{"id":927,"date":"2014-01-26T12:30:03","date_gmt":"2014-01-26T20:30:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/devinephysiques.com\/blog\/?p=927"},"modified":"2014-01-24T08:37:55","modified_gmt":"2014-01-24T16:37:55","slug":"multivitamins-good-or-bad","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/devinephysiques.com\/blog\/2014\/01\/26\/multivitamins-good-or-bad\/","title":{"rendered":"Multivitamins – Good or bad?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Last month, a study was reported in the\u00a0Annals of Internal Medicine that reported on the efficacy of multivitamins, and it proved to be quite controversial. \u00a0To quote the physicians: “The message is simple: Most supplements do not prevent chronic disease or death, their use is not justified and they should be avoided.<\/em>”<\/p>\n

Multivitamins don’t save me from death!? \u00a0Why do I take them?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Here’s an interesting tidbit that I think most people are aware of: \u00a0All of our “stories” end the same way. \u00a0A multivitamin is not the key to immortality.<\/p>\n

That’s great, but they’re saying it doesn’t prevent chronic disease.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Jokes aside, I have an issue with the study, and I know there are many people who agree with my argument (since they’ve brought it up themselves): \u00a0A multivitamin is a type of dietary supplement. \u00a0A dietary supplement is meant to supplement a healthy diet with nutrients or compounds that are either deficient in the diet, or the dietary supplement is meant to bring about a specific result. \u00a0Before we get too far in my editorial, let’s look at some parts of the study:<\/p>\n

“. . .\u00a0the researchers examined whether high doses of multivitamins and minerals could prevent\u00a0heart attacks, strokes and death in 1,700 people who have already had a heart attack. After an average follow-up of five years, the results didn’t show a difference between participants who took dietary supplements and those who didn’t.<\/em>”<\/p>\n

I can’t argue with the data, but in the same vein, I never knew that multivitamins were supposed to have any effect on mortality rates– \u00a0I thought it was supposed to add nutrients to my diet that I may be missing.<\/p>\n

“The new review study looked at clinical trials that included a total of 450,000 older adults. All together, the researchers didn’t find clear evidence of a beneficial effect of supplements on cancer and heart diseases.<\/em>”<\/p>\n

Interesting. \u00a0So taking a multivitamin did not help treat cancer or heart disease. \u00a0How can people be so misinformed!? \u00a0Better yet– \u00a0Why are we allowing the vitamin companies to make these outrageous claims that their product will help fight cancer!?<\/p>\n

Let’s look at a multivitamin label:<\/p>\n

\"Where<\/a>

Where are the claims about fighting cancer?<\/p><\/div>\n

“Kirkland Signature Daily Multivitamin helps maintain and support:”<\/p>\n