Dangerous Vitamins?

[jdrgator]

I know there's already a thread on vitamins and supplements, but I came across this today and thought it should have a thread all its own

Some common vitamins could increase death risk...

[Dreamliner]

Now THIS is a horse of a different color!

Seriously, food is great and we're all going to die. Eat the foods you enjoy, just not too much of it, and I doubt very seriously that you need to ingest anything else to be lean and strong and to live your appointed days with some elan and vigor.

[Jupgator]

I posted this on the other thread, but thought I would be better in this one:

Just a caution to those who take supplements based on what others are doing, or believing the marketing campaigns. Supplements are popular, but I suspect most benefit the supplement industry much more than the users. As they are studied, they are being shown to be ineffective or harmful.

I used saw palmetto for 20 years, but got an enlarged prostate and then prostate cancer, even though the marketing says "supports prostate health", whatever that really means. Spent $$ and had faith based on both the marketing message and even my doctors recommendation to take it. Read an article a couple weeks ago that saw palmetto was studied by the University of Wisconson, and proved to be totally ineffective.

Then this morning there was an article in the newspaper that vitamin E was studied by the University of Minnesota, and the outcome was expected to indicate that it helps the prostate. Turned out that there was a 17% increase in prostate cancer by those in the study group that took it vs. a placebo.

Supplements go to market without impartial study or vetting. Snake oil comes in all kinds of packaging.


Read more: http://www.gatorcountry.com/swampgas...#ixzz1aZfxkE80

[Dreamliner]

The scary news is pouring in.

[orangeblueorangeblue]

The problem is twofold:

1. There's a fixed amount of vitamins in a multi. If you're getting 110% of your copper through diet, why put an extra 100% RDA in a multi? Particularly with metals, this can be an issue over time.

2. Poor regulation of vitamin industry in general.

[jdrgator]

Originally Posted by orangeblueorangeblue

The problem is twofold:

1. There's a fixed amount of vitamins in a multi. If you're getting 110% of your copper through diet, why put an extra 100% RDA in a multi? Particularly with metals, this can be an issue over time.

2. Poor regulation of vitamin industry in general.

On the other "supplements" thread, I also noted how many vitamins, at least in the past, weren't necessarily that harmful simply because they passed through people's bodies undigested (at least tests of some of the most popular brands did). But that was over a decade ago and I didn't keep up on the science of it.

Anyway, the thing to remember is we can poison our body with pretty much anything (there's some truth to the saying that we can have "too much of a good thing). Heck, mentally challenged people have been known to die from drinking excessive amounts of water.

But yes, the vitamin industry and supplements in general is poorly regulated, and really, much of what is sold isn't based on good science.

[rounds]

Most particularly, it is important to
know that Vits. A, D, E, & K are
the only fat soluble vitamins.
Why, you may ask?
Being fat soluble they are absorbed
into the tissues of the body more
easily and can be stored in the fat
tissue in toxic amounts.
The other vitamins and trace elements
are water soluble and more easily
excreted in the form of expensive
urine after the body keeps whatever
it needs, in general.

[Gatorgrrrrrrr]

Some good stuff. Thanks for the info.