re: Vitamin B.S.: How people came to believe the myth of nutritional supplements

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Why does there need to be a government regulation agency that tells ppl what they can and not not buy?

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It's not about that at all. It's about an agency being able to tell people what they're buying.

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It's not about that at all. It's about an agency being able to tell people what they're buying.

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A quick and easy google search can tell ppl what they are buying. Why do we need an agency to tell ppl that?

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A quick and easy google search can tell ppl what they are buying.

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Sure, if you trust the labels on "supplements," which have been shown time and time again to be inaccurate.

You want a regulatory body, how about the NIH?

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According to the federal government's 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, "nutrients should come primarily from foods. Foods in nutrient-dense, mostly intact forms contain not only the essential vitamins and minerals that are often contained in nutrient supplements, but also dietary fiber and other naturally occurring substances that may have positive health effects. … Dietary supplements…may be advantageous in specific situations to increase intake of a specific vitamin or mineral" [32]. With respect to MVMs, the report's authors note that "[s]ufficient evidence is not available to support a recommendation for or against the use of multivitamin/mineral supplements in the primary prevention of chronic disease for the healthy American population." However, the authors acknowledge that Americans consume insufficient nutrient-dense foods and beverages. Nutrients of special public health concern in American diets are potassium, dietary fiber, calcium, and vitamin D in both adults and children.

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When choosing an MVM product, people should try to find one tailored to their age, gender, and other characteristics (e.g., pregnancy). MVMs for men often contain little or no iron, for example, whereas those for seniors typically provide more calcium and vitamins D and B12 than MVMs for younger adults. Prenatal supplements generally provide no vitamin A as retinol, and most children's MVMs provide age-appropriate amounts of nutrients. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has developed good manufacturing practices for dietary supplements to help ensure their identity, purity, strength, and composition [44]. The FDA also periodically inspects facilities that manufacture dietary supplements.

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and of course they recommend this

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No U.S. government health agency, private health group, or health professional organization promotes regular use of an MVM or individual nutrients without considering first the quality of a person's diet. However, individuals with poor nutrient intakes from diet alone, who consume low-calorie diets, or who avoid certain foods (such as strict vegetarians and vegans) might benefit from taking MVMs [35]. Health care providers sometimes prescribe MVMs for people with medical conditions and diseases that impair digestion, absorption, or use of nutrients. In general, some supplements might help people who do not eat a nutritious variety of foods to obtain adequate amounts of essential nutrients. However, supplements cannot take the place of the variety of foods that are important to a healthy diet.

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So basically it is common sense. Talk your doctor and he/she will assess the risks and potential benefits of taking a daily MVM.

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Diamonds are, by far, #1 - but that's a topic for a different thread.

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Nope. Belief in a God is the biggest scam in history. Oh, and yes, the overwhelming majority of the science community agrees as well.

However, ignorant people will continue to believe what they want in the face of facts.

Fish oil pills lower my triglycerides. They work and doc out me on them.

Before I comment, I'll say thank you for your detailed posts and for providing evidence to support yourself. Now:

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The test is a blood work test.

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Yes, I'm aware of that. But, as I've said, the only times I know of that vitamin D deficiency becomes a concern is when someone has osteopenia/osteoporosis (usually older women, who are often correctly advised to take calcium and vitamin D) or has an imminent orthopaedic surgery (when optimal bone healing is essential). Otherwise (i.e., in the vast majority of healthy adults), there's no real reason to check blood levels or to take supplements for vitamin D. Most Americans are probably vitamin D deficient (particularly people who live in urban areas, who tend to have less sun exposure) - and, yes, a supplement can raise a person's vitamin D level; but unless someone has one of the problems mentioned above, the "deficiency" is harmless.

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True, a healthy diet should provide nearly all the nutrients you need. But many people don’t eat the healthiest of diets.

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Both statements are absolutely correct.

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That’s why a multivitamin can help fill in the gaps, and may have added health benefits.

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This is where the evidence largely disagrees with him. Even people with poor diets very rarely have a deficiency of any of the vitamins found in a multivitamin [except D and possibly C, although I'm not even sure if (or why) you can measure C]. As I've said before, I've never even heard of someone in the US having scurvy (from vitamin C deficiency) - not since, say, the 1800s. And the other vitamins found in a multivitamin - A, the Bs, E, K - those are seldom deficient. And if a person is not vitamin deficient - heck, even if they are - a multivitamin isn't going to help much.

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When it comes to micronutrients, many Americans get less than the adequate amounts, according to criteria set by the Institute of Medicine.

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Again, none of this ever manifests clinically. Like the article in the OP points out, there's no reason why we think we need certain amounts of these nutrients. The recommended daily values are arbitrary; and they were apparently designed, in part, because someone thought vitamins would improve Americans' vitality and help us beat the Nazis in WW2. [Which we did. But I don't think it was because of vitamins. ]

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the potential health benefits of taking a standard daily multivitamin appear to outweigh the potential risks for most people.

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The risks and benefits are basically equal. . . i.e., nada.

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However, the authors acknowledge that Americans consume insufficient nutrient-dense foods and beverages. Nutrients of special public health concern in American diets are potassium, dietary fiber, calcium, and vitamin D in both adults and children.

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Mostly stating the obvious. It's very rare that anyone without chronic kidney disease would have potassium deficiency. Fiber, I don't consider a vitamin. As a supplement, that one's fine by me. Calcium and vitamin D we've already discussed.

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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has developed good manufacturing practices for dietary supplements to help ensure their identity, purity, strength, and composition [44].

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Practices that cannot and are not enforceable.

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So basically it is common sense. Talk your doctor and he/she will assess the risks and potential benefits of taking a daily MVM.

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Agreed. Which, as I've said, unless you have clinical symptoms of a deficiency (the only reason to check for these rare disorders) or a disease/condition with specific nutritional requirements (e.g., bone disease, kidney disease, pregnancy, chronic alcoholism, etc.), a vitamin or supplement will be useless.

Your wallet?

Interesting. I'm aware of the correlation between vitamin D deficiency and cardiovascular disease, but to my knowledge there is no evidence of causation. I've heard it's an area of ongoing research, though. Are you referring to something else?

Per the latest American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists' recommendations:

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At the present time, there is not sufficient evidence to recommend screening individuals who are not at risk for deficiency or to prescribe vitamin D to attain the noncalcemic benefit for cardiovascular protection.

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Arrogant and ignorant rolled into one! How is belief in something that can be neither proven nor unproven be considered a scam? Many scientists believe in intelligent design. Many people who believe in ID embrace the findings of science. But if you have a scientific law tucked away in your jacket pocket that disproves ID, enlighten us ignorant people.