Vitamins

[themyst1971]

From the stories I have read, it seems that too much vitamins are not nessary good for you.
I have also read that most people eating a balanced diet should be getting most, to all of the vitamins that they need.

So my query is, if you currently sick*, would taking vitamins be of any benefit and if so, which vitamins?

*colds, flu, stomach bug, etc

[Brian]

for normal living a balanced diet would suffice I think...when I trained 6 hours a day, I was obliged to take extra vitamins especially B and E (but you had to take enough) for stamina because you cannot eat sufficient to make up the shortfall...if you take too many vitamins you body just gets rid of it, except for A and D which could be toxic/damaging in large quantities: much of the hype around vitamins is bullshit.

[Rigil Kent]

From the stories I have read, it seems that too much vitamins are not nessary good for you.

I took some vitamin supplements once, and was shocked to note that it turned my pee day-glo green. Surely such an observation, especially at a quarter past six in the morning, can't be good for the nerves.

Mintaka

[themyst1971]

turned my pee day-glo green.

Did it glow in the dark as well? 

[Rigil Kent]

Did it glow in the dark as well? 

Didn't check - there are limits to what I consider the reasonable use of bodily fluids.

Mintaka

[Faerie]

Dunno, but I dont see the point of taking an abundance of vitamin C or whatever when you're already struck down by a headcold or the like, you're most likely to get better anyway.

I need to take iron supplements as I'm prone to anemea, but even so, I dont overdose myself on a daily basis, I generally know my body well enough to know when I need to take a dose or two. If you're constantly tired or have obvious problems you need to take a closer look at what you may be lacking.

However, as you said, if you're eating a balanced diet and take care of yourself in respect of exercise etc, its unlikely you will require additional vitamins of any sort.

And a tummy bug is just that, a bug, vitamins are'nt going to help squat for that, not as a preventative, nor as a cure.

[Wandapec]

I dont see the point of taking an abundance of vitamin C or whatever when you're already struck down by a headcold or the like, you're most likely to get better anyway.

That's it - regression to the mean. If you take the Vit C your cold will clear in 2 weeks, if you don't, it will clear in a fortnight. 

[Majin]

There was a talk about taking extra supplements on classic fm one night.
A doctor on the show explained how he had a cancer patiant that took bottles of supplements. He told here to leave the supplements and just start eating a balanced diet, the next time he saw her she felt much healthier then before.

Take brocoli for instance: There is alot of things in brocoli that are good for you not just the few vitamens they isolate. And eating egss, shure its not good for your colesterol but its good for other things to. But people tend to take to much of a vitamen...

He says the main problem nowadays is, people dieting. We are suppose to exersise more and eat healthier. Not eat less and sit in front of the desk the whole day. In the end we are doing our bodies more damage for cutting out the nutrients that we need. Like taking the yellow out a egg and just eating the white.

Yes i do find that supplements help sometimes when i have a cold. But do not see it as the wonderful thing some people portray it to be.

[st0nes]

Take brocoli for instance: There is alot of things in brocoli that are good for you not just the few vitamens they isolate.

Also, you're not allowed pudding unless you eat all your broccoli.

[Wandapec]

Also, you're not allowed pudding unless you eat all your broccoli.

That made me laugh out loud! Thanks.

[beLIEf]

Also I have heard countless times from various people promoting supplements that  "fruit and veg has less vitamins and minerals than it used to". Mainly due to the depletion of soil nutrients.

see - http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=soil-depletion-and-nutrition-loss

Maybe that's why Noah and Methuselah lived so long!