Are multivitamins needed?

The only time that I can see multivitamins as being necessary, is if you're subjecting yourself to a very restrictive diet and have removed all other sources of various vitamins. If you're on a cleanse or a similar diet, where you're only really drinking lemon juice and water (or whatever), then a multivitamin pill may not be a bad idea. But, if you have a normal, well-rounded diet that consists of fruits, vegetables, grains and sources of fatty acids and proteins, you probably won't be deficient in anything.
 
Syzygys said:
According to this article, they just make expensive urine:

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-s...amin-supplements-a-waste-of-time-1605377.html

"Researchers who examined the pill-popping habits of nearly 162,000 American women aged 50 to 79 found that although they swallowed dietary supplements by the bucketload, there was no sign that they reduced common cancers, heart disease or deaths."
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In most cases, no - it's a waste of money. However, there are quite a few people who's diet is far from being balanced and they would benefit from taking them.

I know a little twerp of 25 who eats NOTHING but pizza (and pretty plain, at that) and a certain artificial orange drink. People that stupid had BETTER be taking both vitamin AND mineral supplements!
 
Actually, oilbased vitamins can build up in your liver (?), so you can overdose on them, if not needed...
 
Syzygys said:
Actually, oilbased vitamins can build up in your liver (?), so you can overdose on them, if not needed...
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That's not correct.

In the first place, the proper term is "fat-soluble" and it would take some SERIOUS overdosing to overcome the body's ability to eliminate them. Something like hundreds of pills per day. Not many people are THAT foolish!
 
It's purely anecdotal, but i've noticed that most of the older patients I see who don't take a bunch of medications do take a lot of vitamins. What happens is I see that some guy age 50 or older has listed no medications and I'm suspicious. Most people that age are on blood pressure meds and chloresterol meds at the very least. Anyway, when I ask such a person if they forgot to write down their meds, the ones who actually used no meds almost always take a lot of vitamins.

I suppose an alternative explanation is that, as you pick up more an more prescription meds you must take, you're less likely to voluntarily take anything else. But I thought I'd just throw this in.

PS: it is true that fat soluble vitamins (like vitamin A) can build up in your body to potentially toxic levels, whereas water soluble vitamins (like vitamin C) can't.
 
I know you can kill yourself from eating polar bear liver, due to the high levels of vitamin A in it.

You can also kill yourself by taking too many iron pills. I was just wondering if sysygys had a source for his comment that you can OD on vitamins if they aren't needed, as opposed to exceeding the LD 50 or what have you.
 
Read-Only said:
….it would take some SERIOUS overdosing to overcome the body's ability to eliminate them. Something like hundreds of pills per day.
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What?!?! No, that’s not correct. It doesn’t take “hundreds of pills” to exceed the RDI of the fat soluble vitamins (A and D). With the high-dose vitamin tablets that are available OTC it wouldn’t take more than a dozen. Of course, a single day of exceeding the RDI is unlikely to result in any symptoms, but I doubt it would take more than several days of overdose before the symptoms start to occur. Overdose symptoms of the fat-soluble vitamins can be very serious.

Vitamin A (retinol, retinal, retinoic acid): Nausea, vomiting, headache, dizziness, blurred vision, clumsiness, birth defects, liver problems, possible risk of osteoporosis. You may be at greater risk of these effects if you drink high amounts of alcohol or you have liver problems, high cholesterol levels or don't get enough protein.

Vitamin D (calciferol): Nausea, vomiting, poor appetite, constipation, weakness, weight loss, confusion, heart rhythm problems, deposits of calcium and phosphate in soft tissues.

Source: FDA
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Hercules Rockefeller said:
What?!?! No, that’s not correct. It doesn’t take “hundreds of pills” to exceed the RDI of the fat soluble vitamins (A and D). With the high-dose vitamin tablets that are available OTC it wouldn’t take more than a dozen. Of course, a single day of exceeding the RDI is unlikely to result in any symptoms, but I doubt it would take more than several days of overdose before the symptoms start to occur. Overdose symptoms of the fat-soluble vitamins can be very serious.
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Thank you sir, I do humbly stand corrected as I was thinking it would require more than that.

Thanks again - I've learned something.
 
Read-Only said:
That's not correct.
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It was in the original, linked article:

" Any excess of vitamins (the water soluble C, B1, B2 and B6), whether in the food or in dietary supplements, is excreted. Fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) are stored in the liver and an excess can result in side effects."
 
Vitamin A poisoning

Hypervitaminosis A occurs when the maximum limit for liver stores of retinoids is exceeded. The excess vitamin A enters the circulation causing systemic toxicity. Vitamin A in the form of betacarotene is only selectively converted into retinoids, and hence does not cause toxicity.

Although hypervitaminosis A can occur when large amounts of liver are regularly consumed, most cases of vitamin A toxicity result from an excess intake of vitamin A in the form of vitamin supplements. Toxic symptoms can also arise after consuming very large amounts of preformed vitamin A over a short period of time. (See Polar-bear liver below.)

Vitamin A causes cells to swell with fluid, too much vitamin A causes them to rupture in hypoosmotic environments, hence the toxicity. Toxicity has been shown to be mitigated through vitamin E, Cholesterol, Zinc, Taurine and Calcium. (Wikipedia - link)
 
Syzygys said:
It was in the original, linked article:

" Any excess of vitamins (the water soluble C, B1, B2 and B6), whether in the food or in dietary supplements, is excreted. Fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) are stored in the liver and an excess can result in side effects."
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Once again, I point out that the correct terminology is FAT SOLUBLE and not "OIL-BASED" as you had stated. So you still stand corrected - those two terms are not identical.

And as to the rest, I also point out that I learned I was mistaken about the amount (number) of tablets it took to become dangerous and have apologized for my error. (Suggest you do the same.)
 
Syzygys said:
It was in the original, linked article:

" Any excess of vitamins (the water soluble C, B1, B2 and B6), whether in the food or in dietary supplements, is excreted. Fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) are stored in the liver and an excess can result in side effects."
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Also, some water-soluble vitamins from B complex can also result in poisoning when taken in large amounts
 
Read-Only said:
Once again, I point out that the correct terminology is FAT SOLUBLE and not "OIL-BASED" as you had stated.
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You are a genius!! I did it once do you have to harp on it twice?? Specially that I used fatsoluble in this post so there is no reason for you to keep bringing it up.

But for the record, your braniness was duly noted...

Read-Only said:
(Suggest you do the same.)
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An apology? For what? I apologize when I kill babies while drunkdriving or if I hurt someone's feeling unintentionally. I don't apologize for occasional mistakes...
 
Syzygys said:
You are a genius!! I did it once do you have to harp on it twice?? Specially that I used fatsoluble in this post so there is no reason for you to keep bringing it up.

But for the record, your braniness was duly noted...



An apology? For what? I apologize when I kill babies while drunkdriving or if I hurt someone's feeling unintentionally. I don't apologize for occasional mistakes...
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Oh, I see now. Excuse me, "Mr. Perfection" who-thinks-not-all-errors-count.:bugeye:
 
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