Daily multivitamins -- is there any point?

[h90]

Taking vitamins appears to increases you chances of dying younger.

http://www.livescience.com/19000-vitamins-supplements-earlier-death.html

It's all just one big marketing scam so the pill companies make vast profits.

And increased consumption of ice cream is associated withn a rise in mortality from shark attacks. Of course the real reason is that in hotter weather people eat more ice cream and tend go to the beach and swim to cool down.

But there could be some connection, how about unhealthy might be more inclined to seek health from a box of vitamin pills rather than balancing their diet and doing exercise.

Marketing scams are part of the picture, there's more money in selling health out of a drug than in good advice.

I recall a study that told if you don't drink alcohol you have a way lower average life span.

The real point was, the study was made in a country were almost everyone drinks. So a good share of the non drinker didn't drink because they have some healthy problems.

So basically they compared healthy people who drink alcohol with people who are too sick to drink and found out that the sick one live shorter.

(not by that much, because there are still people who didn't drink but were healthy)

The study was financed by a big brewery.

[FBN]

People on medication such as Omeprasole need to take additional Magnesium as the drug inhibits the absorption of this mineral. An awareness of how medicines interact with either the metabolism or absorption of different minerals and vitamins is essential, especially if medications are taken daily.

[infinity11]

Once you finally find a supplement that makes a difference, you will know they can make a differnce, this happened at least twice for me, but sadly most i tried dont.

[Sceptict11]

People on medication such as Omeprasole need to take additional Magnesium as the drug inhibits the absorption of this mineral. An awareness of how medicines interact with either the metabolism or absorption of different minerals and vitamins is essential, especially if medications are taken daily.

An informative paper here

http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional/

Note magnesium levels are difficult to determine and "supplimentation" is not always the solution to "low" magnesium levels.

[northernjohn]

Again, I really am not questioning specific supplements when there is a specific reason. Those can be considered on a case by case basis and there is research you can do about those SPECIFIC supplements.

Talking here about the BUCKET OF STUFF pills.

The comforting comment is interesting. Yes I think that's part of it. One reason the marketing has been so effective at least in the west. I don't get the impression that most Thais take these multivitamin once a day pills.

I tend to agree with you on the multi vitamin pills. How ever that is open to a debate for which I am not equipped with names of manufactures and the content of the vitamin's in the pill. It could well be that only one of those vitamins is needed. Or with some brands more filler than vitamins.

I take Niacin for my cholesterol. I was taking lipator for over a year and it did not help one bit. I did how ever experience side affects that were unacceptable to me. That was before I got sensible and got a regular doctor here in Thailand. My doctor here in Thailand then recommended it and I said NO I was going to take vitamin B6 I believe it is Niacin. She looked at what I had found here in the local pharmacies and said it was a waste of money. She then got me some from Bangkok and I can honestly say today my cholesterol is OK I continue to take them. They are buffered and most of the time it works but occasional I do get the flush. No where near what it was when years ago I took one that was not buffered.

I also take a B compound that helps with the nerve damage brought on by my diabetes. Prior to using it the whole foot felt it now it is just the bottom of it and I can still get around like I did before I got it.

I probably get more Vitamin C than I need. But I have considered getting Beta Carratien to help with my aging eye sight.

For the all in one I feel no but for specific ones we are all metabolically different and some of us may need more than we are going to find in a healthy diet. If we are even on one. Most of us are not we eat what we like rather than studding different studies and figuring out if we are getting enough in each one of the different vitamins and supplements. Before any one jumps on it and says I blah blah blah watch my diet and study all reports and blah blah blah. Yes I admit you probably do and it works well for you. Most of us don't. At a guess 80% don't but they still function quite well.

I also take Glucosamine Sulfates. Chondroitin Sulphate plus MSM Sulphate for my knees it has made a huge difference.

In closing multi vitamins may be a waste for most but for a lot of us particularly in are aging years certain vitamins and supplements may be needed in a greater quanity than was good enough for us 30 years ago

.

[northernjohn]

People on medication such as Omeprasole need to take additional Magnesium as the drug inhibits the absorption of this mineral. An awareness of how medicines interact with either the metabolism or absorption of different minerals and vitamins is essential, especially if medications are taken daily.

For that reason I let my doctor know every thing I take.

[Sceptict11]

Again, I really am not questioning specific supplements when there is a specific reason. Those can be considered on a case by case basis and there is research you can do about those SPECIFIC supplements.

Talking here about the BUCKET OF STUFF pills.

The comforting comment is interesting. Yes I think that's part of it. One reason the marketing has been so effective at least in the west. I don't get the impression that most Thais take these multivitamin once a day pills.

I tend to agree with you on the multi vitamin pills. How ever that is open to a debate for which I am not equipped with names of manufactures and the content of the vitamin's in the pill. It could well be that only one of those vitamins is needed. Or with some brands more filler than vitamins.

I take Niacin for my cholesterol. I was taking lipator for over a year and it did not help one bit. I did how ever experience side affects that were unacceptable to me. That was before I got sensible and got a regular doctor here in Thailand. My doctor here in Thailand then recommended it and I said NO I was going to take vitamin B6 I believe it is Niacin. She looked at what I had found here in the local pharmacies and said it was a waste of money. She then got me some from Bangkok and I can honestly say today my cholesterol is OK I continue to take them. They are buffered and most of the time it works but occasional I do get the flush. No where near what it was when years ago I took one that was not buffered.

I also take a B compound that helps with the nerve damage brought on by my diabetes. Prior to using it the whole foot felt it now it is just the bottom of it and I can still get around like I did before I got it.

I probably get more Vitamin C than I need. But I have considered getting Beta Carratien to help with my aging eye sight.

For the all in one I feel no but for specific ones we are all metabolically different and some of us may need more than we are going to find in a healthy diet. If we are even on one. Most of us are not we eat what we like rather than studding different studies and figuring out if we are getting enough in each one of the different vitamins and supplements. Before any one jumps on it and says I blah blah blah watch my diet and study all reports and blah blah blah. Yes I admit you probably do and it works well for you. Most of us don't. At a guess 80% don't but they still function quite well.

I also take Glucosamine Sulfates. Chondroitin Sulphate plus MSM Sulphate for my knees it has made a huge difference.

In closing multi vitamins may be a waste for most but for a lot of us particularly in are aging years certain vitamins and supplements may be needed in a greater quanity than was good enough for us 30 years ago

.

You are taking the "B" vitamins for good reason and there is definitive, scientific proof to support your medication .

Sadly there is little evidence for beta- Carotene helping aging eyes and you could get all you need from carrots, pumpkins and sweet potatoes.

Again there is very little evidence for Glucosamine Sulfate or Chondroitin being any more effective for "knees" than any other placebo but I am delighted that you have secured benefit !

[northernjohn]

I did lower my "bad" cholesterol from just above OK to well into OK with a couple of fish oil capsules per day.

But that was for a specific reason. My diet as a single guy isn't all that perfect so I do take vitamins and minerals every day. I do not know if they do any good.

I do take fish oil supplements and have for many years.

That is for a specific reason.

The multivitamin all-in-one pills are for some vague concept of cover all insurance.

Yes, I've heard one reason is if your diet is really bad. Mine isn't.

And then there is this regarding fish oil supplements - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/podcast/transcript090313.html

I stopped taking them a few years back after reading similar research.

That study is completely flawed.

The men in the study werent evern taking fish oil supplements for a start.

Secondly they only found a correlation not a cause.

Thirdly they only measured the DHA as a percentage not a total.

More over there has been plenty of evidence of the benefits of fish oil as an anti inflammatory helpful in a number of conditions in many many studies.

But if you are still worried you could use krill instead.

I believe age is a big part of it. We don't know if they had an age control or not.

reminds me of a line I learned in Collage.

Correlation does not causeation make.

Strangly enough to me any how it has made a big improvment in my 84 year old mother in Laws knees

[northernjohn]

Again, I really am not questioning specific supplements when there is a specific reason. Those can be considered on a case by case basis and there is research you can do about those SPECIFIC supplements.

Talking here about the BUCKET OF STUFF pills.

The comforting comment is interesting. Yes I think that's part of it. One reason the marketing has been so effective at least in the west. I don't get the impression that most Thais take these multivitamin once a day pills.

I tend to agree with you on the multi vitamin pills. How ever that is open to a debate for which I am not equipped with names of manufactures and the content of the vitamin's in the pill. It could well be that only one of those vitamins is needed. Or with some brands more filler than vitamins.

I take Niacin for my cholesterol. I was taking lipator for over a year and it did not help one bit. I did how ever experience side affects that were unacceptable to me. That was before I got sensible and got a regular doctor here in Thailand. My doctor here in Thailand then recommended it and I said NO I was going to take vitamin B6 I believe it is Niacin. She looked at what I had found here in the local pharmacies and said it was a waste of money. She then got me some from Bangkok and I can honestly say today my cholesterol is OK I continue to take them. They are buffered and most of the time it works but occasional I do get the flush. No where near what it was when years ago I took one that was not buffered.

I also take a B compound that helps with the nerve damage brought on by my diabetes. Prior to using it the whole foot felt it now it is just the bottom of it and I can still get around like I did before I got it.

I probably get more Vitamin C than I need. But I have considered getting Beta Carratien to help with my aging eye sight.

For the all in one I feel no but for specific ones we are all metabolically different and some of us may need more than we are going to find in a healthy diet. If we are even on one. Most of us are not we eat what we like rather than studding different studies and figuring out if we are getting enough in each one of the different vitamins and supplements. Before any one jumps on it and says I blah blah blah watch my diet and study all reports and blah blah blah. Yes I admit you probably do and it works well for you. Most of us don't. At a guess 80% don't but they still function quite well.

I also take Glucosamine Sulfates. Chondroitin Sulphate plus MSM Sulphate for my knees it has made a huge difference.

In closing multi vitamins may be a waste for most but for a lot of us particularly in are aging years certain vitamins and supplements may be needed in a greater quanity than was good enough for us 30 years ago

.

You are taking the "B" vitamins for good reason and there is definitive, scientific proof to support your medication .

Sadly there is little evidence for beta- Carotene helping aging eyes and you could get all you need from carrots, pumpkins and sweet potatoes.

Again there is very little evidence for Glucosamine Sulfate or Chondroitin being any more effective for "knees" than any other placebo but I am delighted that you have secured benefit !

Reminds me of my doctor back in Canada he told me Glucosamine Sulfate did not help. 6 months later he told me that there was scientific proof that Glucosamine Sulfate helped.

I don't know that was years ago long before I developed knee trouble. I was just taking them every so often I would get a bottle and take them. I finally quit.

Today I am having knee trouble again and it seems to help. I know how bad it can get as 12 years ago I had Arthroscopic surgery on it and that lasted ten years during which I took nothing. It has been two years now and it is definatly helping. I do not think it will ever be well again but at the present rate it is going I have a long time yet. As I said I am familiar with the progress when I was taking nothing. It became extremely bad fast. Of course it had been building up to it for years. During which time I might take one bottle a year and I don't even know if it was a good brand or not.

I think some brands are probably useless or shall we say not as good as others?

Of course we are all different. For instance when I was working in the heat and would get cramps the only thing that would help them was Calcium Magnesium with Citrate. No Citrate no help most people fine me no.

[davidst01]

I took 'pharmaton' vitamins for 5 yrs straight when in London in my 20's. I stopped because I actually read the enclosed leaflet which stated that they should only be taken for 3 months at a time. When I stopped taking it, my body went into withdrawal and I felt like crap for ages. Now when I take vitamin tablets I get chest pains.

I would be careful taking these pills for no reason.

Im not sure why but Pharmaton pills are now banned in oz but available here in LOS of course...

[xylophone]

This topic has been kicked around for years and is not helped by the fact that every so often a report comes out saying that one particular vitamin or another is helpful in treating this or that particular ailment, and for every report that says things like vitamin supplementation or multivitamins are useless, there is another one which contradicts this.

However what we do know is that what the term "balanced diet" no longer has the same meaning as it did decades ago when it was first coined. Now the chances of eating a balanced diet are few and far between, not just because of the foods you choose, but because of how they are grown and handled..........fungicides, pesticides, genetic tampering, sprays to delay ripening, sprays to encourage regrowth, sprays to make things look good, artificial colourings, and antibiotics and antifungals fed in huge amounts to animals and so on and so on. This is apart from the additives which are in many of the other foods we eat.

So if you think you are eating a balanced diet, it is not relevant to that which was first envisaged when the phrase was coined.

I would suppose many of the posters here like the occasional drink, but alcohol consumption is one of the greatest concerns because alcohol destroys/flushes out/renders useless the following vitamins and minerals: – Vitamin B1, B3, B6, B12, Vitamin C, Zinc, Magnesium and Calcium to name but a few, as well as Omega 6. So anyone who drinks more than, say two units per day, runs the risk of, in essence, being vitamin deficient in those mentioned above.

As has already been mentioned, taking the proton pump inhibitor Omeprazole (and its cousins) just about ensures that some of the nutrients normally found in food will not be processed by the body in the way they should, leading to a shortage of B vitamins and magnesium. The same goes with many other medications which we are prescribed these days, Lipitor and it's another statin cousins for example.

I think if the argument comes down to taking selected vitamins and minerals versus a multivitamin tablet, then that is a different argument, however I always have been strongly for taking selected vitamins and minerals and will continue to do so whilst I like my red wine and live in a place like Thailand where who knows what is done to the food before we get it – – for example, food comes from China, such as, dragon fruit, apples, onions, tomatoes, garlic and various vegetables, and there is absolutely no restriction on what chemicals or sprays are used before they come into the country. In fact a recent report showed that Chinese garlic imported into Thailand was almost toxic because of the amount of spray which was used on it.

In summary, for every report which says vitamin supplementation is of no value, I can find another one which says it is. Maybe this will be like the butter/margarine debate which went on for decades, with margarine winning out, only to be found that it contained extremely bad trans fats, and butter finding favour again.

[mickjn]

I was going to start taking multi vitamins years ago.I asked the chemist will they make me handsome she said no they have not got much to work on.I asked her tell they make me feel good,she said if you are eating ok they will not do anything.I said what will they must do something.She said if you start taking them the only thing they will do for you is when you go to the toilet in a morning have a look at your urine,they will make that expensive that is what they are good for making expensive urine.

[wilcopops]

There are no scientific peer reviewed trials that show any benefits from taking vitamins if you are a normal healthy person with a normal diet.

However vitamin companies (often owned by major drug companies) know that if they make you neurotic enough, they will be able to make a to of money out of you. Hence the plethora of quasi-medical, pseudo-scientific "papers" claiming to have found reasons to take the stuff.

Learn to differentiate between a genuine trial - or series of trials - and a quack "study" and you'll save a lot of money....and expensive urine. (Not to mention the damage that overdosing on some vitamins can do).

[Tolley]

There are no scientific peer reviewed trials that show any benefits from taking vitamins if you are a normal healthy person with a normal diet.

However vitamin companies (often owned by major drug companies) know that if they make you neurotic enough, they will be able to make a to of money out of you. Hence the plethora of quasi-medical, pseudo-scientific "papers" claiming to have found reasons to take the stuff.

Learn to differentiate between a genuine trial - or series of trials - and a quack "study" and you'll save a lot of money....and expensive urine. (Not to mention the damage that overdosing on some vitamins can do).

I wonder what constitutes a normal healthy person with a normal diet?

Quite possibly the majority of people these days dont fit into either of these categories and thus may very well benefit from vitamins/ supplements etc

[xylophone]

There are no scientific peer reviewed trials that show any benefits from taking vitamins if you are a normal healthy person with a normal diet.

However vitamin companies (often owned by major drug companies) know that if they make you neurotic enough, they will be able to make a to of money out of you. Hence the plethora of quasi-medical, pseudo-scientific "papers" claiming to have found reasons to take the stuff.

Learn to differentiate between a genuine trial - or series of trials - and a quack "study" and you'll save a lot of money....and expensive urine. (Not to mention the damage that overdosing on some vitamins can do).

Well that's where things can get a little confusing, not to mention the fact that who amongst us can say we are, "a normal healthy person with a normal diet", because a normal diet just does not exist any more. Not to mention the fact that alcohol was never included in what was considered a normal diet anyway, so anyone who drinks is at a disadvantage straight away.

As for no scientific peer review trials, well the, "Council for Responsible Nutrition", the "Harvard Medical School", the "UCLA" and the "Mayo Clinic" to name but a few, are in favour of supplementation, as are many other medical papers. For example the former president of the Australian Medical Association, states, "there are now literally thousands of scientific studies supporting the use of nutritional supplements such as multivitamins........ in helping to prevent diseases and recover from illnesses".

And the usually conservative "American Medical Association" published a study titled, "Vitamins for chronic disease prevention in adults" where the authors reviewed more than 30 years of scientific papers and stated that, "it appears that sub optimal levels of vitamins are associated with an increased risk of chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease cancer and osteoporosis – –it appears prudent all adults take vitamin supplements".

I guess we could go on debating this forever, however as a pointer, anyone who drinks alcohol, takes antacids and proton pump inhibitors, takes statins, drinks a lot of tea, suffers from irritable bowel disease or similar is a sure starter to need vitamin supplementation because all of these tablets and activities deplete vitamins/nutrients in the body.

[Sceptict11]

When was the last case of Scurvy or BeriBeri reported in the Western world ?

How common is Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome?

[xylophone]

When was the last case of Scurvy or BeriBeri reported in the Western world ?

How common is Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome?

Quote; "How common is Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome?".

Uncommon since Vitamin B1 is often added to breads and cereals to make up for a poor diet.

[Sceptict11]

When was the last case of Scurvy or BeriBeri reported in the Western world ?

How common is Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome?

Quote; "How common is Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome?".

Uncommon since Vitamin B1 is often added to breads and cereals to make up for a poor diet.

Wow ............do drunks and alcoholics actually eat bread and cereals ?

The condition mentioned is in fact very rare as are any "vitamin" deficiency diseases !

Must be the bread or the "supplements" which most sensible people do not take !

[A1Str8]

Regardless of all the debate and what the industries currently try to talk you into, the truth is simple: all the minerals, vitamins etc found in multivitamins or whatever turns you on are the same exact micronutrients that can be found in real food. While it's true that your body has a hard time recognizing and digesting these in pure tablet/capsule form without all the additional stuff that is present in real food, this problem can be easily eliminated by taking them with meals. No, you are not wasting your money. Keep doing it especially because as it was mentioned above, it's truly hard to get all what your body needs relying only on food these days. All the stupid sh_t that the media and industries try to make you believe like one day they say vitamins are good. The next day they tell you to throw them away...or cholesterol is bad for you, <deleted> is that? Cholesterol is actually good for you of course not in excessive amounts. They are all about money if there was money in selling desiccated sh_t trust me they would come up with ways to make us buy it. All this hype, don't listen to it. All you need to do is use common sense. God is the best chemist. All the stuff he put into food that can be consumed by humans is for you not against you. Use it but don't abuse it. Eat it but don't overeat it and you will be fine. And supplements like vitamins fish oil etc they work and contain the same stuff that real food does but always have it with a proper meal.

Edited December 19, 2013 by A1Str8

[Sceptict11]

Regardless of all the debate and what the industries currently try to talk you into, the truth is simple: all the minerals, vitamins etc found in multivitamins or whatever turns you on are the same exact micronutrients that can be found in real food. While it's true that your body has a hard time recognizing and digesting these in pure tablet/capsule form without all the additional stuff that is present in real food, this problem can be easily eliminated by taking them with meals. No, you are not wasting your money. Keep doing it especially because as it was mentioned above, it's truly hard to get all what your body needs relying only on food these days. All the stupid sh_t that the media and industries try to make you believe like one day they say vitamins are good. The next day they tell you to throw them away...or cholesterol is bad for you, <deleted> is that? Cholesterol is actually good for you of course not in excessive amounts. They are all about money if there was money in selling desiccated sh_t trust me they would come up with ways to make us buy it. All this hype, don't listen to it. All you need to do is use common sense. God is the best chemist. All the stuff he put into food that can be consumed by humans is for you not against you. Use it but don't abuse it. Eat it but don't overeat it and you will be fine. And supplements like vitamins fish oil etc they work and contain the same stuff that real food does but always have it with a proper meal.

By following your excellent advice how long will I live ?

Can I expect 10-15 years "extra" good quality life if I follow your "advice" or are you just talking nonsense ?

[wilcopops]

Regardless of all the debate and what the industries currently try to talk you into, the truth is simple: all the minerals, vitamins etc found in multivitamins or whatever turns you on are the same exact micronutrients that can be found in real food. While it's true that your body has a hard time recognizing and digesting these in pure tablet/capsule form without all the additional stuff that is present in real food, this problem can be easily eliminated by taking them with meals. No, you are not wasting your money. Keep doing it especially because as it was mentioned above, it's truly hard to get all what your body needs relying only on food these days. All the stupid sh_t that the media and industries try to make you believe like one day they say vitamins are good. The next day they tell you to throw them away...or cholesterol is bad for you, <deleted> is that? Cholesterol is actually good for you of course not in excessive amounts. They are all about money if there was money in selling desiccated sh_t trust me they would come up with ways to make us buy it. All this hype, don't listen to it. All you need to do is use common sense. God is the best chemist. All the stuff he put into food that can be consumed by humans is for you not against you. Use it but don't abuse it. Eat it but don't overeat it and you will be fine. And supplements like vitamins fish oil etc they work and contain the same stuff that real food does but always have it with a proper meal.

"all the minerals, vitamins etc found in multivitamins or whatever turns you on are the same exact micronutrients that can be found in real food." so eat food and don't be so daft..

unless you are diagnosed with a vitamin deficiency by a doctor over the counter vitamins are a complete waste of time.

[wilcopops]

I notice the use of the word"supplement" - this is a wonderful piece of B/S bandied about by the vitamin industry, based on the wildly simplistic and potentially dangerous concept that "more is better" - this is simply not true....and how people arrive at the conclusion they are "lacking" in a particular vitamin is frankly usually just a joke.

[wilcopops]

BTW - Vit C and colds - myth!

Edited December 20, 2013 by wilcopops

[CharlieH]

Never realised we had so many medical "experts" on the forum.

Somehow, and I know this may be a strange concept, but lets just take the word of a trained qualified medical professional.

Individually tailored guidance to a specific issue by a qualified professional seems the more advisable solution.

[balo]

No multivitamin pills doesnt work. However herbal capsules works, cayenne pepper and other strong antioxidant capsules is good for your body and will boost your immune system. And here in Thailand they're cheap , 100-150baht for 100 capsules.

[wilcopops]

Blind faith is really a sad thing - there are people who believe that anyone in a white coat (with a clipboard) must be an "expert" - whatever that is and consequently must be obeyed.

Sadly there are plenty of medically qualified people out there who have given up on critical thinking and science and make their money by persuading people that because they have a certain piece of paper they must be "experts". Being a Doctor or having any qualification isn't a guarantee against stupidity, gullibility or dishonesty. Clever people often believe the most ridiculous concepts.

If however you read around and use a little bit of common sense you will soon find that our obsession with diet and vitamins is really no more than that.

Fallacy - "it must be true because he's an "expert" - Don't look at the person - white coat or not - look at the information they are giving and then verify it.

Edited December 20, 2013 by wilcopops

[xylophone]

Quote CharlieH: "Somehow, and I know this may be a strange concept, but lets just take the word of a trained qualified medical professional. Individually tailored guidance to a specific issue by a qualified professional seems the more advisable solution".

I agree with that, and that is why people who take the likes of Omeprazole and other medications may well be encouraged to take some vitamin supplements to compensate for the effects of these medications.

Nothing is black and white as has sometimes been depicted by posters and even the medical profession with many papers and studies published, seem at odds with one another. Also many here seem to overlook the simple fact that alcohol depletes the body of some vitamins and minerals, so if you drink alcohol, and sometimes to excess, then you may be in need of vitamin supplementation.

Anyway what we are discussing here, about vitamin supplementation and the use of multivitamins etc, may well already have been settled, because like it or not we take vitamin supplements with our everyday food. For example vitamin/mineral supplementation is present in many cases in: – bread and bread products, cereals, fruit juices, canned soups, margarines and similar spreads, many milk products and soy milk products, yoghurt, sports drinks/soft drinks, snack bars etc etc.

[wilcopops]

The Annals of Internal Medicine has published the results of three studies which found no benefit from taking multivitamins:

"Enough Is Enough: Stop Wasting Money on Vitamin and Mineral Supplements"

http://annals.org/article.aspx?articleid=1789253

Edited December 21, 2013 by wilcopops

[wilcopops]

Quote CharlieH: "Somehow, and I know this may be a strange concept, but lets just take the word of a trained qualified medical professional. Individually tailored guidance to a specific issue by a qualified professional seems the more advisable solution".

I agree with that, and that is why people who take the likes of Omeprazole and other medications may well be encouraged to take some vitamin supplements to compensate for the effects of these medications.

Nothing is black and white as has sometimes been depicted by posters and even the medical profession with many papers and studies published, seem at odds with one another. Also many here seem to overlook the simple fact that alcohol depletes the body of some vitamins and minerals, so if you drink alcohol, and sometimes to excess, then you may be in need of vitamin supplementation.

Anyway what we are discussing here, about vitamin supplementation and the use of multivitamins etc, may well already have been settled, because like it or not we take vitamin supplements with our everyday food. For example vitamin/mineral supplementation is present in many cases in: – bread and bread products, cereals, fruit juices, canned soups, margarines and similar spreads, many milk products and soy milk products, yoghurt, sports drinks/soft drinks, snack bars etc etc.

...and if that person is on the payroll of a vitamin company?

Yes - so right - there are vitamins in food - stunning revelation.

There are of course lots of additives for various reasons - mostly connected with sales.

And your theory on vitamins and alcohol? Well vitamin deficiencies are usually connected with chronic alcoholism, so you might find that if you need vitamins you are ignoring the elephant in the room?

[xylophone]

Quote CharlieH: "Somehow, and I know this may be a strange concept, but lets just take the word of a trained qualified medical professional. Individually tailored guidance to a specific issue by a qualified professional seems the more advisable solution".

I agree with that, and that is why people who take the likes of Omeprazole and other medications may well be encouraged to take some vitamin supplements to compensate for the effects of these medications.

Nothing is black and white as has sometimes been depicted by posters and even the medical profession with many papers and studies published, seem at odds with one another. Also many here seem to overlook the simple fact that alcohol depletes the body of some vitamins and minerals, so if you drink alcohol, and sometimes to excess, then you may be in need of vitamin supplementation.

Anyway what we are discussing here, about vitamin supplementation and the use of multivitamins etc, may well already have been settled, because like it or not we take vitamin supplements with our everyday food. For example vitamin/mineral supplementation is present in many cases in: – bread and bread products, cereals, fruit juices, canned soups, margarines and similar spreads, many milk products and soy milk products, yoghurt, sports drinks/soft drinks, snack bars etc etc.

...and if that person is on the payroll of a vitamin company?

Yes - so right - there are vitamins in food - stunning revelation.

There are of course lots of additives for various reasons - mostly connected with sales.

And your theory on vitamins and alcohol? Well vitamin deficiencies are usually connected with chronic alcoholism, so you might find that if you need vitamins you are ignoring the elephant in the room?

Sorry, I am not sure what you mean by, "what if that person is on the payroll of the vitamin company".

If you are referring to the Proton Pump Inhibitor reference, then that is pure medical science because that particular drug has an effect on how the food is processed in your stomach.

Also not sure about your comment, "yes – so right – there are vitamins in food – stunning revelation". My point was that vitamins are ADDED to the foods I mentioned, and many more. So in fact, like it or not, you are engaging in vitamin supplementation.

Again, I don't have a theory on vitamins and alcohol, because it is a proven scientific/medical fact and I'm not saying that only chronic alcoholics have a problem with it, it's just that anyone drinking over a certain amount of alcohol per day, and that doesn't mean just chronic alcoholics, are depleting certain vitamins and minerals in their system.

And before I get another reply, no, I am not on the payroll of a vitamin company and I don't obtain any pecuniary advantage from airing my views, because that's exactly what they are, however they are based upon medical and scientific fact.

Now, I've just found an elephant in my room, and I'm going to take it for a walk!