Taking certain vitamin supplements may adversely affect people's lifespan, researchers have suggested. Do you pop pills?

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I used to take a mulitvitamin daily on the basis of why not? It might help. But then I did a bit of research into it and found that there is no conclusive evidence that they do anything. So I stopped. And I don't feel any different.

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richer ?

actually I've never thought much of them. I can't see them being harmful but I doubt if they were ever any help

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Don't forget the RDA is the minimal amount you need to prevent malnutrition, not necessarily the optimum amount. But no one in this day should need vitamin supplements. Exception is trace minerals like selenium or chromium which some people might be missing and are important for metabolism etc.

A lot of vitamins can have adverse effects in high enough doses. Antioxidants supposedly block the damaging effects of free radicals, but at higher doses can trigger free radical production.

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Want Dr Keith's view on this? Let me know

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i seem to remember from A'level chemistry some years back that your body will only absorb the vitamins it needs and the rest will be excreted, that will put more strain on your kidneys...

so surely if you have a healthy balanced diet you shouldn't need supplements and if you are taking them you might as well just throw them down your toilet to cut out the middle man

but then again how much vitamin c is in garlic bread? (it's the future, i've tasted it)

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Yeah, I'd certainly be interested in hearing what the Doc has to say about this.

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Link

Would like to hear if his view has changed. The study was about particular vitamins like E and A, and not multi-vitamins.

A more useful study would be what affect they have on the average person, and on the person who trains. I know Anthony recommends a multi-vit to cover all bases and that is the reason why I take mine. His thoughts on this would be appreciated. (I also take fish oil and ZMA - both of which I really feel benefit me).

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