# I need to talk to sensible people (like you folks) about dietary supplements **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 3, 2025, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-talk-to-sensible-people-like-you-folks-about-dietary-supplements/1025357 "2025-12-03T05:13:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2025, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-talk-to-sensible-people-like-you-folks-about-dietary-supplements/1025357/41 "2025-12-04T20:38:03Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > The stuff you are more importantly and highly likely missing eating crap is all the other stuff than the vitamins. Not just fiber either but hosts of various phytonutrients that do us all so much good. To be clear, I don’t really eat “crap” most of the time. A lot of what I eat is prepared food, but not junk food, more like fresh store-made full meals with a variety of ingredients. Junk food like McDonald’s has very little place in my diet. But since I don’t pay much attention to the actual nutritional value of what I eat, it may not be a well balanced diet. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2025, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-talk-to-sensible-people-like-you-folks-about-dietary-supplements/1025357/42 "2025-12-04T20:51:58Z")
Most people my age need to reduce their sodium intake. Mine trends low, so I salt my food; my dad and grandmother both had multiple hospitalizations for critically low sodium levels, so I really don’t want that to happen to me. After Grandma went to the nursing home and had yet another incident (her Na+ level was 120, which is VERY critical), Dad told me, “I’m going to get a bottle of salt tablets, and next time I go there, I’m going to give them to her nurse, and tell her to make sure my mother takes them!” I replied that I understood where he was coming from, but her doctor would have to order those. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2025, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-talk-to-sensible-people-like-you-folks-about-dietary-supplements/1025357/43 "2025-12-04T20:54:07Z")
I’m also allergic to sulfa. Don’t worry about that, because the moiety (part of the molecule) that causes allergy is probably not the same thing that the “S” represents. The S actually just indicates that it contains sulfur, which is a naturally occurring element. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2025, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-talk-to-sensible-people-like-you-folks-about-dietary-supplements/1025357/44 "2025-12-04T20:55:21Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > I take a multivitamin every morning as a “just-in-case” supplement. No idea if there is any benefit, but on the off-chance that there’s something in there I need, then why not. Not a bad idea. There are several more common vitamin deficiencies in the USA- Vitamin D is the most common. They now test for this often in a blood test- how often do you get one? Then B12 for older people and vegetarians. > **[7 Nutrient Deficiencies That Are Incredibly Common](https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/7-common-nutrient-deficiencies)** > > Nutrient deficiencies may occur with almost every nutrient, but some are more likely than others. Here are 7 incredibly common nutrient deficiencies. So, the old idea that taking a Multivite is simply wasting your money is wrong- UNLESS you eat a well balanced diet- which is quite rare, sadly. > [@wolfpup](#): > > In my case I apparently have a Vitamin D deficiency so both my PCP and cardiologist recommended a supplement, though they disagree on how much I should take. Most common deficiency. Mind you- get a yearly check-up, and do what your doctor says. But if you see a doctor rarely, and only when something bad happens, and you do not eat a well balanced diet- taking a mild- (and dont overdo it, yes, some vitamins can be dangerous if too much is taken) multi-vite _might_ be right. _But the best thing is really get yearly check=up and follow what your doctor says._ > [@DSeid](#): > > My fear is that some people feel a bit less concerned about eating a decent nutrition pattern under the belief that it isn’t as important to eat a real food diet with vegetables and fruits because of the mistaken belief that their multivitamin is there as just in case insurance. Getting most folks to eat the recommended amount of fruits and veggies is quite difficult. .Only 0ne in ten do. I know I dont. True, i dont eat junk food, but 3 cups a day??? Okay, sure during the summer when I eat salads most days for lunch, and that is about it. **I am not a real doctor.** ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2025, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-talk-to-sensible-people-like-you-folks-about-dietary-supplements/1025357/45 "2025-12-04T21:18:35Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Vitamin D is the most common. They now test for this often in a blood test- how often do you get one? By “you” here, i wasnt meaning just Chefguy. I meant SDMBers in general. I suspect many here do not get an annual check-up. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2025, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-talk-to-sensible-people-like-you-folks-about-dietary-supplements/1025357/46 "2025-12-04T21:54:01Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > The statement as you’ve written it sure sounds like a person who’s “done her own research”. Oh, absolutely, with both feet. She is also the sort of person who just has to prove how helpful she is to other people by showering them with advice, generally unasked for. She is, in a word, relentless. > [@needscoffee](#): > > And I’d be surprised if an OR doc discussed their nutrition training with an OR nurse over the course of their OR interactions. I can see it as possible, since it was a small facility and everyone seemed to know each other pretty well, and they apparently chatted a lot during routine procedures. I was just thinking that a surgeon would have a lot less need for nutritional knowledge or education than some other kinds of doctors. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2025, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-talk-to-sensible-people-like-you-folks-about-dietary-supplements/1025357/47 "2025-12-04T22:04:55Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Then B12 for older people and vegetarians. Yeah, my wife’s B12 was in the cellar at her last annual appointment. The doc gave her a B12 injection and told her to start taking the supplement. Then gave her another B12 injection on her next visit. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2025, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-talk-to-sensible-people-like-you-folks-about-dietary-supplements/1025357/48 "2025-12-04T22:58:31Z")
I’m personally sticking with ones suggested by my PCP. If anything, they’re more pro-supplement than I am, but in part they’re mirroring my concern with fixing what I can without too many meds. So I’m working on diet (adding more fiber and more good Cholesterol) but she felt that a USP Verified (!!!) fish oil and soluble fiber supplement were very unlikely to harm and would provide _some_ help. She doesn’t treat them as a magic bullet, but as likely to do _some_ good. But that takes us right back to my !!! above - if you aren’t deeply connected with the provider, if it isn’t USP certified, you may well be eating someone’s lawn shavings or worse. It’s bad enough if there’s no good (or at least, semi-useful) research for a supplement and your health conditions, but having no idea what your actually taking is terrifying. No - USP verification isn’t a promise of efficacy, but it’s a promise that (as of the last testing) you’re getting the actual supplement you’re trying out. ---
**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2025, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-talk-to-sensible-people-like-you-folks-about-dietary-supplements/1025357/49 "2025-12-05T13:01:21Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > I’m also allergic to sulfa. Don’t worry about that, because the moiety (part of the molecule) that causes allergy is probably not the same thing that the “S” represents. The S actually just indicates that it contains sulfur, which is a naturally occurring element. You say that but my body was saying something quite different. I ain’t trusting that stuff without multiple peer-reviewed clinical trials. ---
**Author:** ![zimaane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a3d4f5/32.png) [@zimaane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zimaane)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2025, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-talk-to-sensible-people-like-you-folks-about-dietary-supplements/1025357/50 "2025-12-05T16:40:21Z")
Vitamin D deficiency is a fairly common condition, and if diagnosed by a doctor (via a blood test), taking a Vitamin D supplement is often recommended. My vitamin D was quite low, and I’ve taking a daily pill for a few years, and now it’s the low end of normal. That aside, most of the fish oil / garlic / turmeric supplements that hucksters are out flogging are worthless at best. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2025, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-talk-to-sensible-people-like-you-folks-about-dietary-supplements/1025357/51 "2025-12-05T20:17:32Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > So, the old idea that taking a Multivite is simply wasting your money is wrong Your citation really doesn’t justify your claim, and is a bit misleading in and of itself. For example - It states that 47% of prechool children … worldwide … are iron deficient. In the American population though the incidence of iron deficiency anemia, the level we care about, is between [1 to 2%](https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/8/6/330). Not nothing but the risk of routine supplementation beyond the standard of iron fortified cereals etc. is nonzero. It doesn’t take an absurd number of candy like kid vitamins with iron to get to toxic dose levels and historically iron toxicity has been one of the top pediatric poisonings. Vegans definitely need supplemental B12. Maybe reasonable for even lacto-ovo-vegetarians, maybe. Not needed for a standard American diet. The elder crowd may start getting some atrophic gastritis and absorb it poorly; some medications may impact absorption too. Honestly I don’t know what guidelines are for screening or routinely supplementing the older population. But routine for everyone? Nothing in that citation that justifies it. Even calcium is questionable. Turns out that calcium intake (within a broad range) has [https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/how-well-does-calcium-intake-really-protect-your-bones-201509308384](https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/how-well-does-calcium-intake-really-protect-your-bones-201509308384) little impact on bone health and is not risk free at supplements levels. > calcium — at least, in the form of supplements — isn’t risk-free. An intake of 1,000 mg from supplements has been associated with an increased risk of heart attack, stroke, kidney stones, and gastrointestinal symptoms. _Exercise,_ especially early in life when the bone bank is getting filled up, [matters much more](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25130421/). Vitamin D is bit [controversial](https://academic.oup.com/jcem/article/109/8/1907/7685305?login=false). Current best practice guidelines suggest _against_ routine testing and, based on the possibility that it _may_ help reduce respiratory infections some, to just routinely take an RDA’s amount of supplementation - Recommended Daily Allowance established by the IOM (600 IU [15 µg] daily for adults up to 70 years; 800 IU [20 µg] daily for those older than 70 years). Specifically not more. Mostly because of so little risk of harm at those dose levels and some _possibility_ of some good Personally I don’t bother. I interpret the data with the arrow of causation going from chronic dysfunctional inflammation causing low levels than low vitamin D being etiologic. But it is at least a reasonable thing to do. And I am going to stop there. I don’t think there’s much harm in a simple multi. Eating even a half assed decent diet will just do the average person much more good. And I am amused that more Americans take supplements than bother to eat even half assed well nutritionally. Fish oil? Better to have a tin of sardines every so often! Or a salmon fillet sometimes. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2025, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-talk-to-sensible-people-like-you-folks-about-dietary-supplements/1025357/52 "2025-12-05T20:27:04Z")
> [@Catamount](#): > > . I ain’t trusting that stuff without multiple peer-reviewed clinical trials. Here ya go- > **[Google Scholar](https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C5&q=methylsulfonylmethane%2Bmsm&oq=methylsulfonylmethane)** > **[Systematic review of the nutritional supplements dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)...](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1063458408000666)** > > Conventional treatment of osteoarthritis (OA) with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs is associated with serious gastrointestinal side effects and … [https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/9/3/290?utm\_source=shopevalarru&utm\_medium=traffic&utm\_campaign=vendor\_org\_107058\_rkozon&utm\_term=ym\_uid\_1728432000972963668|yclid\_undefined|date\_2024-11-16\_03.00.01|sessions\_number\_1|sessions\_id\_1731715200|source\_shopevalar|start\_url\_/catalog/anti-age/kollagen-morskoy-ii-tipa-/offer-1329351/&utm\_content=ga\_523418798.1731715201](https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/9/3/290?utm_source=shopevalarru&utm_medium=traffic&utm_campaign=vendor_org_107058_rkozon&utm_term=ym_uid_1728432000972963668%7Cyclid_undefined%7Cdate_2024-11-16_03.00.01%7Csessions_number_1%7Csessions_id_1731715200%7Csource_shopevalar%7Cstart_url_/catalog/anti-age/kollagen-morskoy-ii-tipa-/offer-1329351/&utm_content=ga_523418798.1731715201) ## **. Safety Profile** _MSM appears to be well-tolerated and safe. A number of toxicity studies have been conducted in an array of animals including rats_… > [@zimaane](#): > > That aside, most of the fish oil / garlic / turmeric supplements that hucksters are out flogging are worthless at best. More or less, you are right. This study shows some results/benefits (maybe) from fish oil > **[content\_71\_208.pdf](https://cdn.mdedge.com/files/s3fs-public/issues/articles/content_71_208.pdf)** > > 445.51 KB More or less, I’d say- eat some fish once a week. > [@DSeid](#): > > Not nothing but the risk of routine supplementation beyond the standard of iron fortified cereals etc. is nonzero. It doesn’t take an absurd number of candy like kid vitamins with iron to get to toxic dose levels and historically iron toxicity has been one of the top pediatric poisonings. Kids are different, no doubt, I focused mostly on older American adults. Yes, there is a risk on candy-like kids vitamins, which is why I didnt suggest them. > [@DSeid](#): > > maybe. Not needed for a standard American diet. The elder crowd may start getting some atrophic gastritis and absorb it poorly; some medications may impact absorption too. Honestly I don’t know what guidelines are for screening or routinely supplementing the older population. But routine for everyone? Nor did i claim it- > [@DrDeth](#): > > Then B12 for older people and vegetarians. [https://www.annualreviews.org/content/journals/10.1146/annurev.nutr.19.1.357](https://www.annualreviews.org/content/journals/10.1146/annurev.nutr.19.1.357) _The 1998 recommended daily allowance for vitamin B12 is 2.4 μg, but elderly people should try to obtain their vitamin B12 from either supplements or fortified foods (e.g. fortified ready-to-eat breakfast cereals) to ensure adequate absorption from the gastrointestinal tract._ > [@DSeid](#): > > I don’t think there’s much harm in a simple multi. Eating even a half assed decent diet will just do the average person much more good I agree on both counts, but you know getting Americans to eat a well balanced diet is tough. > [@DSeid](#): > > Fish oil? Better to have a tin of sardines every so often! Or a salmon fillet sometimes. Just what i say. I prefer sushi. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2025, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-talk-to-sensible-people-like-you-folks-about-dietary-supplements/1025357/53 "2025-12-05T21:40:24Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > getting Americans to eat a well balanced diet is tough. My bar is lower than that, again even a half assed effort would be fine, and is tough to get modern Americans (and not only them) to do, but popping a multi? No problem! ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2025, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-talk-to-sensible-people-like-you-folks-about-dietary-supplements/1025357/54 "2025-12-05T21:57:22Z")
[![](https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=http%3A%2F%2Fthetpgfamily.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2021%2F09%2Fpills-surgery-lifestyle-changes-768x790.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=48a54b33cbed0467a8efc6cd73cfd2085fb0eab75ab79359953294ff45a1c73e) ](https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=http%3A%2F%2Fthetpgfamily.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2021%2F09%2Fpills-surgery-lifestyle-changes-768x790.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=48a54b33cbed0467a8efc6cd73cfd2085fb0eab75ab79359953294ff45a1c73e) ---
**Author:** ![Ellecram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellecram/32/18948_2.png) [@Ellecram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellecram)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2025, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-talk-to-sensible-people-like-you-folks-about-dietary-supplements/1025357/55 "2025-12-05T22:11:13Z")
I won’t do any surgery and I take limited pills. Because of osteoporosis and yearly Reclast infusions I have to take daily calcium with vitamin D supplements. Because I am an elderly mostly veterinarian I take a Vitamin B12 (methylcobalamin) a couple times a week. I can’t eat a lot of fresh vegetables due to IBD but I do eat a few like cucumbers and cooked broccoli florets. My diet is pretty bland and pretty much the same every day with occasional changes mostly when I travel. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2025, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-talk-to-sensible-people-like-you-folks-about-dietary-supplements/1025357/56 "2025-12-05T23:55:45Z")
If you have issues with it, then don’t use it. That didn’t sound like an allergy to me. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2025, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-talk-to-sensible-people-like-you-folks-about-dietary-supplements/1025357/57 "2025-12-06T00:02:35Z")
And specifically the riboflavin. It does that to your urine too. Most likely, it wasn’t any of the vitamins in itself that made you sick, as one of the excipient ingredients. We sent a lot of Flintstones vitamins up to the OB ward. One of the techs said, “If she’s having a baby, she can swallow vitamins” and I replied, “Yeah, after you’ve thrown up a couple dozen solid pills, you might want a less painful alternative.” Two of those a day, whether with or without iron, were basically equivalent to most prenatal preparations. I’ve told the story before, and now I will again, of the “tanning pills” that were marketed when I was a tween in the late 1970s. One of my classmates bought some and smuggled them into the house, and took a handful of them before going to bed one night. She woke up the next morning, pumpkin-orange from head to toe. Her parents shoved her into the car and floored it to the ER, where they knew immediately upon looking at her what she had been up to. I know now that those contained beta carotene, which could potentially give one a bit of an orange glow when used as directed. It took a few days for the color to fade. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2025, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-talk-to-sensible-people-like-you-folks-about-dietary-supplements/1025357/58 "2025-12-06T00:11:03Z")
Thanks to the tangential discussion here about healthy eating, I tried to be more careful in the meals and meal-prep stuff I got today. But in addition, I got a case of clementine oranges and a big bag of green grapes. If nothing else, both are delicious, and my biological sensors are telling me that it’s better for me than potato chips! ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2025, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-talk-to-sensible-people-like-you-folks-about-dietary-supplements/1025357/59 "2025-12-06T00:12:09Z")
I’m so glad you’re mostly “veterinarian”. @Ellecram I have a mostly “cat”, can you offer advice? 😆 ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2025, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-talk-to-sensible-people-like-you-folks-about-dietary-supplements/1025357/60 "2025-12-06T01:12:31Z")
My dr put me on vitamin D awhile ago. She also prescribed a multi-vitamin pill. I seem to be fine. The times I have taken biotin it has noticably helped my hair. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-talk-to-sensible-people-like-you-folks-about-dietary-supplements/1025357.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-talk-to-sensible-people-like-you-folks-about-dietary-supplements/1025357.md?page=4)