Are MULTIVITAMINS bad for you?

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  • mrh1227
    mrh1227 Posts: 37
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    There are two types of vitamins, liquids and solids.

    Solids tend to be the ones that get the most flak about not actually providing any health benefits. This is because if you take them while the body isn't digesting other food in your stomach, you are losing a great deal of those nutrients. Taking the pill while eating will ensure you get the most out of it.

    Liquids on the other hand can be processed by the body far more easily and can be taken without eating another food while you take it.

    I personally prefer the solid multivitamins, just because the one I use has more of what I need and I take them at a proper time. MAKE SURE you don't just take a solid vitamin pill just because you forgot, its doing far less than if you were to just wait until your next meal to take it instead.
  • ghettosmurf999
    ghettosmurf999 Posts: 33 Member
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    You're body is pretty good at discarding what it doesn't want - you're body will normally only absorb what it needs to and flush out the rest - hence eating too much vitamin C can give you the s***s
  • UponThisRock
    UponThisRock Posts: 4,522 Member
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    You can plug in a typical day's diet at nutritiondata.com, you can find out where your diet is lacking.

    My opinion is that the usefulness of daily multivitamins to make up for where your diet is lacking is a theory that has never really been proven. I keep a multi on hand for those rare days when I feel like I didn't eat enough fruits & veggies.
  • jendarlin
    jendarlin Posts: 184 Member
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    I don't know , but I was taking a women's multi-vitamin and keep breaking out in rashes and had elevated liver enzymes. I stopped taking it and everything is back to normal finally several months later. I will not take any more!
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    plug in a typical day's diet at nutritiondata.com, you can find out where you're lacking.

    That's a decent way to evaluate your diet, but to know what your body is lacking you'd need a blood test. It's not wise to assume that every vitamin contained in the food you eat gets absorbed.
  • Puddykat1026
    Puddykat1026 Posts: 164 Member
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    I stopped taking a women's one-a-day when the 100% iron stopped me up for 4 days. I gained 6 lbs in 4 days because I couldn't "eliminate". Now that I'm eating healthier, I find that I do not need the vitamin. I do take 1 vitamin c a day because I already know I do not get enough of that. If you choose to take a vitamin, just make sure it's not 100% on everything.
  • Angelap1121
    Angelap1121 Posts: 18
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    I take the Usana essentials and I have loved them. I don't get sick like I use too. Even though I am eating healthier with the way foods are now it is still very hard to get all your essential vitamins. I am not worried about overdosing on vitamins. I feel like now there is study showing that everything we do is bad for us. I can't wait to see how milk has killed people.
  • UponThisRock
    UponThisRock Posts: 4,522 Member
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    plug in a typical day's diet at nutritiondata.com, you can find out where you're lacking.

    That's a decent way to evaluate your diet, but to know what your body is lacking you'd need a blood test. It's not wise to assume that every vitamin contained in the food you eat gets absorbed.

    I agree, especially with respect to vitamin D.
  • HMonsterX
    HMonsterX Posts: 3,000 Member
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    I take them everyday. It's my only real source of vitamins and minerals

    Same here. I know its not ideal, but better than nothing.
  • SafireBleu
    SafireBleu Posts: 881 Member
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    You're body is pretty good at discarding what it doesn't want - you're body will normally only absorb what it needs to and flush out the rest - hence eating too much vitamin C can give you the s***s
    But calcium will deposit itself in different parts of your body like Kidney Stones. There are some vitamins and minerals your body can not flush out effectively so you need to be careful.
  • IndigoVA
    IndigoVA Posts: 164 Member
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    I think the general consensus is that a multivitamin is healthy for most people. But vitamins, like anything else, can be overdone. I know my mother used to keep our entire refrigerator door full of vitamins when I was growing up. She was constantly popping mega-doses of individual vitamins. She has lots of health problems now, so who knows if that was part of the cause or just a coincidence.
    Personally, I take a multivitamin and Omega 3 supplement every day. During my TOM, I also take an iron supplement.
  • ashnm88
    ashnm88 Posts: 748
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    I've heard after a certain age they can be harmful for women.
  • pauljsolie
    pauljsolie Posts: 1,024 Member
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    if you eat good and healthy you do not need vitamins

    Ahhhh, a voice of reason. Thank you!!!
  • sobriquet84
    sobriquet84 Posts: 607 Member
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    The only thing in a multi that you can get "too much of" is iron, however, if you're a female, its pretty darn hard to get "too much" iron. Men should probably opt for an iron-free multi, but I'm pretty sure all men's multis are iron-free. But the negative effects of too much iron is only a concern if its a chronic/every day/long term thing.


    Other than that, there is no such thing as ODing on vitamins/minerals because of your multi.

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