Are Vitamins and Supplements A Waste Of Money?

Upon the vets recommendation I started adding fish oil to my older cats’ wet food. It made such an amazing change in their coats that I am now looking at fish oil supplements for myself.

True, I’m not a cat, but the change is so dramatic that even if I get 1/4 of the benefit I’ll still be happy with it.

“True, I’m not a cat, but the change is so dramatic that even if I get 1/4 of the benefit I’ll still be happy with it.”

Will you come back and present pussy in 6 months?

Vitamins work for sure, if not, why do they tell women to take prenatal vitamins if trying to get pregnant. Big pharma wants you sick, not heathy

Sheldon to Penny in the health food store:

That's a lot of expensive urine you're buying there, Penny.

I broke my arm earlier this year, and my orthopedic surgeon was very insistent that I start taking several supplements, to ensure that my arm healed properly. We actually discovered I had several vitamin deficiencies, and he told me I needed to start eating more meat, which I had nearly given up. I can tell the difference since I've followed his advice. And my arm has healed really well.

There are no requirements for third party testing on vitamins - which is scary. Mega foods is a great brand that does do third party testing. Most fish oil is rancid and/or bleached and processed at such high temps that the nutritional benefits are destroyed. I take Udo’s 3-6-9 with DHA. It’s plant based and an amazing supplement for omega oils. You can find it in the refrigerated section at your local health food shop.

R1 = Princess Carolyn

Not a waste of money if they make you feel better, but they probably work better for those who believe they will.

For me, it's a combination of supplements and eating a healthy diet. No deep fried food, no processed meats, no fast food, no carbonated beverages. The biggest thing people suffer from is dehydration. After that, vitamin D3, magnesium and Choline. Omega fats are good, too. I also take CoQ10 and several other supplements specific to my needs. I recently had a knee replacement and recovered quickly. My surgeon was surprised. I'm also 75 and take no prescription drugs. Daily exercise is advised, too.

I’m a gastric bypass patient/survivor. If I didn’t take vitamins everyday, I’d be dead.

Eating well would be the best source of life's energy. This includes, for most people, quality MEAT!!!!

Truth Fairy.

R10 what vitamins or supplements do you take?

I don't think anyone says they're useless, but the dosages on offer might be. If you take a B complex, for example, like 99% of it is going to be excreted. However if you had a genuine deficiency, it can help, it's just all of the vitamin over what your body wants at that moment is wasted.

The nurses I've known call most of them "bedpan bullets" . Apparently a lot of them never dissolve.

Yes, they're a waste of money, OP.

Spend your money on workout shoes, a bargain at $85.

Thanks, Yvonne!

I take fish oil to lower my triglycerides and to help with short term memory loss caused by years of being on high dosages of trazodone and quetiapine/seroquel in order to sleep (gaba receptors are completely fried). I also take vitamin B-12 for anemia.

R12, calcium 2 x daily Multi 3 x daily B12 inject x 1 monthly IV iron infusions bi- monthly Krill oil x daily Coq10 - daily Tumeric x daily D3 x daily C x daily

Vitamins do work but must buy from good brands not store brands like CVS or GNC. I remember they were sued by a state for not containing what they said they contained many years ago.

My best friend takes milk thistle for his liver, he's been taking it for at least 10 years. He drinks like a fucking fish 6 days a week but his liver is fine according to his annual physical.

Vit B is important as many forgetful elderly folks are found to lack certain B vitamins.

I take multi amino acid complex, which helps with my brain function.

Muscle milk - but only because I don’t like food until dinner.

By in large supplementing with vitamins does not improve your health and in fact does the opposite although mostly little harm. One vitamin is commonly insufficient and that is vitamin D. Otherwise rarely needed IF you eat well- lots of fresh vegetables and fruits, not too much alcohol etc. regular exercise, etc will keep you healthy. R3, no one tells women to take prenatal vitamins to get pregnant.

After 22 replies of anecdotes, Princess Carolyn the cat, an Yvonne GG reference, no one has offered any research.

R22 It's "by and large" (which makes me doubt your stated credentials) but the information isncorrect, according to recent research.

One example from this study: people who took supplemental vitamin D at a dose exceeding 10 micrograms (400 IU) per day without a vitamin D deficiency were more likely to die from cancer.

R23 interesting. Thank you.

Here's my go-to when researching supplements and general nutrition.

R25 thank you.

R23, no nutritionist (myself included) recommends supplementing any vitamin beyond adequacy. In other words, if you do not need vitamin D, then don't take a supplement. Many adults, particularly older adults in northern latitudes are vit D deficient. This is due to not being to make active vit D in the skin due to not enough UV light in the winter, age, and use of sunscreen (nothing is all good or all bad). In fact this climate is sometimes called the colon cancer belt because this deficiency is associated with higher incidence of colon cancer.

Please note that you example is supplementation in those who do not have a deficiency- I would not supplement vit D without pretty good evidence of deficiency. Serum vit D levels are usually part of normal health screening blood work in older adults.

I use neutriceuticals and supplements for specific health issues. Regular antihistamines turn me into a zombie, so I use a combination herbal supplement and acupuncture to good effect. Same for anti-inflammatory/ joint compounds that are really useful. After regular bloodwork, my doctor recommended supplemental B vitamins and D3.

I also make some "homebrew" tonics that I enjoy: kombucha, fire cider and elderberry tonic. If they work, great. If they don't, who cares? I like making them, enjoy the taste, using them as part of my me-care routine, and sharing them with friends.

So far, 67, active and still working a full schedule, no prescription meds. I am usually pain free, and take ibuprofen maybe every two to three months after long travel schedules.

kombucha is revolting and dangerous.

I had a doctor do a full blood workup, 13 vials, and when I went to find out how I did, she said I was a little low on Vitamin D and I should take a supplement. That was it.

Science-based Medicine is a good website I've frequented for years. Guess what--it's based on science! This is not the only site that says that what most vitamins and supplements give you is expensive urine.

IF you have a vitamin deficiency than taking that vitamin in a form that you can absorb is fine, via prescription. They will do blood tests to see if you are in normal range.

All the shit in stores and on-line are a total scam and are not regulated.

All the oils and supplements for pets (animals) are NOT at all regulated. The fish oils that are shilling are likely to have high levels of lead, mercury and fossil fuel by products in them that will KILL your animals. Do not give you pets any of this shit. This stuff is highly dangerous. Also, stop with the hygiene products (shampoos and sprays) for pets too, very bad for them. Double check toys.

Big Scam. Also, they can be dangerous.

R32 thank you for that great information.

I miss the zinc guy who used to hit vitamin and cold/flu threads. Zinc cures everything.

Yes, of course they are!

Not only that, but unlike BIG PHARMA (scared yet?) the vitamin and supplement market is completely UNREGULATED! That's why there's always such a massive push to smear actual medicine, because all this bullshit (homeopathy, "Eastern Medicine, Chinese herbs, potions tinctures, colonics and tonics) is all VOODOO and BULLSHIT, but pure profit!!! They can't claim to "cure" any condition, but selling "wellness" is like printing money!

You actually have no idea what you're getting and could poison yourself!

See: AIDS denialist, vitamin huckster and total nut job Gary Null, who has his own vitamin line but due to unreliable unregulated production POISONED HIMSELF taking his own brand name products! Ha! Serves him right!

Also don't buy over the counter medicine from 99 cent stores. FDA just issued warning to Dollar Tree Stores...

They are a gigantic waste of money and can be extremely dangerous. This industry is not regulated.

Caveats:

Fiber is being widely prescribed and it is over the counter, make sure their is nothing else in there. Other caveats being if you have:

1.) Anemia and you get a prescription for Iron.

2.) Pregnant women need iron and folic acid.

3.) There are some GI based medical conditions where you cannot absorb vitamins from food, so you need a prescription medication for these vitamins.

This is done via a blood test. The medication is proven to work and the medical specialist monitors your blood test to see if you are in normal range.