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vitamins...how many is too many?

Started by Chrissy Veggie on January 31, 2011
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Chrissy Veggie said #1 Jan 31, 2011 at 9:44am

Hi,


I would love to get someone's opinion of taking vitamins. I have been a vegan for 15 months and currently, I am taking a plethora of vitamins and supplements. As of 2 days ago, just started taking Spirulina. By this I mean, I am taking Calcium, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, a B-12 and a Super B Complex, Flax Seed Capsules, Niacin for improving mood and now Spirulina. I feel good, no complaints really but I just wanted to see if this seems okay or excessive? I'm not sure if some of the vitamins/minerals/nutrients are in the other vitamins so perhaps there is redundancy.


Any information/tips/suggestions would be welcomed!


thanks,


Chrissy

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freebird said #2 Jul 28, 2011 at 3:14pm

Hi Chrissy,


Sorry you posted this in January and it's practically August but...


check out drmcdougall.com and read Dr. John McDougall's stance on supplements and vitamins. Basically, B12 is really all we should be taking. There are studies he talks about on there about the harmful effects of single nutrient supplements, how there isn't really any proof they do anything (other than make billions and billions of dollars for pharmaceuticals)


I did an experiment one day to see if I could easily get enough calcium (which is also, according to these docs, more than necessary) and I got over the recommended amount (i think its 1000-1200 mg..or w/e unit it is) easily with just a few simple foods. Whenever i question if something is healthy, i just think about nature and how perfectly everything is designed. People have been around for thousands of years and how long has the supplement industry been around? Sounds kind of fishy to me...people have been healthy without them. Now since man has intervened creating chemicals and processed foods and pollution, etc, etc...that's when we started having problems.


Eat what you know you should be eating and you will be more than ok.


Dr. Mcdougall is mentioned by Alicia and practically every book advocating a plant based, whole-foods diet, and PCRM (Physician's Committee for Responsible Medicine). We also have to learn to listen to unbiased sources...not industries trying to scare us so they make money, not doctors who make money off of sick people, pharmaceuticals or surgeries, or the govt who is pressured from said industries to spout out lies).


Phew! Off my soap box...

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Maddie said #3 Aug 4, 2011 at 6:32am

I'd be a little wary about taking too many vitamins - depending on what kind, you can definitely have too much! If the vitamin is water soluble (like vitamin C) then you can't overdose on it (you'll just pee out the excess your body doesn't need), but when vitamins aren't water soluble, they can build up in your body and cause serious health consequences (such as Iron poisoning).


I completely agree with Mackenzie - most vitamin consumption is completely excessive. If you're worried about your vitamin levels etc, take a blood test and it will show up if you're deficient in anything - if that's the case, then pill pop away! Otherwise, if you're following a pretty decent diet, your body should naturally absorb more than enough vitamins to keep it happy.

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