# Vitamin supplements **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 1, 2023, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vitamin-supplements/979137 "2023-02-01T03:10:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mglambo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e8c25b/32.png) [@mglambo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mglambo)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2023, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vitamin-supplements/979137/1 "2023-02-01T03:10:33Z")
My primary doctor says don’t take any vitamin supplements except maybe some c and some d. No multi or anything else. The supplement industry is basically a money scam. A couple of very knowledgeable friends, one of whom is a dietician say they take - and I should take- upwards of maybe 20-30 various supplements daily from A-Zinc. The medical industry is a money making scam and they want you to be sick. Where does the truth lie? ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2023, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vitamin-supplements/979137/2 "2023-02-01T03:13:00Z")
Probably somewhere in the middle. 🙂 About all I can be sure of, not being a medical professional or other expert, is that my doctor is fine with me taking a multi-vitamin each day (I use a women’s 50+ formula). We’ve gone over my OTC stuff as well as my prescriptions. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2023, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vitamin-supplements/979137/3 "2023-02-01T03:49:16Z")
I do not think it is that multi-vitamins are “bad” but rather they don’t help much. They are kind of expensive and most of what you get will, literally, be flushed away when you go to the bathroom. IANADoctor but I did have a nerve problem a few years ago so my doctor prescribed a vitamin-B supplement (not a prescription…just told me to go buy some and find the lowest dose possible OTC which is almost always more than I would need). I asked if I should take a multi-vitamin and he said that’d be fine but it was almost of no use so save my money. Famously, the FDA tried to regulate supplements 30(ish) years ago and there was a _massive_ backlash. The FDA had science on their side. The other side had people’s feelings and the feelings won hands down. > Some 100 million Americans take supplements to bolster diets, enhance well-being or combat illness. Many consumers–who range from anti-government libertarians to health-conscious yuppies to New Age adherents–bring a certain zealotry to the cause. > > “In 15 years in this town, I’ve never dealt with anything as emotional as this issue,” said Donna V. Porter, a life science specialist for the Congressional Research Service. “It’s as volatile as abortion, gun control and prayer in schools. People are irrational on this whole subject. They don’t hear what they don’t want to hear. They really believe FDA is out to get them.” - [SOURCE](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-07-02-mn-10973-story.html) ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2023, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vitamin-supplements/979137/4 "2023-02-01T03:54:18Z")
Do you think you’re deficient in any nutrient? > [@mglambo](#): > > A couple of very knowledgeable friends, one of whom is a dietician How is it that they know more than the actual doctors/researchers? People like to feel empowered by doing their own research, but they don’t have any special knowledge, and less than the people who’ve actually done the actual scientific research. It probably won’t hurt to take extra vitamins and minerals (within reason), but you’re probably throwing your money away. ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2023, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vitamin-supplements/979137/5 "2023-02-01T04:01:58Z")
I think whether you need a multivitamin or not depends on your diet. If you mostly eat fried chicken and pizza then you’re probably not getting all the trace minerals your body needs. OTOH, if you eat a healthy balanced diet that includes fresh vegetables, fresh fruits, and low fat proteins like chicken on fish you might not need a multivitamin at all. I think most Americans are somewhere in the middle and look at a daily vitamin as an insurance policy that they are getting everything their body needs to function optimally regardless of their diet. My doctor is fine with me taking vitamins, especially Vitamin D, and if I’m wasting a few dollars in the process who cares? ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2023, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vitamin-supplements/979137/6 "2023-02-01T04:04:48Z")
> [@dolphinboy](#): > > If you mostly eat fried chicken and pizza then you’re probably not getting all the trace minerals your body needs. Cite? Which minerals are lacking? Most flours are fortified. > [@dolphinboy](#): > > low fat proteins like chicken on fish you might not need a multivitamin at all. What minerals are in these that are lacking in fried chicken and pizza? ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2023, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vitamin-supplements/979137/7 "2023-02-01T04:09:07Z")
> [@dolphinboy](#): > > I think whether you need a multivitamin or not depends on your normal diet. If you mostly eat fried chicken and pizza then you’re probably not getting all the trace minerals your body needs. Anecdotal (and I do not have a cite…sorry): I recall reading a story many years ago about some elderly man who came to a hospital with various problems. Doctors were mystified. After a day or two of tests with no solution to be found they turned to what was then a new system on the new internet to put questions out into the world for the worldwide community of doctors to see and offer advice. It turns out the answer came from some doctors in sub-Saharan Africa. The guy had some vitamin deficiency. It is almost never seen in first world countries but was somewhat common in third-world countries. They gave the guy a vitamin shot and his problems cleared right up. US doctors missed it because it is something they almost never see. It turned out the man’s wife had died a few months earlier. She fed him their whole lives and, once she was gone, he was so terrible at feeding himself he managed to miss some fairly common nutrients and got sick. But, in a modern society, these vitamins and minerals are hard to miss. This guy apparently ate really badly. ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2023, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vitamin-supplements/979137/8 "2023-02-01T04:20:11Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > What minerals are in these that are lacking in fried chicken and pizza? Vitamin C isn’t a trace mineral, but without it you will eventually get [Scurvy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scurvy). According to [this](https://www.google.com/search?q=is+vitamin+C+in+fried+chicken%3F&client=firefox-b-1-d&sxsrf=AJOqlzWX2KExg85aCmEqnW5BJbQswLXkvg%3A1675224804600&ei=5ObZY-ihJNTT5NoPgeaCgAc&ved=0ahUKEwjoo5bbuvP8AhXUKVkFHQGzAHAQ4dUDCA8&uact=5&oq=is+vitamin+C+in+fried+chicken%3F&gs_lcp=Cgxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAQAzIICCEQoAEQwwQ6CggAEEcQ1gQQsANKBAhBGABKBAhGGABQ5QVY8ghg4wtoAXABeACAAYYCiAG-A5IBBTAuMS4xmAEAoAEByAEIwAEB&sclient=gws-wiz-serp) there is no Vitamin C in fried chicken, and very little in pizza. Your body needs to get it from somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2023, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vitamin-supplements/979137/9 "2023-02-01T04:20:19Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > It turns out the answer came from some doctors in sub-Saharan Africa. The guy had some vitamin deficiency. It is almost never seen in first world countries but was somewhat common in third-world countries. > [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > This guy apparently ate really badly. This sounds persuasive. We should all take multivitamins just in case. /sarcasm ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2023, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vitamin-supplements/979137/10 "2023-02-01T04:22:38Z")
Is it possible to avoid some vitamins and/or minerals? Sure. Is it likely in the US? Not really (potatoes are high in vitamin C and I think plenty of Americans eat potatoes in some fashion). ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2023, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vitamin-supplements/979137/11 "2023-02-01T04:24:27Z")
> [@dolphinboy](#): > > According to [this](https://www.google.com/search?q=is+vitamin+C+in+fried+chicken%3F&client=firefox-b-1-d&sxsrf=AJOqlzWX2KExg85aCmEqnW5BJbQswLXkvg%3A1675224804600&ei=5ObZY-ihJNTT5NoPgeaCgAc&ved=0ahUKEwjoo5bbuvP8AhXUKVkFHQGzAHAQ4dUDCA8&uact=5&oq=is+vitamin+C+in+fried+chicken%3F&gs_lcp=Cgxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAQAzIICCEQoAEQwwQ6CggAEEcQ1gQQsANKBAhBGABKBAhGGABQ5QVY8ghg4wtoAXABeACAAYYCiAG-A5IBBTAuMS4xmAEAoAEByAEIwAEB&sclient=gws-wiz-serp) there is no Vitamin C in fried chicken, and very little in pizza. Your body needs to get it from somewhere. There is vitamin C in so many foods, there’s virtually no one in 1st world countries deficient. ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2023, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vitamin-supplements/979137/12 "2023-02-01T04:25:21Z")
I never said everyone should take vitamins, but my boss was hospitalized for two months until they finally realized she had no Vitamin D in her body. Once they gave her Vitamin D she was released, and now that she takes it daily she’s perfectly fine. That tells me that at least some people need vitamins. She had an okay diet and rarely spent time outside in the sun, but she didn’t think she needed to take vitamins… before she ended up in the hospital. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2023, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vitamin-supplements/979137/13 "2023-02-01T04:26:50Z")
> [@dolphinboy](#): > > my boss was hospitalized for two months until they finally realized she had no Vitamin D in her body. ?? Why was she hospitalized? ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2023, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vitamin-supplements/979137/14 "2023-02-01T04:27:53Z")
If a doctor says you need a dietary supplement because, for whatever reason, you (general “you”) lack that vitamin or mineral then sure…take it. My doctor said I needed vitamin-B for my nerves (actual nerves…not stress). So, I take vitamin-B. But, your standard multivitamin is a waste of money for most people. Worse, I do not think the supplement market is regulated and there have been stories of some brands not delivering what is on the label. ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2023, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vitamin-supplements/979137/15 "2023-02-01T04:29:07Z")
She was unable to function. She couldn’t work and stayed home in bed. It got worse over time and she ended up in the hospital. She had traveled to Africa and they thought it was a rare tropical disease until someone finally checked her blood for Vitamin D. ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2023, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vitamin-supplements/979137/16 "2023-02-01T04:30:39Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > But, your standard multivitamin is a waste of money for most people. No argument. I said people take it as an insurance policy. Not because they necessarily need to take it. People are allowed to waste their own money, aren’t they? ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2023, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vitamin-supplements/979137/17 "2023-02-01T04:35:22Z")
> [@dolphinboy](#): > > People are allowed to waste their own money, aren’t they? Sure. But they are not regulated by the FDA. As such they can have dubious health claims and even not provide you with what they promise. You might be eating a sawdust pill. But, enough people seem to hate regulation more. > Numerous store brand supplements aren’t what their labels claim to be, according to an ongoing investigation that subjected popular herbal supplements to DNA testing. > > The investigation, led by New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, focused on a variety of herbal supplements from four major retailers: GNC, Target, Walmart and Walgreen Co. Lab tests determined that only 21 percent of the products actually had DNA from the the plants advertised on the labels. - [SOURCE](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/herbal-supplements-targeted-by-new-york-attorney-general/) But sure, people are free to spend their money on that. ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2023, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vitamin-supplements/979137/18 "2023-02-01T04:36:13Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > There is vitamin C in so many foods, there’s virtually no one in 1st world countries deficient. I wouldn’t say 7% is virtually no one, would you? According to [this](https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/155758#Frequently-asked-questions)… ### Do people still get scurvy? Vitamin C deficiency is uncommon, with some sources estimating that it affects around [7.1%Trusted Source](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK493187/) of people in the U.S. However, severe vitamin C deficiency is rare due to the widespread availability of vitamin C-rich foods, such as [fruits and vegetables](https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/fruits-vs-vegetables). ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2023, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vitamin-supplements/979137/19 "2023-02-01T04:45:17Z")
> [@dolphinboy](#): > > ### Do people still get scurvy? > > Vitamin C deficiency is uncommon, with some sources estimating that it affects around [7.1%Trusted Source](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK493187/) of people in the U.S. However, severe vitamin C deficiency is rare due to the widespread availability of vitamin C-rich foods, such as [fruits and vegetables](https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/fruits-vs-vegetables) Okay, 7.1% of Americans are suffering from scurvy. Got it. ---
**Author:** ![mglambo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e8c25b/32.png) [@mglambo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mglambo)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2023, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vitamin-supplements/979137/20 "2023-02-01T04:46:57Z")
Great responses so far. Thanks. Think I’ll cut back for now while I continue to research. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vitamin-supplements/979137.md?page=2)