Myths and Facts about Vitamins

Article to be analyzed can be found here> Myths and facts about vitamins, including if they work at all - Insider

This article is fairly typical of those attempting to add some clarity to the value or lack of value of taking vitamin supplements. But like most, when a journalist writes about a topic outside of their knowledge base, the results are only as good as the resources interviewed or studies mentioned. In this case, the article makes some pretty good and valid points, but then fails to really hit the heart of the topic, and misses undercurrent issues, even to the point of falling into numerous contradictions. Did the authors read their own story?

9 things you need to know before you take another vitamin

1. Vitamins are substances your body needs to function properly.  

The article starts out by saying vitamins are necessary to be supplied by the diet and are essential for life. 40% of American Adults take a multiple vitamin. Then it asks the question: "have you ever stopped to consider what that vitamin is actually doing for you?" Next it mentions that "vitamin pills can be unhelpful or even dangerous.

2. You should get your vitamins primarily from food 

The article reports it is best to get vitamins from food since food packs accessory nutrients to help vitamins function that are not in most multiple vitamin supplements. After a chart listing the functions of vitamins, this next topic is purposed: "Technically, vitamins that exist naturally in food work the same as synthetic ones in supplements and pills." This statement is not technically true. While it is true for many, it is not true for a few like vitamin E, beta carotene, vitamin K, and folic acid, plus also for these and others vitamins at different dosage amounts or those lacking synergistic related nutrients. Some vitamins have many forms, some more beneficial than others. Vitamin B6 is associated with nerve damage at both too low and also at excessive amounts. article 

3. But there are some cases where a vitamin supplement is needed.

Let's bypass these differences for a moment and assume that all synthetic vitamins work similar to natural ones from food and continue. The following conditions may need extra vitamins: Folic acid for women before pregnancy, vitamin B12 if a vegetarian for blood building and energy, and vitamin D if live in Northern areas without enough sun.

Next the concept is purposed; that vitamins in food work synergistically with other beneficial food substances which Science has shown can help keep us healthy and prevent diseases. And You can't replicate that synergy with a supplement" and that the high vitamin doses found in some supplements can actually be harmful.

4.You probably don't need a multivitamin.

The article adds that science is now questioning the need for vitamin supplements since some newer research is not showing any reductions in heart disease and cancers.

These statements are all OK and are mostly in agreement. But they miss some pretty important points that only those who study vitamins would know. What if there was a way that supplements could be tweaked to better replicate that synergy in vitamin interactions found in foods?

Many articles on this Vitamin workshop website have such information that lists the ways to accomplish such a tweak.

Chief among them, including in multiple vitamins, using the whole family of vitamin E ref, and slso for vitamin C, plus with other carotenoids (article) too. There is also a need to limit dosages to within the ideal ranges for optimum vitamin functions. Usually both too low as well as excessive present problems.

The whole Vitamin E family is more effective than only using alpha tocopherol for many vitamin E functions.  article on Brain health. The SELECT study only used alpha tocopherol but needed gamma tocopherol as well.

Here is an unfortunate statement this aricle makes that needs clarification: If you're unsure about whether you need a supplement, ask a doctor or a registered dietitian.  There are not enough well educated Dietitians and even less Doctors that really know vitamins, how they are made, and what forms and dosages are most effective for each health condition. This fact is sadly at the base of many vitamin recommendation dilemmas.

5. Yes, you can overdose on vitamins.

 The article says water soluble B-complex and C vitamins are harmlessly flushed out of the body in urine while fat soluble vitamins can be stored and build up to toxic levels. First, there are some B vitamins that are harmful in larger doses. Vitamin B6 on nerve damage and Folic acid on reduced immune cell activity and the accelerattion of cancer growth rates. There is a class of cancer drugs called anti-folates that slow down the actions of natural folates (folic acid is the synthetic form). Cancer cells use the actions of folates to grow faster. You can get too much vitamin A which increases bone fracture risk, high Vitamin D is adverse for men with prostate problems as well as for the potential increase of calcium blood levels. Plus, vitamin K actions are just now beginning to reveal adverse effects from both too little on bone health and too much on blood sugar control plus prostate problems again. High dose Vitamin E long ago was linked to increasing mortality rates due to an increase in strokes. Vitamin E can thin the blood.

6.Taking vitamin C won't help your cold

This is rather interesting. The title says one thing, but in the article it says vitamin C taken over time will slightly shorten the duration of a cold. Maybe by just one day. But, starting to take vitamin C at the beginning a cold does not work. Not mentioned is that extreme athletes taking vitamin C over time reduce the number of colds by almost 50%. Exercise reduces the immune system level of activity for a brief period, so extreme athletes often get more colds, especially at the Winter Olympics. It should also be pointed out that for vitamin D to influence health, it too should be consumed for a couple of months so it can build up levels in the body. It takes 3 months for D to max out.

7. Vitamins can't give you more energy

The article is technologically correct in that it states only calories supply energy. But, the B-complex vitamins are needed to convert food into calories. Plus, not mentioned in the article is that vitamin B12 along with other vitamins and iron help build red blood cells that carry more oxygen into the power plants of the cells to increase energy production. BUT, these vitamins will only increase energy production if they are low to begin with. CDC tests of Public vitamin intakes show numerous deficiencies. Thus, to increase energy, get some exercise and enough sleep, these help reduce the energy robber stress, plus consume enough food calories with some B-complex vitamins. 

8. Adding vitamins to a junk food doesn't make it healthy.

But if that is your only dietary source for some of these vitamins, maybe it is better than not taking vitamins at all and just continuing to eat junk foods. the article makes the recommendation to check the back of the label to see if the food contains fibers and is not just loaded with sugar calories. See this guide. Here's a helpful guide to decoding nutrition labels.

9. If you are truly deficient in a vitamin, you'll have concerning symptoms.

The unfortunate part of this statement is that vitamin deficiencies do not always exhibit symptoms. The body adapts and compensates for deficiencies in different ways, often for quite some time. If low in dietary calcium, the body robs bones of calcium to maintain blood levels and to help buffer acid levels. Luckily, other mechanisms soon kick in and bones are left alone. The preferred acid buffer is built from potassium coming in with vegetables and fruits, along with lung respiration and Kidneys balancing mineral loads. These three areas work together to produce potassium bicarbonate. It is the ultimate acid base regulator the body wants to use so it does not have to touch bones or rely on other mechanisms.

MAJOR MISSED OPPORTUNITY ANALYSIS

This media article, while better than most, suffers from the same failures due to the ingrained myths of modern medicine about vitamin realities. It turns out that many of the studies revealing that vitamins did not show health benefits simply used the wrong vitamin forms and dosages, especially missing the impact of synergistic family vitamin factors that are available in proper supplement sources. These involve vitamin E, C, Beta Carotene, D, and B-complex (dosages). Without these forms included, it is only logical that a lack of benefits would be found. Synthetic vitamin E is only 50% as effective as the natural form. But, using the whole family of E members would dramatically increase health benefits due to synergistic actions. See Here.

The articles referenced above illustrate this vital point such as this article on Brain health. Thus, the analysis is that while this is a pretty good story as far as it goes, it still promotes ingrained vitamin myths and misinformation and did not dig deep enough to give the consuming Public the whole story. Almost none of the many other articles examined so far accomplish this whole truth either. That is the reason for this website.

BOTTOM LINE: The vitamin forms science is testing are failing to provide and exhibit consistent benefits. It is time to change the forms and dosages. Here is the vitamin criteria to look for in a proper multiple vitamin.