[Closed] Scientists of the cycling world - help, please (Vitamins)...

Multivitamins really aren't a good idea. Have you been tested at all for any?

Edit: you get what you pay for, you'd be far better off going for brands such as Jarrows, Lambert's etc.

Sorry, not what you want to hear.

Not interested in the yes/no debate.

Ahem.

Not interested in the yes/no debate.

Just because you aren't interested in it, doesn't mean it won't happen 🙂

get the cheaper one.

I realise this, I asked on STW after all. I'm sure a wide ranging series of topic will now arise.

I just want someone more educated on me to tell me thats all I need, and I should order some and save some cash.

I appreciate it doesn't contain some of the stuff the Boots on does, but as a basic metabolic support supplement for a fraction of the price, am I missing anything vital but changing from the Boots one?

A scientist would tell you they are both useless

Why? FWIW I'm slightly anemic, and have a slight Vit C deficiency

http://www.drmyhill.co.uk/wiki/Nutritional_deficiencies_-_What_signs_to_look_for_if_you_think_you_may_have_them

Kryton - it costs around £25 for a private vit D test. Sorry, you've edited!

Yes, I have a lot of those from time to time. I also take Omega 3 fish oils to support my heart on a precautionary basis since I was diagnosed with eptopic beats.

But, at 484 doses for £15, why wouldn't I buy this over this just as backup support for my system?

There's no vit D in it

That's weird, I thought you said you had a vit D deficiency, soz...

I typed D instead of C then edited 🙂

A scientist would tell you they are both useless.

I'm not sure about this.

I've read lots of articles that say 'VITAMINS DON'T WORK!' but the definition of 'work' seems to vary wildly. Most articles seem to define 'not working' as not fulfilling the wild claims, like vitamin C curing colds; ginseng giving you energy, zinc stopping colds etc etc etc. Which is fair enough. However I've also read that multivitamins do end up in your system and, when taking with food, can give your vitamin levels a boost and help any small deficiencies you might have. Which is the only reason I take them (infrequently).

I'd say that if you feel like they are putting a little extra pep in your stride then £15 for over a year's worth is money very well spent!

But, at 484 doses for £15, why wouldn't I buy this over this just as backup support for my system?

It seems incredible value, what have I missed?!

I'm sure you could find some cheaper multivitamin tablets if you wanted. I wouldn't bother with anything labelled as "especially for men", its usually more expensive than the generic version.

Edit: you get what you pay for, you'd be far better off going for brands such as Jarrows, Lambert's etc

Reeeeeeeally?

The serving size is 413mg, how accurately can you measure that.

They give you a tiny measuring / serving scoop in the packet. Scoop some off, level the scoop with your finger/a knife.

A bit odd asking scientists along to the thread and not expecting any debate.

Either way, if you think it will work then it will. I'd probably prefer a tablet because it feels more medicine-y. It's why I take cod liver oil caps.

Why? FWIW I'm slightly anemic, and have a slight Vit C deficiency

Wouldn't you be better off changing your diet , plenty of foods have iron and vit C in them .

Not all vitamins are created equally. Things like the complex organic vitamins will probably be fine. Vitamin C is produced in industrial quantities and only really has one molecular structure (I think, I'm not going to check if is enantiomeric I work with epoxies).

But with Metal complexes/chelates and things that are ionic you can get better or worse types.

For example, the way they measure the content of iron is to measure the particular amount of the iron in the right oxidation state. So they have to put in Iron II or III not iron filings (0) but the form of iron II they put in may not be one that is readily absorbed by the blood. E.g. it could be chelated with EDTA so not much use but cheap or it could be done with something else (globin?) which would be more biologically available.

Same is true of other things in there too. But more expensive doesn't mean better. Someone like Which has probably done a study.

Also contains 100% RDA isn't always that useful if you can't absorb it that efficiently. You might need to put a lot more in as a tablet compared to drip feeding it through your diet over the entire day. Same as for carbohydrates and protein when you look at advice on energy products. I know some of the ones my wife takes are 3000% RDA. But be careful, some vitamins are toxic in high doses. Vit A is which is why you should never eat a polar bears liver.

So they have to put in Iron II or III not iron filings

Pretty sure I saw on that factory food programme that they put iron filings in cornflakes...?

Take 3 before a race and you'll be 10% quicker.

Could you spend the money on a better diet instead?

Fair point, £15 buys quite a few nespresso pods.

Re-reading the two RDA's today, the former would just provide my RDA, the latter Boots one massively exceeds it in most cases.

So am I most likely to be excreting more of the contents of the Boots multivit anyway? The only substantial difference I feel with the Boots one is being more alert in the afternoons when I take them - that be the Ginseng or the B Vits I guess.

I guess the difference in costs counts for the amount used/excreted and the balance is flushed away - which would make my decision to go with the myprotien one.

According to a sport trainer/scientist friend of mine you get more than enough vitamins from a varied diet. Minerals are a different matter and I've been told by more than one trainer that Gerolsteiner bottled water has the highest amount of minerals and salts of bottled water.

According to a sport trainer/scientist friend of mine you get more than enough vitamins from a varied diet. Minerals are a different matter and I've been told by more than one trainer that Gerolsteiner bottled water has the highest amount of minerals and salts of bottled water.

Probably but remember RDA is normally a minimum so you don't get scurvy, rickets etc. A balanced diet has got to be more interesting through variety than taking a pill anyway?

Sure, if you don't have a job that often means skipping meals, or at least a lunch of petrol station sandwiches topped off with an athletic training regime that hammers your bodies resources.

And yes, I do try to carry fruit, organic fruit bars, make good food choices when in motoway services stations and no I don't defer to Big Macs and crisps.

Vit A is which is why you should never eat a polar bears liver.

Good to know...

Surely this is cheaper:

[url= http://www.boots.com/en/Boots-Pharmaceuticals-MULTIVITAMINS-6-MONTHS-SUPPLY_1296475/ ]Boots Multivitamins[/url]

A balanced diet has got to be more interesting through variety than taking a pill anyway?

Yes but they aren't exclusive. Kryton's not suggesting he stops eating proper food and lives entirely on pills now is he? 🙄

I've been trying to kick myself out of winter depression and generally feeling shit (seem to have had successive colds since October, possibly not helped by having yellow fever etc jabs for an Africa charity trip).

Last 3/4 weeks I have dug out the blender and a typical morning smoothie is 1 or 2 bananas, a handful of kale, handful of spinach, cup of water and then flavoured by a combination of 2-3 items or frozen and/or fresh fruit/veg that might include blueberries, raspberries, carrot, beetroot, broccoli, mango, pineapple, kiwi, apple etc and sometimes a couple of spoons of decent yoghurt and I often pour a serving of porridge oats in there too. I have this with my usual breakfast of brown toast and honey or a scrambled egg and a coffee (weaning myself from a double shot down to a single 🙁 )

I am normally very anti-supplement but I have also started taking some glucosamine tablets from costco and picked up some cod liver oil tablets yesterday (£19 for 400 days worth). The former as I have joint problems from injuries and the latter as I am not eating as much meats including fish (hence the cod liver oil). They might be a placebo, they might not be, pretty much impossible to say but we will see how it goes.

On a plus side I have found that I am eating smaller portions later in the day but craving more fresh veg in those meals.

basic metabolic support supplement

😆

That's quite funny.

Seriously dude... I think you might be taking everything in life a just bit too seriously. Chill the funk out. Your body is perfectly capable of supporting itself metabolically.

Trust me, it really is. (I'm a biological scientist)... 🙂

You need to believe. Will paying more give you a stronger belief that the supplement is doing you good? Will paying less put doubts in your mind?

you get what you pay for

Is sometimes true and sometimes not but even if only placebo I think it is important that you believe you are benefitting.

On a plus side I have found that I am eating smaller portions later in the day but craving more fresh veg in those meals.

I'd read that essential fatty acids help suppress appetite...

"Sure, if you don't have a job that often means skipping meals, or at least a lunch of petrol station sandwiches topped off with an athletic training regime that hammers your bodies resources."

Shirly if you were serious you would take your lunch from home so you knew you were getting good fuel for your "athletic training regime"

I also take Omega 3 fish oils to support my heart on a precautionary basis since I was diagnosed with eptopic beats

I too have e[b]c[/b]topics. I wasn't aware of omega 3 doing anything for them but a brief search shows that the results are mixed:-

http://www.livestrong.com/article/497020-can-fish-oil-cause-an-irregular-heartbeat/

I think any supplement pales into insignificance compared to the trigger factors of tiredness, stress, caffeine and alcohol. You will probably find one of those is the dominant cause - in my case acohol which is why I more or less stopped drinking.

I'd read that essential fatty acids help suppress appetite...

I don't follow