are vitamins really bad for you?

Question

my boyfriend is of the opinion that all vitamins, as in the suppliments, are bad for you. he says it's beacuse they aren't the same as what's found in food and that they aren't needed to be healthy even if you don't eat the most balanced diet. I told him he's stupid and so I figured I'd ask to see if I was right or not lol

Answer 1

The American Medical Association (AMA) took an anti-vitamin stance for about 20 years. It rewrite its policy guidelines on the use of vitamin supplements, based on a landmark review of 38 years of scientific evidence.

Vitamins for Chronic Disease Prevention in Adults
“Suboptimal intake of some vitamins, is a risk factor for chronic diseases and common in the general population.”
“Low levels of the antioxidant vitamins may increase risk for several chronic diseases. Most people do not consume an optimal amount of all vitamins by diet alone.”

“It appears prudent for all adults to take daily vitamin
supplements.”

- 2002 American Medical Association

Hope this helps,

From Victor Phua ([e-mail])

Answer 2

I don't have a scientific answer to this but I can say for sure that too much vitamin C consumed in food over a period of a few weeks (especially tomatoes) eventually gives me a canker sore. Other people are correct that you can't OD on vitamin C and you'll just pee it out. However, the high level of acidity in most vitamin C may affect certain people more than others. I hear there is a non-acid kind of vitamin C made out of ascorbate rather than ascorbic acid if you are sensitive to high acid levels.

Answer 3

Actually your boyfriend is right. If you eat a proper diet, you won't need supplments. Even if you don't, you still don't need supplements because our standard diets and foods offered in stores are sufficiently fortified. When was the last time you heard of your average person suffering from scurvy or rickets? You'd be in the hospital long before you actually suffered from vitamin deficiency related diseases.
Never mind that if you add certain supplements to your diet, you can cause serious damage to your liver (fat soluble ones, like Vit A, for ex.). Water soluble ones are a waste of money because the body will absorb what it needs and the rest, you'll simply pee out.

I can recommend a good and very eye opening book on this topic: Dr. Stephen Barrett's "The Vitamin Pushers".

Answer 4

Almost no one eats a perfect diet. A one-a-day multiple vitamin can't hurt. A little extra C and E can't hurt. A little supplement of omega-3 oil can't hurt. Just don't take massive dosages of anything. Johns Hopkins did a controlled study that showed that small supplements of C and E daily were good for people in that they developed less senile dementia or Alzheimer's.
The vitamins in the pills _are_ the same as found in foods.

Answer 5

he is right and wrong. If you eat properly you can get many of the vitamins needed to be healthy, but what a lot of people don't know is that any form of cooking kills nutrients in food. Raw is the best way to go to get the most bang for your buck, if you must cook it you are better off to do it yourself so you know how it is cooked and for how long.

Vitamins aren't bad for you if you use them properly. I take a multi-vitamin everyday right now because I can't afford all fresh foods all the time and need to make sure I keep up my stamina and energy to chase after my young son. I also am trying to conceive so I take folic acid in addition to get my body ready.

Answer 6

He is right, to an extent. Food these days is so depleted of vitamins and minerals that were there years ago, the soil isn't as rich as it used to be etc. People microwave foods which kills them, supplementing is a good way to balance out an already deficient diet. I stopped taking supplements for a couple years and just started up again and I am already beginning to feel better. If people grew their own produce organically, or purchased organic foods only, then they wouldn't need supplementation, but to me taking supplements is health insurance

Answer 7

Your boyfriend is seriously mistaken. It might be better to get vitamins from your food, but that's because it's best to eat a healthy diet. Vitamin supplements are generally a good thing.

So, you're right, and he's stupid. But you might want to phrase it a little more diplomatically than that. ;P

Best wishes and God bless.

Answer 8

Vitamins are not bad for you, but they are not the best source. Food sources of the same vitamins and minerals are more easily processed by your body. It is OK to supplement your diet with a multi-vitamin, but it is not OK to just drink water and take only vitamins.

Answer 9

Extreme doses of vitamins A and E can be lethal. Too much of any nutrient will have bad side effects. However for any multivitamin supplement the reccomended dosage is not harmful. Whether or not it's beneficial I can't say.

Answer 10

I think some vitamins and supplements are OK. Of course getting them the "natural" way thru food is the best. A lot of the vitamin pills ( or tablets) don't completely disolve.