Are Centrum multivitamins beneficial to one's health?

[HavocMaster]

I'm a 42 yo WM with a history of depression and alcoholism. I've been taking Centrum multivitamins for about a year now and trying to eat right while riding my bicycle daily. I take the vitamins with meals but just want to know if they are actually helpful or just a waste of money.

[LukeL]

You are better off getting your nutrients through raw fruits and vegetables but sometimes a supllment is needed. Just don't go overboard with them. Also a generic brand should be just as good as a brand name version.



If you are still fighting alcoholism I would reccomend you eat a lot of potassium rich foods as a defency of this eletrolyte is common in alcholics.   Other then that it is good that you are starting to exercise and get on a healthy eating plan but I would get an all clear from a doctor if you are doing intense physical exercise for the first time.

[fullmergavin]

The Centrum vitamin is probably fairly harmless, though I can't agree with the previous poster, necessarily, in respect to the quality of certain supplements. Anything on a label that states an ingrediant that you've never heard of before, it's probably best to try to try to find a higher quality supplement in such instances, especially if you're only taking a basic multivitamin. What's the difference between $10 and 20 over 2-3 months, you know. Look for Kosher brand or Freeda vitamins, as far as I'm concerned. That's what I've always used.



I will agree with the last poster on the much larger point, however-natural food is best, vitamins are a far 2nd, with the possible exception of Vitamin C, in certain circumstances.

[rgreenman]

If you're going for a placebo effect, take a house-brand multivitamin. Your placebo effect will be stronger if you read the label and see that it has 100% or more of the RDA for many nutrients.
In reality, it doesn't really matter what the numbers say on that cheap hard-tablet multivitamin anyway, because it will likely pass through you like a penny. This is because your typical multivitamin is a conglomeration of individual nutrients, mostly synthetic, combined together in theoretical ratios and glued together. Hospital workers find Centrums, One-A-Days, and store-brand multi's all the time, in the bedpans when they clean them; they even have a name for them, "bedpan bullets".
Whether by evolution or creation, we were designed to get all required nutrition from our food supply. However, there is much evidence that our farm soils are depleted of minerals and trace elements by years of maximum-yield farming. And we all know about insecticides, herbicides, etc. routinely sprayed on our fruits and vegetables. I say, throw out your multivitamins and start buying organic produce and sea vegetables (seaweed). Seaweed does not suffer from depleted soils and contains practically the entire spectrum of known essential nutrients. If you can't stand the smell or taste of seaweed, you can buy it in capsules, but make sure it's not an extract or a combination of other things. Personally, I take a supplement called Living Sea by iGem Health. I get it from a local store. I think you can order it from their website if you can't find it (www.igemhealth.com). It's similar to FarmaSea's Sea Vegg product, but I like this Living Sea better because it has a much better color, and it seems fresher. If you've found something that seems to work for you, best of luck!

-Robbie

[micaela27]

robbie did an impressive job of explaining what i would have said to a large extent.

i also echo the previous posters who suggested a higher quality vitamin if you want to maximize your absorption.  i am a personal fan of the MegaFoods line....  all organic food-sourced vits and minerals.  it can get expensive, but to me it's worth it!

also, the gresh organic produce suggestion is an excellent one.   if your body is recovering from alcohol abuse you will do well to eliminate any toxins you can, including pesticides, hormones and other chemical additives/coatings.

[micaela27]

whoops sorry about the double post!  i was trying to edit before it loaded fully :)

[worried826]

bedpan bullets, lol.

[kathryn80]

Check out Juice Plus... red, green and purple.  Also, try to find a multi that is food based... I use One Daily from DialyFoods Vitamin and Mineral Formula 100% Whole Food.   I take these in combo with other supplements as needed.  Good diet is the basis, but in today's world we cannot support that 100%.  It is very healthful and necessary to take vitamins.  A B multi is also great to take.  Whole Foods provides high quality info and supplements... you can't go wrong there.  If one is not available, try finding a People's Pharmacy type place.  

[kathryn80]

PS Prescription for Nutritional Healing by Phyllis and James Balch is a great reference.  

[kathryn80]

Also, check out Kyolic... and Dr. Weil has a great Cal/Mag to take on top of a multi... high absorption.