Quote from: Eric on June 20, 2010, 05:22:20 PM

Quote from: Warren Dew on March 12, 2010, 04:28:47 PM

I don't usually take supplements.  I've tried taking vitamin D pills over the winter when I don't get any sun, but it doesn't seem to help.

How much were you taking?

They were actually calcium pills with 400 IU of vitamin D.

Now that I've learned a bit more - see the vitamin D thread - it's likely that I wasn't getting much if any vitamin D even when I did get into the sun over the winter.  I'm also thinking that 400 IU is a lot less than I'd get from a few hours of summer sunlight per day.  I'm considering a larger daily supplement or possibly a big weekly supplement.

Not enough, not even close to make a different.

6 pound infants are given 400 IUs in standard multivitamins.  Get yourself to the 5-10K IU range next winter and see what you think

Quote from: samjohn on June 20, 2010, 09:00:49 PM

http://www.news.com.au/national/multivitamin-link-to-breast-cancer/story-e6frfkvr-1225855021929


Multivitamin link to breast cancer

It doesn't sound like this study was very controlled, I don't believe the "results" for a second.

Seriously, studies can be manipulated to prove just about anything you want.  Note how this article is talking about the *gasp* billion dollar industry behind vitamins.  It sounds kind of sensationalist to me.

This just in!!!  Being alive increases your chances of developing breast cancer by 100%!!!

Calm  yourself sunshine. It was posted to show that there are two sides to every story. And it definitely shows enough to challenge the assumption that taking a vitamin supplement is automatically good for you.

For instance I read another study (in a medical journal, don't know if it is online) about increased mortality in cancer patients using complementary medicine alongside conventional treatments.

Now you can get all huffy and go on about big pharma conspiracies if you'd like, but that particular knife cuts both ways and as you mentioned before, the vitamin/supplement gig is a billion dollar industry.

It is my understanding that excess minerals and vitamins etc pass through your body just like anything else, so as long as you aren't getting TOO much of anything, there's no harm in getting more of it.

Your statement doesn't make a much sense, in that 'TOO much' could be any number of values, none of which would be known by the general public. You are in effect saying 'excess minerals and vitamins pass safely through the body, except when they don't. '

Also it being your understanding, does not make it true. For some vitamins and minerals it is, for others not so much. Potassium would be one example where it can build up in the body dangerously. Iron is another. I am sure there are more, that is off the top of my head.

Ah, omega 3 and D3 didnt keep me from getting a cold last week that isnt gone yet Oh well.

This way of eating is not some kind of invincibility to illness. Your immune system will be a lot stronger, but not unstoppable. Just imagine how much worse your cold would be if you were eating the standard American diet!

I personally take a multivitamin, vit D in the non summer months and fish oil. 

The multi is more of a backup in case i don't get everything i need that day for whatever reason.

I've never taken any supplements in my life - before I started paleo I ate what I thought to be a healthy diet.... meat, fish, eggs, veg/salad, lots of fruit, rice, pasta, bread - almost no heavily processed food - and I generally get a bit of a cold around once every 3/4 years - nothing else.

I personally take a multivitamin, vit D in the non summer months and fish oil. 

The multi is more of a backup in case i don't get everything i need that day for whatever reason.

I'm the same - the multi is just there because I'm not eating things like organ meats very often. It's backup. I take Vitamin D every day - I am a desk jockey, so I sit indoors all day.

I also take magnesium before bed. It seems to help me feel better in the morning

Magnesium is also great for muscle spasms and cramps, which is the reason why it's good to take for bed. Also helps relieve water retention during menstruation.

Potassium citrate and calcium citrate, along with magnesium before I go to bed, are all the supplements I take. All of these are geared toward kidney stone prevention and I include them because of the foods I'm eating now that are high in oxalate (mainly all veggies). I used to take iron, vitamin K, and a few others, but since I've been getting those nutrients from my food I've been able to put those back in the cabinet.

Oh, and I also pop a couple of melatonin tabs around 8pm. It's helped me get my sleep cycle back in order, and I feel more rested throughout the day (started them way before Paleo).

I also take B-6 as prescribed to prevent its depletion due to being on Isoniazid for Latent TB (I was exposed and am on an immunosuppressant, so it is precautionary) and Iron as I was depleted (just below 10 h/d and pre-Paleo).