Multivitamins: Are you pissing your money down the drain?

Nutrilite introduced the first real multivitamins way back in 1934. By the 1970s, multivitamins had become a staple of the American diet, replacing "an apple a day", for many households. One of my earliest memories is taking a brightly colored character from my Flintstone's vitamin bottle, and promptly sticking it up my nose.

Countless studies on the use, abuse, pros and cons of multis have been carried out over the years. Often with contradictory conclusions. Do they prevent cancer? Can too many cause cancer? In short, you can probably find and convince yourself either way. That's not what this article is about. I've set out to discover if taking them is a waste of time and money. Every afternoon, when I see my too brightly colored urine in the toilet, I have to wonder: Am I just pissing all these vitamins down the drain?

Perhaps this money could be better spent.

Rich Froning, 3 time winner of the CrossFit Games, was quoted recently in Outside magazine as saying, "You should be able to get all the nutrients you need from your diet. I take protein and amino acid supplements, but I honestly don't know if they do anything."

This is precisely where I am at. In my goal to get as fit as possible, I cleaned up my diet, drink protein shakes and pre-workout mixes, started twice a day chondroitin for my aging joints (which I've found doesn't seem to do anything), Omega 3s and, of course, the multivitamin. After taking a handful of pills everyday for years, I began to wonder if they were really helping all that much.

My answer: Probably not.
The reason: I probably get all I need from my diet.

The CDC recently reported that more than half of Americans take a multivitamin or other supplement. Most studies show that most people who take them are healthier. But the reason is not the vitamins, but more likely the people that take them. Healthier people are typically the ones who seek out that little extra. If you're reading this, you are probably not gobbling down a greasy McBurger and swilling a beer. More likely you've gone for a jog or had a hard workout within the last day or so. And, odds are, you also take a multivitamin or some other type of supplement. Not because they make you healthy, but because that's what heathy people do. As Nutritional Epidemiologist at NIH, Regan Bailey put it, "It's almost like the people taking them aren't the people who need them."

If you eat fish 3-4 times a week, do you really need to take that Omega 3 supplement? Probably not. If you hate fish and won't eat it, should you take it? Probably wouldn't hurt. If you eat lots of fruit and vegetables, do you need that multivitamin? Probably not. If you eat like crap, do you need it? Probably.

My daily dose of pills, not long ago. 

I'm trying to cut out the pills and go as natural as I can (I'm forced to take some due to medical reasons). I stopped the chondroitin and noticed no ill effects in my joints. I'm phasing out the Omega 3, as I eat quite a bit of seafood. The multivitamin is also on the list, since I cram in fruits and vegetables everywhere I can. The only thing I cling to is my protein shake. I do so because it's a full serving (or more) of fruit, it's really the only way I get any milk in my body, and of course, the protein. If I can get my head wrapped around a solid breakfast (I'm lazy in the mornings), maybe I can phase that out too. That's the goal. Baby steps.

Reasons to keep taking that multivitamin or supplement:

• Poor diet
• Lack of sun or milk (vitamin D)
• You've been advised by your Dr. to do so
• You figure it can't hurt

Reasons to stop it:

• You have a varied and balanced diet
• You get sun
• You'd like to go more natural
• You'd like to save some money
• You hate taking pills

As for me, I'm focusing more on the food and less on the supplements.