The multivitamin industry rakes in billions of dollars.

[SidDithers]

Unless you have a clinically identified deficiency, the research tells us there is little reason to consume supplements.


It has been estimated that over half of all Americans take some kind of vitamin or supplement. For older Americans, that number climbs to 70 percent. It is, inarguably, a massive industry; A market research analysis predicted it will have a global worth of almost $300 billion by 2024.

Whatever deficiency you are looking to correct, the vitamin industry has you covered. There is an ever-growing list of vitamin-infused products (vitamin coffee, vitamin beer, vitamin vodka and even vitamin e-cigarettes) and novel ways in which to cram vitamins into our body (vitamin mists, vitamin nasal sprays, vitamin skin patches, vitamin injections, vitamin underwear and vitamin rectal infusions). There are supplements that promise to boost your energy, like Goop’s aptly named product “Why Am I So Effing Tired,” to help you sleep and to improve your skin — just name a few.

But why do so many people take so many different kinds of vitamins and supplements? A 2018 survey of university students found that consumption was driven by a desire to enhance performance, cognitive function and overall wellbeing (79 percent). Interestingly, very few took supplements for the purpose of addressing perceived dietary deficiencies (2.9 percent). Research has also found that people who take supplements are more likely to adopt other healthy habits. It seems that often, supplements are simply viewed as part of a healthy lifestyle.

Studies have also found that people who take supplements are confident in their beliefs about both efficacy and safety of these products. A 2015 industry survey, for instance, concluded that 84 percent of Americans expressed confidence in the overall safety, quality and effectiveness of supplements.

In reality, there is very little evidence to support the consumption of vitamins and supplements. Studies have consistently found, for example, that multivitamins provide no clear health benefit. There is little evidence to support the use of most supplements in the context of sports, even for high-performance athletes. A 2018 systematic review from Canada found that “conclusive evidence for the benefit of any supplement across all dietary backgrounds… was not demonstrated” and that, for some supplements, there were real risks that should be considered.

https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/multivitamin-industry-rakes-billions-dollars-science-says-we-re-not-ncna898191

Unless you have a defeciency, multivitamins give you expensive urine.

Sid

[greymattermom]

1. I think that the number of folks with vitamin D deficiency is very high.

https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/87/4/1080S/4633477

With vitamin D, we tend think most often of bones and rickets, but low vitamin D levels are associated with many conditions including chronic pain. Unless the studies discussed by NBC news assess all of the possible conditions, including chronic pain, they don't really address the question of the potential role of supplements in health. You need to look at the literature one vitamin at a time, look at the conditions associated with low levels, and check to see if these studies even measure those conditions.

[Ohiogal]

3. I was just told

at my last oncology checkup (last Thursday) that my vitamin D is low AGAIN. This seems to be a chronic condition with me.

My Drs. push vitamin D supplements on me but i find the large doses extremely hard to digest. I have to try to take a small dose 3x a day after meals, and I often forget. And yes I have a pill container and sort them out and I still sometimes forget.

They say low D can cause depression .... I went through that once and don't want to go through it again, so I take the supplements and it seems to help.

[lunasun]

28. Make sure it d with k . There are under the tongue tabs 1k-5k d&k

Might be better for digestion

[pnwmom]

38. How come?

I eat plenty of foods that contain k, but too much k is something I'm supposed to avoid.

[lunasun]

39. If you take k food with d that would do it too. And if advised not to for a health reason then dont

Follow doctors orders of course
D and K2offer greater support for bones , the immune and cardiovascular systems when they are taken together than either does individually for healthy individuals without any other issues that could affect supplementing I should have said .

[Dr Hobbitstein]

6. And a little sunlight will do a LOT more for that than an expensive pill. Nt

[mythology]

21. That's why I only take it during the winter

Living in the northeast, there isn't much sunlight. My vitamin d the rest of the year is fine.

[lunasun]

30. As people age they lose some of their ability to synthesize vitamin D from sunlight. +50

[tammywammy]

34. My doctor tests vitamin D levels as part of the routine blood work during a physical

I now take a supplement for a deficiency. (working indoors + use of sunblock outdoors)

[PufPuf23]

55. I am old and take RX Vitamin D.

Have a variety of chronic diseases that accompany aging.

Already was taking Vit D, Vit C, and glucosamine on my own when doctor decided to prescribe the Vit D. Recently I took a blood test that included a specific look at Vit D and I may stop taking the RX.

[samnsara]

2. I have never taken vitamins. hubby is a pharmacist and laughs at them...

...he calls them a scam.

[Ohiogal]

4. In my experience

most doctors push them on you.

[kstewart33]

5. What a scam.

I have a good friend who spends scads of $$$ on expensive vitamins. His daily regimen is taking so many vitamin capsules that I wonder how his system is able to digest them all. But he refuses to believe they're not helping him.

So, it's a costly scam. There's no such thing as an inexpensive multivitamin. And he's a good example of just how difficult it is to convince the public that vitamins don't work.

[Freddie]

7. I buy Giant brand multivitamins

Costs maybe $8 for 100. Can’t hurt.

[braddy]

11. Same here, Walmart brand because I eat a lousy diet and the VA just prescribed me additional D.

[RobinA]

49. I Have The Same Friend

Takes a handful of stuff after eating dinner. I just want to ask, What IS all that, but I don't. She sees a "naturopath" who is supposedly also an MD. I don't know how that is possible. My professional license, therapist, does not allow me to practice quackery at the risk of losing the license.

[wishstar]

8. Testing has revealed some don't have any of the primary ingredient touted on label

and supplements can have problematic side effects. Tests on most such as glucosamine have shown no positive results.

Several years ago a former doctor recommended red rice yeast to help my cholesterol that was only slightly elevated. I took his advice and took it for quite a while and it may have helped the cholesterol a tiny bit, but hard to tell as I also reduced sugar and fats and increased oats and apples too. But I started having heartburn frequently. When I decided to cut down my use of supplements I researched the red rice yeast and found a side effect was heartburn and sure enough when I stopped taking it, I no longer had the heartburn problem. I do take Vit D and Magnesium citrate and lutein, but nothing else since I think I get enough of other nutrients from diet.

[mcar]

9. Most expensive urine in the world

[bottomofthehill]

27. Pretty color though

That said, I now take cvs over 50 with iron. Why, iron was a little low on 3 consecutive doctors visits. Worth a try

[mcar]

36. I keep forgetting to take the vitamin D I'm supposed to take weekly

My doc says nothing else is necessary, even in menopause.

[OhZone]

10. I call BS.

Last edited Sun Aug 12, 2018, 10:16 AM - Edit history (1)

Every once in a while I read an article like this, and I shake my head.

First of it's/opinion/

Says so in the link.


Oh-k, I have another opinion, also based on science. For example, the fact that unlike the vast maj of mammals, we do not make our own vitamin C. There are survival quantities but there is also optimum amount? What is that? Do we need to eat 50 oranges a day? Depends on who you read, but it's higher than most recommendations.



Vitamin D? Yes, MOST people don't get enough! MOST!

Scientific American -

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/vitamin-d-deficiency-united-states/




Now I take a woman's multi with iron, of course, because I need it. And extra biotin for nails and hair. And a few other things. I also eat a balanced diet, but low on carbs and junk food.

My brother and uncle take men's supplements, with lycopene and saw palmetto to help prevent prostate problems. I think they also told me they were taking arctic root or something too.





Yeah, yeah, I know you can and should eat more fruits and veggies, but they aren't as nutritious as they used to be.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/soil-depletion-and-nutrition-loss/





So, I think the author's line of reasoning is not complete. We are very complicated beings chemically and physically. Now pharmaceuticals are FAR FAR more expensive than vitamins and supplements, and basically FAR MORE DANGEROUS than most vitamins, food supplements.

Prescription Drugs Linked To Most Fatal Overdoses
Published Wednesday 20 February 2013
By Christian Nordqvist
When deaths from overdoses from opioid painkillers occur, there are usually other prescription medications for mental health disorders and/or neurologic conditions involved too, researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported in JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association).

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/256662.php



I think there are a couple reasons for these kinds of opinion pieces. One, the author could be a shill for the pharmecuetical industry. That does not seem to be the case here. Or he could just be a mainstream thinker, not open to alternatives to expensive drugs, just because they aren't put through expensive testing like new drugs. (But there are a lot of studies that do support their use too.) Or he could just be lazy and not interested in researching the use and need for supplements better.

Again, we are very complicated creatures. Yes, the author has some good points, but his aim is to dismiss out of hand. His point on Vitamin E, for example, ignores the fact that most Vitamin E supplements only have ONE kind of vitamin E. Get the kind with gamma too, mixed tocopherals. The kind with only d-alpha crowds out the gamma. You need mixed tocopherals.


http://www.lifeextension.com/Magazine/2011/1/Critical-Importance-of-Gamma-E-Tocopherol-Continues-to-Be-Overlooked/Page-01
"While alpha tocopherol inhibits the production of new free radicals, gamma tocopherol is required to trap and neutralize existing free radicals.

Three years after Life Extension’s announcement, the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health released the results of a huge study (10,456 men). The startling findings showed that men with the highest gamma tocopherol blood levels had a five-fold reduction in prostate cancer risk. This same study showed that selenium and alpha tocopherol also reduced prostate cancer risk, but only when gamma tocopherol levels were high.1

Over the last 13 years, a myriad of studies have pointed to the urgent need for Americans to obtain sufficient gamma tocopherol. Yet the vast majority of human clinical research focuses only on alpha tocopherol—as if it were the only form of vitamin E people require. "


Yeah, vitamins and supplements are a useful tool to aid in our health.

[Major Nikon]

23. "Unless you have a defeciency"(sic)

This was clearly stated in the OP. I would go one step farther and say even if you have a deficiency, multi-vitamins are still a scam because they probably don't have enough or the right type of what you need (which you also seem to point out), and they inevitably have a lot of what you don't need but are still paying for.

Furthermore, just because you have a deficiency, doesn't mean a pill supplement is going to correct it. And studies that show a link between those who take certain supplements and lack of a disease doesn't mean those supplements are a causal factor. It only shows a correlative relationship.

It's also worth pointing out there's no shortage of pseudoscience and quackery in the supplement industry, not to mention standards regarding what goes into them and the claims quacks can make are virtually non-existent. The very best you can say about any of it is their marketing claims are grossly overstated. The worst of them are nothing more than the modern day equivalent of snake oil salesmen.

[womanofthehills]

41. Agreed, it's one man who is big into social media and totally against anything alternative

I have lowered by blood pressure and cholesterol BIGLY with vitamins.

[Dr Hobbitstein]

48. You know what they call alternative medicine that works?

Medicine. Everything else is just snake oil.

[Scruffy1]

12. Sixty years of marketing.

I'm 69 and never have used them. Over six foot tall and about 180 pounds. Still ride my bike and stay active. I remember when they first started marketing the kids vitamins on TV. I think it was about guilt. If you didn't buy their crap , you were a bad parent. I suppose if you are too lazy to cook and live on faqst food you would have some problems, but vitamin defeciency would be the least of them. There are some people that suffer from problems like iron deficiency and need supplements, but unless a doctor prescribed it your wasting your money and feeding a scam industry. Whenever I go to a drug store i want to change the sign on the supplement aisle to"Spend your money on crap that's failed every study since 1846, so some huckster can get a new Porche". Bottled water, rates right up there, too. Just marketing.

[OhZone]

13. It's not completely about deficiency -

It's about optimum quantity.

Remember doctors have very little training in nutrition. So why would they recommend vitamins and supplements?

Anyway, congrats on being a healthy 69 year old. I'm 38, and a very fit and trim woman. VERY physically active.

That actually is another key to health! Exercise! And other physical things. ha OHYEAH!


"High levels of exercise linked to nine years of less aging at the cellular level

Although the exact mechanism for how exercise preserves telomeres is unknown, Tucker said it may be tied to inflammation and oxidative stress. Previous studies have shown telomere length is closely related to those two factors and it is known that exercise can suppress inflammation and oxidative stress over time.May 10, 2017
High levels of exercise linked to nine years of less aging at the cellular -"
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/05/170510115211.htm

[Mr. Ected]

14. I used to take a multi every single day - never noticed a difference in energy or stamina

I stopped about 5 years ago and altered my diet significantly. Started eating more raw, organic plant material. I start off every morning with a delicious green smoothie. I've never felt healthier. I'm not a scientist, but as much as possible, I think absorbing these nutrients directly from their natural source as opposed to a few crumbs of condensed, dried material in a pill form, seems to be the key. YMMV.

[OhZone]

16. You want more energy?

Look into beet root supplements like Super Beets. Or a less flashy supplement!

[img][/img]

I def notice a difference in my energy! It's a natural source of nitric oxide boosters.

Good for your blood pressure.

I read it's very good for men's health too. ** wink wink **

[Dr Hobbitstein]

22. Bullshit in a bottle.

[OhZone]

26. You laugh but -

Beets deliver a nitric oxide boost
Special to the Times Get the health benefits of nitric oxide, which gets blood flowing and makes platelets less sticky, with Marinated Beets With Goat Cheese. BETTY WEDMAN-ST LOUIS
Special to the Times Get the health benefits of nitric oxide, which gets blood flowing and makes platelets less sticky, with Marinated Beets With Goat Cheese. BETTY WEDMAN-ST LOUIS
By Betty Wedman-St Louis, Special to the Times
Published: May 28, 2015

Beets are "the most underappreciated food in the history of eating," according to Carolyn Pierini, a nutrition consultant at the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine (A4M) meeting in Hollywood, Fla., last month. Beets have been used as a food source for centuries because they can be grown most of the year in a variety of climates and stored for some time.

Today beets are recognized as a super food, and beet powder is an active ingredient in nutritional supplements. In the book The Nitric Oxide (NO) Solution, authors Nathan Bryan and Janet Zand report that beets have the ability to boost stamina, improve cognition and support heart health. They include recipes that contain beets in a three-day meal plan designed for people who want to exercise longer with less effort.

During the A4M conference I could measure how many beet meals I needed by using saliva strips that tracked my nitric oxide levels. A lozenge made from beetroot, hawthorn berry and other botanicals helped raise the NO levels in my saliva from low to normal, but I decided that eating beetroot, arugula, spinach, kohlrabi, endive and parsley is a more tasty way to do this.

Beetroot nitrate is the source of nitric oxide, which penetrates cell membranes sending signals to every cell in the body. Research demonstrates that NO gets blood flowing and makes platelets less sticky. In addition, brain cells communicate better mood and neurological function. Studies reported in Hypertension, a journal of the American Heart Association, found that drinking a cup of beetroot juice daily significantly lowered blood pressure among patients with high blood pressure.


http://www.tampabay.com/news/health/beets-deliver-a-nitric-oxide-boost/2231478





Vascular effects of dietary nitrate (as found in green leafy vegetables and beetroot) via the nitrate‐nitrite‐nitric oxide pathway
Satnam Lidder and Andrew J. Webb
Author information ► Article notes ► Copyright and License information ► Disclaimer
This article has been cited by other articles in PMC.
Go to:
Abstract

The discovery that dietary (inorganic) nitrate has important vascular effects came from the relatively recent realization of the ‘nitrate‐nitrite‐nitric oxide (NO) pathway’. Dietary nitrate has been demonstrated to have a range of beneficial vascular effects, including reducing blood pressure, inhibiting platelet aggregation, preserving or improving endothelial dysfunction, enhancing exercise performance in healthy individuals and patients with peripheral arterial disease. Pre‐clinical studies with nitrate or nitrite also show the potential to protect against ischaemia‐reperfusion injury and reduce arterial stiffness, inflammation and intimal thickness

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3575935/




Story at-a-glance

Vitamins and minerals in beets and beet greens fight inflammation, lower blood pressure, detoxify, fight infection and combat cancer. But certain compounds also have been found that spike energy and endurance.
After scientists revealed that a small amount of beet juice is all it takes to beef up strength and endurance in patients with heart failure, athletes began gulping it down to increase their stamina.
Tests showed beet juice to increase muscle strength by 13 percent, an improvement one might get after months of resistance training. This stems from nitric oxide formed when bacteria on the tongue converts to nitric oxide.
Nitrites affect blood flow, effecting neurotransmission and other performance-related actions. Scientists are now exploring the effects of beet juice on peripheral artery disease and enhancing blood circulation.

https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2016/04/18/benefits-beets.aspx

[lunasun]

31. Just don't take too much I thought one day I didn't have beets and had some twice by mistake

I got all tingly speedy . Not in a good way!
Obvious vascular sensation but still it took me to the next day to figure out what happened .
It sez on the bottle do not increase and it was a mistake.
All I can say is if you believe these don't have any effects are placebos then mistakenly take too much and get back to me
People accept coffee can keep you awake give you a lift but anything else they never heard of then no
Between this and my celery juice I don't think I ever have to worry about hi bp or no salt allowed
(Not that I ever had a problem ) potassium is a great sodium complement
You mention hawthornberry good for the heart too

I believe it's Ayurveda that advises against any over doing some extractions like that. One I know is parsley . Beets I learned without trying, is another !

[OhZone]

33. Good advice! :) nt

[lunasun]

35. Also if you can afford it stay high end- because non GMO beets -if not plants sprayed with round up

And if powdered then concentrated amounts
It's all because about 10 yrs ago, nearly all the farmers who grow sugar beets in the United States decided to start growing genetically modified versions of their crop. The GMO beets, which can tolerate the weedkiller glyphosate, otherwise known as Roundup, made it easier for them to get rid of weeds invading the crops without killing the growing beets
now nearly all non organic beets are gmo for glysophate
Yes I know below the ground but not enough for me and leaves and stem nutrients are above ground
You can also juice Your own raw organic beets probably the best fresh , but big $$$ and prep clean time I know

[SidDithers]

56. Did you seriously just link to mercola?...

That explains a lot.

Sid

[OhZone]

57. AND the goverment National Center for Biology Information -

If you want to be closed minded. Feel free. Whatever works for you.

:/

[SidDithers]

58. Nope. Once you've gone mercola, you've lost all credibility...

no matter what else you post.

Sid

[OhZone]

59. Yeah sure. Ignore the NIH and tons of other references easily available

around the world.

Your choice.

Not my issue.

Me, my bro, my aunt and uncle will keep being healthy with a minimum of perscription drugs. Whatevs.

You do what you want.

[SidDithers]

61. If you link to mercola...

then we know that you're just furiously googling to find something that supports your opinion. Nobody with any actual knowledge would ever use mercola as a source, if they knew anything about the topic they're trying to discuss.

Sid

[OhZone]

65. That's just silly and

reflects on your bias.

It's all or nothing thinking, really.

One link I don't like, and I dismiss everything you say.

Tisk tisk.

Just try some super beats and you'll see.

[Retrograde]

24. Why not just eat beets?

Get your roughage at the same time. And if you use yellow beets you're kitchen won't be pink afterwards.

[OhZone]

25. Yes, you can but -

Cooking beets decreases the bioavailability of dietary nitrate from the food.

[womanofthehills]

42. I take l'arginine, taurine, magnesium and juice beets to lower my blood pressure

Last edited Mon Aug 13, 2018, 12:20 AM - Edit history (1)

Love my vitamins and my raw juice. Watermelon is also high in nitrates. I planted some arugula and want to eat some every time I pass it in my garden. I just read it's super high in nitrates. No wonder I am craving it. Into the beet juice it will go.

[stonecutter357]

51. lol

[marybourg]

15. I like the new "brain supplement"

being touted on MSNBC. It’ s proudly advertised as being made from JELLYFISH! And everyone knows jellyfish are famous for their long memories. Don’t we all say, when someone remembers something from a long time ago, “She has the memory of a jellyfish “

[OhZone]

18. Yeah -

Now that's probably a BS supplement.

[NightWatcher]

20. Thank you!!! No one ever mentions that jellyfish don't have brains or a CNS

Why would I want something for my brain that is in a creature that has no brain?

It's nice to know i'm not alone with these thoughts in my brain.

[RobinA]

50. Ginkgo

your post.

I decided to try ginkgo back when that was the hot brain food. Nada.

[phylny]

17. My red blood count was low and I couldn't figure out why.

Long story short, vitamin B12 deficiency is found in many vegetarians and vegans, people who are eating a Paleo diet, people who take Metformin. I also found that I need the methylated version of vitamins because I have a wonky gene that does not enable me to methylate vitamins. I have had no problem donating blood since I started taking methylated B complex, and feel better. YMMV.

[OhZone]

19. Cool! nt

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

29. Let's see.

Eat a variety of food. Lots of vegetables, a reasonable amount of fruit, grains, and other such. Oh, and animal protein. Spend some time out in the sun.

I agree that vitamins are essentially a scam, and I have a lot of doubts about the claim that practically everyone is vitamin deficient.

The medical profession and all the purveyors of medical devices, supplements, whatever, have a vested interest in convincing as many people as possible that they are ill and need those devices, supplements, whatever. Think about it.

[womanofthehills]

46. Lots of people have horrible diets or eat low quality foods

vitamins might help them. i eat only organic foods and spend lots of time in the sun gardening but I still take vitamins to keep my blood pressure and cholesterol in check. In fact, Dr. Louis Ignarro won a Nobel Prize for his work with l'arginine and nitric oxide. He recommends l'arginine morning and night to keep your blood vessels open.

This article is stupid. It's an opinion by one person with a high social media thing going on.

[Lisa0825]

32. Not just for deficiencies, but also for medical problems.

I take 2 supplements recommended by my doctors, which have double-blind clinical studies behind them. They are not just bunk promoted on NaturalNews or by Mr. Avocado. LOL

[trof]

63. Yep. I take one for arthritis and one for ARMD.*

*Age Related Macular Degeneration
I take a joint soother compound for the arthritis. It is amazing.
No pain in knees and finger joints.
My ophthalmologist recommends the ARMD compound.
I'm 77.

[Lisa0825]

64. One of mine is also for my eyes...

I have severe meibomian gland dysfunction due to ocular rosacea. My ophthalmologist swears by HydroEye to optimize tear composition. He also has me taking turmeric, which has been proven to have anti-inflammatory properties. I know people with other inflammatory conditions whose doctors also recommended turmeric.

I don't do every "flavor of the month" supplement, and I research things before I try them. I probably do have a somewhat lower standard for supplements than for prescriptions as far as proof goes, but I won't waste my money on something unless I can find studies that back up their usage.

[pnwmom]

37. Three years ago my ophthalmologist told me to take magnesium and more Vitamin D

and my astigmatism has markedly improved. He showed me computer images of my eyes and how they have changed shape.

I was also having symptoms that led my internist to test my b-12, and it was low and needed to be supplemented. The symptoms disappeared.

So it isn't true that supplements do nothing.

[think4yourself]

40. Vitamin D3 supplements saved my life

I take 50,000 IBU a week. Yes, I had a deficiency. I also take a B-Complex and a vegetarian supplement that helps with Testosterone.

Every person is different and I definitely buy the best quality I can.

My suggestion is, as in life, find what is best for you and respect others whose choices are different than yours. To say that ALL vitamins are bullshit is your choice. You’re wrong, but I don’t think any less of you.

[Xolodno]

43. Folic Acid.

Wife was prescribed to take it....because her body doesn't create it naturally.

Aside from that, no other supplements in this house. Except St. Johns Wort for myself which I recently decided to try, not sure if its working. Been through a lot of emotional issues as of late, may have to ask for the serotonin meds.

[womanofthehills]

45. Taking folic acid while you are pregnant helps prevent birth defects of baby's brain & spinal cord

All doctors will prescribe this to pregnant women.

[Xolodno]

47. Sad thing is...

...wife has to avoid getting pregnant. It could kill her. And even if she survives, it's unlikely she makes it out of the first trimester without a miscarriage....sadly, early in our marriage, we saw that.

And even if she manages to carry to full term...well, you hit it..its very likely the child will have developmental issues.

We contacted the top UCLA Medical Doctor...long story short, wouldn't even see us. In other words, as our family doctor stated...and many other specialists for other medical issues...it's just way too damn risky.

Read about other doctors who would take on patients with her condition....after you signed an agreement not to hold them liable...but the process required daily Lovenox injections. That raises alarms right away. And of course, there are the "success stories", but, you don't hear about the failures. So we opted..no, we didn't, we acknowledged, children were not in our future.

[womanofthehills]

44. There are lots of studies about niacin lowering cholesterol

In fact, most cholesterol lowering drugs contain niacin. On time- released niacin (I cannot handle niacin, so I take the timed release before I go to bed and I'm alseep by the time I have any niacin reactions) I dropped my cholesterol 100 pts and my doctor was totally not interested how I did it. Duh! All she said is I want it down 10 more points or you need to go on a drug. That's why I rarely visit docs anymore and take my vitamins.

[empedocles]

52. By the time a'clinically defined deficiency' is certified,

significant damage may have been done to our bodies. We don't want to wait until the oil warning light goes on in a car to add more oil -that's hard on the engine. We try to keep oil levels, etc., up to specifications, and get better engine health.

Health testing can identify sub-clinical deficiencies before body damage is done. Something to recommend for that.

[zipplewrath]

53. Dr. Atkins

He didn't agree. Fairly early in his book he advises taking a multivitamin. Mostly because we shouldn't, and don't need to, eat nearly enough food to get all we should be getting in terms if vitamins and minerals.

I tend to think that it's more of a mixed bag. There are tons of things in there we don't really need every day. But sorting that out is hardly worth the effort and the industry isn't going to make a vitamin just for my personal needs.

[Dr Hobbitstein]

62. Dr Atkins was a quack who suggested a VERY

unhealthy diet.

[Codeine]

54. I'm skeptical about supplements in general

but I take a B12 out of an abundance of caution because I eat a very strict vegan diet, which can result in a deficiency. Other than that, I don’t bother wasting the money.

[Archae]

60. I take no supplements whatsoever...

Because I know just what a huge scam the whole supplement industry is.

Remember a couple years ago, when in New York the AG found that most of the supplements had either none of the advertised ingredients or huge overdoses?
The industry has done ZILCH to correct this.
Nothing.

Other vitamins give us the proverbial "most expensive pee."
In other words, a total con.