: »
    Hello!
    I take a one a day multivitamin with 100% or more of everything (including iron) 5 days a week. I also take a fish oil and a yogurt culture pill (acidophilus).

    My question is: is taking a multivitamin good? I felt like it is since I am cutting calories and sometimes don't eat the right things, so it makes up for those days when I might be lacking a few nutrients.

    I was told by someone else that multivitamins are "poisonous" or generally not good for your health.

    What is your advice?

    Thank you in advance!

    There is little evidence to support taking a daily multivitamin. There is also little evidence to suggest that it is harmful - hence the reason why it is classified as a supplement. This shows that there is little potential for harm.

    Most people do not need a multivitamin. Most people do need Omega 3 supplements. This is all sweeping generalization, so you need to do your own evaluation on your diet.
  • bpotts44
    bpotts44 Posts: 1,066 Member
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    annacole94 wrote: »
    bpotts44 wrote: »
    Everyone should have their blood serum Vitamin D tested and supplement up to 40 ug/l. This is going to involve supplementation of 1000-5000 IU for most people daily. Multivitamins will not have close to enough. You should probably take some A with the D especially if you don't get much A in your diet.
    Ah yes, particularly if you live in a place where there is winter. I take 1000 IU Vitamin D/day from whenever I start wearing clothing that covers 99% of my body until I take it off in the spring. ;) Plus what's in my multi. My doctor actually declined to test my levels and pretty much said everyone comes back low. I live in Canada - there's no Vitamin D being made in my skin from Oct - Apr.

    You should test while supplementing. I would think 1000 iu probably not enough.
  • tomteboda
    tomteboda Posts: 2,171 Member
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    I take a basic multivitamin because it helps in case my diet isn't varied enough and because I'm a woman of childbearing age. I cared for a girl with spina bifida... Neutral tube defects can be prevented by proper folic acid intake, and they occur around day 10 of gestation, well before a woman knows she's pregnant.

    I also take 5000mg vitamins D3 on my doctor's orders because I have very low serum D3. This is common for people who have Lupus, doubly so if you live in the north.
  • bpotts44
    bpotts44 Posts: 1,066 Member
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    Yes! Folate is critical for women of child bearing age, looking to get pregnant or pregnant. Egg yolks are a good source as well as supplementation.
  • jonjaxmom
    jonjaxmom Posts: 77 Member
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    I take D3 supplement since I am in new England (no sunbathing this time of year! ha!) in addition to a fiber supplement. I am T1D and eating low carb.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,910 Member
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    cashidy wrote: »
    lynnskaggs wrote: »
    I take an iron (because I have always been anemic) and Centrum energy....I've seen good results and have never heard anything bad, it's what my pharmacist suggested

    Me too! I sometimes dip into anemia so I was told to take one, and finally have been on track with having them 5 days a week. I only take them 5 days a week cause I take one each day at my desk at work. I also figure it gives me two days to detox if I got too much ADEK.

    I'm anemic and need to take way more than the RDA of iron to keep my iron levels up to Low Normal. Since you're anemic, I suggest you get your levels tested at least yearly and discuss your supplementation strategy with your doctor.

    Unless you are also binging on liver, your current '5 days a week of the RDA' strategy doesn't make any sense for someone who dips into anemia.
  • CynthiasChoice
    CynthiasChoice Posts: 1,047 Member
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    I've heard that supplementing with Vitamin D is not helpful unless you also supplement with Vitamin K, Calcium and Magnesium.

    I've also heard that too much Folic Acid during pregnancy can cause autism in the child. There's so much we don't know, so we can't say for sure if Vitamins are helpful or harmful.

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