Vitamins/supplements? A waste of money or not?

brokeinwales

I'm an on and off vitamin swallower.

I have a very good diet, but I'm mostly vegetarian, so I tend to take Omega 3 fish oil fairly regularly (stock up when it's on a BOGOF!), I've also gone through phases of taking various vitamins, minerals, herbal supplements to help with my "mood problems" - I'm never sure exactly how well any of them work, sometimes I think they make a difference - but it could easily be some other factor, or just placebo effect.
I know plenty of people who swear by echinacea, but I read that it's never actually been proven to have any effect at all. Meanwhile BF takes a whole cocktail of vit's to help with his skin problems. Mum is very big on zinc, everyone I know takes vitamin C for a cold...

You know where I'm going with this I'm sure. after spending £5 of my hard earned cash ona pot of pills yesterday, and having read Ben Goldacre's "Bad Science" book (which is very cutting about how the vitamin pill industry just exploits people's worries) I can't help wondering whether I'm playing the fool whom is easily parted from her money.

I know you're not doctors or nutritionists (well, not necessarily), and lord knows I'm not asking for professional advice - but thought it'd be interesting to ask what people think. Are vitamin pills something I should really be wasting money on when I'm trying to get out of debt? Are they a good investment in my health or wellbeing or just a big unecessary expense? (incidentally I wonder this about "health" foods too - I always want to fill my trolley with quinoa and flaxseeds, and it breaks my heart feeling obliged to fill it with cheap-a** pasta instead!)

Cheers for your thoughts

lostinrates

When I first started recovery from illness the people treating me suggested certain supplements, not just the types but the brands. They told me that with many brands the chance of them just passing through doing nothing was greater.

with most vits and minerals (I am pretty sceptical BTW) I feel no change in ''myself'' whatsoever. with two supplements in two different makes I really do notice a difference. I also am advised to take a daily complete tablet by my doctors (as I have a very restricted calorie intake usually) and while I don't feel any difference considering my particular lifestyle I think its a risk worth taking. When I remember....which is a couple of times a week. . If I were not restricted in the ways I am then I would MUCH rather hit all nutritional targets by eating a good and varied diet. Just seems more enjoyable and natural to me!

beachbeth

I take Sainsburys multivitamins and iron tablets and definitely notice a difference if I stop taking them. I feel more tired with less get up and go.

clairibel

I'm a bonafide pill swallower :rolleyes: Don't spend huge amounts on them but feel compelled to take them just in case...i also think it maybe has a placebo effect with me...knowing i've took them makes me feel better about my health

I regulary take multibionta, omega 3,6,9 and a probiotic.

But before i had kids i was obsessed with health food shops and my diet was full of flaxseeds etc...but i do think i had too much time on my hands as now its whatevers easiest to make

globalds

I started taking Vitamin D3 this year 5000 ui a day . After reading the posts by Ted Hutchinson.

I feel better in General this year although I am not often ill but do tend to get worn down this time of year.

I also take a daily multivitamin and Fish oil.

I think the evidence on Vitamin D is stacking up and the recommended daily amounts will change ,especially in the less sun drenched countries such as our own.

esio_trot

I would suggest that, going on what the vitamin companies themselves say, that if you're a normal, healthy adult, vitamin pills are probably not necessary. If you look at the fine print on most vitamin ads on TV, they state that "these vitamins may benefit young children and elderly".

That said, I'm currently taking them, but I'm pregnant (and therefore have lower immunity) and it's winter, and I'd rather make sure I get all my nutrients to do what I can not to get sick. Mainly because I'm terrible if I get a cold at the best of times when I can dose up on pills, I'm not sure how I'd cope with a cold without Lemsip!

faithcecilia

I'm not a big eater so tend to take a daily multivit just to make sure, especially as veg etc loses its vits as it sits around waiting to be eaten.

I tak evening primrose oil and B6 too and have noticed a big difference since starting to take them.

daveyjp

beachbeth wrote: »

I take Sainsburys multivitamins and iron tablets and definitely notice a difference if I stop taking them. I feel more tired with less get up and go.

If this really is the case I suggest you have a full blood test to ensure you aren't anaemic.

brokeinwales

But before i had kids i was obsessed with health food shops and my diet was full of flaxseeds etc...but i do think i had too much time on my hands as now its whatevers easiest to make

Yeh, I sometimes wonder whethe rall the effort is actually worth it. PArt of me feels like maybe I should avoid white flour, eat seeds and goji berries and whatever. And the other feels like as long as I'm not living off fast food, and I manage to get my 5 a day most days, it should all even out fine... I'm leaning toward the latter frankly.

If this really is the case I suggest you have a full blood test to ensure you aren't anaemic.

not a bad idea. You can get iron tablets on prescription. When I was tested I turned out to have an underlying B12 deficiency (down to a stomach bug they reckon) and had to go on a course of injections to get me back to normal.

Bronnie

Never take them!

Am (fortunately) fit and healthy and (less-fortunately) fifty+ . Feel lucky that I seem to get off fairly lightly re winter bugs and seem to have good resistance, compared to others (and working with the public so lots of coughs and sneezes around) .

I eat a healthy and varied diet and try to deal with the winter vitamin D dilemma by means other than supplements, although find the research on this interesting.

DD is less robust (has recently had blood test and everything is fine), however I do keep a bottle of Minadex (throwback from when she was little, she's 21 now!) knocking around in the winter and if she succumbs, I get her on that smartish and despite what the nay-sayers say, it does have a remarkably rapid pick-you-up effect!

Feel as though I've totally tempted fate with this boastful post! :eek: Atishooo!!

Buttonmoons

I bought in Kelp tablets and Vitamin B one as my hair was falling out, also Silcia. But I only did that for a month and your supposed to do it for about 3months.....but it was expensive! I wanted instant results

I still take the kelp and B when I remember....about once a week.....

Can't say it has helped but maybe I need to take it everyday