Vitamin supplements

[csb (Craig)]

Do vitamin supplements, namely multivitamins, actually provide enough extra vitamins for the body.

I have done some internet research and most of the info says that multivitamins are synthetic vitamins and that they are not easily used by the body. Some info said only half the vitamins get absorbed for use.

So, I have started drinking V8 juice because it has natural vitamins from vegetables. I drink it daily for extra dose because I think my diet could be better.

What do other people take?

[DJVege]

Vitamins are just supplements. You should try to get AS MUCH as you can from clean eating and use vitamins as a "touch up". Yes, if you eat 8mg of some vitamin, you probably won't absorb all 8mg, however this can also be true for food.

Eg. When you eat foods high in iron, to get as much absorption as possible, you want to eat some vitamin C (fruit) to help with absorption.

I take multivitamins, a garlic, c and horseradish, and a fish oil.

There are many arguments for and against wrt. are they useful or not, but the theory I agree with is: The more we refine natural foods, the more chance there is of removing vitamins and minerals during the refinement process.

So eat a good variety of food. The best thing you can do for nutrition (most things actually ) is to learn about it. Learning what is in the food you eat, and what you are actually ingesting daily will help you change your eating habits for the better.

[Baddad (Marty)]

I agree with DJVege.
In my earlier days I was into supplements. Not in a big way. Simply taking a multivi every second day. With amino acids. I was heavily into sports and body building.
Now I just take multvis every second or third day.

I was continuously researching the benefits for several years. I found many doctors' patients had bad or poor diets that caused their ailments. I mean DIETS. That is the single most important issue to good health. Supplements help but are not the only answer. They are only beneficial if the body requires some of the extra. Otherwise most goes out the to waste. On a well balanced diet most of the supplements benefit the sewer biology.

Something that interested me years ago is the fact that people in fishing villages generally lived long lives. Seawater contains a great many minerals etc. Fish are living in it and are exposed to absorb these minerals. There is a difference in fats between the sea harvest and land. Other differences are there but the conclusion I seem to reach is that fish is good.
Not too many fat fishermen about. Way of life contributes I expect.

Don't become overly concerned with supplements unless you are excessively stressed in some way. A little may be good but some vitamins in large doses can be harmful.

Cheers

[OzStarGazer]

I take both vitamins (3 to 6 tablets a day) AND drink V8 juice and I am always sick anyway... I don't eat much though.

[glend (Glen)]

If you can afford to throw money at these supplements there are probably worse ways to waste your money but honestly they just create the impression your doing something - the medical fraternity can not find any benefit. If you eat a well balanced diet there is no need for them.

[csb (Craig)]

Well, I agree with just about everything you have all said. My diet is my main concern - not enough fruit n veg. So I think the V8 juice should help.

DJVege, I have read about companion foods, that when eaten together help absorption of nutrition. It seems this has instinctively happened in many cultures since millenia but in modern times we can now eat whatever takes our fancy.

So I'm tryng to increase my F&V intake and I already eat sardines a couple of times a week, on sandwiches.

[Terry B]

I take no supplements at all and am no less healthy than most people. My diet is average albeit fairly high fiber.
Save your money and spend it on something useful like more astronomy stuff.

Most people take supplements to "improve wellness"
When the Pan pharmaceutical fiasco occurred some years ago the use of supplements plummeted for a few months and there was no increase in "illness" in our society as a result.

[csb (Craig)]

I'm also healthy. No regular medications, slight elevated cholesterol and about 5kg overweight.

So, you are right Terry, I don't want to waste money so I decided to give vitamin supps a miss.

But at 53 I consider my health in future years and I know my diet is lacking a bit.

Also should do some exercise. I'll start tomorrow or the day after that

[jjz (Joe)]

The only supplement I ever noticed a difference when taking it was Vital Greens, you can get a 10 day travel pack to give it a shot.

But be warned a lot of people cant stomach the taste, personally i have no problem taking it. I find my energy levels are higher and I dont get sick for nearly as long when on it.


http://www.martinandpleasance.com/br...-vital-greens/

[chiaroscuro (Luke)]

This is a pet topic of mine because when I walk through shopping centres and see how much people spend on vitamins, it makes me weep.

If you are fit and healthy, with a varied diet - i.e. eat fruit, vegetables, meat and fish, then you have no need to take any vitamin supplements at all. It just makes for expensive urine.
Here are a couple of exceptions which are backed up by evidence in the medical literature:
-pregnant women or women planning on pregnancy should take folic acid daily to reduce the risk of neural tube defects (e.g. spina bifida), and iron to reduce the anaemia or iron deficiency of pregnancy.
-people with black or brown skin, or those who cover up completely from the sun, are at risk of Vitamin D deficiency and may need a Vitamin D supplement
- people with specific illnesses might need to take a vitamin, like those with severe liver impairment, alcoholism, needing Vitamin B 12 and folate.
-vegans and some vegetarians, will find it difficult to get sufficient Vitamin B12, B6 and iron without taking a supplement.

There is excellent evidence that taking vitamin C, echinacea etc during a cold has no effect on its severity or duration. Many people swear by them, but thats the placebo effect - in randomised controlled trials, they are no different to placebo.

Things like fish oil are very popular now, and there is emerging evidence that they reduce the risk of stroke and heart attack, but why not eat more fish?

[ZeroID (Brent)]

I'm nearly 66, I don't take vitamins, I eat bloody well !
I've just suffered a DIY injury, mashed up finger in a saw but after three weeks it is healing so fast that both the doctor and the physio are amazed at how it is healing up.
I occaisonally take Glucosamine for joint mobility, my knees are getting a wee bit cranky.
Beyond that we eat a Mediterranean style diet with small high quality meat portions and plenty of vegetables and fruit. Asian and Mediterranean\Middle Eastern cooking styles lend themselves to those kinds of food and I have discovered more flavours than I knew existed with minimum salt, sugar and fat involved.
We still drink beer, red wine and have chocolate and nibbles but in moderation. We don't live on the stuff.
My blood pressure is 125/80 (low for my bage I am told) and weight is 83 kg, correct for my height. I ride bike and walk a lot and have yet to be admitted to a hospital for any sickness or ill health ( accidents to hands excepting of course).
Get a good diet and dump the pills, they are a waste of money. Latest research says that most Omega 3 capsules fail to meet their own specifications, eat real fish. Tastes much better than gelatin and oil.

[louie_the_fly (Stew)]

When my wife was diagnosed with cancer vitamin supplements was one of the things we discussed with the oncologist. He pointed us to the results of numerous clinical trials that had been done both here and overseas that showed that vitamin supplements have little to no benefits, even in participants with a less than ideal diet. In fact, in some cases they had the opposite effect. They can also have a negative interaction with the chemo drugs.

[Renato1 (Renato)]

If I find that I'm sleeping too much, half a cheap vitamin B complex pill reduces my sleeping hours to four or five, and leaves me wide awake the rest of the day.

Can't say I've ever noticed any effect from taking general multi-vitamins.
Cheers,
Renato

[louie_the_fly (Stew)]

Originally Posted by csb

Also should do some exercise. I'll start tomorrow or the day after that

I'll join you.

[PeterEde (Peter)]

ever notice your pee bright yellow after supplements? That's your kidneys filtering out all the un necessary extras. A balanced diet makes them unnecessary unless you are highly active.
One of the biggest conjobs going.

[csb (Craig)]

Luke, what you wrote are the basic conclusions I came to also. The V8 is possibly the same as eating extra veggies - no waste anyway as it is now part of my breakfast.

Actually, it was the smell of multivitamins that got me researching. I thought so repulsive there's gotta be something else. Plus slowly improving my diet.

Brent, healthy healing is a very good sign. Good for you. It's probably more accurate to say your BP 125/80 is good for your age (it is actually normal healthy range). BP does not necessarily increase with age. Some peoples BP goes too low with age although whether high or low it is due to health issues. Wear n tear starts showing.

[csb (Craig)]

That's the spirit Stewart! I'm sweating just thinking about putting on the running shoes

[Renato1 (Renato)]

Originally Posted by PeterEde

ever notice your pee bright yellow after supplements? That's your kidneys filtering out all the un necessary extras. A balanced diet makes them unnecessary unless you are highly active.
One of the biggest conjobs going.

But who is going to analyse what went out compared to what went in?

If one doesn't eat much by way of green vegetables for a few days, I can't imagine some portion of those multi-vitamins not being used in any way whatsoever.

If one doesn't get any sun - ever - as seems to be the case with some of my relatives, some Vitamin D might be useful.
Regards,
Renato

[Solitarian]

Originally Posted by csb

The V8 is possibly the same as eating extra veggies - no waste anyway as it is now part of my breakfast.

Add a good bowl of fruit loops and a couple of whole grain pop tarts and that'll cover vegies, fruit and cereals

[RobF (Rob)]

People eating a varied Aussie diet are probably fine.
Its worth considering that a roomful of Aussie won't necessarily all be "normal" though.

- incidence of coeliac disease is increasing, and can damage surface area of gut available to absorb some nutrients
- some will be vegans or on extreme health diets
- some people eat quite poorly - lots of processed food, fried takeways, etc
- vit D deficiency lots more common in southern latitudes and darker skins as mentioned
- some fads such as sea salt crystals mean you could be missing out on benefits of iodine fortification in plain table salt


For people who know they're not always eating as healthy as they could be, an infrequent weekly or biweekly multivitamin might top up levels.

There can be all sorts of other health benefits getting vitamins from "real food" though. Fibre, anti-oxidants, trace elements, bacterial flora. Nature is rarely so straight forward that swallowing a single substance will help an otherwise health individual.

Lots and lots of naturipaths and questionable labs offering live blood testing, zinc taste tests, hair metals testing and all sorts of things to help people lose excess money.