Multi-Vitamins: Yay or Nay

I just started taking multi-vitamins on a daily basis. It’s part of my rejuvenated healthier living lifestayle (you know exercise more, eat better, less stress, etc.). Anybody else do the multi-vitamin thing?

I started doing it about 5 years ago. I just thought it would be a good idea, but didn’t expect to experience any noticeable effects. To my surprise, I became far less tired. I used to be exhausted every day after work, but that went away completely after I started taking multivitimins. I must have gotten something I needed from it.

Multi’s are great. Shop around and read labels. Get as much information as you can from books and online, so you know what you’re doing. Fat soluble vitamins[A,D,E,K] can build up past therapeutic levels. Cut out those late night snacks of polar bear liver, you’ll be glad you did. :stuck_out_tongue: I take my multi every third day, as my diet is fairly balanced. The multi is just a little help along the road to maintaining good health. I do take a vitamin C daily, since it is water soluble, the extra gets piddled away. I’m 55, my multi is low on the iron, and so many foods have this added to them. Too much iron can become a problem. The reason multi’s are a good idea, is that vitamin absorption is enhanced when you have all your vitamins[ and minerals ] at once. I take mine with the fattiest meal of the day, which is usually dinner. Been doing this for 30 years, and I certainly can recommend them.

I started a thread on this a few years ago and the consensus was that although they probably won’t do you any harm, there really are no conclusive studies to show they do you any good either. Well, there are studies, but all done by manufacturers of multivitamins. I took them for about a year, and then stopped taking them, and to be honest - no difference whatsoever.

All I take is an aspirin a day.

I agree that there is inconclusive evidence about the use of multi-vitamins. However, vitamins and minerals from food sources, not a pill, are the most effective (more biologically availabe to absorb and use). If you do decide to take one, ask your docter first. Post-menapuasal women have different requiremets than a 30 yr old man. And NEVER take a vitamin that is over 100% of you daily value. In general, stay away from those GNC products that have 4000% of your daily value.

Heck, I’m 20 and I take the ‘silver’ type multivitamins that have no iron.

I’m interested in the responses to this thread. I’ve been tracking what I eat at fitday.com, and according to my nutrition report, I’m only getting around 75% of my RDA of iron and zinc. It’s not too surprising because I don’t eat a lot of meat. But I already eat lots of whole grains and legumes, so I’m not sure what to add.

FWIW, my nutritionist told me that taking a multivitamin was easy and safe way to make up for the nutrients I’m missing out on. BAH! The WIMP’S WAY OUT, I say!

The good news is, I’m up to 95% of my RDA of calcium, because I’ve been going out of my way to consume at least 1 cup of lowfat dairy every day. Yay, me. But I confess, it would be kinda nice to just take the pill not not have to worry about it.

I run hot and cold with my multi-vitamins. ( Costco’s Generic vitamin FTR) When I take them I feel great and have more energy and drive.

When I don’t I’m sluggish.

When I take them, my pee is a purtier yellow color.

When I go through my bi-annual de-caf myself, I take a double multi vitamin in the morning and an aspirin ( as a preventative for the headache) and cruise through with no worries.

Sure, go for it-it’s cheap insurance. While I agree that chugging a fistful of expensive supplements is a just good way to turn $$ into pee, a simple multi-vit, or even an extra anti-oxidant is cheap insurance for not eating a balanced diet.

Men- do be careful- unless you bleed a lot, a regular multivit might be getting you too much iron, as quiltguy154 said . Go for an iron-free formula.

Likewise. I started about 3 years ago after cervical cancer diagnosis and surgery -apparently it can recur if your immune response is lowered. I asked my doc what to do to keep up my immune system, and in addition to the usual stuff about getting enough sleep, exercise, and eating right, she recommended folic acid supplements. I figured it couldn’t hurt, and if I was going to take a supplement, why not go whole hog and take a multivitamin?

Still cancer-free, and a nice bonus was having a greatly improved overall energy level. And I have a decently balanced diet to begin with.