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vacuum
16th December 2013, 05:45 PM
Multivitamin researchers say "case is closed" after studies find no health benefits

“Enough” with the multivitamins already.

That’s the message from doctors behind three new studies and an editorial that tackled an oft-debated question in medicine: Do daily multivitamins make you healthier?

After reviewing the available evidence and conducting new trials, the authors have come to a conclusion of “no.”

“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,” concluded the authors of the editorial (http://www.annals.org/article.aspx?doi=10.7326/0003-4819-159-12-201312170-00011) summarizing the new research papers, published Dec. 16 in the Annals of Internal Medicine. “These vitamins should not be used for chronic disease prevention. Enough is enough.”

They went on to urge consumers to not “waste” their money on multivitamins.

“The ‘stop wasting your money’ means that perhaps you're spending money on things that won't protect you long term,” editorial co-author Dr. Edgar Miller, a professor of medicine and epidemiology at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, told CBS News’ chief medical correspondent Dr. Jon LaPook. “What will protect you is if you spend the money on fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans, low fat dairy, things like that ..exercising would probably be a better use of the money.”

The strong message was based on a review of the findings from three studies that tracked multivitamins link to cancer protection, heart health, and brain and cognitive measures.

Vitamin and mineral supplements are taken by an estimated half of all Americans.

The first study (http://annals.org/article.aspx?articleid=1767855), which was released online Nov. 12 in Annals, was a review of 24 studies and two trials on more than 350,000 individuals that looked at vitamin supplementation’s role in preventing chronic disease. The review was conducted to find evidence that can be used to update vitamin treatment guidelines from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, a panel of medical experts who recommend the government on treatments.

That review found no evidence that vitamin and mineral supplementation would reduce heart disease (http://www.cbsnews.com/news/multivitamin-per-day-may-not-protect-mens-hearts/) in pill takers. Two of the trials found a small, “borderline-significant benefit” in cancer risk reduction, but only in men (http://www.cbsnews.com/news/daily-multivitamin-may-curb-cancer-risk-in-older-men/). Overall, the panel concluded there was no solid evidence for or against taking vitamins and minerals alone, or that a multivitamin to prevent heart disease or cancer. More strikingly, it found enough evidence to recommend against taking beta-carotene or vitamin E for preventing both diseases, finding they not only didn’t help but the former may raise risk for lung cancer for already at-risk individuals.

“In the absence of clear evidence about the impact of most vitamins and multivitamins on cardiovascular disease and cancer, health care professionals should counsel their patients to eat a healthy, well-balanced diet that is rich in nutrients,” the Task Force concluded (http://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/bulletins/vitadraftbulletin.pdf).

The next study (http://www.annals.org/article.aspx?doi=10.7326/0003-4819-159-12-201312170-00002), published Dec. 16 in Annals, looked at cognitive health and whether long-term use of multivitamins would have any effect. Researchers assigned almost 5,950 male doctors aged 65 and older to take either a daily multivitamin or placebo for 12 years in a randomized, placebo-controlled trial,

Based on the results of memory tests, the researchers found the multivitamin did nothing to slow cognitive decline among men 65 and older compared to placebo takers.

“These data do not provide support for use of multivitamin supplements in the prevention of cognitive decline,” wrote the authors, led by Dr. Francine Grodstein, an epidemiologist who studies aging at Harvard School of Public Health in Boston.

It’s worth noting this study only looked at cognitive test results, not actual development of dementia.

The third study (http://www.annals.org/article.aspx?doi=10.7326/0003-4819-159-12-201312170-00001) looked specifically at multivitamins and minerals role in preventing another heart attack, or myocardial infarction. They looked at more than 1,700 people who had a heart attack at least six weeks earlier, and randomized them to receive daily high-dose multivitamins and minerals or placebos for five years. Having a heart attack raises risk for another attack, or cardiovascular event like stroke or premature death, so if multivitamins could reduce risk, they could be a boon to public health.

The researchers found no difference in rates of another heart attack, chest pain, the need for hospitalization, cardiac catheterization, or rates of stroke and early death between vitamin-takers and placebo-takers. But, they said the conclusions should be taken with caution, because several participants stopped taking vitamins early.

The authors of the editorial say the evidence is clear about supplements, except for vitamin D (http://www.cbsnews.com/news/vitamin-d-supplements-wont-help-bones-in-healthy-adults-review-concludes/), which has been shown to be both effective and ineffective (http://www.cbsnews.com/news/expert-panel-says-vitamin-d-calcium-supplements-may-not-help-against-fractures/) for preventing falls and fractures in elderly.

“Sales of multivitamins and other supplements have not been affected by major studies with null results, and the U.S. supplement industry continues to grow, reaching $28 billion in annual sales in 2010,” wrote the authors of the editorial summary, led by Dr. Eliseo Guallar, a professor of epidemiology who specializes in heart disease prevention at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore. “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.”

Last year, Pfizer agreed to remove "breast health" and "colon health" claims from some of its Centrum multivitamins following pressure from the Center for Science in the Public Interest (http://www.cbsnews.com/news/pfizer-to-remove-breast-health-and-colon-health-claims-from-centrum-multivitamins/), which said their claims of cancer prevention were misleading.

A dietary supplement industry group slammed the editorial and studies.

“The editorial demonstrates a close-minded, one-sided approach that attempts to dismiss even the proven benefits of vitamins and minerals," Steve Mister, president and CEO of the Council for Responsibile Nutrition, said in a statement. "It’s a shame for consumers that the authors refuse to recognize the real-life need for vitamin and mineral supplementation, living in a fairy-tale world that makes the inaccurate assumption that we’re all eating healthy diets and getting everything we need from food alone.

One expert agreed some nutrient-deficient people may still benefit from multivitamins.

“There might be an argument to continue taking a multi(vitamin) to replace or supplement your not healthy diet,” Dr. Robert Graham, an internal medicine physician at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, added to CBS News.

LaPook also notes that vitamins can benefit people with certain conditions, like celiac disease -- where the body cannot properly absorb nutrients -- and pegnancy, where folic acid helps prevent birth defects

mick silver
16th December 2013, 06:09 PM
if people did this over half the food companys in the usa would have to close there doors .... What will protect you is if you spend the money on fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans, low fat dairy, things like that ..exercising would probably be a better use of the money............. most have never heard of bean an rice

Blink
16th December 2013, 06:20 PM
Wow, vitamins are bad for you. The sell is on, Agenda 21 here we come. Seriously, this has been the target for quite a while now. Remove vitamins from the store shelves and restrict access to "physician only" prescriptions. I do agree that a healthy lifestyle is the best, but come on, really. Average Joe ain't gonna stop the Burger King or pizza lifestyle. What bullshit studies.

Shami-Amourae
16th December 2013, 06:22 PM
Anytime you hear "The case is closed" in the scientific community you know you're hearing bullshit and quackery. Science is always open ended, and things are never 100% certain.

It's like the time "The case is closed" on Global Warming. How'd that one turn out?

palani
16th December 2013, 06:58 PM
"No health benefits" is a word construction meaning essentially that multivitamins will never improve drug company profits. "Medical care" is the amount paid for some form of treatment. "Affordable Care Act" means the federal government will be able to afford the pitiful amount of "medical care" that they pay for.

What are you planning on buying with your $2,500 annual savings from 'Bamacare? Multivitamins?

Ares
16th December 2013, 08:25 PM
See you guys are missing what good doctors are saying here. It provides no health benefits because we could not patent it and charge you a shitload for it.

There fixed it for him, so yes case closed. /sarcasm

BrewTech
16th December 2013, 09:14 PM
"Multivitamins are harmful! Honest! Really, all your symptoms of disease are caused by a lack of pharmaceutical drugs, not poor nutrition! You have to believe us... our stock price depends on it!"

~ Satan Pharmaceutical Corporation


“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,” concluded the authors of the editorial (http://www.annals.org/article.aspx?doi=10.7326/0003-4819-159-12-201312170-00011) summarizing the new research papers, published Dec. 16 in the Annals of Internal Medicine. “These vitamins should not be used for chronic disease prevention. Enough is enough.”
Translation:Our profits depend on chronic disease, and our buddies over at MonSatano filling you full of frankencrap just isn't enough! Stop supplementing! For us ENOUGH is (NEVER) ENOUGH!

Cebu_4_2
16th December 2013, 10:04 PM
Horsetail... Silica You can get it from DE powder or horsetail, both in conjunction is best I guess. My bones are deleting themselves so I need something, to the point I am becoming fragile. Don't matter when it comes to. But really I need a little help getting this stuff together right now. Wrong season to gather horsetail, the advertisements say a bunch of shit. I could use help in a month, to add to the bone thing. Looked around and everything is in relaxing season here.

Appreciate any help.

BrewTech
17th December 2013, 09:38 PM
Horsetail... Silica You can get it from DE powder or horsetail, both in conjunction is best I guess. My bones are deleting themselves so I need something, to the point I am becoming fragile. Don't matter when it comes to. But really I need a little help getting this stuff together right now. Wrong season to gather horsetail, the advertisements say a bunch of shit. I could use help in a month, to add to the bone thing. Looked around and everything is in relaxing season here.

Appreciate any help.

Silica?

LOL. The best dietary source is craft beer.

I would say beer in general, but the big boys filter all the nutrition out for the sake of shelf life.

Real beer is one of the best dietary sources of silica.

EDIT!

After reading your post, I just realized the filter medium used by most breweries around the world is kieselguhr, also known as diatomaceous earth. Could that be the source of silica?

Hmmmm...

Could be the FILTERED beers are your savior!

BT = always learning!

Cebu_4_2
18th December 2013, 06:24 AM
Silica?

LOL. The best dietary source is craft beer.

I would say beer in general, but the big boys filter all the nutrition out for the sake of shelf life.

Real beer is one of the best dietary sources of silica.

EDIT!

After reading your post, I just realized the filter medium used by most breweries around the world is kieselguhr, also known as diatomaceous earth. Could that be the source of silica?

Hmmmm...

Could be the FILTERED beers are your savior!

BT = always learning!

I do find that interesting. I got food grade DE for my cat, she has long hair and it's hard for her to get the fleas on her skin. She really got healthy last year and I figured it was from the loss of fleas, now I am wondering which is which. She seemed to like eating the stuff from her fur.

midnight rambler
18th December 2013, 11:49 AM
"Multivitamins are harmful! Honest! Really, all your symptoms of disease are caused by a lack of pharmaceutical drugs, not poor nutrition! You have to believe us... our stock price depends on it!"

~ Satan Pharmaceutical Corporation


Translation:Our profits depend on chronic disease, and our buddies over at MonSatano filling you full of frankencrap just isn't enough! Stop supplementing! For us ENOUGH is (NEVER) ENOUGH!

Professional drug pushers call out 'vitamin industrial complex'. How rich.

http://theweek.com/article/index/254290/how-the-vitamin-industrial-complex-swindled-america

PatColo
18th December 2013, 09:33 PM
Dr. Jennifer Daniels, a frequent guest on Deanna Spingola's podcasts, has said much 'debunking' the value of supplements. Sorry I can't find links to a given podcast right now, but I recall 2 elements rendering them useless/harmful, were the 'synthetically produced' nature of most supp's such that they're not in a natural form the body can uptake; and also the 'binders' in the tablets (think: like mortar is to a brick wall), which tax the liver.

here's an old thread,
Thread: Multi Vitamins / Daily Vitamins (http://gold-silver.us/forum/showthread.php?55055-Multi-Vitamins-Daily-Vitamins)


edit: one of Daniels' old podcasts: she does a weekly, 1 hour podcast with just her talking about... http://www.blogtalkradio.com/blakeradio

Listen at link on top:



Healing With Dr Daniels - Supplemental Additives (http://www.blogtalkradio.com/blakeradio/2013/06/18/healing-with-dr-daniels) Dr. Jennifer Daniels' show entitled, "Healing with Dr. Daniels" airs every Tuesday at 6:00 pm EST. The show reveals the workings behind the Modern Health System, how it creates illness and how to avoid this planned outcome. Dr. Daniels provides insights and solutions. This week's Topic: Are Supplement additives detracting from your health? People are seeking to avoid dangerous chemicals and unwittingly expose themselves to the same additives that are contained in pharmaceuticals. Dr Daniels will examine some pharmaceutical additives that have found their way into supplements, the health consequences and what you can do.




Can't recall who the guest or show was, but someone was telling how just about every time a 'small' supplement company who makes supp's 'right', gets on the map, some big pharma buys them out and changes around the formula(s) to be ineffective. Might be in that old GSUS thread above-- don't have time to re-read it now!

vacuum
19th December 2013, 02:51 AM
I agree PC, I think the situation is a little more complex than this thread makes it out to be. I'm sure some vitamins are borderline toxic, while other have very good results. I don't think the studies distinguish what brands/types of multivitamins people were taking, so it's hard to say exactly what it's telling us other than that perhaps the popular/mass produced multis don't help.