well......golleee....what would Carole and her cell salts think??

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Doubts Cast On Vitamin Supplements

June 7, 2008
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(CBS) It seems as if there's a vitamin or supplement on the market to
protect against every ill.

Some people swear by them, feeling supplements make them stronger and
keep them healthier.

But The Early Show Saturday medical contributor Dr. Mallika Marshall
explained that, when it comes to vitamins, too much of a good thing
could be a bad idea and, with some supplements, doctors are coming to
feel ANY dose may be ill-advised, with supplements pushing the dosage
level into the risky range.

Vitamin and mineral supplements are, of course, a staple of a lot of
people's lives.

But studies are now suggesting that some are not only unnecessary, but
could be dangerous.

Of course, we all need vitamins, Marshall stresses, but only in very
small amounts, and we generally get what we need from what we eat. So
if you're generally healthy and eat five or more servings of fruits
and vegetables a day, you're probably just fine, vitamins-wise, and
you might be better off saving your money.

Some vitamins can be dangerous in high doses.

For instance, Vitamin E is touted as helping to fight cancer and heart
disease. It's one of those anti-oxidants we all hear so much about.
But, Marshall points out, new studies and more recent data suggest
that large doses can actually increase the risk of death, not prevent
it. So we are not recommending that people take Vitamin E supplements
for disease prevention.

Another popular supplement for fighting certain diseases, beta-
carotene, used to be thought of as helping to prevent disease, but now
it appears that additional beta-carotene can actually raise the risk
of heart disease and cancer.

Loading up on Vitamin C to fight off colds is also coming to be panned
in the medical community. Too much Vitamin C can cause diarrhea and
kidney stones, and studies don't suggest that it reduces the risk of
heart disease, cancer, or even the common cold. Vitamin A, another
popular choice, can actually lead to liver damage, blindness, and bone
fractures in high doses.

Of course, Marshall notes, there are exceptions — people who, due to
poor nutrition, underlying medical problems, or the desire to have
children, need to take vitamin supplements. But again, beware — in
some of these cases, taking additional vitamins can actually be
harmful.

Still, there is substantial evidence, Marshall says, that taking folic
acid before pregnancy and in early pregnancy can significantly reduce
the risk of birth defects, especially neural tube defects such as
spina bifida, in infants. So, universally, it is recommended that all
women of childbearing age who might become pregnant take 800
micrograms of folic acid, or a prenatal vitamin containing folic acid,
on a daily basis.

It's also generally recommended that women who are pre-menopausal,
that is, entering the change of life, take 800 IU of Vitamin D and at
least 1,200 mg of calcium to help prevent bone loss and osteoporosis.

When it comes to senior citizens, if they're generally healthy and eat
a proper diet, they may not need vitamin supplements. But many older
adults often suffer from poor nutrition and little sun exposure. Many
could probably benefit from taking a daily multivitamin that will give
them additional Vitamins D and B.

Also, it's not a bad idea for vegetarians, especially vegans, to take
a daily multivitamin, since they could be deficient in certain
vitamins, such as B-12, found primarily in meats.

And alcoholics are often deficient in Vitamins like A, B, C and folic
acid, so they may benefit from a multivitamin, as well.

© MMVIII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Article Link:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/06/07/earlyshow/health/main4161791.shtml

As Galileo would have said, "And yet, it moves." IOW, millions of
supplement users have had their own personal experience taking them
and the benefits they derive from them.

Mallika Marshall's reliance on cherry picked studies are not going to
influence too much the trend of more and more people making the
discovery for themselves how effective supplements are.

Who believes CBS anyway?? Fewer and fewer are watching it daily.
So we've got two trends in play here. One is increasing while the
other is hemorrhaging viewers and revenues.