How vital is your vitamin supplement

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

My link

This is the kind of uncontrolled study that will cause a widespread panic without any real proof.

[Eʟᴇᴍᴇɴᴛ 273]

I thought this was already known? Most vitamins are not water soluble and in excess can cause major damage to your system. However, because quite a few people don't eat enough fruits, vegetables, etc. Vitamins become essential. Usually most supplements contain recommended levels of vitamins, however some supplements contain excess amounts which can lead to vitamin poisoning.

Anyway, I think this study is just nonsense. All of the data is already known, vitamins in excess cause vitamin poisoning. The irony of this article is that people may actually read the headline, panic and stop taking supplements which could be essential to their health and actually increase their own death rate from not taking supplements.

sigh...

  Edited October 11, 2011 by Eʟᴇᴍᴇɴᴛ  

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Exactly.

I take a daily multivitamin, and two that were actually prescribed: Vitamin E 400mg daily as an antioxidant, and Folic acid 5mg daily except on the day I take methotrexate which is a folate inhibitor to control my rheumatoid arthritis. The folate levels need to be restored during the week after a day of none. The multivitamin has been discussed with my physician, and approved. You see, I am a chemical stew pot with 15 prescription drugs taken at various times throughout the day.

I'm a wreck with three major chronic problems, one major genetic problem, and one problem due to aging the most men get. The genetic problem is taken care of by four of the medications noted above. I remain in glowing good health as long as the pharmacies don't close.

The blood banks hate me.

[Ocram's Razr 963]

I'm anemic. I need to take ferrous sulfide and don't donate blood.

  Edited October 12, 2011 by OcramSeattle  

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

I'm anemic. I need to take fool's gold and don't donate blood.

I've always thought that Iron Pyrites were insoluble. Do you also have lots of organ meats, especially liver, in your diet?

[Ocram's Razr 963]

I don't particularly care for liver but my mother despises it so that is out. I eat a lot vegetables rich in iron, such as spinach and I eat beef.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

I don't particularly care for liver but my mother despises it so that is out. I eat a lot vegetables rich in iron, such as spinach and I eat beef.

Did you know that five pounds of raw spinach has enough oxalic acid in it to kill you? Watch those spinach salads.

[Ocram's Razr 963]

What about cooked? I eat at least half of my spinach cooked.

[Easy Bakes 253]

What about cooked? I eat at least half of my spinach cooked.

Cooking Spinach reduces the oxilic acid levels, and somehow increases the calcium from 30mg/ half cup to

240mg/ half cup. wonder how that happens? hard water?

opps its the "cook down" effect.

1/2 cup of raw spinich is not that much in volume

but 1/2 cooked is more dense.

  Edited October 12, 2011 by Easy Bakes  

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

What about cooked? I eat at least half of my spinach cooked.

Cooking Spinach reduces the oxilic acid levels, and somehow increases the calcium from 30mg/ half cup to

240mg/ half cup. wonder how that happens? hard water?

opps its the "cook down" effect.

1/2 cup of raw spinich is not that much in volume

but 1/2 cooked is more dense.

Quite correct. Green, leafy veggies are mostly water, and when you cook them, this is driven off. The oxalic acid in spinach is removed by throwing out the cooking water in which it has dissolved.

And speaking of oxalic acid, many uncooked foods are full of it. Rhubarb, for example, has enough of this acid in one large leaf to kill a horse, and one berry from a jack-in-the-pulpit (nice red berries) has enough calcium oxalate in it to make you at least very ill, yet birds and other wild life do eat them. If you are lost in the woods, be damned careful of eathing what the animals eat unless the animal is a bear, whose physiology is close to ours.

Back on topic, the real danger with vitamins is the oil soluble ones which accumulate in the fatty tissues. You can die of drinking too much carrot juice.

[Ocram's Razr 963]

I drank enough carrot juice to turn orange and I was just fine when 4-5. I have hated the taste since I was 6.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

I drank enough carrot juice to turn orange and I was just fine when 4-5. I have hated the taste since I was 6.

There was some guy in California who did kill himself in a couple of weeks drinking copious quantities of carrot juice. Vitamin A poisoning is not a great way to go.