multivitamins--good or bad?

[mystikal star]

I have been taking a multivitamin for about 4 months now and I just read that multivitamins are bad for you? How do I know if what I am taking is bad? I take Onesource for Teens and it costs about 10.00 a bottle. Is it bad? I'm all worried now.....


Here is whereI read that they can be bad.


http://www.supplecity.com/articles/multivitamin.htm


Can someone let me know if they are?

[mystikal star]

Okay and what I'm worried about is vitamin a. in my multivitamin i have 5000 IU (100% daily value) of vitamin a. on that website it says not to go over 5000 IU. well what if im eating foods that have vitamin a? is that gonna be harmful?

[izzybee]

Hmmm tough one. I expect that the company has had to do alot of research and probably wouldnt sell you something that would do you any harm. Have you had any effects from taking the vitamin(like bad efects?) ? I expect that it is ok but if you are worried i'd try a new multi vitamin.

[mystikal star]

I'll ask my doctor to recommend a good vitamin. I have been taking these and have actually felt a lot better but now that I know it can be harmful I'll be looking for symptoms. I hate being an emetophobe AND a hypochondriac. Hmm...ever wonder what normalcy feels like?

[izzybee]

lol. Maybe ask your doctor about them. The website might just be wrong. Does it say that it can sctually harm you??

[soluene]

First, any website that has phrases like this:


Doctors keep saying nutritional requirements don’t vary with activity level. Doctors have almost no training in nutrition, so they don’t know. They are simply parroting the party line. And it’s a stupid thing to say.


sounds ridiculous, unprofessional, and like they have their own agenda. I found another website:


http://www.emedicine.com/med/topic2382.htm


In which they say, "Chronic toxicity appears after ingestion of 25,000 IU or more daily for prolonged periods of time."


Having studied toxicology, I don't think having a little more than 100% of the daily value of Vitamin A is going to harm you. The "recommended daily allowance" for most vitamins, minerals, food groups, etc. are not set in stone and are always changing - so those values are somewhat arbitrary.


I take multi-vitamins, as do both my toxicoloist advisors. But it is also true that the consumption of mulit-vitamins does not significantly decrease one's risk of illness or disease. (This study did not talk about Calcium, which I think DOES significantly decrease the risk of osteoporesis, and it didn't talk about pre-natal vitamins, either.) However, taking vitamins makes me feel better, so I do it!


I have read that people who want the supplement, but don't want to get 100% of every vitamin in their pill, willjust take the children's versions and eat a balanced diet. That is something you could try if ODing on Vit A concerns you.