Posted on 12/18/2013 8:57:00 PM PST by artichokegrower
Q
uestions about the health benefits of vitamin supplements have been percolating in the medical establishment for decades — even as the multivitamin industry has grown to a multi-billion powerhouse in the U.S. This week, the respected journal the Annals of Internal Medicine put its well-heeled foot down.
"We believe that the case is closed — supplementing the diet of well-nourished adults with (most) mineral or vitamin supplements has no clear benefit and might even be harmful," the journal said in an editorial. "These vitamins should not be used for chronic disease prevention. Enough is enough."
Here's Dr. Edgar Miller of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, one of the editorial's five co-authors: "What will protect you is if you spend the money on fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans, low fat dairy, things like that," Miller tells CBS News. "Exercising would probably be a better use of the money." The only exceptions are folic acid for pregnant women and, possibly, vitamin D — the studies are mixed on its benefits and risks.
Assuming Miller and his colleagues are right — and they base their assertion on three large, recent studies — Americans have been wasting lots of money on vitamins. About half of U.S. adults take dietary supplements, and the vitamin industry has grown to $12 billion a year for vitamins alone and about $30 billion for all dietary supplements. That's just in the U.S.
(Excerpt) Read more at theweek.com ...
They've done amazingly well in this regard, pertaining to psychiatry. Some of the meds prescribed are wicked for the hope they promise, and the side effects they cause.
Having personal friends taking these, I just wish someone could convince me that I'm wrong.
Multi-vitamins are indeed almost useless because the amounts of the active ingredients are insufficient to accomplish specific nutritional objectives. Virtually all Americans are deficient in B vitamins, vitamin d3 and omega 3. Countless properly structured studies have validated the benefits of supplementation with substantially higher dosages than occur in a multi-vitamin. 12% of our 20k genes are switched on or of by vitamin d3. Omega 3 has prevented 40% of sudden cardiac deaths in a well structured study of at risk humans.
B vitamins are essential for normal brain functions.
I have family members and friends who ride the dosage roller coaster. Constantly being “adjusted” and are perpetually adding new fun cocktails to keep “fix” things caused by meds.
Besides *vitamins* - there’s **herbs** and OTHER such supplements - that do VERY MUCH GOOD.
Just PROVEN - sorry, big pharma.
(Take a listen to 1st hour of www.CoasttoCoastAM last night - yes ~
LAST SHOW RECAP : In the first hour, Dr. Joel Wallach reacted to the recent study which claims that vitamins provide no memory or heart benefits.
The only exceptions are folic acid for pregnant women and, possibly, vitamin D — the studies are mixed on its benefits and risks. <<
It’s a closed book, except...
They don’t spend money on these studies. They spend money on drug studies.
The exceptions per the Linus Pauling Institute...
Women of childbearing age (folate, vitamin D, iron)
Pregnant and lactating women (vitamin B6, folate, vitamin D, iron)
People who consume <1,200 cal/day (multiple micronutrients)
Obese individuals (multiple micronutrients)
Infants, children, and adolescents (vitamin D)
People with dark-colored skin (vitamin D)
Those who cover all exposed skin or using sunscreen whenever outside (vitamin D)
Older adults (vitamin B12, vitamin D, zinc)
Low socioeconomic status (multiple micronutrients)
Patients who have had bariatric surgery (multiple micronutrients)
Patients with fat malabsorption syndromes (fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K)
Alcoholics (vitamin A, B vitamins)
Smokers (vitamins C and E)
Vegans and those with limited intake of animal products (vitamin B12, vitamin D, calcium)
People taking medications that interfere with the absorption and/or metabolism of certain micronutrients (e.g., proton pump inhibitors used to treat heartburn may impair vitamin B12 absorption (36); frequent aspirin use can lower vitamin C status (37)).
People whose diets are not adherent to the USDA food plate (formerly food pyramid)—the vast majority of Americans (multiple micronutrients)
http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/multivitamin-mineral.html
It’s a little more rigorous list.
DK
It’s women who are affected most - they tend to articulate better and are more willing to open up to the shrinks - and consequently get experimented with drugs and dosages more.
One friend literally ballooned in weight by over 180lbs in a span of 2 years and her doc doesn’t seem to think it could be the meds. He puts her on wild assortments of antidepressants (lexapro), anti-psychotics, sleep aids and appetite suppressants. Worse still, she trusts him.
red wine, dark chocolate laced with chili and sometimes almonds are my choice of supplements...
My wife’s sister is on a cocktail of the same. She has gained at least 50 pounds in the last year or two, and is swollen up and looks pretty hideous. Nothing like ruining the looks of a gal to get her self esteem up huh?
Not to worry.
Wait ten years and there will be a new study issued with the exact opposite conclusion.
That’s how science is.
The study was no good. Too many people quit the study.
Likewise, here too.
You’ll weep if you see pictures of this friend from today and five years prior.
From talking to her I know her depression is rooted in a self-image problem, exacerbated by the weight gain and the cycle it has trapped her in. I see those docs as covered in guilt, but don’t know if I am right to assume. How can these morons not be aware of the problems the drugs cause to the depressed that harm self-image? It’s the worst cruelty.
Has nothing to do with vitamins, and everything to do with expanding FDA control.
Yes, proper diet is the best way to get vitamins. Tens of million people live alone in this nation. They don’t eat diverse meals. They do need supplements.
One brain-trust trashing vitamins today had this to say...
“These vitamins are a waste of time. What with a diversified source of foods, and fortified milk, folks don’t need vitamin supplements”
Unwittingly he had just endorsed vitamin additives in milk.
These guys are lying their asses off.
Vitamin supplements are important as long as people don’t go nuts with them.
And for the record, food is great, but people also go nuts overeating too.
Big Drugs has always been against vitamins. Always. They want people sick so the can get wealthy off them.
I just know there are a few vitamins that help me quite a lot. One being vitamin D.
: (
Where I live there is a real shortage of vitamin D.
Big Drugs will turn on vitamin d3 supplements, too.
It’s curious that this is coming out at this time. I wonder if the FBI investigation of the Virginia’s soon to depart governor is connected. The story is that he accepted help from a wealthy health supplement magnate. He was Republican as well.
Is this connected to Obamacare?
It’s paradoxical: the mega-pharmaceutical companies are aligning with the same bureaucrats who defamed, miked, robbed, and now corralled into slow starvation to target the health nuts, traditional Dem constituents.
no orange juice?
In spades!
The "date rape drug", GmbH, was a cheep supplement available at health food stores, used by many who needed restful sleep (e.g. international travelers, narcoleptics, etc). It's the only supplement that helps me get to stage 3/4 sleep where restorative sleep occurs. It also helps heal fibromyalgia. That's a very rare capability.
Now, it costs $2K/mth. It's only available from a single distributor.
I have family members and friends who ride the dosage roller coaster. Constantly being “adjusted” and are perpetually adding new fun cocktails to keep “fix” things caused by meds.
Of course. Big Drugs considers us nothing but lab rats that can put more money in their pockets.
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