Wow, you did your homework on this one, Y/N.
I have to agree that
most supplements are questionable at best. I take only a few, Vit. B, Vit. C, Omega fatty acids, and a Probiotic. I don't know how many dollars worth of that stuff I've thrown in the trash, especially on diet related products, like fat burners, etc. HogWash, that's what it all is that gets even more attention because of Dr. Oz and others.
BBM Those articles and what I was trying to explain by posting them were
only in reference to the so-called brain-boosting supplements (and drugs).
Some supplements are needed by some people who have deficiencies and are good for you, especially if they are prescribed by a MD, IMO.
These are the supplements I have taken thru the years- all prescribed by a MD:
daily B-12 shots for anemia
Feosol- iron supplement- also for anemia
ZINC- for black hairy tongue that I developed after an kidney stone operation and having to take so many antibotics- cleared my black tongue in a few days!
L. acidophilus- for a very bad yeast infection episode, brought on by high doses of pennicillin prescribed by dentist (because I had Rheumatic fever as a child), that would not resolve by other means
Various multi-vitamins off/on thru the years (which I stopped taking after the "are vitamin supplements necessary" studies)
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And
potassium gluconate- for charley-horse pain in legs (the only supplement I am taking now)
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When I was a child, my father gave us cod liver oil in liquid form (burped it allll day :gaah
, then changed to pill form . He swore by that for good health (and also a glass of wine with dinner every night- not for the children tho' :facepalm
. But my mother would not take the vitamins prescribe when she was pregnant by her MD- she was afraid to take anything that may harm the child she was carrying (you never know she said).
There are many studies/articles for/against vitamin supplements: (here I go again :facepalm: )
Enough Is Enough: Stop Wasting Money on Vitamin and Mineral Supplements
"Three articles in this issue address the role of vitamin and mineral supplements for preventing the occurrence or progression of chronic diseases. First, Fortmann and colleagues (1) systematically reviewed trial evidence to update the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendation on the efficacy of vitamin supplements for primary prevention in community-dwelling adults with no nutritional deficiencies. After reviewing 3 trials of multivitamin supplements and 24 trials of single or paired vitamins that randomly assigned more than 400 000 participants, the authors concluded that there was no clear evidence of a beneficial effect of supplements on all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease, or cancer...
The large body of accumulated evidence has important public health and clinical implications. Evidence is sufficient to advise against routine supplementation, and we should translate null and negative findings into action. The message is simple: Most supplements do not prevent chronic disease or death, their use is not justified, and they should be avoided. This message is especially true for the general population with no clear evidence of micronutrient deficiencies, who represent most supplement users in the United States and in other countries (9)...
Although available evidence does not rule out small benefits or harms or large benefits or harms in a small subgroup of the population, we believe that the case is closed— supplementing the diet of well-nourished adults with (most) mineral or vitamin supplements has no clear benefit and might even be harmful. These vitamins should not be used for chronic disease prevention. Enough is enough."
http://annals.org/article.aspx?articleid=1789253
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The Case Against Multivitamins Grows Stronger
"... $28 billion is a lot to spend on a worthless medical treatment. So I called up Steven Salzberg, a professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins who has written about Americans' love affair with vitamins, to find out why we're so reluctant to give up the habit.
"I think this is a great example of how our intuition leads us astray," Salzberg told Shots. "It seems reasonable that if a little bit of something is good for you, then more should be better for you. It's not true. Supplementation with extra vitamins or micronutrients doesn't really benefit you if you don't have a deficiency."...
Recent studies have shown that too much beta carotene and vitamin E can cause cancer, and it's long been known that excess vitamin A can cause liver damage, coma and death. That's what happened to Arctic explorers when they ate too much polar bear liver, which is rich in vitamin A.
"You need a balance," Salzberg says. But he agrees with the Annals editorial — enough already. "The vast majority of people taking multivitamins and other supplemental vitamins don't need them. I don't need them, so I stopped."..."
http://www.npr.org/sections/health-...the-case-against-multivitamins-grows-stronger
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Multivitamin/mineral Supplements
"...Taking an MVM increases nutrient intakes and helps people get the recommended amounts of vitamins and minerals when they cannot or do not meet these needs from food alone. But taking an MVM can also raise the chances of getting too much of some nutrients, like iron, vitamin A, zinc, niacin, and folic acid, especially when a person uses more than a basic, once-daily product.
Some people take an MVM as a form of dietary or nutritional "insurance." Ironically, people who take MVMs tend to consume more vitamins and minerals from food than those who don't. Also, the people least likely to get enough nutrients from diet alone who might benefit from MVMs are the least likely to take them...
For people with certain health problems, specific MVMs might be helpful...
...people who don't get enough vitamins and minerals from food alone, are on low-calorie diets, have a poor appetite, or avoid certain foods (such as strict vegetarians and vegans) might consider taking an MVM. Health care providers might also recommend MVMs to patients with certain medical problems..."
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/MVMS-Consumer/
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Multivitamins — Are they the best thing for you?
"...Over the past few years there has been increasing evidence that multivitamins and single or combination type vitamin/mineral supplements may not provide the health benefit sought by you, the consumer. In some cases the opposite or no beneficial effects have been reported...
This may leave you wondering if those vitamin mineral supplements in your medicine cabinet are doing what they should or even worth your money.
Let's look at this way — do you eat a well balanced diet? If so, you may not need a multivitamin and if you take one as a "safety net" know that you may exceed what your body needs or can use..."
http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-l...eating/expert-blog/multivitamins/bgp-20056285
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Me- I don't believe in taking pills (unless prescribed by a MD) and that there are "miracle"supplements/drugs (well, maybe penicillin, aspirins,- and Xanax :facepalm:- occasionally and in limited doses- are)- yea and I'm a pain anyway. :angel:
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Niner- still have those %$&#& ladybugs and other small ones :gaah: because the weather has been so beautiful these past few days.
