Vitamins... As you might expect...

[catherine]

... Do nothing.

At least according to this study (http://www.cnn.com/2013/12/16/health/multivitamins-studies/index.html?hpt=hp_t1).

What do you guys think? Anyone take their vitamins religiously?

As for me, I always think it won't do me harm, so I should take them, but I never do. I have dozens of bottles of vitamins because my DSIL used to sell them. But I don't bother.

How about you?

[Bethers]

I used to take vitamins but I don’t anymore mainly because I think the body knows what to do with real food and many vitamins are somewhat artificial and lacking in the complexity that food offers.


Sometimes I’ll take fish oil when my joints are a little cranky, but I’ve found that focusing on my diet (less inflammatory processed foods) works just as well. I’ll also take something like the Pure Synergy green powder from time to time because it adds some unusual nutrients (like algae) to the diet that I normally wouldn’t otherwise get.


Having said all that, if I was deficient in something and my healthcare provider recommended it and it helps with the deficiency, I would take it.

[reader99]

Vitamins only do something if your body needs the supplementation. I have intestinal malabsorbtion, so my body needs and uses the supplemental nutrition. I couldn't ever eat enough food to absorb the requisite nutrients without supplementation.

[ApatheticNoMore]

I always think they might do harm so I never do.

[enota]

"editorial in a medical journal"....

Of course, doctors have nothing to benefit by keeping people sick. It's not like they get paid to treat them or anything...

follow. the. money.

[JaneV2.0]

I swear by magnesium (the safest muscle relaxant ever) and vitamin D (for God's sake I live in the PNW!). I'd love to see an expose' of pharmaceutical drugs, which generally do more harm than good, IMO. Does this editorial have anything to say about all the iatrogenic injury due to those? Thought not.

[herbgeek]

Even if you eat "well", a lot of soil is depleted of minerals. I take a multi vitamin not for heart disease or cancer per se, but to prevent deficiencies that would leave me feeling sub optimal.

[Float On]

I take vitamin supplements because of macular degeneration. I'm hoping to slow the progression of blind spots. After 1 year of faithfully taking the vitamins I can say that I haven't added any new blind spots to my vision that I've noticed. I'll go in for a scan again in February - hoping for a good report. There isn't anyway to undo what vision I've lost and there really isn't any cure for it yet, but to slow it down is the goal.

[pinkytoe]

I haven't taken supplements in quite a few years - other than iron when I was severely anemic. I am somewhat suspect too of all the Vitamin D stories as too much would throw other things off. I also believe that one's body works with what it gets (it's smarter than we give it credit for) and does not suffer unless there is a real deficiency. I am however going to try taking a few epsom salts baths when the bathroom isn't so darned cold.

[Teacher Terry]

I take Vitamin D because otherwise my whole body hurts & I feel like a 100. Also I had high cholesterol (240) but after taking a supplement that was recommended to me it went down to 170. I don't take a ton but take about 5. I think some people do not need to take them but for others there are real benefits.

[JaneV2.0]

Also, this article addressed multivitamins which often don't have therapeutic amounts of anything. I'd say find out what works for you and ignore the "experts."

[Gardenarian]

I'd say find out what works for you and ignore the "experts."
+1

One has only to look back at the nutrition arguments of the past couple of decades to realize that this is a science in its infancy. The experts agree on practically nothing.

[catherine]

+1

One has only to look back at the nutrition arguments of the past couple of decades to realize that this is a science in its infancy. The experts agree on practically nothing.

That's why I basically like Michael Pollan's prescription: Eat Food. Mostly plants. Not too much.

I think of the Nearings who were very, very long-lived and healthy, and they ate regular food, unprocessed, out of their gardens. And there are a lot of other long-lived people who just ate regular food and enjoyed themselves. It's no big secret, IMHO.

[Glo]

My doctor says there is no need for vitamins or uipplements. I've never taken them.

[Rogar]

The study only takes into consideration chronic long term conditions such as dementia, stroke or heart attack. It is misleading journalism to title the article "waste of money". There are a whole bunch of other health conditions that were not tested. I eat very few animal products, which they say can lead to vitamin B deficiency. My multiple vitamin contains lutein, which they say can help or prevent age related macular degeneration, which runs in my family. No mention of bone and muscle health or immune defenses or digestive health, etc. I have a pretty good diet, but will continue to take multiple vitamins as a small insurance measure. It's cheap and easy. I do agree that the science is a moving target and there may come a day when other benefits of vitamins are either proved or discounted.

[Miss Cellane]

The article references two specific medical conditions and extending life.

No surprise that vitamins can't cure either condition or make you live longer.

But I don't think that means they are worthless. There are specific diseases caused by lack of certain vitamins, so I don't think vitamins can be disregarded in a healthy diet. I just don't think overloading on vitamins is going to cure everything that ails you.

So, IMO, getting enough of the right vitamins can give you a better quality of life, for the life span that you are going to have anyway.

In a perfect world, I'd have a healthier diet. But there are healthy foods that I simply do not like, eggs, for example. So I don't eat them. I don't eat much meat or poultry or fish. There are vegetables that are "good" for me that I can't stand the taste of. And some days, I just don't feel much like cooking and dinner becomes a peanut butter sandwich or crackers and cheese, even if I've planned to cook lots of vegetables or soup.

So I take a multi-vitamin to fill the gaps. As a precaution.

In addition, I have a specific, diagnosed medical condition that requires a specific vitamin daily. So I take that. And I stay out of the sun as much as possible due to skin cancer in my past, so I take a small supplement of vitamin D. Not because I think any of this is going to make me live to 100, but because I can tell that the aches and pains, and the brain fog, and some other symptoms disappear when I take them.