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I have read this in several independent books about nutrition: there's a strong correlation between vitamin intake and health, but it disappears if you do a ran

I have read this in several independent books about nutrition: there's a strong correlation between vitamin intake and health, but it disappears if you do a random trial. Moral of the story: be the kind of person who takes vitamins, and then don't worry about actually taking them.

matznerd 12y ago
Vitamins are "vital" substances that the body cannot make itself and need to be added from the outside through diet or supplementation. So if your "being the kind of person who takes vitamins" means that you eat an extremely balanced diet that covers all your macros, then you are good, but most people do not eat enough of the right foods. In addition, there are tons of substances that your body can synthesize itself, but would love more of it. Creatine for example can be made in the liver and kidney from L-arginine, glycine, and L-methioninein, but it takes work for your body to do it. It is much more efficient (something like 20X) to just take a creatine supplement and bring it to levels that will allow your body to maximize it's production of the energy molecule ATP (by resupplying a phosphate molecule).
- astrange 12y ago
  > Vitamins are "vital" substances that the body cannot make itself and need to be added from the outside through diet or supplementation. So if your "being the kind of person who takes vitamins" means that you eat an extremely balanced diet that covers all your macros, then you are good, but most people do not eat enough of the right foods. But we know your first claim is not true, because the body can make Vitamin D by itself. Just because it was called "vitamin" isn't enough to mean anything. And the second claim is just what the article is disproving!
  - vixin 12y ago
    'the body can make Vitamin D by itself'. Sorry for underlining the obvious but no, it can't. It needs sunlight and the prevalence of rickets (as a result of vit D deficiency) in women who by custom, habitually cover themselves and live in somewhat sun-free England is a demonstration of this. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/1936208.stm http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/1936208.stm
jarvist 12y ago
Well, the Cochrane review actually found that they possible caused harm: http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2008/apr/26/medicalresearch.health http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2008/apr/26/medical... And then more recently there is evidence that taking vitamin supplements leads you to take risks with your health: http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/aug/26/bad-science-vitamin-pills-lead-you-to-take-risks http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/aug/26/bad-sci...
- 300bps 12y ago
  About 15 years ago, taking a daily Centrum led to a persistent state of elevated AST and ALT liver enzymes indicative of liver damage over a period of about 3 years. My doctor recommended I stop taking the vitamins and I have not had elevated liver enzymes even once in the last 15 years. Now I just take vitamin d (tested as deficient) and omega 3 fish oil for heart.

matznerd 12y ago

Vitamins are "vital" substances that the body cannot make itself and need to be added from the outside through diet or supplementation. So if your "being the kind of person who takes vitamins" means that you eat an extremely balanced diet that covers all your macros, then you are good, but most people do not eat enough of the right foods. In addition, there are tons of substances that your body can synthesize itself, but would love more of it. Creatine for example can be made in the liver and kidney from L-arginine, glycine, and L-methioninein, but it takes work for your body to do it. It is much more efficient (something like 20X) to just take a creatine supplement and bring it to levels that will allow your body to maximize it's production of the energy molecule ATP (by resupplying a phosphate molecule).

astrange 12y ago
> Vitamins are "vital" substances that the body cannot make itself and need to be added from the outside through diet or supplementation. So if your "being the kind of person who takes vitamins" means that you eat an extremely balanced diet that covers all your macros, then you are good, but most people do not eat enough of the right foods. But we know your first claim is not true, because the body can make Vitamin D by itself. Just because it was called "vitamin" isn't enough to mean anything. And the second claim is just what the article is disproving!
- vixin 12y ago
  'the body can make Vitamin D by itself'. Sorry for underlining the obvious but no, it can't. It needs sunlight and the prevalence of rickets (as a result of vit D deficiency) in women who by custom, habitually cover themselves and live in somewhat sun-free England is a demonstration of this. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/1936208.stm http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/1936208.stm

jarvist 12y ago

Well, the Cochrane review actually found that they possible caused harm: http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2008/apr/26/medicalresearch.health http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2008/apr/26/medical... And then more recently there is evidence that taking vitamin supplements leads you to take risks with your health: http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/aug/26/bad-science-vitamin-pills-lead-you-to-take-risks http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/aug/26/bad-sci...

300bps 12y ago
About 15 years ago, taking a daily Centrum led to a persistent state of elevated AST and ALT liver enzymes indicative of liver damage over a period of about 3 years. My doctor recommended I stop taking the vitamins and I have not had elevated liver enzymes even once in the last 15 years. Now I just take vitamin d (tested as deficient) and omega 3 fish oil for heart.