Please support Miss J's Forum by using this link to shop at Amazon.com

I suspected that supplemental iron carries the highest risk and it does. It's not necessary for postmenopausal women to supplement for it.

B6, folic acid, magnesium, zinc and copper followed.

I understand the zinc/copper problem. It's easy to upset the balance of the one if you supplement too much with the other.

I don't know what the problem is with B6, folic acid, and magnesium. I suspect that for most, supplementation is a marker for an inadequate fruit/vegetable intake.

I take only B12 and D, only sometimes.

---

Magnesium is good for "nervous tension" and sleep - it also helps with restless leg syndrome - I know all this because my Aunt used to swear by it - also B6 is good for depression.

---

Hotels in Cleveland

Yes, I do agree it's not a conclusive study. It's not controlled and we don't know all the other health problems these women. We don't know how much of the actual vitamins they all took either. There are certain vitamins that certainly can be toxic, especially the fat-soluble ones like Vit. A. Or iron, that isn't usually necessary for women over a certain age anyway, unless they have a bleeding disorder or some other condition that prevents them from absorbing iron in their diet.
It is always beneficial to eat a healthy diet, but most people don't eat 5+ servings vegetables/fruits daily, and even if they do, our soil is not what it used to be, and food is not as nutrient-rich as decades ago. A simple multivitamin can be beneficial for most people. But the problem is when people over-do certain vitamins, and since they are not regulated and most docs don't explain to patients all the risks, and many people just don't read enough (evidence-based research)...some people might overdose on some vitamins. I think one especially good supplement for most people is Omega 3 fish oil, since our brain needs it, and it's anti-inflammatory (a cause of many illness and aging) and most people don't eat fish daily. Of course if someone is on blood thinners they should consult their doc. But that person would have a preexisting health condition.

I read that taking too much vitamin B (as in mega B100) can be a factor in causing cancer down the road. (source: http://www.livestrong.com/article/4571-need-b-vitamins/). Also, synthetic folic acid found in supplements is different than the kind of folic acid found in leafy green veggies. And B is something the body excretes daily ... so it makes y'wonder about its toxic effect while it's trickling down the pipes.

I just took myself off that supplement when I started juicing on a regular basis. I'd rather replenish the folic acid my body needs with fresh veggies than a chemical supplement.

But I was depressed to see a morbidly obese woman in line at CostCo with giant jugs of pills: Diabetics Supplement, Joint Relief, stuff she'd never need in the first place if she lost 65 lbs and started a healthy lifestyle.

It's sad how much we prop up our own body's toxic state by taking a PILL as a substitute for a COMMITMENT to a healthy lifestyle. There's no easy way. It's work, plain and simple.

---

I Bug U

There's no added benefit if you have a diet high in f+v. Taking O-3 will not make up for that. So you might as well eat well.

Five servings a day of f+v is not nearly enough. It ought to be 15-55. But people think that's weird and outrageous. It's easier to get another sandwich.

It's no wonder that most people get so fat and sick after 50 because our food society is so incredibly toxic in so many ways.

I agree that many people don't eat healthy, but there are people who do eats tons of vegetables/fruits & still get benefit from an Omega 3 supplement. One of my friends is a PA working in integrative care with a DO.. They are both mostly vegetarian - with only fish as animal protein in their diet. The DO says he's attended many international conferences & research has shown Omega 3 oil supplements - a good quality one - is safer than eating fish daily due to mercury. Even wild or organic still has some. Some foods like nuts do have ALA, but only partially converted to Omega 3. I myself eat tons of veggies, try 10-15 servings, especially if I make a big salad & add several raw veggies. I don't eat red meat, avoid starches, no fast food. I can't see fitting 55 servings thou. I eat whole grains, nuts, etc. But my own doc, also a DO often recommends Omega 3 to patients, even vegetarians, even those with no health problems, no high LDL or tryglycerides, & says it's one of the few supplements that can help overall health greatly. She's also doesn't eat red meat, only eats organic, is very fit and active, & takes supplements since she doesn't trust that even 'organic' labels have enough nutrients due to lack of consistent regulation of US farming practices. She doesn't recommend over-doing supplements & does test blood levels first before recommending. Not all docs do that. There are some vitamins that are not accurately tested since daily values can vary in plasma, like Vit. C, so it's one she recommends often too, even just 250 mg daily, since Vit C is easily destroyed by heat/light, transport, storage conditions of produce, etc. It's highly unlikely to be toxic since it doesn't last long in body, & not long half life like some other water soluble vitamins like the Bs, which she does blood testing.
Not all docs believe in optimal health ( healthy eating + some supplements, not excess & not meant to replace a good diet) nor alternatives such as Vit C infusions for some conditions. But everyone has to read research on their own..so many conflicting- some show very positive benefits of specific supplements in addition to a very healthy diet..for antiaging & disease prevention. But ultimately people need to do whatever they are comfortable doing for themselves.

Exactly, it is very difficult, even impossible to eat enough omega 3 without either consuming too much Hg, PCB's or omega 6 in this modern polluted world. Yes, you can eat more pumpkin, chia, sacha inchi seeds or walnuts but it just isn't enough, you are getting too much omega 6 and you also need to make sure you have all the necessary cofactors to convert the omega 3 into EPA and DHA. This is especially true when you are using food components to help treat a specific condition (such as depression, heart disease, eczema etc) or for those with compromised digestion, absorption or assimilation (such as IBD patients). Yes, absolutely eat a varied diet full of organic produce with moderate organic proteins, quality fats and whole LGL grains. The supplements won't do anything if you're living off of KD, ramen noodles and conventional dairy. But a great diet alone isn't necessarily enough, especially if you have a disease you are trying to correct.

I take a fair number of supplements, or at least I used to before my bizarre nausea and stomach pain started last year. For example I couldn't eat enough raw broccoli daily to get the I3C I need to take daily, and even if I did the goitrogens would mess up my thyroid. Quality supplements is so key as well, Costco or drug store fish oil will make you sicker and rock like vitamin tablets pass through whole so they aren't doing anything anyway. Always stick to pro supplements under the care of a licensed qualified health professional such as an ND.

---

"My friends, love is better than anger.
Hope is better than fear.
Optimism is better than despair.
So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic.
And we’ll change the world"

Wear a yellow ribbon, March is Endometriosis Awareness Month!