The Washington Post on Multivitamins
I’m sure we all know lots of people who pop vitamins like Tic Tacs. Personally, I’m not much of a vitamin guy. Lots of fruits and vegetables suit me just fine. But in case you’ve got questions about vitamins, Sally Squires of The Washington Post provides this investigation:
"If you're taking a multivitamin, there's no reason to stop," notes Paul Coates, director of the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. "But if you're not taking a multivitamin, there's also no reason to start taking one, either…"I’ve heard this kind of talk before. Check out this report by Reuters back in May:
… And it's just one measure of the many complexities of scientific debate concerning multivitamins and minerals. "Most people assume that the ingredients in multivitamin supplements are safe," the panel concluded in its report. "There is evidence, however, that certain ingredients in multivitamin supplements can produce adverse effects."
Many people may assume that because vitamins and minerals are vital for health, that more is better. But some are toxic at high levels, including vitamin A and iron, and others are simply excreted in the urine.
I hate most foods and dislike eating. I think it's because I have mild food allergies that make me feel mildly ill when I eat. I found out last month that I was too anemic to give blood, so I'm back on a multivitamin. For vegetarians who have to force themselves to eat, multivitamins are a good idea. If my regular diet leaves me too anemic to give blood, obviously I need to take vitamins.