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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 5 of 5. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by circusboy on September 17, 2007, at 11:32:09
After reading the above thread on supps that make some of us (more) depressed or anxious or less able to get a good night's sleep, and seeing more than a couple vitamins and minerals mentioned, I'm wondering about the wisdom of taking a multivitamin/mineral.
I haven't done much in the way of empirical testing on myself with vitamins, since it's taken so much patience, work, and money to find the few non-vitamin supplements and herbs that seem to be working for the moment... the idea of testing the components of my multi individually is almost more than I can stand. But I've grown suspicious of my multivitamin recently...
Anyway, what do you think? Do you take a multi as part of your daily regimen?
Posted by Netch on September 17, 2007, at 17:53:18
In reply to So... reason to avoid multivitamin/minerals?, posted by circusboy on September 17, 2007, at 11:32:09
I only take zinc supplements when it comes to vitamins/minerals.
Posted by bleauberry on September 18, 2007, at 16:09:48
In reply to So... reason to avoid multivitamin/minerals?, posted by circusboy on September 17, 2007, at 11:32:09
Just my opinion and personal experience as well as some random things seen on the net, but yes, I think multivitamins/minerals are overdone and can indeed be dangerous in certain cases. I do not think anyone should go hog wild with these supplements unless they know specifically which ones they need for a specific purpose.
For example, if someone has silver (actually 50% mercury) fillings, the mercury is already dramatically increasing copper to toxic levels. Copper toxicity looks a lot like mercury toxicity. Most vitamins have 100% RDA copper in them. Many homes have copper water pipes. For these people, avoiding copper should be considered. For these people, higher doses of zinc and molybdenum are beneficial as they will gradually clear the excess copper out of the body. The amount of zinc and molybdenum needed to do that would not be high enough in even a potent vitamin or diet.
The active form of B5 along with molybedenum are good for neutralizing and excreting the toxins spilled into the blood by candida overgrowth. The amount needed would not be sufficient in a vitamin or diet.
While almost everyone on the planet says high dose B vitamins are good for everything, they can also be toxic and create either temporary or permanent nerve damage. Myself for just one example, I experience serious leg pains and cramps, and even a slight sense of paralysis, on anything higher than 300% RDA of Bs. It completely goes away in 2 days after stopping. SAMe does the same thing to me.
Maybe someone is copper deficient instead of copper toxic. In that case, they want to avoid zinc and molybdenum, which are copper antagonists and clear copper out of the body over time.
If someone has polyuria, they need high doses of the active form of vit b (P5P) along with zinc. These would not be sufficient in a vitamin supplement.
There are pros and cons for each vitamin and mineral. I believe the important thing is to know exactly which ones to take and for what specific reason.
Probably the best thing in my opinion is to eat 3 good meals a day, 2 snacks, and for every eating to include carbs, proteins, starch, and fiber, with emphasis on raw uncooked vegies. And maybe back it up with a basic 100% RDA vitamin or just half of one per day. And avoid the ones with copper if you know you have a risk for it. Also, lots of pure water (filtered), not the bottled spring water or even bottled filtered water (the plastic leaches out of the bottle). Filtered water in glass bottles is perfect. Avoid chlorine. Avoid flouride. For fruit juices, stick with ones that do not have added sugar or sweeteners of any kind. Juices of berries have the least amount of sugar and are high in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. The fruit smoothies in the produce department are great.
Almost everybody here is probably suffering from some kind of gut malfunction, either due to stress from their psychiatric situations or unknown toxins or unknown intolerances/allergies or unknown gut fungi/parasites. One or several of these things are probably the foundation for them having the psychiatric stuff in the first place. For the body to get what it needs from the good diet, use healthy doses of plant based digestive enzymes with each eating, and a daily dose or two of probiotics for the beneficial bacteria that make all the good things with food we eat happen.
Vitamins. Can be good. Can be bad. Just depends on which ones and for what specific purpose. Like everything else, trial and error will show whether it is beneficial or harmful to a particular person's biochemistry.
Posted by circusboy on September 19, 2007, at 11:03:12
In reply to Re: So... reason to avoid multivitamin/minerals?, posted by bleauberry on September 18, 2007, at 16:09:48
Thanks bleauberry. I was thinking along those lines, though with fewer examples and details!
Since I've identified the supplements that seem to work well for me (and started taking this high-quality, sort of potent multi), I've been having far fewer specific food cravings. I kind of miss having those. I wonder if some vitamins/minerals are markers for other beneficial substances in the same food that we haven't identified or don't understand yet. If so, it's possible that taking a multi short-circuits the processes that would compel us to seek those foods. Anyway. Just pure speculation.
Thanks again for the advice.
Posted by Sigismund on October 6, 2007, at 19:40:01
In reply to So... reason to avoid multivitamin/minerals?, posted by circusboy on September 17, 2007, at 11:32:09
Me too.
But working out what it is in there that affects my sleep would take some doing.For the moment the current theory is that grape seed extract (including resveretrol) is the culprit.
This is the end of the thread.
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