Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Your Turn

A new article in the New York Times says that taking vitamins is bad for you. I agree if you take them in the quantity of Katy Perry. I disagree if you are taking just one a day, especially if your body is low in some essential mineral or if you are pregnant and taking prenatal vitamins or if you just like the taste of a Flintstones chewable. Vitamins - yes or no?

59 comments:

Unknown said...

I feel like there is a study for everything being bad for you. I once heard drinking while you are eating is bad for you.

MISCH said...

I take a One-A-Day for women, my doctor says it's excellent and enough...
Having seen friends get sick over doing their own crazy
vitamin combinations I agree you need to be careful.

parissucksliterally said...

Ashley, I heard that breathing is bad for you too!

:)


It is ridiculous. They change their minds every 6 months about what is/is not good for you.

Anonymous said...

Considering how there are people in the FDA who make aspartame and Monsanto products available everywhere, I think this is a non issue. There are bigger problems with items we eat and drink daily, but let's fear vitamins. Overdoing them can be bad for you, but do not come close to the deaths from taking Big Pharma pills and drug interactions. This country, instead of taking care of itself through eating right, taking vitamins, and exercising would rather pop a pill instead. There are vitamins that can lessen a lot of symptoms that people have. This is sad.

Tammy said...

I have to take B12 and potassium, my body doesn't produce enough of either. Everything in moderation!

Cathy said...

I think vitamins are good for you when used in moderation and as long as people aren't using them to make up for eating complete crap all day every day.

Unknown said...

What is the quantity of Katy Perry? Does she take a lot? Is she supposed to be fat? Fit? I don't get it.

I had to take iron because I was anemic, among other things, because of my ED.

Kelly said...

Yes. I take a daily, a calcium/magnesium/zinc for leg cramps as I run outside in the summer, flax seed oil, and most importantly, Milk Thistle! Swear by it!

Unknown said...

Vitamins make me sick to my stomach. I chew a Flintstones every now and then but it doesn't have what a woman my age would need. I think they make me sick as I don't weigh much (I weigh what I should for my height 5'). How can they make a vitamin that will work for all women heights & weights? I think this is why I get sick.

car54 said...

I take supplemental vitamin D and B12 that I get from a nutritionist. My doctor said I have the lowest vitamin D number he's ever seen--I'm going back to see him Friday and I suspect I will be put back on a mega-dose for 3 months to get my levels up.

VIPblonde said...

Just so everyone can comment on the real article and not the spin, here it is: Don't Take Your Vitamins. The article is about megadoses of vitamins, which I think most people know by now are a bad idea.

I'm vegan, so there are a few vitamins that I have to supplement daily: B12 and D. I also take half of a vegan one-a-day type pill with iron (only half, because I'm wary of vitamins, and I've been know to skip a few days). I also do Spirulina capsules, but that's not really a vitamin :)

Tammy said...

Jenny, check and see if your vitamin contains zinc. That will do a number on you if you don't have a full stomach before taking it.

Ms. Good Intentions said...

@ Christina...AMEN SISTER!

It is terrifying how much power Monsanto has in this country and how much the flagrantly disregard public health for their profits. They actually scare me more than Big Pharma which is terrifying in their own right.

Tru Leigh said...

I've been pro-vitamins since I first picked up a copy of Earl Mindell's Vitamin Bible in the '70's.

Unknown said...

Thank you, Tammy!

Ms. Good Intentions said...

So the bacon loving Enty created an alter ego in VIPblonde that is a vegan? Interesting!

(I kid. I kid!)

Boxes Little Boxes said...

I still take pre-natal vitamins, a B supplement, and fish oil. If you're taking a million of them, duh, that's just expensive pee, not bad for you. Most vitamins pass through your urine if you take too many, but some don't.

The point of the article is that studies have shown too much of the megavitamins may cause cancer. Ideally, we should get our vitamins from natural sources (food), but in fast food nation, that isn't happening. People think, "Oh, I take my supermegahealthy vitamin, I can haz cheeseburgers!"

flowerpower said...

I had lap-band surgery three years ago, and I have to take vitamins to keep me healthy, especially iron. Without the daily vitamins, I don't feel as well and lack energy. I try to eat right and get as many vitamins from the foods I eat, and I drink Slim-Fast at least once a day to get more vitamins and minerals. My iron has been really low and I came very close to needing a transfusion a couple of months ago, so now I'm more careful about what I eat and drink. All in all, vitamins are good. There's just no way you can eat all you need in one day to get all the vitamins and minerals needed for your body.

Nellie said...

I keep hearing milk thistle for nursing moms. Is that why you take it? What does it do for you?

timebob said...

@Jenny never take a vitamin on an empty stomach it will make you nauseous. Always take it after eating something.

You should get all the vitamins you need from eating well. Anything extra the body will just flush out.

I don't eat that well so I usually pop a one a day to cover what i'm missing. Or that's what I tell myself at least

;0)

Anonymous said...

@flowerpower, try adding spinach and chia seeds into your diet. They both have tons of iron in them.

Unknown said...

no vitamins, no pills, no weird stuff.

i eat right (mostly. i cheat here and there) and i exercise.

if i have heart burn, i take a shot of apple cider vinegar. if i have a leg cramp or a charlie horse, i have a banana or a glass of milk (cow or almond). etc.

i try to eat some form of raw plant every day and raise my heart rate through some form of activity (not *that* kind).

going vegan would be awesome, but i love cheese too much :(

The Real Dragon said...

I take Vitamins every day

Boxes Little Boxes said...

@Nellie, I take milk thistle for liver health.

@flowerpower, I'm sorry if implied everyone should just eat right. I'm on a medication that reduces B vitamin absorption, so I have to take a B supplement. There are unique situations like yours and others (elderly, ill, anemic, etc.) where vitamins are absolutely essential.

Best of luck to you!

Freya said...

Vitamins are bad for you but drinking red wine is good for your heart. Um, ok.

VIPblonde said...

@Ms. Good Intentions Shhhhh It's soy bacon ;)

Unknown said...

Synthetic vitamins are awful for you. Most vitamin C supplements use the synthetic form and they leach other vital stuff from the body. You should ALWAYS try and get your nutrients from whole foods and organic when you're talking the dirty dozen. Any mass produced vitamin you get in the drug/grocery store is full of useless synthetic vitamins that are a waste of money. Look for supplements (if you must have them...I'm low on Vitamin D, so I get more sun and take a non-GMO version from my eastern-medicine practitioner) that are NON GMO,sourced from whole foods (not the store) and google synthetic forms of vitamins so you can steer clear.

Tempestuous Grape said...

If you consume raw dairy, pastured meats, cod liver oil, real salt, and veggies/plants, then you really don't need vitamins. I take Milk Thistle because I am a heavy wine drinker, but other than that, I get my vitamins from my food & sun.

Lulu G said...

A muti-vitamin also makes me feel queasy for days. I've taken on a full stomach, before eating food, in the morning, at night. No difference. I can handle Emergen-C , the powder and I can get C and B vitamins. I also generally eat a lot of veggies and eat healthy. I'd rather not take supplements if I can help it, I find doing so to be an annoying part of my day, to be honest and hate having to deal with the individual pills to avoid the sick feeling that multi's give to me.

Tempestuous Grape said...

Soy will kill you, people. Read up on that shit.

@Laurenza Kyle - good comment, I concur :)

Unknown said...

@temp grape: just saw a a big article today on it. i hate monsanto and soy/edamame is rather boring, but now i will really be cutting down.

Megerz said...

Me too Tru! I was in my early twenties, suddenly had adult acne, etc. I read his "bible" and it changed my life. I attribute my good skin and looking younger than my age to taking certain vitamins all these years. You have to educate yourself and not buy garbage brands too. I have tweaked my regimen many times over the years through trial and error and educating myself. The dosages that I was taking in my twenties were possibly considered mega doses, but not anymore. The RDA is a very low and base number for most vitamins. And most doctors are not educated on supplements. The MD's are trained to treat the problem/ailment, not how to prevent it from occurring. Sorry for the long ramble. I'm passionate about it.

Unknown said...

@Tempestuous Grape (I heart Jerri!)... Thanks. I'm a bit of a Natural News and Dr. Mercola junkie. Milk Thistle, huh? I need to look into it. I also need to eat more veggies.

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
califblondy said...

I can't tolerate any vitamin, all I take is St. John's Wort to calm my ass down.

JoElla said...

Hi gang Happy Summer!

Make sure you guys are taking D3 instead of regular D. The body absorbs it better.

And yes, another day, another thing "bad" for you.

Terri said...

I water my garden every morning so get my vitamin D that way.

I take a B Complex, but only 100% of each one so I don't pee it out.

Krill oil for my joints and lubrication of my muscles.

I"m going to buy a juicer with my birthday money and try that for a month. I watched a youtube video on it an want to give it a try.

MISCH said...

and remember No Vitamins on an empty stomach, that will make you sick.

Jess said...

I know that certain vitamins should be monitored when you are taking them as a supplement, mostly fat soluble vitamins (A, D, etc) because they can store up in your system and some may not react well.

BUT that is only for supplements--you can get fat soluble vitamins from natural sources in as great an abundance as you please.

Water soluble vitamins are eliminated through the urine when you have more than enough, so you can pretty much take as vitamin C or B as you want.

My nutritionist also says that synthetic vitamins are hard for the body to process, so in that case they might be considered "bad" for you.

I take plenty of vitamins and eat plenty of whole foods. I think they're wonderful as long as you realize that vitamins can't replace a good diet.

Jess said...

@Nellie, milk thistle is amazing to detox the liver!

NovaNightly said...

I understood that you shouldn't be taking tons of multivitamins unless your doctor tells you that you should. Also that you pee out most of the contents of vitamins, so they are almost worthless. Only a tiny amount gets absorbed into your system.

Clanger said...

I still think a vitamin supplement can be beneficial, expecially if you don't always eat a balanced diet or eat a lot of fast food, etc.

NovaNightly said...

Cathy said...
I think vitamins are good for you when used in moderation and as long as people aren't using them to make up for eating complete crap all day every day.

------------------
So Cathy...only completely healthy people should take vitamins? Doesn't really make sense.

Tigercat said...

Blood test showed extremely low B, low D and low iron. Supplementing with vitamins helped me get back on track, even though I eat fairly healthy (i.e. whole foods, occasional processed, do my own cooking, etc). And I really needed that help because those particular lows made me feel exhausted all the time.

SophiaB said...

This. Many vitamins are adulterated with gluten and other allergens, but mostly this whole campaign to drive people away from whole food and appropriate suoplementation is an obvious ploy by Big Pharma. In Canada, there is a gigantic effort by Health Canada to outlaw nutritional supplements and bring them in under the umbrella of prescriptions. Because of COURSE medical doctors are so well trained in orthomolecular medicine. Yikes!!

SophiaB said...

You might be reacting to the fillers. I do agree that there should be some oversight and actual testing for dosage by body weight but honestly the dosages in most supplements is way lower than your body needs to support itself. Which is why I take only a very few.

The number of people who die from properly prescribed prescription drugs is a scandal-way over the 100,000 per year that is the usual published number. Just look up Vioxx. The drug makers KNOW their little pills are dangerous. They unleash them, badly tested, on the unsuspecting public in the US where they are as unregulated as the Wild Wild West, score their billions, pau a few million in fines when our broken regulatory agencies can be bothered to go after them, and then they get back to the business of raking it in.

This is just as wrll documented as the CIA being drug runners for the cartels (actually-it is the other way around). But this system is so screwed up I have no clue what to actually do about it. Kinda late to be worrying about whether vitamin supplements will harm you.

Have you seen the flooding in Europe? FRAK!!

SophiaB said...

Milk thistle helps clear the liver. Needs to be taken with caution. If you have chronic problems-digestive, weight, pain, then doung slow gentle liver cleansing is wise before popping the milk thistle. I found this out the hard way, so-word to the wise.

Do your research before you take ANYTHING and considrr the consequences. Our diets are so messed up from really bad processed food. Be careful.

8====D KermitGossnellKnobjob said...

This article is terribly stupid.

Of course taking too many vitamins is bad for you, as taking too much water can drown you; but as the body expels excedent water through urine, sweat and others, does the same to the vitamins that doesn't use.

You'll better make vaccines mandatory in the USA in order to avoid epidemics (as the measles one in Wales, UK) and get rid of ludicrous studies like this.

8====D KermitGossnellKnobjob said...

And no, I don't take vitamins outside normal food like bacon. I don't need them.

iheartjacksparrow said...

I take a multi-vitamin, a calcium supplement, and CLA capsules.

SophiaB said...

Ditto. Monsatan is already responsible for so many illnesses and deaths, i am sure. Getting off of highly processed foods, grains, gluten & sugar is likely saving my life. Not out of the woods yet but getting stronger every day after 30 yes 30 MISERABLE YEARS. I already look 10-15 years younger and people who have known me for 20 years are having trouble recognizing me after not seeing me for a year. Glutengraingmo free is REALLY hard to do but oh my goddess is it WORTH IT!!! Able to function, drive longer distances, attend conferences. Things I could not have considered three years ago...

SophiaB said...

Hemp seeds and hemp milk have incredible nutritional value. Slim Fast has empty calories. Your situation is why I opted out of the lap band option even when I went over 300 lbs. I knew my condition was caused by food sensitivities, and once I figured out the problem, i went on an extended juice fast, shed 40lbs which is still not creeping back after two years, changed my diet to whole foods , grass fed organic meat, hemp seeds, avocafo & fruits & veggies. People are astounded at how much I have bounced back from the grave. Even six werks later, feeling like total crap after an accidental ingestion of rice flour that made me so ill I had to take pain killers for two days to function at a conference (REALLY BAD TIMING!!) my young healthy upstairs neighbor was shocked at how much better I am looking. That was really nice to hear & see the look of surprise on his face. I did not ask him-he brought it up.

SophiaB said...

Me too. I strongly recommend the movies Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead, about juicing, and the 2008 film Food Matters, plus Fresh, Inc. They are inspiring, funny, moving, informative and MOTIVATING. They will give you the 411 and the knowledge to make the big changes. CHANGED. MY. LIFE.

And I was really well informed before that. I just didn't know what I didn't know. With a couple small changes a doorway to healing opened up. It is a real miracle.

And while I belueve there are certain supplements that can be helpful in healing certain conditions, just getting your diet centered on whole foods-simple foods-can make a gigantic difference. Slow & steady. Smooth as silk. One step at a time. That is how I am doing this.

I have awesome advisors. I do nothing until my body asks for it or instructs me. The healers who are in charge of each step now show up in perfect timing.

I now trust my body wisfom and the Universe. It sure beats being a bedridden zombie bitchqueen.

Kelly said...

@Nellie. No, I'm far from nursing anymore. I take it for my cysts. I used to get them terrible until I discovered milk thistle. I take it and I don't get one. I stop and I almost immediately break out with a bad one. I SWEAR by it. I had my dad take it for his too and he has not had a problem for years, where as he got them so bad he'd have to get surgeries on them. It cleans your liver, but I'm not sure how that stops the cysts. Just know it works!

Zeeky_Boogy_Doog said...

Car54, That happened to me as well. The doctors found my Vitamin D levels to be extremely low. He gave me a megadose for a while, then put me at 1000iu per day, which was still too low, so now I take 2000iu.

It's incredible how many people are low on Vitamin D! Doctors recommend we spend 20 minutes in the sunshine every day, with shorts and short sleeves, no SPF. If you're Caucasian and you glow in the dark with paleness, you're probably deficient.

MadLyb said...

Just Vitamin D right now.

Upside Downunder said...

I have been supplementing after blood tests revealed low Vitamin B, D, DHEA, and some trace elements. I was surprised by the low D levels as I am in the sun quite a bit here in Oz.

The key was blood testing, seems random to supplement without knowing the reality.

SophiaB said...

The movie Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead will educate, move and inspire you. There is also a Facebook.page from the film with loads of inspiring stories & yummy juice recipes.

April said...

I try to get what I need from food as I think the body is less likely to absorb from a pill than from the source. But I do take certain things. I take Oregano Oil pills with food when I feel like I might be coming down with a cold to nip it in the bud and I try to oil-pull with coconut oil in the mornings to keep my teeth and gums healthy (also helps my skin). Besides that, I don't do supplements.

But I have an uncle who pours that crap down his gullet and spends god knows how much a year. Every time I come and clean out his cabinets, I have to fight him to get rid of expired pills and potions he says are still good. I mean, vitamin b-12 from 2009 might not kill him, but I think it's also not likely to do any good. He always claims he gets sick less than I do because of his supplements. I say it's because he works from home and rarely breathes the same air as others.

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