Multivitamins and supplements? My vent.

[brownbook]

Study: Dietary Supplements Do Nothing for Health
By Serena Gordon (HealthDay Reporter)

Quote

MONDAY, April 8, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- If you're popping dietary supplements in the hope of living longer, a large new study suggests you'd be better off investing that money in nutritious foods.

The research found that vitamins A and K, magnesium, zinc and copper were linked to a lower risk of death from heart disease or stroke, and an overall lower risk of dying during the average six years of follow-up. But these findings were true only when the nutrients came from foods, not from supplements.

Of more concern, the study found that taking at least 1,000 milligrams of calcium daily from supplements was associated with an increased risk of death. This was not true of calcium from food.

Here's the link to the entire article.

I've been hearing, from bona fied medical scientific research, since at least 2005, that multivitamins and supplements are not needed unless you're a vegan or pregnant, or diagnosed by a medical doctor as deficient. Which is very rare.

If you are basically healthy adult you do not need them.

Being tired, not adjusting to night shift or day shift, is no reason to take them. Sure see your primary physician if you're constantly tired. But unless a specific diagnosis is made multivitamins and supplements won't help!

In fact they give many people the false impression that scrimping on a DAILY variety of fruits, vegetables and unprocessed foods, because they are soooo busy, work night shift, don't have time for healthy eating, is okay!

Just my vent. I'm tired of reading on All nurses recommendations for vitamins and supplements?.

[Davey Do]

Good for you, bownbook! I like your alternative perspective to the mainstream!

39 minutes ago, brownbook said:

If you're popping dietary supplements in the hope of living longer

It seems as though vitamins and supplements are a soothing balm to calm people's anxieties about growing old and dying.

[kp2016]

All time favorite. I actually had this conversation.

RN: Why did you stop taking your neurotin ?

Pt: That Doctor doesn’t know what he is talking about and I hate talking medications.

RN: Your Consultant Neurologist?.....I see and are you taking any other medications?

Pt: only the multivitamins and supplements recommended by the nice lady at the health store. She really knows her stuff and they are all natural and cost a fortune so I know they worth it.

RN: ??

[Wuzzie]

But, but, but Vitamin C cures cancer.

[myoglobin, ASN, BSN, MSN]

Personally, I often utilize CAM therapy because I have limited access to mainstream medicine due to lack of health insurance. Thus, for joint pain and depression I utilize SAM-e, Saint John's Wort and turmeric with good results (all of which have at least limited placebo controlled trials for at least one of these conditions). Also, since I only eat during a four hour window (usually one meal plus a snack) and also eat low carb/keto, calorically restricted diet I take a multivitamin to cover my nutrient bases. There is a reasonable research basis for some if not many herbs and supplements for some specific conditions indeed in the EU and elsewhere many of these items are often prescribed by physicians (for example SAM-e for chronic pain and depression), but certainly not for the blanket proposition of "living longer" . Few if any pharmaceutical company will pay the tens or hundreds of millions of dollars to support the research to get something through the FDA clinical trial process when it is already available as a generic creating something of a "funding bias" into much of the research regarding CAM approaches.

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

10 hours ago, Wuzzie said:

But, but, but Vitamin C cures cancer.

Say that 3 times and maybe she'll make a reappearance!

[brandy1017, ASN, RN]

16 hours ago, kp2016 said:

All time favorite. I actually had this conversation.

RN: Why did you stop taking your neurotin ?

Pt: That Doctor doesn’t know what he is talking about and I hate talking medications.

RN: Your Consultant Neurologist?.....I see and are you taking any other medications?

Pt: only the multivitamins and supplements recommended by the nice lady at the health store. She really knows her stuff and they are all natural and cost a fortune so I know they worth it.

RN: ??

I have a nurse friend that is just like this. She is totally against doctors and medicine, but willing to spend a fortune on alternative pills and creams. Ironic that she was ever a nurse! She prides herself on not taking any meds and claims the doctor was wrong when they told her she had high blood pressure and she stopped taking the meds as they made her tired with no energy. She is all about all natural but doesn't seem to realize that modern medicine is based on plants and nature. The difference being that medicines have at least some level of regulation while alternatives generally do not.

[Hoosier_RN, MSN]

I have a physical issue that my Dr has me take prescribed vitamins in higher amounts, as I don't absorb nutrients like I should-but I follow a very strict diet as well. Vitamins and supplements have their place, but no one, especially the average Joe, should ever depend on them totally for their nutritional needs

[myoglobin, ASN, BSN, MSN]

Also, it should be noted that perhaps the most proven approach to increasing longevity in multiple animal species is caloric restriction with adequate nutrition. If someone utilizes this strategy (which involves eating about 30% fewer calories than would be predicted for their age/weight) then they will likely need vitamin supplementation just to meet the minimum RDA standards.

[BSN-to-MSN, ADN, BSN, RN]

Yes,I knew that already. Some people like their magical fix pill though, and you cannot tell them any different. I have the same experience talking about chiropractors, so I don't talk about them either.

[BSN-to-MSN, ADN, BSN, RN]

On 7/11/2019 at 6:53 AM, Wuzzie said:

But, but, but Vitamin C cures cancer.

Haha, let them eat oranges. Or cranberries, or green beans, or bell peppers.?

[Kooky Korky, BSN, RN]

Low carbohydrates, cut out grains and sugars, eat organic produce, eggs and meat from free pasture fowl and beef, pork, etc.

Try to find low or no mercury fish.

Half your body weight in H20 daily.

A friend was able to get off of 300 mg. MS04 QID by using Mg++ as prescribed by an MD. Takes only 2 Percocet BID now for chronic pain and only 1 BID some days. The pain has all but disappeared. Tolerates walking and standing better than he used to, has begun at the gym after years of sedentary, pain-filled living. Does no more than 30 Gm of CHO per day.