16 Vitamins That are a Waste of Money, Say Experts (selenium, doctor, cancer)
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Americans spend an estimated of 35 billion a year on dietary vitamins, but do they offer the healthy benefits consumers are seeking? That depends. Dr. Terrell Smith MD, MPH, Founding Physician of Spora Health, a telehealth platform offering primary care for people of color, says, "In all, a healthy and balanced diet will provide you with most of the vitamins that your body needs. Unless you are experiencing symptoms of vitamin deficiency and are advised by a healthcare provider, avoid taking excessive vitamins." Eat This, Not That! Health talked to experts who explain which vitamins are actually a waste of money and why. Read below to find out the 16 vitamins that Dr. Smith and Megan Mescher-Cox, DO Diplomate, American Board of Internal Medicine, Lifestyle Medicine and Obesity Medicine Identity Medical Group/Dignity Health Medical Group recommend leaving on the drugstore shelf—and to ensure your health and the health of others
I thought H&W is more appropriate than Alt Med because cant post negatives there
That said, this is a pretty inclusive and correct list. My only objection is D3. I believe that that is necessary and MDRs are way too low
I thought H&W is more appropriate than Alt Med because cant post negatives there
That said, this is a pretty inclusive and correct list. My only objection is D3. I believe that that is necessary and MDRs are way too low
[COLOR=""Red"] I have moved this to the appropriate sub forum, Supplements. FYI, you are certainly allowed to "post negatives" in Alt.Med--you are allowed to disagree as long as you do so politely. No name calling, no "snake oil, no "quacks." You have to be respectful, that's all.
I agree with some of that but mostly what he's talking about is taking TOO MUCH of something, which is true and can be dangerous. However, he assumes, for instance, everyone is getting enough vitamin A from dairy products. Yet we know that many people don't eat dairy products or are allergic.
Iron--some people are iron deficient when they are tested so they need iron. Women past menopause should not take iron because too much can cause cancer.
The anti oxidants--vitamins A, C, E, selenium--I've read recently that experts are looking into them for Covid. C is water soluble so no harm in taking it. Selenium up to 200 IU is safe, but no more.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-l...s/sls-20076428
Antioxidants, such as vitamins C and E and carotenoids, may help protect cells from damage caused by free radicals. Other naturally occurring antioxidants include flavonoids, tannins, phenols and lignans. Plant-based foods are the best sources. These include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, herbs and spices, and even cocoa.
Free radicals come from exposure to smoke, radiation, other toxic substances that are often around us.
Many of the rest of the list are things I've never heard of or have only heard in passing.
But I think if you are tested for your vitamin and mineral levels it's smart to go ahead and supplement. In many cases you don't even need to be tested, such as if you can't or don't eat dairy products. Just supplement to make up for what you are missing. Older people should be taking a good, absorbable form of zinc because they tend to be deficient. It all depends upon what your body needs.
How many people today eat a perfect diet? This dr says we get these vitamins and minerals in our diets, lol. How many of the younger people especially, eat right? They're eating fast food which is nutrient deficient, they're eating or drinking a lot of caffeine, which depletes calcium, etc. They are eating anything BUT a normal diet. In a perfect world, maybe this dr could be more or less right, but not in our world today. Vitamin D3, of course. To say we get enough just by going outdoors, is ridiculous.
I remember an old TV infomercial where he said his friend is in the portapotty business and would find all the unmelted vitamins in the bottom of the waste tanks.
I agree with some of that but mostly what he's talking about is taking TOO MUCH of something, which is true and can be dangerous. However, he assumes, for instance, everyone is getting enough vitamin A from dairy products. Yet we know that many people don't eat dairy products or are allergic.
Iron--some people are iron deficient when they are tested so they need iron. Women past menopause should not take iron because too much can cause cancer.
The anti oxidants--vitamins A, C, E, selenium--I've read recently that experts are looking into them for Covid. C is water soluble so no harm in taking it. Selenium up to 200 IU is safe, but no more.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-l...s/sls-20076428
Antioxidants, such as vitamins C and E and carotenoids, may help protect cells from damage caused by free radicals. Other naturally occurring antioxidants include flavonoids, tannins, phenols and lignans. Plant-based foods are the best sources. These include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, herbs and spices, and even cocoa.
Free radicals come from exposure to smoke, radiation, other toxic substances that are often around us.
Many of the rest of the list are things I've never heard of or have only heard in passing.
But I think if you are tested for your vitamin and mineral levels it's smart to go ahead and supplement. In many cases you don't even need to be tested, such as if you can't or don't eat dairy products. Just supplement to make up for what you are missing. Older people should be taking a good, absorbable form of zinc because they tend to be deficient. It all depends upon what your body needs.
How many people today eat a perfect diet? This dr says we get these vitamins and minerals in our diets, lol. How many of the younger people especially, eat right? They're eating fast food which is nutrient deficient, they're eating or drinking a lot of caffeine, which depletes calcium, etc. They are eating anything BUT a normal diet. In a perfect world, maybe this dr could be more or less right, but not in our world today. Vitamin D3, of course. To say we get enough just by going outdoors, is ridiculous.
I highly doubt the nutrition information is even accurate. Farming has changed tremendously over the years. If I had the money I'd buy a bunch of produce, take it to the lab and let them run testing for nutrients.
I highly doubt the nutrition information is even accurate. Farming has changed tremendously over the years. If I had the money I'd buy a bunch of produce, take it to the lab and let them run testing for nutrients.
I'm sure the results would be really interesting.
I read a book where they did that. Name totally escapes me at the moment though.
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Just started with a new PCP, and he wants me to take 4,000 iu of D3 every day, along with a multi. At my age (75) I'll give it a try.
What could it hurt??
Not only would it not hurt, you need the supps to bring your D3 level up. Lack of D3 is important to aging people, particularly women, since it contributes to loss of bone density, osteoporosis. I was low, too, to take D3 now. After 1 yr it was w/in normal range, but still on the low side, so I increased the dosage.
Spending time in the sun is supposed to raise D3 levels, but altho I do yard work, that didn't happen for me. And spending unnecessary time in the sun has the risk of skin cancer, as well as aging the skin.
I disagree with that. Even if I take too much of this or that, or I don't need all of the vitamins & minerals in my multi, I'd rather take a supp I don't need than risk not getting enough of an important vit/mineral.
As for getting everything through one's diet, it's almost impossible for me, since I'm an aging female and can't eat THAT many calories a day without getting fat. I've kept a detailed log before of every morsel that entered my mouth, logging calories, fat grams, carb grams, protein, sodium. I did that for maybe 6 months, several times. The spreadsheet had a formula that calculated the % of each, compared to what's recommended. There were few days that there wasn't one category that was over or under. It's a very difficult thing to do when you're trying to do that. I can only imagine how I was doing, when I wasn't trying. I didn't track vitamins and minerals specifically, but I could see that there would be no way to ensure that I was regularly getting all the vitamins/minerals you're supposed to.
I've read that some doctors say that urine should be clear, because if it's yellow, that means you're eating/taking too many vitamins or minerals. When I see clear urine, that tells me I'm not taking in all the vitamins & minerals I need. Because the only way to know I have taken in everything is that the urine is yellow, not white. A deficiency doesn't show.
I take Vitamin D supp because I had low D3 level a couple of years ago. Taking that D3 supplement did apparently increase my D3 level, so in that instance it was verified that taking a supplement did, in fact, bring my level within normal range. I've increased the dosage since then, because my level was on the low end of normal.
I take a super duper multi-vitamin, as well as a couple of supplements for skin, since I'm aging. I take an Omega 3 or fish oil capsule occasionally.
Taking these vitamins & mineral supplements seems to me to be a prudent thing to do. When doctors say they're not helpful, I wonder if they're speaking of the supplements not having an effect on getting medication conditions/illnesses. That may be true of most vits/minerals. But there are some that are proven to lessen the chance of getting certain things. Vitamin D3 can affect osteoporisis. Calcium can add to bone health, as well. Vitamin E. Vitamin B12. Vitamin C prevents cell damage. And a few others.
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