CAN vitamins harm you?

[Neon Beach]

Dear Miriam,

CAN vitamins harm you? I told my neighbour I take daily vitamin supplements - mega C, vitamins D and E, a multivitamin, calcium for my bones, and beta-carotene to keep cancer at bay.

She scared me by saying so many vitamin pills could poison me. Is she right?

Any vitamin pill taken wrongly or to excess can harm you. But it doesn't stop people popping them.

One in two Americans takes multivitamin pills regularly on the basis that they must do some good. Wrong.

The US National Institutes of Health says there's little evidence such supplements benefit already healthy people, and could sometimes do harm.

Taking extra vitamin D combined with calcium can increase risk of kidney stones. Smokers who take beta-carotene to fend off lung cancer increase their risk of getting it. **How about a little sunshine instead?

The body can only use half a gram of vitamin C a day so it's pointless to take more - but people take twice that in the mistaken belief it will do them good. It won't.

But I'm at a loss how to change public perceptions.

The supplement industry has a vested interest in its products being viewed as foods rather than drugs, which means they can escape strict regulation.

Source

[Marca]

Hm I'm at a loss now too... I thought our food (like vegetables and fruit) today do NOT have enough vitamins (or at least has a lot less than say 30 years ago) and is processed and 'poisened' a lot more, so that it IS sensible to take supplements.

That the National Institute of Health says there's little evidence such supplements benefit already healthy people, and could sometimes do harm, is confusing...

[Neon Beach]

They push the vitamin D supplements instead of "sunshine" and of course too many of these pills are known to be toxic.

[Marca]

True we can't have that

[Tonya]

I take a womens multi vitamin, I'm not dead yet. Of course vit d has never came up in a discussion with my doc, maybe she sees I'm tan and knows I own a tanning salon and doesn't bother with it lol

[Marca]

'maybe' but don't hold your breath!

[Kay]

Originally Posted by Marca

Hm I'm at a loss now too... I thought our food (like vegetables and fruit) today do NOT have enough vitamins (or at least has a lot less than say 30 years ago) and is processed and 'poisened' a lot more, so that it IS sensible to take supplements.

That is true, and has been for even long then 30 years. http://www.hvgateway.com/health1.htm When reading 2nd session document No 264 keep in mind the Date when this it was written.

[Kay]

Nutrition in a Nutshell: I'm Taking What? David P. Hoyt Vitamins are essential to good health both mentally and physically. Everyone knows this is true, but what type of vitamins should you be taking? Basically a multi vitamin with minerals (one pill) once a day would be a good generic start. The problem is how do you know what you’re getting? Are they any good and will they make me feel any better when I begin taking them? Lots of questions come to mind so maybe I can help. First of all it takes about three months for the nutrients to sustain themselves at optimum levels before the true effects are realized. Remember that the next time someone comes up to you and says...hey try these vitamins I’ve been taking them a week now and I feel fantastic! This is typical and also psychological, but don’t rain on their parade, if they think they feel good that’s ok. When you purchase a supplement read the label to see if it’s enteric coated. You do not want an enteric coated pill. Anything enteric coated is designed to pass through the stomach and dissolve in the intestines. You want the pill to break down in your stomach just as food does.Put your supplement in a glass of water, it should break down within 30 minutes. If it doesn’t, throw them away and try another brand. Look for Hcl somewhere in the ingredients. (This indicates hydrochloric acid which helps dissolve the pill)Beware of the word “oxide”. Typically it looks like this; Iron (oxide) or Copper (oxide) or Zinc (oxide). Put the bottle right back, these are oxidized metals commonly referred to as rust! The human body simply cannot absorb metals in this form and they are totally useless.If a multi vitamin contains iron and vitamin E, then consider which one is most important to you because these two are “antagonists” and the end result is you receive no benefit from either one. Check the vitamin B12. What you need to know here is what type it is because most companies use the cheapest way out, they extract nutrients using hexane gas; as a result a portion of the B12 is chemically converted to cyanide! Federal law mandates that this must be shown as part of the ingredients. True B12 is Cobalamin. Adulterated B12 is called cyanocobalomin, that’s right it has cyanide in it! (A harmless form) Another manmade B12 is hydroxocobalomin. Please be aware of what goes into your body, everything that goes in has a direct effect on how long you may live.

[oasistan]

Vitamins make me sick. Couldnt even take prenatal vitamins because it gave me worse morning sickness. Plus they make your urine smell. hehe

[engfant]

Drink Orange juice.