multivitamins?
What does anyone think of multivits? The Journal of The American Medical Association has done a full turn around and reccomended that everyone take a multivitamin daily.
Replies
Richard - do you have the article reference?
Mariette Lobo
no but the statement was made on june 19th 2002.
I quote "We recommend that All Adults take a multi-vitamin daily"
Honest answer - that they are a good money-spinner for vitamin-sellers who promote them on campaigns boosting paranoia.
NOw no doubt there are some people with particular diseases or disability who may benefit from some vitamin supplements, but not as many as the sellers would have us believe.
It's difficult to say about the effects of multivits because there have been no long term controlled studies. However, we know that low levels of antioxidents, Omega 3's and a lack of minerals such as Chromium (used in sugar matabolism) are vital in decreasing our risk of heart disease, diabeties and cancer. Is it not worth increasing the levels of vitamins and minerals present in our bodies through supplementation to lower these risks? One obviously needs to take into consideration bioavailability and dosage, so as not to overdose on more absorbable micronutrients but with all this said, if this was possible, why not try!
Richard said: why not try?
(well, I presume tht was meant to be a "?")
well:
1. neither omega 3 nor chromium are vitamins, so not relevant to this thread
2. because we don't have adequate data on dangers of overdosing either
3. because promoting the things by a strategy of stirring up paranoia - or attempting to - is hardly good for the health, nor indeed ethical
4. because many of the people on whom the paranoia campaigns may be preying do not have the money to spend on such things without either adding to financial problems or skimping on (probably) more vital items, such as a balanced healthy diet, and guilt for not lashing on on them in the face of the paranoia campaigns is not good for the health either
5. why not just eat a good healthy balanced diet?
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