Do you believe that multivitamins and other supplements work well?

[lifejoy]

I go back and forth on this. I'd love if some people more well-read on the topic than myself could share their understanding of just exactly how functional these things are.

Sometimes I take them, sometimes not. Sometimes I believe in them... and other times I think it's a scam. But I'm no doctor. Please, chime in!

[lifejoy]

Perhaps I should've titled this thread, "Is there proof that multivitamins etc. work well?"

But meh... the placebo effect can be huge. So maybe believe does play into it ;)

[Telecaster]

There is very little, if any, evidence that vitamins and other supplements work well.

[MMMaybe]

Certain ones do, in my experience. We do fruit shakes in the morning and add spirulina, chlorella and maca. We do feel an immediate boost and notice the difference on the days we do not have it.

[Urchina]

I take a Vitamin B-12 and Vitamin D3 supplement daily, per doctor's orders. They absolutely work for me (we use regular blood tests to monitor my blood levels of these vitamins, which were nearly non-detectable in my blood a year ago). TSaking the b12 orally means I don't have to get weekly b-12 shots.

So in this respect, they're more like OTC medicine for me than "supplements." I have no idea about any other supplements. Since we try to eat a varied plant-rich whole-foods diet, I don't worry too much about anything else.

[Pancake]

Check out examine.com for unbiased research on supplements of all kinds. It is by far the best website out there for it. A multivitamin can fill gaps in an incomplete diet, but is not "necessary".

Examine.com is also a great way to shut down people peddling MLM products. So it's useful.

[Hamster]

I take a Vitamin B-12 and Vitamin D3 supplement daily, per doctor's orders. They absolutely work for me (we use regular blood tests to monitor my blood levels of these vitamins, which were nearly non-detectable in my blood a year ago). TSaking the b12 orally means I don't have to get weekly b-12 shots.

So in this respect, they're more like OTC medicine for me than "supplements." I have no idea about any other supplements. Since we try to eat a varied plant-rich whole-foods diet, I don't worry too much about anything else.

Just curious with the low B12 if you are vegan.

Based on current standards for Vit D levels, I would guess that 95% of the people we check Vit D levels on in my clinic are low.

I recommend everyone take 600-2000 units of Vitamin D daily where I live (pacific NW). It is very difficult to get enough in your diet (unless you eat lots of salmon Jon Snow). Most people, even in sunny areas, don't get enough Vit D from sun exposure after you account for sunblock, clothing, cars, time indoors, etc.

Other than Vit D, iron for people with risk factors (and usually after checking blood levels), and calcium (particularly for adolescent and older females) I don't think most of them offer much benefit unless your diet is restrictive in some way. The degree of benefit is debatable, and several studies of larger doses of various different vitamins show more harm than good.

[dragoncar]

If vitamins aren't necessary, tell me why I must eat fruits and vegetables.  Just for the fiber?  Unlikely.

[BattlaP]

If vitamins aren't necessary, tell me why I must eat fruits and vegetables.  Just for the fiber?  Unlikely.

It's about bioavailability my friend, taking something in the form of a pill does not necessarily mean your body will absorb it.

From the research that I remember, multi-vitamin/specific vitamin pills are only useful if there is a deficiency. They can only bring you back to homeostasis (biological 'baseline'), they don't enhance you in any way if you're already normal. If you've got a balanced diet, multivitamins in particular are a complete waste of money.

[DagobertDuck]

I do 'believe in' and take vitamin D regularly.

[MandalayVA]

I take a multivitamin now after my illness this summer, a lot of which was caused by malnutrition.  I'm eating better as well, but as others have written it seems to fill in the gaps for me.

[matchewed]

This is in the "it depends" category. Do you eat well? As in do you have a balanced diet of plenty of fruits and vegetables? Do you have any health issues which may create a deficiency? If you answer yes, yes, no... then no you probably don't need multivitamins or other supplements. If you answered opposite to those then you may need it depending on what's going on.

As for if they work; some do, some don't. It's an unregulated business and the efficacy of any individual vitamin on what it is purported to do is questionable (vitamin C and zinc for colds as an example are bullshit, while vitamin D may help people who don't get much sunlight and are black).

I would recommend reading up on studies, and like most things that can be answered by SCIENCE! make sure you read many studies, even the ones that contradict your preconceived notions. Meta-analysis can be summarily helpful in this regard but not all studies are created equal so you have to look at their methodology as well.

[FLA]

every doc I've worked with closely, this topic would eventually come up. Every single doc took a multi vit, calcium with D for women, vit D, then differed from there. 

I take calcium with D because I had osteopenia, started taking that 25 yrs ago and still got osteopenia, but long gone

multi vit- I know there is no way I am getting "everything" in my diet, it feels like a safety net

vit D 50,000 u weekly because the blood test showed a very low level

B12 1000 mg-  This dose is so low, I cannot fathom it is doing anything.  But neuro said it helps with certain neurological conditions so I take it

I have 2 very good doctors, I ask them about different vitamins I've read about.  They say "you're just paying for expensive pee, you do not need more now" lol

[nereo]

the opinion of my father, a physician of 35 years and now a consultant on the FDA review boards
(paraphrasing for clarity - he tends to ramble)

"multi-vitamins are very useful if there is a nutrient deficiency, and that's largely what they protect against.  There's little harm in taking them as long as you remain within the recommended dosage, and they are so cheap that the per-dose cost is almost nothing.  That's why I recommended them to all my elderly patients - not because most of them needed them, but because there was no harm in taking them and for a select few who were deficient in some mineral or vitamin it prevented a lot of complications down the road. 
The problem with relying on mutli-vitamins is that they're not a substitute for getting what we need from our food ... in other words, the bioavailability isn't nearly as good.  for reasons that are still murky we just don't absorb the nutrients from a pill as well as we do from consuming it in our food.  There's no good evidence that the really expensive mutli-vitamins are any better for you or absorbed better than the bulk-pack you buy at CostCo."

(this conversation/lecture seriously lasted about 20 minutes.  I'm kinda sorry I asked him, but there you go...)

[GuitarStv]

Multivitamins - Not really sure.  I have sometimes taken them and sometimes not.  There doesn't appear to be any significant change to my life either way.

Omega-3 supplements - There's a lot of evidence that these reduce your triglyceride levels, are good for arthritis, and for your heart.  Since all the men in our family have a habit of dropping dead of heart attacks at around 50 (and we don't often eat fish), I will usually take these.  I might be imagining things, but it seems like I'm generally less sore after a workout when taking these and more sore when I stop.

There's an awful lot of evidence around the use of creatine.

- If you're vegetarian and start taking it, you will have an IQ boost for a period of time.
- It allows more reps of a heavy weight to be lifted.
- It increases muscle size and body weight via water retention
- It is more effective than coffee at enhancing athletic performance and decision making when sleep deprived
- There's some evidence that it helps speed recovery after workouts

Creatine is about the only supplement that has proven benefit for weightlifting.  That said, I don't regularly take it because I want to keep my weight down for cycling.

[Lis]

Growing up I was anemic and my pediatrician had me take iron supplements. Went to college, decided I didn't need to take those anymore, and became sluggish, tired, lightheaded... blood tests showed me I was anemic again. So back on the iron pills I went.

Now that I'm a real adult who understands how this crap works, I'm better with my diet (I was a picky eater as a kid but much more willing to try new things as an adult). Every once in a while, if I'm starting to feel sluggish or tired, I'll take my iron supplements for a few days and make a mental note to change my diet.

I also have a bottle of daily vitamins and a bottle of calcium, but if I remember to take those 2x times a week it's a good week...

[Le Poisson]

I think most supplements do exactly what they were designed to do. Move money from your pockets to the manufacturers. And they do it very well. I'm not sure they have any other benefits.

[KMMK]

Glucosamine/Chondroiton has been life changing for me. I also feel that B12 and vitamin D are useful because of my diet/area. Not sure about omegas and probiotics and cranberry but I take some. Should probably stop the multi-vitamin though. (The only one I take every day (usually twice a day) is the glucosamine. The rest are rotated, occasional.)

[elaine amj]

I am sceptical of vitamin claims and don't take them. DH however does believe they are important and useful. So we compromise - i take mine very occasionally (usually when he nags me) and the kids take their regularly :)

[Telecaster]

If vitamins aren't necessary, tell me why I must eat fruits and vegetables.  Just for the fiber?  Unlikely.

No one said "vitamins" are unnecessary.   However, there is very little evidence that vitamin supplements provide any benefit.  That's of course assuming a balanced diet and no other specific issues, etc. 

[CheapskateWife]

Hmmm...great question lifejoy, and I appreciate all the perspectives!  40 Yr old female with healthy balanced diet (lots of veggies, lots of protein, modest carb (mostly in veg form).

Multivitamins....meh, I don't notice a difference whether I take them or not
Cal-Mag-Zinc...I notice this one during my monthly visitor.  The combination acts as an antispasmodic and greatly reduces my discomfort.  Oh, and my hair and nails look awesome and shiny (even the grey ones).  Highly recommend.
Iron...I feel great usually, but take this one right before donating blood...for some reason they seem to think I'm borderline anemic but whatever...take my blood!
Collagen...my mom fell for a Dr Oz commercial, and got me taking one of these a day.  I didn't notice a difference at first, but over time, if I run out and stop taking it, my skin really tells me about it.

So I vote for targeting deficiencies!

[Bracken_Joy]

It can really, really depend. Certain supplements are very valuable for certain medical conditions- ex., there is a specific yeast strain I take due to a GI problem I have (well, GI presentation of an autoimmune disease, to be specific). This is per the advice of my doctor. And I have seen the prescribed several times to help with the resolution of C. Diff. The science is really compelling on this, and so the line between 'supplement' and 'medicine' is blurry here. I think the same goes for Vitamin D. We can test vitamin D levels, if they are low, we prescribe vitamin D supplments, and they resolve. Evidence shows a strong association between Vitamin D and a lot of autoimmune diseases and cancers. So again- where does 'supplement' end and 'medicine' begin?

Something like a mutlivitamin is a much more complex issue. There is very little evidence it helps, and a lot of evidence that they often harbor heavy metal contamination and do not contain the products they advertise. So people who say they 'do no harm, may do some good, so why not take them'- that is your answer. They are not regulated like medicines are, and can be dangerous, mislabeled, etc.

Emptor Cavete and all that.

[Mntngoat]

i love it how some people refuse to eat anything not natural  No GMO  this or that  but have no problems taking supplements and vitamins created in a lab.

ML

[tonysemail]

this is probably the single best article I've read on the topic.
It's long, but fascinating.
http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/07/the-vitamin-myth-why-we-think-we-need-supplements/277947/

I also read this book which discusses the scary side of supplements.
through political machinations, supplements are completely unregulated because FDA cannot enforce quality standards which "medicines" are held to.
therefore, the risk of contamination or out right fraud is much higher.
note that there are voluntary certifications available, so with careful shopping, it's possible to buy supplements that meet higher quality standards.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16065621-do-you-believe-in-magic

finally, this blog covers the topic.
https://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/more-evidence-that-routine-multivitamin-use-should-be-avoided/

For my family, we've thrown away our multi-vitamins, but my wife keeps calcium and vitamin D in the house.
i would take vitamins if I had a specific risk I was trying to address, say Osteoporosis for older women or folic acid for pregnancy.

[brandino29]

I agree with many of commenters here --- most of the legit research (you'll find plenty of shady "scientific" articles for any vitamin or supplement you google) finds little to no effect in most vitamin supplementation while, as Bracken Joy says, it can even be harmful as there are some supplements that can rise to toxic levels (fat soluble vitamins, heavy metals).

A standard multi-vitamin is unlikely to hurt you, but it's also unlikely to provide any benefit assuming you eat a marginally healthy and varied diet. 

In short, eat a healthy balanced diet and there is absolutely no reason to take vitamins or supplements.

Here are a couple of places to get started from less biased sources:

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/Vitamin-Supplements-Healthy-or-Hoax_UCM_432104_Article.jsp#.Vh_Zv6L9z6o
http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/supplements/art-20044894
http://hub.jhu.edu/2013/12/17/vitamins-might-be-harmful

[Cpa Cat]

I think some of them do.

Multivitamins - I don't know. I started taking multivitamins when I was in college. My diet wasn't great and I would basically catch everything that was going around. I noticed a marked improvement in the number of times that I got sick each year after I started taking them. Now that my diet is better, I really don't know if they're making a difference.

Vitamin C - Maybe it's all in my head, but I've found taking extra Vitamin C to be pretty effective at fending off illness. I only take it when I'm engaged in a risky environment (out at a place with lots of sick people; engaging in contact with children; while travelling).

Fish Oil - I used to have chronic dry eyes. I used Restaisis (prescription eye drops) and poured bottles of moisturizing eye drops into my eyeballs. It all went away when I started taking fish oil supplements. They are the one supplement that I am 100% positive has made a difference in my life. The impact was pretty immediate, and if I run out and stop taking them, my eyes start drying again. Supposedly research says fish oil supplements are good for you in other ways.

Echinacea - Tried it, I do not believe it has any effect.

Melatonin - Not really sure. I still keep it on hand in case I'm having insomnia. I'm willing to chalk it up to the placebo affect though.

Also Fiber supplements changed my husband's life. He has IBS - even with an excellent diet, he needs to supplement fiber in order to remain asymptomatic. Psyllium husk is most effective for his issues (vs powdered). But then... I don't suppose too many people would argue that fiber isn't an important part of good bowel function. :)

[Kitsunegari]

I have a good health but I take a generic brand multivitamin pill when I'm having a heavy day at work and I need to be active afterwards (i.e. going to the gym or out with friends). It helps me a lot to feel less tired and stay awake/interactive for longer (I am a morning person, so evening are always a chore). When I was going to the gym the difference was astonishing.

[dragoncar]

If vitamins aren't necessary, tell me why I must eat fruits and vegetables.  Just for the fiber?  Unlikely.

No one said "vitamins" are unnecessary.   However, there is very little evidence that vitamin supplements provide any benefit.  That's of course assuming a balanced diet and no other specific issues, etc.

Similarly, there's very little evidence that dieting provides any benefit.  That's of course assuming you are at a healthy weight and no other specific issues.

aka

"why do you count calories, you are already thin?"

or

"you don't need vitamin supplementation, as long as you don't"

[Gone Fishing]

Tried taking them in college, but they upset my stomach, even taken with food.  So I quit.  Now I garden and eat a lot of grass-fed meat and eggs.  I don't worry about it too much.   

[Sibley]

My doctor said that Americans have the most expensive urine in the world. I like that doctor :)

[Hamster]

If vitamins aren't necessary, tell me why I must eat fruits and vegetables.  Just for the fiber?  Unlikely.

No one said "vitamins" are unnecessary.   However, there is very little evidence that vitamin supplements provide any benefit.  That's of course assuming a balanced diet and no other specific issues, etc.

Exactly. The very definition of vitamin is "any of a group of organic compounds that are essential for normal growth and nutrition and are required in small quantities in the diet because they cannot be synthesized by the body."

So vitamins themselves are absolutely essential, and we can't make them ourselves, so we need to get them from somewhere. Usually the food we eat.
The funny exception is Vitamin D - which our body can actually synthesize (so it's not a true vitamin), provided we have enough sunlight.
Vitamin K is also an interesting one, since it is very dependent on bacteria which live in our intestines.

[ketchup]

My girlfriend and I would be considered "health freaks" by most and we take D and K2 every other day but nothing else.  Used to do fish oil, then we just decided to eat more fish.

Supplementation in general is tricky territory as plenty of it is BS or unnecessary "full-spectrum" supplementation that shouldn't be necessary with a decent diet.  I remember reading a study that overall multivitamin supplementation was correlated with increased mortality.  The thought process there is that people that take a multivitamin don't think they have to eat healthy because "they already got their vitamins."

[mtn]

My doctor said that Americans have the most expensive urine in the world. I like that doctor :)

Your doctor is correct.

Are they useless? No, absolutely not. But most people don't need them.

If you have a deficiency in something, then you should supplement your diet with that something. If you work out like crazy, you might want to take creatine and/or protein. But I'm married to a dietitian (so I at least look at a vegetable once or twice a week), I sit in a chair all day, and I play hockey every now and then. It would be completely wasted on me.

[Kris]

Meh. Why complicate my life (not to mention spend more of my hard-earned money) taking supplements, when all I need to do is eat healthy food?

Unless my doctor tells me I have a deficiency and tells me to take something, I'm under the impression that the supplement industry is just another group of people trying to convince me to buy something I don't need.

[Kris]

Funny coincidence, this just popped up on my feed:

http://nymag.com/thecut/2015/10/dietary-supplements-are-shadier-than-we-thought.html?mid=facebook_nymag

[Astatine]

These days I only take supplements if recommended by one of my (many) health care providers. At the moment I'm on vitamin D supplements. The peer reviewed literature shows a correlation between long term survival rates of the cancer I was diagnosed with recently and vitamin D levels. Jury is out on whether it is just a correlation or whether low vitamin D levels are responsible. But, the risks are minimal in taking it and all of my doctors are fine with me taking it.

I suspect I will end up on calcium supplements next year. I have several conditions that increase the risk of osteoporosis.

[lifejoy]

Fascinating discussion! Thanks, everyone :)

[FIRE me]

I go back and forth on this. I'd love if some people more well-read on the topic than myself could share their understanding of just exactly how functional these things are.

Sometimes I take them, sometimes not. Sometimes I believe in them... and other times I think it's a scam. But I'm no doctor. Please, chime in!

"Experts Decisive Against Multivitamins: 'Stop Wasting Money'"

http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/12/experts-decisive-against-multivitamins-stop-wasting-money/282440/

[mpcharles]

The only time they are worth it is after heavy endurance workouts, fish oil i think is great.

Sent from my ASUS_Z00AD using Tapatalk

[Gone Fishing]

Tried taking them in college, but they upset my stomach, even taken with food.  So I quit.  Now I garden and eat a lot of grass-fed meat and eggs.  I don't worry about it too much.

Thought about this some since yesterday and would also like to add that most days, I spend at least an hour a day outside at high noon, and a lot of time outside on most weekends.  I also eat 1.5-2 servings of breakfast cereal most weekdays.  That stuff is practically a vitamin supplement on its own. 

[Kitsunegari]

This topic reminded me of the Lucky Iron Fish thingy. ( http://www.luckyironfish.com/ )
Do you think it's legit? As in, putting a piece of iron in the soup gives the body the iron it needs?

[Gone Fishing]

This topic reminded me of the Lucky Iron Fish thingy. ( http://www.luckyironfish.com/ )
Do you think it's legit? As in, putting a piece of iron in the soup gives the body the iron it needs?

Not sure, but I have heard that a cast iron skillet provides dietary iron (I use one of those, too).

[Marus]

There isn't a straightforward answer to this question.  For one thing, there's no guarantee that you even have micronutrient deficiencies.  If you can get all your nutrition from your diet, then supplements are a waste of money.

The smart strategy with micronutrients is to do a bunch of testing and over time develop a sense of which nutrients you might be deficient in.  One test won't cut it, since there are too many variables which affect the measurements.  Then, if you realize you're actually deficient in something you can start thinking about strategy.  The ideal solution would be changing your diet to naturally get all your nutrients, but unfortunately some people are just bad at absorbing certain nutrients. In that case you probably want a more targeted approach.

Also, don't assume that just because you "feel good" on a day to day basis that your nutrition is perfect.  Some micronutrient deficiencies take decades to reach the point where they are symptomatic, and by that point you might have irreversible damage.

[Raste]

It depends on the supplement and the intended goal.

This website does a good job of breaking down published scientific work on supplements, diets, exercise programs etc.
http://suppversity.blogspot.com/

Based on their writing and my own lit review from PubMed, I'm taking creatine, leucine, glutamine, and beta-alanine to supplement my strength training program. It doesn't give me superpowers or anything but I can tell my recovery is much faster and my muscle soreness is a fraction of what it was (given same diet and sleeping hygiene). As a result, I can handle a higher training volume during the week.

I may take a multivitamin every few weeks, if I remember :-)

[matchewed]

It depends on the supplement and the intended goal.

This website does a good job of breaking down published scientific work on supplements, diets, exercise programs etc.
http://suppversity.blogspot.com/

Based on their writing and my own lit review from PubMed, I'm taking creatine, leucine, glutamine, and beta-alanine to supplement my strength training program. It doesn't give me superpowers or anything but I can tell my recovery is much faster and my muscle soreness is a fraction of what it was (given same diet and sleeping hygiene). As a result, I can handle a higher training volume during the week.

I may take a multivitamin every few weeks, if I remember :-)

The claims on that website rival Dr. Oz in dubiousness.

[Shinplaster]

Over the years, I have taken multivitamins at times, just because I didn't think my diet was all that great.  I really didn't notice any difference in how I felt whether I took them or not.

Right now, my doctor wants me to take Vit D over the winter, because we live in Canada and hibernate for 4 months.  I also take lutein, because my Mom has full blown macular degeneration, and I am showing signs it may be in my future too.  My optometrist freely says there is no hard evidence this is helpful, but there are some studies showing it might at least slow the rate of degeneration.  At this point, there is no cure or treatment for this type of MD.   For a few pennies a day, I am quite willing to take the lutein, and hope for the best.

[TheBuddha]

The only vitamins I believe do me any good are D and C.

As for herbs though, they can definitely work well. I add organic turmeric and ginger to my protein shakes, and they work as well as ibuprofen for pain relief. I'll be sore after working out if I don't take them. (But the main reason I take them is for the low-grade inflammation that one doesn't necessarily feel, but is responsible for almost all major disease.)

But my new favorite herb is cayenne pepper. I'm slowly working up to being able to take a teaspoon of it in hot water. I love the immediate effects: nose starts running, blood vessels open up, blood pressure drops. It just "feels" healthy. Look up the benefits online, you'll be amazed.

But pound for pound (and dollar for dollar), baby aspirin might be the most miraculous drug in the world. Every doctor I've ever asked about it, takes baby aspirin.

[Johnez]

I used to browse a bodybuilding forum where supplements were heavily discussed. If you want a picture of how "safe" the pills and powder industry is, research how many ingredients are banned by some gov't agency. Companies often hide synthetic laboratory created ingredients deep in their potions claiming plant origins. In bodybuilding world, most any supp that was effective 5, 10, or 15 years ago has had ingredients banned or found to contain illicit ingredients already banned (methamphetamine, anabolic steroids, etc.) Driven Sports recent meth tainting and the whole whey protein flap has me doubtful of the entire industry. A supplement as innocuous and straightforward as whey can be screwed with, I don't trust anything. Getting nutrition from food sources is my multivitamin.

[ketchup]

Another way to look at "supplementation" is to use certain foods as supplements.  Brazil nuts for selenium, liver for A, B12, and copper, egg yolks for damn near everything, seaweed for iodine, wild-caught salmon for omega-3 fatty acids, dark chocolate for magnesium (yum), etc.  Better bio-availability in food vs supplement form, and you also get other nutrients for free and maybe even a meal.

[Le Poisson]

Another way to look at "supplementation" is to use certain foods as supplements.  Brazil nuts for selenium, liver for A, B12, and copper, egg yolks for damn near everything, seaweed for iodine, wild-caught salmon for omega-3 fatty acids, dark chocolate for magnesium (yum), etc.  Better bio-availability in food vs supplement form, and you also get other nutrients for free and maybe even a meal.

I like this idea. Henceforth I choose Cheeseburgers. They cure what ails me, and always make me happy (especially with fresh lettuce, crumbled Blue Cheese, a slice of tomato and fried onions). And as with any supplement a little somethign to wash it down. I hear the yest in beer is good for you too...

Ooh. I feel a little off. Better go make one now.