multivitamins disappoint

[Moonliner]

Article. (http://apnews.myway.com/article/20090209/D968BGTG0.html).

The largest study ever of multivitamin use in older women found the pills did nothing to prevent common cancers or heart disease. The eight-year study in 161,808 postmenopausal women echoes recent disappointing vitamin studies in men.

So it looks like eating healthy is still better than popping pills, sorry In-and-out you are still on my banned list.

I'm just waiting for someone to do a study on those hand sanitizer gels. I can't believe they are better for you than the germs they purport to kill.

[Alex]

The problem is calling them multivitamins. That sounds to real and therefore people might pay attention if proven useless.

Better to call them an ancient oriental secret cure then they would be rendered immune to analysis for actual efficacy and researchers could save their money.

[innerSpaceman]

I wasn't aware they were supposed to prevent cancer or heart-disease. They are nutritional supplements. From that description, I gather they are designed to make you marginally healthier if you do not get enough vitamins in your diet.

Curing cancer and heart disease is not "marginally" better. Furthermore, vitamins have nothing to do with preventing either cancer or heart disease. So WTF?

[cirquelover]

I've never liked taking pills so I don't bother with vitamins, either I get them in the food I eat or I don't get them.

As to hand sanitizer I almost never use it, unless I go to an amusement park. When you have a kid and their hands go everywhere and still in the mouth he either gets sanitized or wet wipes, his choice!

[Kevy Baby]

Susan has always taken vitamins religiously. A few months back, she had a vitamin test (I can't remember the exact name, but they checked to see her levels). Turns out she wasn't absorbing any of the vitamins. None. Zilch. Zip, Nada.

So they convinced her to switch to organic vitamins (she was strictly taking OTCs), which are supposed to better absorb into your system.

I will have to ask her if she took a follow-up vitamin test to see if they made a difference.

[Alex]

Who gave her the vitamin test? A doctor? I hope it wasn't one of those written surveys/questionnaires.

iSm, the labels on vitamins won't claim to cure cancer or anything but you get very far into woo altnerative medicine and there are a lot of claims there about such things. A lot of alternative medicines are simply claiming that some combination of supplements (whether in pills or more natural seeming plants) will take care of all that ails you? You've probably seen one of them selling his stuff on late night infomercials. Here's one (http://www.vitamin-supplements-store.net/articles/cure-cancer.html), for example, telling you of a doctors 50% cancer cure rate using B12, cod liver oil, and iodine supplements. A couple years ago we discussed here a case of a teenager giving up cancer treatment for an alternative. The alternative was essentially a fancy masking of taking supplements.

But that is why the industry lobbied hard 15 years ago to ensure the exemption of dietary supplements from regulatory oversight. Make minimal official claims and let the nutjobs do it for you.

[Kevy Baby]

Who gave her the vitamin test? A doctor? I hope it wasn't one of those written surveys/questionnaires.Doctor. It was a blood test. She passed: she has blood.

Or maybe it was a pee test - I don't know.

[JWBear]

Doctor. It was a blood test. She passed: she has blood.

Unlike you?

[Gemini Cricket]

"I'd marry you if it turned out you had no blood at all..."

[Betty]

I saw an ad for a "liquid" vitamin - you know - a capsule with liquid inside it. They claimed that you could absorb that more easily and that most vitamins pass through a person without even breaking down much.

I wonder if the liquid filled kind does any better or is just another baseless claim.

[Not Afraid]

I us3ed to take liquid vitamins when I was a kid. They were gross.

[Disneyphile]

I only take vitamin C tablets when I'm going to crowded places, or I've been around sick people, as a precaution.

I sometimes take vitamin B as an energy boost or when I'm feeling stressed.

Other than that, I get my nutrients from my foods, and have a very strong immune system. :)

[Not Afraid]

I take vitamins. I need all the help I can get. ;)


Besides, I feel SOOOO much better when I take them - more energy, better sleep, clearer mind. I don't expect them to cure cancer or prevent heart disease but if they help me along those lines then, great. I also think they've helped me a GREAT deal with weight loss.

[Disneyphile]

That's what I get from my B vitamins, NA - I really enjoy the immediate results and how they make me feel. :)

[Morrigoon]

I once heard vitamins described as "expensive pee"

[BarTopDancer]

I miss Flintsones vitamins

10million strong.....

[Alex]

As with vitamin C, B vitamin supplements are unlikely to provide any impact for the reason that if you are eating a reasonably healthy diet you are already getting all of them that you body can absorb. So if you're getting all your other vitamins from diet you should be good on the Bs too.

Excess just gets flushed out through your kidneys. So unless you have an absorption disorder requiring megadoses of B vitamins they likely aren't doing anything.

[DreadPirateRoberts]

I miss Flintsones vitamins

10million strong.....

and growing...

[Ghoulish Delight]

I miss Flintsones vitamins

10million strong.....

and growing...
Or the childish, 100% unPC elementary school version - "We are Jerry's kids. 10 million weak, and dying."

[Capt Jack]

they make my pee smell funny...and turn weird colors.

its scary

[Cadaverous Pallor]

I miss Flintsones vitamins

10million strong.....Why miss them? There's no law against adults eating them. We had a bottle a while back and it was kind of fun, eating them like the candy they are.

It's been shown over and over again that most of what's in vitamins ends up in your pee. But if some of it gets into you, that's not a bad thing...but I wouldn't expect much.

[BarTopDancer]

Why miss them? There's no law against adults eating them. We had a bottle a while back and it was kind of fun, eating them like the candy they are.

It's been shown over and over again that most of what's in vitamins ends up in your pee. But if some of it gets into you, that's not a bad thing...but I wouldn't expect much.

Cause the texture of chewable pills make me want to yammy.

[Drince88]

If you're worried about something that the liquid pill would help with - a way to tell if your favorite vitamin will break down reasonably well in your stomach is to put it in a small container with vinegar and make sure it dissolves.

Not sure if it's an urban legend/old wive's tale, but it kind of makes sense.

[Not Afraid]

If you're worried about something that the liquid pill would help with - a way to tell if your favorite vitamin will break down reasonably well in your stomach is to put it in a small container with vinegar and make sure it dissolves.

Not sure if it's an urban legend/old wive's tale, but it kind of makes sense.


That's actually a good test. I put mine in water to demonstrate that they disolve. So many vitamins on the market don't.

[Snowflake]

"I'd marry you if it turned out you had no blood at all..."

All About Eve?

[Alex]

Correct.

[alphabassettgrrl]

It's true that a lot of vitamins don't dissolve, and one reason that I prefer capsules of the things I take, though I hadn't seen multivitamins in capsules.

At least the capsules will dissolve, y'know? Not entirely sure what happens from there, but a girl's got to try.

[Stan4dSteph]

Given the average American diet, I would guess that a lot of people aren't getting enough of their vitamins from food.

[Moonliner]

Given the average American diet, I would guess that a lot of people aren't getting enough of their vitamins from food.

You'd think that with all the crap in a Wendy's double cheeseburger or Pizza Hut Meatantor they could add a few vitamins without anyone really noticing.

[flippyshark]

Vitamin enriched corn dog pizza! Someone make it happen!

[lashbear]

Vitamin enriched corn dog pizza! Someone make it happen!
VitaMeataCornaVegePizzaMin !!!

...Where's Lucy when you need her...