Multivitamins

[SuperBowlNachos]

Does anyone take a multivitamin every day? I thought about starting to just to get the extra boost of vitamins and other mineral. I eat fairly healthy. Could eat more fruit and veggies.

Pros and cons? What's a good brand to try?

[ESPNdeportes]

Re: Multivitamins

Maybe not perfectly applicable to you but this study made big news last month:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21987192

Conclusions In older women, several commonly used dietary vitamin and mineral supplements may be associated with increased total mortality risk; this association is strongest with supplemental iron. In contrast to the findings of many studies, calcium is associated with decreased risk.

Good commentary from the same issue:
"Vitamin and dietary supplement use has increased steadily in the United States, with a whopping 85% of women in the Iowa Women's Health Study reporting supplement use. The 1994 Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act helped to foster the growth of this industry by creating a new regulatory framework, which puts the onus on the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to show that supplements are unsafe before it can take action. Manufacturers are not required to disclose to the FDA or to consumers the evidence they have regarding their products' safety, nor must they empirically back up claims of purported benefits. This permissive approach has encouraged sales of more than $20 billion annually for dietary supplements. Mursu et al find that consumers are getting little value for this expenditure and that increased mortality is associated with most of the commonly used vitamins and mineral supplements, not to mention the opportunity costs. A better investment in health would be eating more fruits and vegetables, among other activities. Because commonly used vitamin and mineral supplements have no known benefit on mortality rate and have been shown to confer risk, this article has been given our "Less Is More" designation."

I don't think that "boosting" your vitamins will help. There is no current known evidence that taking supplements (with the exception of vitamin D and calcium) does any good for otherwise healthy people. But vitamin makers and vendors sure are good marketers to make you think you need them. I'd skip the vitamins and spend the $ on more fresh fruits and veggies.

[cardswin2006]

Re: Multivitamins

There are lots of studies that show multivitamins do absolutely nothing for your heath. You're better off saving your money and just plain eating healthier.

[Buckeyes_Doc]

Re: Multivitamins

I use Men's One A Day multivitamin. It is probably a placebo effect but it makes me feel better and more energized for the day when I take one in the morning.

I think it's worth spending a few dollars every few months.

[snepp]

Re: Multivitamins

[st67]

Re: Multivitamins

There are lots of studies that show multivitamins do absolutely nothing for your heath. You're better off saving your money and just plain eating healthier.

This. If you eat well enough, your body is getting what it needs - the rest is just going to waste.

[55]

Re: Multivitamins



I have been taking these for about 3 years now and I have only missed two days. Both days I missed, I could feel it by the late afternoon. Again, perhaps it is the placebo effect, but they make me feel better.

[EnigmaNemesis]

Re: Multivitamins

This. If you eat well enough, your body is getting what it needs - the rest is just going to waste.

Yet due to the growing processes with hormones and pesticides, the very foods are stripped of their proper nutritional properties.

So unless you have a great income to afford free range food and organic vegetables and fruits, then taking a multivitamin is not bad, and beneficial. And much more cost effective.

Especially Vitamin C which the human body needs, but does not naturally produce it like animals such as cats do.

[Aggies7]

My doctor recommended I start taking one a day. Problem is I take thyroid medication daily(born without one). And on my thyroid medication it says don't take with iron and some of the other supplements that are found in these vitamins.

I guess my question is my thyroid medication says take in morning on empty stomach. But from what I read best time to take the vitamin is in the morning as well. Any suggestions?

[8]

Re: Multivitamins

If you're working out and eat like a normal person then you're probably not getting everything you need to maintain your body by diet alone. So in that case a multi can help.

[Jonesy]

Re: Multivitamins

It probably doesn't do much but I take a multi every day as well.

I sometimes forget to take them with me on work trips when I'm away for like 4 or 5 days and I don't notice much difference but I guess it's one of those 'better safe than sorry' type of things so I keep taking it. They are so cheap now that you can buy a years supply for next to nothing so I figure why not take it?