Don't Waste Your Money...

[GGT]

...on multi-vitamins or anti-bacterial soaps. Although these consumer products are multi-billion dollar money-makers, they're not proven to work as advertised, according to long term meta-studies cited by the FDA.

Anti-bacterial soaps containing Triclosan might even be harmful, by contributing to antibiotic resistance and disrupting normal hormone levels. Manufacturers have one year to prove their claims, or stop advertising anti-bacterial properties as helpful/healthy.

It's about damn time.

(Maybe now we can get Triclosan removed from toothpaste, too? Hello, Colgate-Palmolive?)

[Lewkowski]

Multi-Vitamins only help if you aren't getting enough vitamins with regular intake of food...and if that's the case you aren't eating right anyway.

[GGT]

In the US/Canada and other developed nations, people are still getting plenty of vitamins in their food, even with 'crappy' diets. People used to believe a daily vitamin would "supplement" their diet and fill in any nutritional gaps, or even prevent certain illnesses. Vitamin C for colds, Vitamin D for bones, Lutein for eyes, fish oil for heart health, that kind of thing.

Apparently the meta-studies debunked all that as false, advertising propaganda. With the exception of true vitamin deficiencies diagnosed by a doctor (scurvy, rickets, malabsorption, etc.)

[Timbuk2]

Yep, a number of studies have confirmed this - and not only that taking vitamins and supplements for normal people is a waste of money, it can be unhealthy and in some cases dangerous.

It's all Linus Palling's fault.

[Aimless]

*shrugs* For some people oral vitamin D supplements may still be a good idea, and for others (in some countries!) oral folate supplementation may be a good idea, but yeah on the whole screw it

[GGT]

I'm guilty of being easily swayed, too. I buy orange juice with added calcium and vitamin D.....even though I know damn well it's superfluous. During cold and flu season I'll buy anything with added vitamin C or zinc over unadulterated versions at the same price. Crazy consumerism, huh.

When it comes to pre-natal folic acid that can prevent fetal anomalies, it's also rather crazy that developed nations supplement maternal diets with vitamins already found in food sources....when it's the developing nations that need those supplements the most, because they don't have vitamin "enriched" processed foods.

[Aimless]

It's not crazy, the two aren't mutually exclusive

[Dreadnaught]

I like that the FDA and the pharmas are beginning to approach antibiotic resistance. It's haphazard, but at least they aren't ignoring it. Wish it was a bit swifter.

[Being]

I like that the FDA and the pharmas are beginning to approach antibiotic resistance. It's haphazard, but at least they aren't ignoring it. Wish it was a bit swifter.

Wouldn't you prefer the private sector handle this kind of thing?

[Dreadnaught]

What are you, some kind of anarcho-libertarian?

[GGT]

I witnessed this crazy consumerism first-hand over the holidays. Even after discussing the marketing propaganda from pharmaceutical/vitamin industry sectors, and academic studies disproving health benefits.....a kitchen table full of highly educated people (5 BS degrees, 3 Masters in Science degrees, and one PhD) pulled out their vitamin pacs at breakfast. Extra C, D, E, calcium, anti-oxidants, fish oil, whatever.

Even though every food group was represented, and they could "eat" their health, they still felt vitamin supplements could provide them with added protection from illness or disease.....despite data proving that wrong. Our Pop-a-Pill culture seems to be something even "academics" participate in, but can't explain or defend.


And the least educated person, who also happens to be the eldest, with real health problems, didn't eat a banana, or drink a glass of juice, or have a bowl of cereal at the morning meal.....she just took her diuretic pill and blood pressure pill, with some vitamin supplement pills, and hoped it would all work out with her unsweetened coffee and dry toast. Seriously.

[Dreadnaught]

Do they have degrees in linguistics or degrees in something biological/medical?

[GGT]

The degrees are in medical sciences and/or bio-engineering computer sciences. Our doctorate doctor teaches medical physicians.

No, it's not a bunch of Liberal Arts, language, or cultural majors at the breakfast table, if that's what you were getting at.