Renegade

For years Ive been taking rainbow light one a day mens multivitamin found here:
http://www.luckyvitamin.com/item/ite...te=google_base

But then I read this article, I know its a year old, but still...are multivitamins actually not helpful and could be harmful or is this study BS?

http://health.usnews.com/blogs/on-me...th-hazard.html

Street Spirit

IMO, if you eat a well balanced, varied diet, you simply won't need a multi-vitamin, period. The best way to break down nutrients is through foods we eat. However, I will say that I see vitamins as being a benefit to those who know right away that they are not meeting their overall needs, but I believe the quality of vitamin has a lot to do with those benefits too. A lot of vitamins and supplements contain a whole bunch of random stuff that doesn't provide any benefit to you at all, such as dyes and flavours, things to hold the tablet together, etc. IMO, if you're going to take a vitamin, find one that is closer to the quality found in foods without all of the extra crap most popular brands throw in.

Renegade

I think the one I use which is posted above is pretty solid as its not synthetic and has a good amount of key ingridients.

I'm just concerned with that article talking about how multivitamins can actually be harmful...

is300eater

tho it's totally possible... to do so on a daily basis... you're most likely going to go way over your calorie intake, and believe it or not... it may cause weight gain. Generally, that's what happens when you eat more than you burn (or need). People who say that they don't rely on taking a multi because they can do it all with eating well balanced meals... are either over eating (in order to get everything) OR, they're really not getting ALL the nutrients they think they are.

I recommend multivitamins that are "time released". Meaning that as it goes through your "system"... certain nutrients are released accordingly.

Whiskers

No...

GIBSON6594

Another variable to this is some people need more nutrition than others. It's hard for me to supplement my body with just food due to the strain I put on myself in the gym. Multis (I take Animal Paks) help me make sure I'm giving my body everything it needs, and then some.

Bdog

No vitamin will offset a bad diet, so a bad diet with a multivitamin will do nothing for you. From what I've read if you are sick and take a multivitamin to help you, it may actually hurt you as certain vitamins help the sickness.

Interesting read on this here.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/08/22...ins/index.html

dallison

as others say, don't waste your money, stick with a decently healthy diet.

is300eater

I guess all these years, being in the health industry i've been wrong

dallison

not saying you are wrong. maybe for the people who don't want to figure out what will be healthier to eat and actually prepare it instead of takeout/buying pre-made.

Some people don't have the time either, then i am sure vitamins would be a good alternative.


For those who do eat a healthy diet, i would say that there really isn't a need for the most part to take em.

NetEditor

Advocating for a healthy diet is definitely rule No. 1. But, as IS300 pointed out, even with a healthy diet, it's very difficult to get the proper intake of every vitamin and mineral your body needs without consuming an unhealthy amount of calories.

Nobody asked or even implied whether they can eat like shit and stay healthy simply by taking a multivitamin.

Street Spirit

Well is300eater would be correct if he's mostly referring to people who work out, want to keep 3% ( ) body fat, and are always advised to have meals like a small chicken breast (weighed to the exact gram as to not ruin your workout) and a small side or carbs or veggies. I'm sure it's easier to come close to attaining when you're a regular healthy person, eating a WIDE range of fruits, veggies, proteins, legumes, lentils, etc. as part of your regular, every day diet and partaking in some form of exercise, and not counting every calorie (and I'm not referring to being overweight). Also, I don't think anyone is looking to get 101% of EVERY vitamin and mineral at the end of EVERY day. I'm sure it all balances out over a few days, if you're aiming to eat complete meals as part of your regular lifestyle.

doopstr

Ever since I started taking a Multi (Centrum) in the early 90s, I get sick less and when I am sick it doesn't last long. I used to get sick and stay sick for up to a week. Now most are done in a day.

I will admit my diet is not what it should be so the vitamin helps.

neuf08

Multivitamins have definitely never been found to be harmful for you. One the contrary I do believe that they are quite beneficial. Since I've been taking a good quality multi I have been sick much less and feel much better. While a healthy diet is important, it's extremely difficult to get all vitamins and minerals this way, especially with the way much of the soil has become so depleted. Now I do think it's important to take a multi of a good quality because some of the poor quality ones do not get digested or absorbed into the body and just pass right through. I take Rainbow Light multivitamins, which are food-based for better absorption.

GIBSON6594

<----Animal Pak

Love it, and know it's absorbed because my pee is neon yellow

is300eater

^^^doesn't it smell pretty bad too.

GIBSON6594

Yea, but in that good way

is300eater

GIBSON6594

please, like you don't like the smell of your own farts

hornyleprechaun

Wouldn't the neon yellow indicate the vitamin not being absorbed since it is being peed out?

BTW I take a multivitamin and enjoy my neon yellow pee.

GIBSON6594

No, it means that your body is absorbing more than it needs. Excess vitamins are excreted.

hornyleprechaun

I see.. Well same thing.. you are taking too much so your body is peeing it out.

GIBSON6594

No harm in it. I take a weightlifting pack. There is a ton of stuff in it to compensate for the stress I put on my body. Better to take too much than not enough.

hornyleprechaun

Yeah I try to take one a day and just drink plenty of water. Vitamins and minerals can't hurt the body

Josh99CL

well..... water soluble ones at least

Doom878

So Rainbow is better than Centrum?

Derk's K24

Too much? I got a dietary supplement for my joints from GNC- has fish oil, glucosamine and chondroitin, etc and it comes in one of those lil pouches with about 6 pills that are supposed to be taken all once. About an hour after absorption I have neon yellow pee too.

hornyleprechaun

http://www.vitamin-insight.com/mailb...estion-43.aspx

Excess = too much

GIBSON6594

The B-Complex is my favorite vitamin family.

Derk's K24

I'll have to read it when I get home, for some reason my job blocks even that link.

hornyleprechaun

I posted the important quote from that site.. your pee is neon yellow because of the excess B vitamins in the pills you take.

Doom878

:cough:

Derk's K24

Alright, well I'll have to check the back of the box once I get home because I tried looking up the ingredients online and just as I thought it doesnt list anything about any B vitamins but in the more in depth ingredients table on the box it just may. Here's a link to the product though

http://www.gnc.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3629957

hornyleprechaun

Found it for you..

http://www.drugstore.com/qxp222056_3...thy_joints.htm

B1 - 50mg - 3333%
B2 - 50mg - 2941%
B3 - 50mg - 250%
B6 - 50mg - 2500%
B12 - 50mg - 833%

Those percents are not typos. I take Optimum Nutrition Opti-Men where 3 pills is 1 serving.. My percentages are more than yours, but I only take 1 pill a day because I see no purpose in taking > 100% of the daily value. Even taking 1 pill though I'm getting well over 100% of the daily value.

Derk's K24

Good god! That's crazy. B12 and B6(?) are for energy right? What are the others for?

Josh99CL

wikipedia is your friend... I would answer but I don't know off the top of my head.

If it gives you any idea those 5 hour energy shot drinks are like 15,000% DV of b12 IIRC. I read up on the science behind it at one point in time but don't remember. I still think shit like that is dependent on a lot of placebo but /shrug

Renegade

I've been taking rainbow light mens one a day for years, is this the best overall all around vitamin?