Waaaay offtopic

[James Knott]

Anton Markov wrote:
> James,
> 
> Although I know there have been numerous clinical trials done on the 
> advantages of taking vitamin/mineral supplements, I don't have any to 
> quote right now.  This is just out of personal experience and that of 
> other people:
> 
> After starting to take supplements, people feel less tired.  Sometimes I 
> forget to take them for a few weeks, and then I start to feel very tired 
> after 6.5 hours of sleep.  When I start taking the supplements again, I 
> start to feel less tired after a few days with the same hectic schedule.
> 
> Also, the combination of Vitamin C and Echinacea  supplements work very 
> well to guard against the flu and common cold.  Again, it's just 
> personal experience and that of others.
> 
> Like any other kind of treatment, it may work for some but not others. 
> Mostly it's for people who don't get enough natural vitamins in their 
> diet.  If I remember correctly, humans have to eat somewhere around two 
> or three heads of garlic, four oranges, some crazy amount of carrots, 
> cabbage, etc. every day to get the recomended amount of vitamins.  How 
> many people actually eat such amounts?  Not many.  Why?  Because we 
> don't have the time, or we don't like to eat that stuff.  Supplements 
> are simply meant to *supplement* our daily diet.
> 
> We don't have to argue about the importance of vitamins and minerals, do 
> we?

No, but one thing people are often not aware of, is the placebo effect. 
  You take something and feel better, simply because you took something.

As for vitamin supplements, yes they can have certain benefits, but 
there are some who promote excessive use of them, which may prove 
harmful.  So, as with any other medication, you have to be careful. 
Anything taken to excess, including water and oxygen, can be fatal.

I tend to be sceptical of claims put forth by the people selling the 
product.  This is why medication must be studied in a properly conducted 
trial and the results *PUBLISHED*.



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