Interesting article on vitamin supplements

Blackjack200

Lifer
May 28, 2007
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http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/09/opinion/sunday/dont-take-your-vitamins.html?pagewanted=all

Really interesting Op-Ed written by the chief of infectious disease at CHOP.

In the past, whenever people asked me about vitamins I would just shrug my shoulders and say that I don't take them, but now I think I'm going to warn them away unless they have a specific need.

Pretty amazing what the fucking vitamin industry was able to accomplish.

Edit: It looks like if the Vitamin Industry is going to respond, they will post the response here: https://www.npainfo.org/NPA/NewsRoo...spx?hkey=85e6c021-b651-4864-be8b-33e1af704093

I'll be keeping my eye out for it. I don't see how they could not respond.
 
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jaedaliu

Platinum Member
Feb 25, 2005
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An additional theory on why these large doses of antioxidants are harmful is that a single antioxidant can't replicate the effects of all the other different antioxidants consumed through normal eating. The large bolus of the single antioxidant also appears to inhibit the body's producton of antioxidants.

There doesn't seem to be much in the article about multivitamins, which I would assume are what most people take.
 

Blackjack200

Lifer
May 28, 2007
15,995
1,686
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There doesn't seem to be much in the article about multivitamins, which I would assume are what most people take.

Edited title, I group multivitamins in with all vitamin supplements, maybe that's wrong, I don't know. To your point, the article just discusses "vitamins".
 
Mar 22, 2002
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I read several research articles on this years ago and have been saying it since then. If you're deficient, then take only what you need (unless you're malnourished). If you're not, then you need to find a way to get what you need through your diet.
 

episodic

Lifer
Feb 7, 2004
11,088
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There are only a few I take. Vitamin D, Magnesium Citrate, Boron, Fish Oil, and Glucosamine. If I'm sick or injured, I take some 'C'. Other than that, that is it.

D - because alot of days I'm stuck inside.
Magnesium - it actually stopped my leg cramps - it also stopped my restless leg thing
Fish oil - inflammation and I can't afford fish all the time.
Glucosamine - I'm praying it does something, know that it might not
Boron - read several studies that countries with boron rich water supplies have much lower rates of arthritis. Also took it because I found some vague references to it helping with heel spurring. Dubious at best, but I'm willing to try anything to stave off surgery on my feet, and since I've been taking it - nothing has got worse. Antedotal at best, I know.
 
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BeeBoop

Golden Member
Feb 5, 2013
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But how do you know if you are deficient in a certain vitamin? There is so many to keep track.

*
Edit: I just threw my vitamin E away. Don't know what to do about my fish oil or One a day men's multivitamin. lol
 
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Mar 22, 2002
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But how do you know if you are deficient in a certain vitamin? There is so many to keep track.

*
Edit: I just threw my vitamin E away. Don't know what to do about my fish oil or One a day men's multivitamin. lol

Fish oil is not a vitamin and has a lot of research supporting it with no downsides. Also, vitamin D levels are pretty frequently checked by your physician. The others aren't very frequently measured unless there is pathology (like pernicious anemia as a result of vitamin B12 deficiency). Multivitamins are a problem because they nuke everything, even if you're not deficient.
 

DAGTA

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
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Discussing "vitamins" as one group of things is as useless as discussing "computers" as one group of things and making generalized statements.

The generic manufactured multi-vitamin you buy at Walgreens for a few dollars a bottle is drastically different from buying a medical grade supplement based on food sources. I can write an article summarizing all computers as weak and ineffective after I've purchased a 10 year old e-machine off of ebay for $20. Not the same thing as buying a new custom-built gaming machine.

Whole-food based supplements targeting specific deficiencies can greatly assist the body in balancing nutrition and healing. The cheap synthetic multi-vitamins you find at Walgreens or GNC tend to be garbage and a waste of money.
 

Lazarus52980

Senior member
Sep 14, 2010
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Fish oil is not a vitamin and has a lot of research supporting it with no downsides. Also, vitamin D levels are pretty frequently checked by your physician. The others aren't very frequently measured unless there is pathology (like pernicious anemia as a result of vitamin B12 deficiency). Multivitamins are a problem because they nuke everything, even if you're not deficient.


I would like a little more clarification on this please SC. Based on this, I would like to consider not having my children take gummy vitamins anymore. However, how do I then ensure they get ALL their needed vitamins? I can create "balanced" meals and weekly meal planning, but how do I know I am not keeping them short of something they need?
 

preslove

Lifer
Sep 10, 2003
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Instead of vitamins, I've been increasing my anti-oxidants with specific foods/drinks. I drink a ton of tea and eat >70% & 80% dark chocolate.

Both of these have tons of evidence showing health benefits, whereas vitamins are not evidence based.
 
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Mar 22, 2002
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I would like a little more clarification on this please SC. Based on this, I would like to consider not having my children take gummy vitamins anymore. However, how do I then ensure they get ALL their needed vitamins? I can create "balanced" meals and weekly meal planning, but how do I know I am not keeping them short of something they need?

I think people over-think this quite a bit. Some people with terrible diets still thrive and are healthy. If you're making a conscious effort to give them a variety of fruits, veggies, nuts, and dairy products, they will almost be guaranteed to get what they need. To be honest, I'm just like you when it comes to wanting to be sure. When I have kids, I'll likely research the main vitamins, find the best bang for your bug items (kale, beets, blueberries, every veggie/fruit that is vividly colorful) and make that a staple. You'll find that there are a lot of vitamins that are very easy to get enough of through diet (vitamin C, many of the vitamin Bs for example) or other activity (vitamin D and sun exposure). Things that are more difficult to get good amounts of that are important for kids are Calcium, which essentially predicts their lifelong bone health. If you're that concerned, meeting with a registered dietician once might not be a bad idea to settle any concerns you may have.
 

Lazarus52980

Senior member
Sep 14, 2010
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I think people over-think this quite a bit. Some people with terrible diets still thrive and are healthy. If you're making a conscious effort to give them a variety of fruits, veggies, nuts, and dairy products, they will almost be guaranteed to get what they need. To be honest, I'm just like you when it comes to wanting to be sure. When I have kids, I'll likely research the main vitamins, find the best bang for your bug items (kale, beets, blueberries, every veggie/fruit that is vividly colorful) and make that a staple. You'll find that there are a lot of vitamins that are very easy to get enough of through diet (vitamin C, many of the vitamin Bs for example) or other activity (vitamin D and sun exposure). Things that are more difficult to get good amounts of that are important for kids are Calcium, which essentially predicts their lifelong bone health. If you're that concerned, meeting with a registered dietician once might not be a bad idea to settle any concerns you may have.

Dairy is the biggest problem in my house, since all of my children are lactose intolerant to some degree or another (My oldest was even born with it). So, maybe we just take calcium/vitamin D supplements?

Thank you for the advice SC, I appreciate it. :)
 
Mar 22, 2002
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Dairy is the biggest problem in my house, since all of my children are lactose intolerant to some degree or another (My oldest was even born with it). So, maybe we just take calcium/vitamin D supplements?

Thank you for the advice SC, I appreciate it. :)

If they are outside enough, the vitamin D thing will manage itself. If they are lactose intolerant, you can look up what vegetables are high in calcium as well. And the other alternative is to take up a small to moderate amount of soy products (soy beans, tofu) as they are typically high in calcium. Soy, in reasonable amounts, isn't bad for anyone (unlike what some people may say). People that say that are spouting off bro science, as there are many papers out there showing that eating soy products is actually pretty good for you and doesn't modify hormone levels.
 

DAGTA

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
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If they are outside enough, the vitamin D thing will manage itself. If they are lactose intolerant, you can look up what vegetables are high in calcium as well. And the other alternative is to take up a small to moderate amount of soy products (soy beans, tofu) as they are typically high in calcium. Soy, in reasonable amounts, isn't bad for anyone (unlike what some people may say). People that say that are spouting off bro science, as there are many papers out there showing that eating soy products is actually pretty good for you and doesn't modify hormone levels.

Broccoli is high in calcium. Cow-based dairy is not healthy for humans anyway.
 
Mar 22, 2002
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Broccoli is high in calcium. Cow-based dairy is not healthy for humans anyway.

Broccoli actually isn't high at all in calcium. Link: http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2356/2. Granted, that's one source but I've read up quite a bit on calcium high vegetables due to recent research showing calcium supplementation might be linked to increased risk of heart attack in women. Soy is pretty much the highest, AFAIK.

Dairy has research that suggests things both ways. It has a ton of calcium and, in active children, it's perfectly fine. In sedentary kids, any drink with calories is essentially bad for them because it has a reduced satiety response in the body. Kid drinks calories, body doesn't recognize it, then eats to make up for it.
 

njdevilsfan87

Platinum Member
Apr 19, 2007
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I was under the impression that multivitamins were ok, because they are balanced, so you just piss out the majority of them...

The article mentions "megavitamins". What are we talking about here? The multivitamin I take is mostly 100% of everything. It doesn't seem like a lot, and looks well balanced, especially considering the labels are based off a 2000 calorie diet, and I take in at least 3500 per day.

I've seen vitamin labels have absurd amounts like 500-5000% daily value. Now that, I can obviously understand cannot be good for you (unless you are deficient). But I thought this was already common knowledge so maybe it's not that?
 

billbobaggins87

Senior member
Jan 9, 2012
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there are also many studies that prove the opposite with certain vitamins. I'll try to make a point to link when i come across them. last one i remember reading show'd significant improvements with b-12. sadly i'm not confident enough to say what its direct influence was on
 

Murloc

Diamond Member
Jun 24, 2008
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I can obviously understand cannot be good for you (unless you are deficient). But I thought this was already common knowledge so maybe it's not that?
some people start taking vitamin C and then increase the dose because it makes them feel good, until it starts burning when you piss. Then they fall from the clouds when they discover it's because of these magic multivitamins.
Some people just can't understand that everything is healthy and everything is bad depending on the those (with various treshold values), I think that's why you get people doing stupid diets and then cheating all the time and failing. Kinda applies to anything.