Walmart vitamins rank amongst the best ...

[GoldenDelicious]

GD, could you elaborate? What do you mean that don't work? We don't absorb the nutrients?

Besides a multi-vitamin I take:
Green Tea extract
Pomegrante extract
Fish Oil

I always thought of the multi-vitamin as an "insurance policy" knowing that most nutrients were best obtained from food sources.

Isn't there science to back up the idea that the polyphenols/flavonoids, etc ... in some herbs, e.g. green tea, act as anti-oxidants?

And isn't Omega 3's, e.g. fish & flax oils essential fatty acids that our bodies must get through diet/supplements?

cut a long story short, particularly in regards to multivitamins, there is no compelling evidence to show that there is any benefit to taking them. the exact phrase written on the overhead about vitamins- "cant help, might hurt."

most of the rationale behind taking vitamins is simply knowing that you need xxx vitamin, and if you dont have enough, bad stuff happens - so take it. most other drugs are therapeutically acceptable because apart from a similar rationale, there are studies with 50 000 people participating that show xyz benefit over placebo.

its actually a lot of effort rewriting people accepted belief that vitamin supplements should be a staple, since everytime you turn on the tv you hear about xyz cereal or fruit "full of vitamins!!!" its an annoying mindset

the other thing is that a lot of pharmacists dont give a shit since it makes them money and keeps people in the habit of popping pills. (the second bit is useful. the first isnt, since i dont own a pharmacy atm)

in regards to the vitamin supps yorue on, sure, theres evidence that shows SOMETHING that can be construed as benefit - but when you critically analyse the study (usually paid for by the manufacturer, and so skewed to make it more...convenient...in terms of marketing) you can pick a lot of holes in real world applicability.

the only ones ill happily approve of (since i saw a decent lot of studies back in uni during a lecture) are teh antioxidants. theyre ok- although i favour using vitamin c and e to cover that base, since theyre cheap, well manufactured, and well understood. imo if you want fish oils, eat some fish.

cheerios