While there is certainly research to indicate that some vitamin (and
mineral) supplements are not very effective (at least in the context in
which they were studied) I think it a stretch to apply that to all
vitamin supplements. Even where research studies purport to show no
benefit or even harm one must sometimes delve into the research to
understand what's really being claimed vs. the popular press interpretation.
Recently there was a research claim that supplemental calcium causes an
increased risk for heart attack. My wife was very concerned about this.
Since there is a family history of osteoporosis she takes supplemental
calcium but has already had a heart attack (before she started taking
calcium). So I delved into the research and read the actual research
paper as well as some criticisms of it that I found in replies to the
journal in which it appeared. For reasons not explained, all of the
studies used in this meta analysis specifically excluded studies of
calcium where vitamin D is also used. But prior research has shown that
calcium without vitamin D is not very effective and supplements commonly
available today include vitamin D.
There are prior, large scale studies of calcium supplements taken along
with vitamin D and these studies do not indicate any increased
susceptibility to heart attack. Why this particular meta analysis
specifically excluded prior studies using vitamin D in not known. The
original paper simply makes *mention* that vitamin D related studies
were not included. There is no reason given. One wonders what is the
motivation here when the limitations of the study are not more
prominently identified when they are at odds with other research.
Chuck Norcutt
On 1/7/2011 2:58 AM, SwissPace wrote:
> most of us might not be getting it right , take for example the recent
> research (source my wife who is studying to be a dietician) that says
> vitamin pills are not effective so hence a waste of time and money ,
> sure they have the vitamins in chemical form but the body doesn't
> absorb them as well as it does when they are real natural and in food -
> why is that? .
--
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