Berocca & Vitamin RDA
Discussion
I get colds. One after the other after the other. Apparently it's the kids bringing germs home from nursery, but I'm fed up with it becasue I can't get any fitness back by running or biking - I'm constantly feeling crap.
An acquaintance of mine who's a doctor and a keen biker suggested Berocca vitamin supplement. My family doctor said I didn't need any supplementary vitamins, and that they would be a waste of money (I had a full blood count recently - becasue I thought there was something seriously up with my immune system - but it came back normal).
Anyhow I got some Berocca, and have been using it for about 2 weeks. Don't feel any different, but at least I got rid of the last cold fairly quickly and am intrigued to see how long before the next one.
So...I was looking at the info on the Berocca packaging and was amazed to see the RDA figures for things like Vitaming C and B etc etc, there are about 10 ingedients, some of which are up to 970% of RDA! All the ingredients bar a couple are up at about 500% to 800% of RDA! Why not just 100% RDA - even assuming you didn't eat or drink anything else that would be enough? I understand that with many vitamins you just pee any excess out, but 970%??? Can this really be any good for you? The "R" in RDA means "recommended" after all.
What am I missing?
Cheers.
An acquaintance of mine who's a doctor and a keen biker suggested Berocca vitamin supplement. My family doctor said I didn't need any supplementary vitamins, and that they would be a waste of money (I had a full blood count recently - becasue I thought there was something seriously up with my immune system - but it came back normal).
Anyhow I got some Berocca, and have been using it for about 2 weeks. Don't feel any different, but at least I got rid of the last cold fairly quickly and am intrigued to see how long before the next one.
So...I was looking at the info on the Berocca packaging and was amazed to see the RDA figures for things like Vitaming C and B etc etc, there are about 10 ingedients, some of which are up to 970% of RDA! All the ingredients bar a couple are up at about 500% to 800% of RDA! Why not just 100% RDA - even assuming you didn't eat or drink anything else that would be enough? I understand that with many vitamins you just pee any excess out, but 970%??? Can this really be any good for you? The "R" in RDA means "recommended" after all.
What am I missing?
Cheers.
Your family doctor is correct- you're healthy and don't need any vitamin supplements.There's no evidence that they work, so why take them?
The "Health Food Industry" work on the principle that more is better and sell high dose vitamins and mineral supplements at RDAs (recommended daily amounts)far in excess of the body's needs and charge consumers high prices for doing so.
Generally this practice,while damaging your wallet,won't damage your health as the body will excrete any excess, but high doses of the fat soluble vitamins A,D, and E have been shown to be harmful.
The "Health Food Industry" work on the principle that more is better and sell high dose vitamins and mineral supplements at RDAs (recommended daily amounts)far in excess of the body's needs and charge consumers high prices for doing so.
Generally this practice,while damaging your wallet,won't damage your health as the body will excrete any excess, but high doses of the fat soluble vitamins A,D, and E have been shown to be harmful.
As far as I can tell Berocca maxxes up the water soluble vitamins. They'll just come out in your pee. I don't think they'll harm more than your wallet. I take them quite often, even though I've generally got a good diet (I quite like cooking).
You pays your money and you takes your chances, I suppose.
You pays your money and you takes your chances, I suppose.
Thanks for the responses.
I'd be happy even with a placebo effect of not getting ill !
Is there anything else I can do to break the cycle of colds to at least try to get some weeks where I can get some fitness back? I seem to be more prone to colds after I've started exercise, presumably I'm weaker.
It's a b
h.
Cheers.
I'd be happy even with a placebo effect of not getting ill !
Is there anything else I can do to break the cycle of colds to at least try to get some weeks where I can get some fitness back? I seem to be more prone to colds after I've started exercise, presumably I'm weaker.
It's a b
h.Cheers.
As others have confirmed, vitamins/ supplements are a waste of time and money. There is no evidence that takes vitamin C or Zinc prevents colds etc - there have been clinical trials to confirm this.
As long as you have a decent diet, do not waste your money - these things are aimed at the worried well with ££.
As long as you have a decent diet, do not waste your money - these things are aimed at the worried well with ££.
Farmerpalmer said:
As others have confirmed, vitamins/ supplements are a waste of time and money. There is no evidence that takes vitamin C or Zinc prevents colds etc - there have been clinical trials to confirm this.
As long as you have a decent diet, do not waste your money - these things are aimed at the worried well with ££.
Fair enough. So I just have to somehow get some fitness and hope the immune system works a bit better?As long as you have a decent diet, do not waste your money - these things are aimed at the worried well with ££.
RemainAllHoof said:
dr_gn said:
What am I missing?
Sleep? De-stressing? Lack of sleep and stressful lifestyles means a lowered immune system. Sure, you can take all manner of sweeties which may help but there's only one MTFU solution, really.dr_gn said:
I can't do anything about getting stressed, but yes I could go to bed earlier. Late evenings/early hours seem to be the only time I get to myself these days though.
There are many ways of managing stress. Maybe it is a case of managing time or learning to manage your clients or boss... or just learning to accept that things are the way they are... or a change of circumstances is required. Don't know enough about your life to make a less vague reply.A little bit of exercise can help lower the incidence of viral infections. The lymphatic system has no active circulation, lymph is circulated round the body primarily by muscle contraction. Given that lymph fluid contains the immunological cells required to fight infection. Keeping it draining and circulating is vital.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC115995...
Vitamin supplements are pretty pointless, your body will st and piss the majority of water soluble vitamins out. Fat soluble vitamins can accumulate in the body and do a lot more harm than good.
Extra sleep and a few brisk walks will probably do more good than anything from Holland and Barrets!
As an aside my little lad kept bringing home bugs from nursery. From feb 2010 to April/may 2010 I was constantly ill, chest infections colds flu, more chest infections etc etc, this winter I've has one minor cold and a little cough for a few days. It will pass!
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC115995...
Vitamin supplements are pretty pointless, your body will s
t and piss the majority of water soluble vitamins out. Fat soluble vitamins can accumulate in the body and do a lot more harm than good. Extra sleep and a few brisk walks will probably do more good than anything from Holland and Barrets!
As an aside my little lad kept bringing home bugs from nursery. From feb 2010 to April/may 2010 I was constantly ill, chest infections colds flu, more chest infections etc etc, this winter I've has one minor cold and a little cough for a few days. It will pass!
Edited by MilnerR on Sunday 3rd April 13:48
MilnerR said:
A little bit of exercise can help lower the incidence of viral infections. The lymphatic system has no active circulation, lymph is circulated round the body primarily by muscle contraction. Given that lymph fluid contains the immunological cells required to fight infection. Keeping it draining and circulating is vital.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC115995...
Vitamin supplements are pretty pointless, your body will st and piss the majority of water soluble vitamins out. Fat soluble vitamins can accumulate in the body and do a lot more harm than good.
Extra sleep and a few brisk walks will probably do more good than anything from Holland and Barrets!
As an aside my little lad kept bringing home bugs from nursery. From feb 2010 to April/may 2010 I was constantly ill, chest infections colds flu, more chest infections etc etc, this winter I've has one minor cold and a little cough for a few days. It will pass!
I hope you're right about the colds! Ten or so years ago I'd get a cold or an infection, be on my back for a couple of days and then I was better. These days it seems to be about 3 weeks of less severe symptoms. I'd rather have the crap 3 days TBH!http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC115995...
Vitamin supplements are pretty pointless, your body will s
t and piss the majority of water soluble vitamins out. Fat soluble vitamins can accumulate in the body and do a lot more harm than good. Extra sleep and a few brisk walks will probably do more good than anything from Holland and Barrets!
As an aside my little lad kept bringing home bugs from nursery. From feb 2010 to April/may 2010 I was constantly ill, chest infections colds flu, more chest infections etc etc, this winter I've has one minor cold and a little cough for a few days. It will pass!
Edited by MilnerR on Sunday 3rd April 13:48
The paper you linked to - I'm not clear about how strenuous the exercise was (maybe I missed it - I admit I skipped the very technical bits). My own feeling is that I do to much exercise too soon, and perhaps that somehow weakens my immune system. With mountain biking you either pedal up a hill or you don't. At the top I'll be gasping, but that's the way it is. Same with running. I do plenty of walking up stairs at work, and walk to the shops at lunchtime. I'm on my feet for a significant part of the working day.
Thanks for the info.
RemainAllHoof said:
dr_gn said:
I can't do anything about getting stressed, but yes I could go to bed earlier. Late evenings/early hours seem to be the only time I get to myself these days though.
There are many ways of managing stress. Maybe it is a case of managing time or learning to manage your clients or boss... or just learning to accept that things are the way they are... or a change of circumstances is required. Don't know enough about your life to make a less vague reply.I think it's pretty telling that I can actually remmber the last time I went to bed, slept through and felt totally refreshed and healthy when I woke up: February 1998, just completed a 3 year PhD and passed the viva the day before. Those were the days!
Cheers!
New legislation soon. The most crucial single development likely to be the setting of meximum levels for vitamins under the Food Supplements Directive. European countries are pushing for low levels whilst the UK holds out.
As others have said, excess dose is a waste unless there is clinical requirement for a specific vitamin/mineral. Most diets already include a large percentage of the daily requirement in any case so it is the vulnerable e.g..slimmers who cut out food intake altogether who could benefit.
As others have said, excess dose is a waste unless there is clinical requirement for a specific vitamin/mineral. Most diets already include a large percentage of the daily requirement in any case so it is the vulnerable e.g..slimmers who cut out food intake altogether who could benefit.
Mermaid said:
New legislation soon. The most crucial single development likely to be the setting of meximum levels for vitamins under the Food Supplements Directive. European countries are pushing for low levels whilst the UK holds out.
As others have said, excess dose is a waste unless there is clinical requirement for a specific vitamin/mineral. Most diets already include a large percentage of the daily requirement in any case so it is the vulnerable e.g..slimmers who cut out food intake altogether who could benefit.
Ah well, I'll probably not buy any more. I mentioned this to the missus (who's a senior hospital pharmacist) and she said any percieved benefits might just be placebo, but...that may well be what I needed: if it works for me and it's not dangerous then where's the harm?As others have said, excess dose is a waste unless there is clinical requirement for a specific vitamin/mineral. Most diets already include a large percentage of the daily requirement in any case so it is the vulnerable e.g..slimmers who cut out food intake altogether who could benefit.
dr_gn said:
Mermaid said:
New legislation soon. The most crucial single development likely to be the setting of meximum levels for vitamins under the Food Supplements Directive. European countries are pushing for low levels whilst the UK holds out.
As others have said, excess dose is a waste unless there is clinical requirement for a specific vitamin/mineral. Most diets already include a large percentage of the daily requirement in any case so it is the vulnerable e.g..slimmers who cut out food intake altogether who could benefit.
Ah well, I'll probably not buy any more. I mentioned this to the missus (who's a senior hospital pharmacist) and she said any percieved benefits might just be placebo, but...that may well be what I needed: if it works for me and it's not dangerous then where's the harm?As others have said, excess dose is a waste unless there is clinical requirement for a specific vitamin/mineral. Most diets already include a large percentage of the daily requirement in any case so it is the vulnerable e.g..slimmers who cut out food intake altogether who could benefit.
Cheap vits/minerals available from Costco.
Mermaid said:
dr_gn said:
Mermaid said:
New legislation soon. The most crucial single development likely to be the setting of meximum levels for vitamins under the Food Supplements Directive. European countries are pushing for low levels whilst the UK holds out.
As others have said, excess dose is a waste unless there is clinical requirement for a specific vitamin/mineral. Most diets already include a large percentage of the daily requirement in any case so it is the vulnerable e.g..slimmers who cut out food intake altogether who could benefit.
Ah well, I'll probably not buy any more. I mentioned this to the missus (who's a senior hospital pharmacist) and she said any percieved benefits might just be placebo, but...that may well be what I needed: if it works for me and it's not dangerous then where's the harm?As others have said, excess dose is a waste unless there is clinical requirement for a specific vitamin/mineral. Most diets already include a large percentage of the daily requirement in any case so it is the vulnerable e.g..slimmers who cut out food intake altogether who could benefit.
Cheap vits/minerals available from Costco.
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