[olga]

Well, I was surprised to read this article. I take my share of vitamins and now I wonder if I ought to just not bother. Here's a link to the story in the NY Times:

http://www.nytimes.c...1...=1&emc=eta1

Now, I think that if you don't eat a balanced diet with lots of veggies and whole grains and all that, you probably do need some vitamins. I also intend to keep taking calcium for my bones, and flaxseed oil for my eyes and other stuff. But I'm rethinking the other ones, including the multivitamin.

I'm definitely never taking extra Vitamin C or E again....


olga

[tiredoftherapy21]

I rarely take vitamins anymore, bc there really isnt no proof that they do very much good.
But I do believe the only ones they said helped were prenatals when you are pregnant that is ist.

[sorrel]

I read that too, and I think some things are being confused.

There is no evidence that vitamins, especially megadoses, prevent cancer or prevent chronic disease in general, or prevent you from getting colds or anything like that. Megadoses are a bad idea in general.

That being said, there is such a thing as vitamin deficiencies, and they can be a very bad thing, and the only reason everyone's forgotten about them is because of fortified foods, vitamin supplements and so on. If someone has a restricted diet for any reason (food allergies, veganism, laziness, or whatever) I think it's a good idea to take a multivitamin. And in normal doses, it's harmless. Because we live in developed nations where severe deficiencies are rare, everyone starts thinking, "Oh, we don't need vitamins."

Maybe you don't if your diet is okay, but it's sort of like vaccinations. Polio is extremely rare, but most people want to protect against it anyway.

JMO.

[r2mnot]

No mega doses, but I do take a multi w/ iron, calcium, and 100 mg vit C, all recommended by the doc I had before we moved here. My diet isn't horrible, but it is really erratic.
One thing that's kind of odd is that when I run out of C, I bruise really easily. (I run into stuff a lot whether I take vitamin C or not.)

[yellowbutterflies]

olga, on Feb 19 2009, 03:08 PM, said:

Well, I was surprised to read this article. I take my share of vitamins and now I wonder if I ought to just not bother. Here's a link to the story in the NY Times:

http://www.nytimes.c...1...=1&emc=eta1

Now, I think that if you don't eat a balanced diet with lots of veggies and whole grains and all that, you probably do need some vitamins. I also intend to keep taking calcium for my bones, and flaxseed oil for my eyes and other stuff. But I'm rethinking the other ones, including the multivitamin.

I'm definitely never taking extra Vitamin C or E again....


olga

Olga

Ask your doctor what he/she recommends next time you see them. They know your med history so they can give you qualified based on your health record and any pre-existing conditions. Note that some doctors are more likely to suggest vitamin supplements than others; it helps to have an idea of what vitamins you are interested in taking before you go to the doctor.

I used to think they were a waste of money - just a way of producing expensive piss. However, my doctor recommended I start a course of multi-vitamins after a year and a half of not having a menstral cycle (I put off going to the doctor, fearing the bad news). Within a month my cycyle was back, although it took years to become regular again. Note that I probably have a abnormal hormonal condition which may have contributed to this, but the multivitamins (and perhaps the reduced stress about not getting a period after seeing a doctor) probably tipped the scale towards a healthy outcome.

Small chemical deficiencies can occur in the body which produce profound health effects. It is inpractical to test for all deficiencies (although the most important and common ones are usually regularly tested) which is where multivitamins come in. I would recommend you stay on them unless you are bursting with good health already.

Sarah

PS: Just curious - why are you not taking v. C and E again? What effects did they have?

[olga]

Yellowbutterfles, I DID discuss this with my doctor today---that's part of the reason why it was on my mind tonight.

He doesn't believe in taking extra C and E. The article talked about how cancer cells grew faster with Vitamin C. The article also points out that free radicals are always painted as the "bad guys" and anti-oxidants are the "good guys" (and C is an anti-oxidant). Well, it's not that cut and dried, and some free radicals perform important functions in your body, so knocking them out with Vitamin C isn't always a good idea.

My doctor is a vegan and very knowledgeable about nutrition, and we've had many discussions on this subject. I have always maintained that my varied and healthy diet is providing me with most, if not all, of the vitamins and minerals I need. I'm willing to take calcium, but even that is kind of dumb because of the amount of dairy products, soy milk and greens that I eat. He wants me to take it for my bones, but I think I'm probably just peeing away a lot of excess calcium.

I am indeed "bursting with good health." I sleep well, I have good energy all day, I exercise 45 minutes every day, I have clear skin and shiny hair, and there isn't a food I have come across that bothers my digestion. So I really don't think I need some of the vitamins I'm taking. He and I will keep fighting about it, I'm sure.

The things that are wrong with me (glaucoma, high blood pressure and high cholesterol) don't seem to improve no matter how careful I am with my diet and vitamins. I'm taking medicine for two of them and my cholesterol is an ongoing battle because I won't take statins again.

Read the article when you get a chance. It's very informative.

r2mnot, I may continue with the multi. Don't know.

sorrel, a lot of people don't even know that they're getting Vitamin D in milk and various B vitamins in cereals and so on. Enriched foods are a good thing for most people. We don't want to go back to having rickets and bad teeth and goiters.

olga

[Ophelia]

interesting article, olga.

yellow, obviously you are a special case and your specific health concerns are not reflective of most people. same with me, for example. I know that no matter what I have to take extra iron or I will be in big big trouble. when people just take vitamins for the, well, what they thought was added benefit... well, it might not be worth it. Just eating a balanced and vitamin-rich diet is probably enough.

[thunderstorm]

I take fish oil and glucosamine suppliments, primarily because i have problems with some of my joints, and they give me relief. The fish oil apparently helps with depression, too, so that's a nice potential side-effect

I tend to take B vitamins when Im travelling a lot, because my diet can get pretty bad.

[withing]

I take a multi-vitamin because my diet is, I'm sorry to say, not the best. I try to eat veggies now and again, but unless I'm really concentrating on my food intake, it's mostly carbs and protein. Since I don't partake of things that claim to be "fortified" - except the occasional glass of juice - I'm thinking that I'm not getting much from that area either. Most of my food at this time comes from the food court in the college or through the vending machines... ramen noodles anyone? That means I would probably be vitamin deficient without the multi-vitamin.

Before I started taking them regularly I had a few issues with hair falling out and thin nails and other such signs, so I think they're doing some good. I don't know if the salmon oil is doing me any good because I just went through a depression and my joints still hurt...

I skimmed through the article when it showed up in my Google reader. I'm in a crunch with mid-terms coming up and other things, so I didn't get a chance to read it thoroughly. I'll probably get back to it when I have a chance.

[thunderstorm]

I know the sodium levels can be kinda scary, but I love V8 juice.

[withing]

thunderstorm, on Feb 19 2009, 09:34 PM, said:

I know the sodium levels can be kinda scary, but I love V8 juice.

I like V8 juice too.

[december_brigette]

Hi,

I read the article. thanks for posting it, olga.

my concern that may contradict the article is folic acid. "everyone" always says women of child-bearing age should make sure they are getting adequate folic acid. apparently its important at the very beginning of conception.

of course, i think eating & drinking the foods that contain the stuff in vitamins are always better...

that said, several years ago when i first got preggers - i was introduced to the pre-natal vitamin. what i like best about those is that there is more iron than a regular mult-vitamin. and there are formulas (cant think of better word) that help make the iron easily digestible. this is also very helpful during PMS and on the period. especially for me. I know I dont get enough iron in my diet.

good topic!!
db

eta: i used the wrong word...stupid word recall sucks.

This post has been edited by december_brigette: 22 February 2009 - 05:24 PM

[null0trooper]

olga, on Feb 18 2009, 11:40 PM, said:

My doctor is a vegan and very knowledgeable about nutrition, and we've had many discussions on this subject. I have always maintained that my varied and healthy diet is providing me with most, if not all, of the vitamins and minerals I need. I'm willing to take calcium, but even that is kind of dumb because of the amount of dairy products, soy milk and greens that I eat. He wants me to take it for my bones, but I think I'm probably just peeing away a lot of excess calcium.

And anyone washing a calcium supplement down with a phosphoric acid-laden soda (e.g. Coca-Cola) might not even do that - calcium phosphate isn't particulalry soluble even at the pH of stomach acid. Sticking with natural foods such as greens - calcium and iron bound in plant matter as oxalates aren't particularly bioavailable either.

I'll add B12 to DB's mention of folic acid, as even a diet normally sufficient in the nutrient can be insufficient for some populations.

[kellmate]

I took a class on food and culture where we studied this stuff and there are many articles that prove that the problem with vitamins is that you're not getting them the way you need them. Now, not all supplements are useless, I took iron supplements for YEARS because I was anemic otherwise. Calcium is the same thing. There are some others, but mainly, you should be focusing on getting your vitamins from the food you eat and the sun. Also, some foods, when cooked or not cooked, do not give you the vitamins you think. That was really interesting. Find out if you need to cook or not cook something when you add it to your diet for vitamins because otherwise you might not be getting what you think from it.

Hope that made sense, lol.

[lottacrazy]

My step sons doctor said the same thing about vitamins, he said most over the counter vitamins are useless, we have to get his vitamins by prescription. He is on Omega something, zinc, fish oil, C, E, and D. He is on growth hormones though so he needs them I suppose.

I have heard that taking vitamins can actually cause negative side effects on healthy adults, especially women, weight gain is at the top of the side effects.

I my self dont take vitamins, I eat a lot of fruit and veggies so I think I am okay for now. I have always been afraid that I would start taking vitamins and become like 400 lbs or something.

[kdbeat]

I have to take my vitamins. A regular dosage--- like someone else said, taking more is basically the same as making expensive pee.
I have a super long history with anorexia and have done a lot of damage to my body...and I'm TRYING to eat healthily now (and trying to EAT period) but it's not as easy as that. Obviously it's better if I were to get all of the vit's naturally but If I have to take a supplement, I have to take a supplement.

[scatty]

I don't take a vitamin. Honey cooks a pretty healthy and varied diet. I took chewable vitamins throughout my 3 pregnancies. I always thought it was a good idea, especially getting enough iron to the baby. But regular vitamins, I don't think I need them.

[Ashdene]

With regards to the flaxseed oil, rather take fish oil becaue its more bioavaliable.

I recommend to my patients to take a good multivitamin (and it doesnt have to be prescription, vitamins are vitamins). Ideally you should get it through your diet, and Olga i know you eat well. But in genreral, even though lots of your food are fortified, our diets are shit and we don't get what we need. And personally i think that with all our mental illnesses its best to keep our bodies workng as best as possible.
Calcium is good especially as woman get older and our bone density lowers. If you a women get a multivitamin for women so its got extra folate and then take your omegas! And eat yummy healthy food, with all the different food groups!!
We all tend to over complicate the situation
xox

[mudpuppy]

For the most part, I think a well-balanced diet covers the majority of your nutritional bases.

I do believe that most of us fail to eat a well-balanced diet, and therein lies the crux.

Regardless of how balanced the diet, though, you cannot obtain Omega 3 Fatty Acids from our modern meat industry.
With cattle being raised on manufactured, grain based diets, rather than free-grazed, we are screwed out of nutrients we desperately need to be healthy.

Fish oil [fish BODY oil, not LIVER oil], and a diet high in salmon, are the best ways to replace those missing Fatty Acids.

Keep in mind that you need adequate amounts of Vitamin E, to process Omega 3's.

[Summer]

I have to disagree...

Enriched foods are a joke. They process the shit of the food until it's more like paste then food, then they inject it with vitamins your body can't absorb.

Milk is full of calcium, but the adult human body can't access calcium like that. Milk nutrients are for babies. For an adult, milk is ONLY a good source of protein.
Milk is also full of Vitamin D, but again, can't get it. Milk is for babies.
The Sun is really the best source of D. And yes, you can get Vitamin D even in the winter wearing a coat.

For most people a balanced diet covers your dietary needs, but all of us are living proof of what 'normal' is not. If our brain chemistry and absorbtion abilities were good, we wouldn't need to be hanging out on a crazy board.

Example...for a pregnant woman to get 800mcg of folic acid, she would have to eat 5lbs of broccoli a day.
If you are estrogen dominant (like everyone who eats or takes soy is) then the mineral you need to break down excess estrogen is in raw veggies. Except again, you need to eat something like 7.5lbs a day. And if you did...I'm not in that room. That much would give anyone excessive gas.
Zinc...easiest way to get that is through meat, poultry, or spinach. Who wants 2 Rib Eye's a day?

Enriched foods are stupid, most grocery store vitamins do not absorb fully, and more then 1/2 of our current population is saturated with preservatives and artifical god knows what, and the standard american diet isn't called SAD for nothing.

I think talking about diet enrichment is a much more positive topic then simply stating that you should toss out your Flintstones.