Do you take vitamin pills, and do they work?
I've never been one to take vitamin pills to supplement any deficiencies I may be lacking. I know my diet could be better and have often wondered if these one-day vitamin pills are an effective way to balance things out.
Of course there's no substitute for eating better, but how effective are these things. Or is it just another money making marketing ploy from the pharamaceutical companies.
Of course there's no substitute for eating better, but how effective are these things. Or is it just another money making marketing ploy from the pharamaceutical companies.
Comments
Don't know if it's doing anything for me, I'm generally pretty healthy as is.
Originally posted by bunge
Unfortunately they're usually not metabolized by the human body. It depends on the vitamin, but I believe sometimes it's as little as 10% of the amount in the pill. So when it says 100%, it's in there, but it never gets in you.
Evidence? Link?
In resume if you have a good diet, avoid vitamin pills, if not, they may be interesting.
Very true, and it's not that hard to do it, just drink a couple glasses of those "200% of your daily value of vitamin C" Juices, and pop a couple of those "400% of your daily value of vitamin C" Vitamin C pills.
However, in the last few years, I have taken a more focused approach to supplements for slight medical conditions and have seen the results. Lately I have been mistrusting surgery and have looked for more "natural" methods to do the job. Not that it is done in a week, but within half a year I have improved my vision and eliminated a chronic vocal condition with two separate therapies - mentioned in the past on in this forum.
What I take is a powder called Calmax that I get through the mail. It's calcium, magnesium and Vit. C - in powder form for better absorption. You mix a heaping teaspoonful in a glass of really hot water and drink it down. Or mix it in half a glass of really hot water until dissolved; then add juice or caffeine-free tea. I don't bother with all that. I just drink the glass of hot water + dissolved powder.
This is healthful, safe for kids, is quickly absorbed by the body, and it works to help people sleep.
There's also the herb Valerian. I bought a bottle of tablets from Walgreen's, sometimes take three at bedtime, and sometimes it seems to work well. I haven't tried it for long enough to be sure. The bottle I have is the Walgreen's brand, called Finest Natural. Smells a 'little' like weed. heh.
Don't drink caffeine-type drinks like coke, pepsi, regular tea, or eat chocolate at night. Don't take allergy meds that contain pseudephedrine sulfate (like Sudafed) at night. The four-hour Sudafed will keep you awake for four hours.
Anyway, just a few thoughts.
Real chamomile tea can also be quite helpful. I bought some home-grown chamomile tea last summer, and it IS quite relaxing. The stuff I bought from Safeway never really had any effect.
Originally posted by satchmo
I've never been one to take vitamin pills to supplement any deficiencies I may be lacking. I know my diet could be better and have often wondered if these one-day vitamin pills are an effective way to balance things out.
Of course there's no substitute for eating better, but how effective are these things. Or is it just another money making marketing ploy from the pharamaceutical companies.
Okay, a few things. I think the one-a-day vitamins are NOT that great. But if that's all someone has time for, then by all means, take them.
I have taken vitamins on and off for a few years. What shows evidence of producing noticeable change is the vitamin packets, available at most supermarkets, etc. I get the ones from Costco. I have a small burn mark(from the oven) on the top of my left hand that will disappear completely after I've taken vitamin packets regularly for two weeks. So I feel that other healing is occurring throughout the body. Vitamins should be taken after meals - not on an empty stomach.
I KNOW that the packets work. Keep them in a cool dark place for storage. NOT exposed to light or heat.
Another thing that I KNOW works is glucosamine chondroitin. I messed up my right elbow doing heavy yard work - sorta like tennis elbow. When I take glucosamine chondroitin (one after breakfast, one after dinner), the joint gets completely better and stays okay as long as I keep taking the tablets. Anybody that has any joint pain from sports or whatever, this stuff really does work. But it takes maybe 6-8 weeks for you to suddenly realize that your elbow doesn't hurt anymore. Many people don't have that kind of patience or faith, and won't keep taking the stuff if the results aren't more immediate - because it's not cheap. Oh well. It's their loss.
Vitamins in pill form do not get absorbed very well by the body. According to the Physicians Desk Reference manual they get absorbed at the tune of around 15-20% at best.
If you plan on taking vitamins, do not get the cheap crap available at the supermarket. Go to a healthfood store and get something preferably in powder form. Or better yet, get something in liquid form. Otherwise you WILL be peeing away your $.
I "rotate" a couple kinds of vitamins so that my body does not get too "used" to the supplements I take. Nothing scientific there, it's just what I do.
If there's a Trader Joe's near you, I recommend something called "Very Green Drink Powder". It's only around $9 per bottle and everyone I have recommended it to(about 3 or 4 people) loved it. They felt better all around. It's not vitamins per se, but a blend of about 25 different plants and herbs including barley, wheat grass, spirulina, green tea, siberian ginseng, blue green algae, gingko, spinach, etc.
At $9 you really can't go wrong with this. Very good starting point.
Originally posted by Gilsch
If there's a Trader Joe's near you, I recommend something called "Very Green Drink Powder". It's only around $9 per bottle and everyone I have recommended it to(about 3 or 4 people) loved it.
How much 'stuff' do you get from one bottle?
Originally posted by bunge
How much 'stuff' do you get from one bottle?
$9 worth.
Originally posted by bunge
How much 'stuff' do you get from one bottle?
There's 10oz. in the container and the suggested serving size is 1 tbsp. It should last you a whole month at that rate. I personally buy 3 bottles every 2 months.
Originally posted by Gilsch
Anyone who thinks they're getting all the vitamins you need from your regular diet needs to do some research. Our soils are severely depleted and even the chlorine in the water we drink neutralizes some vitamins.
Vitamins in pill form do not get absorbed very well by the body. According to the Physicians Desk Reference manual they get absorbed at the tune of around 15-20% at best.
If you plan on taking vitamins, do not get the cheap crap available at the supermarket. Go to a healthfood store and get something preferably in powder form. Or better yet, get something in liquid form. Otherwise you WILL be peeing away your $.
I "rotate" a couple kinds of vitamins so that my body does not get too "used" to the supplements I take. Nothing scientific there, it's just what I do.
If there's a Trader Joe's near you, I recommend something called "Very Green Drink Powder". It's only around $9 per bottle and everyone I have recommended it to(about 3 or 4 people) loved it. They felt better all around. It's not vitamins per se, but a blend of about 25 different plants and herbs including barley, wheat grass, spirulina, green tea, siberian ginseng, blue green algae, gingko, spinach, etc.
At $9 you really can't go wrong with this. Very good starting point.
I agree with all this 100%. I 'hate' taking pills, and recently bought some liquid stuff that sounded promising. The packets are handy to take to work, however, if people are in situations where mixing powder stuff would be difficult.
Your very green drink sounds promising. Does is taste fairly pleasant, or is there some way to make it more palatable?
Originally posted by Carol A
Your very green drink sounds promising. Does is taste fairly pleasant, or is there some way to make it more palatable?
No, it tastes better than you might imagine(when mixed with water)given the ingredients. You should mix it with your juice but I have mixed it with water many times and it does not taste horrible.
It's only a tbsp. mixed with 4 ounces of juice or water so worst case scenario you can just gulp it down in 3 or 4 gulps.
Originally posted by Gilsch
[snip]
barley, wheat grass, spirulina, green tea, siberian ginseng, blue green algae, gingko, spinach, etc.
[/snip]
*vomits*
-Neø
Fellowship
Originally posted by Fellowship
Green Tea is very healthy!
Fellowship
it is *very* healthy.
I do use a recovery drink for sports (comes in powder form) that has a bunch of vitamins in addition to protein and carbs.