Do I/we really need to take a multi vitamin?

[SakuraBlossom]

Everything I have read says I now need to take a good multivitamin as my body will now be lacking this and that.

I absolutely HATE taking tablets and unfortunately I now have a stash of them. I am taking SJW for anxiety (which is brilliant by the way), magnesium and 2 multivitamins a day. I have ditched the Black Cohosh as had mixed views on this.

I have a very healthy diet and it is very varied. Do I need to take a multivitamin now I am peri-menopausal.

My Doctor told me to take Vitamins D in the winter and calcium. There seems to be too much info around and I am confused.

I do think most of us need vitamin d and I also take magnesium and ferrous fumarate. Not convinced I need anything else. Would keep an eye on ferritin and iron levels as we need ferritin to be a lot higher than the levels the NHS are happy with - if only to try to prevent thinning hair.

My opinion is 'No'. I think the advice is well-meaning but it's rarely written by doctors or dieticians- usually journalists.
The thing with vitamins is they should fill any gaps in your diet. I have never taken a multi vit. The quantities in most multi vits are tiny and the whole marketing of them is based on fear ; ie 'You NEED these'.

When I was 51 I had a peri-meno MOT with my consultant and all levels of everything were fine, including Vit D levels. There is some controversy about the 'normal' levels being set too low however.

I have always taken calcium (Osteocare) which is a blend of calcium, magnesium, copper and Vit D. This is because I was dairy-free for years due to intolerance. I am now eating dairy but if I have a day when I've not had much, I will take 1 Osteocare which is 400mgs.

I have also started taking Vit D but not religiously. The advice is that everyone should especially in the UK where we have little sun.

I've never ever had a blood test which showed anaemia so don't take any iron supplements even though my red meat intake is minimal ( once a week at most.)

Calcium supplements have been shown in some recent research to contribute to hardening of the arteries and increase risk of stroke and heart attacks. The jury is out on this! There is no evidence that taking more than you get from your food has any benefits.

I try to eat the foods that I need to get the vitamins- so, a daily small avocado for Vit E, a few almonds and walnuts each day (for the same), fresh fruit and veg (Vit C), whole grains (Vit B) oily fish (Omega 3) eggs, lentils and dark greens (iron).

Thanks for the comments. I think I am going to ditch the multi vits when I finish this bottle.

I agree that unless you fall into certain categories ( eg over 65, absorption problems with gut, dark skin etc), that most people can get most of what they need from their diet - which is the best source.

Re Vitamin D - the advice I believe, is that everyone should CONSIDER whether to take Vit D (in winter), not that you should definitely take it. We should all get out into the sun from March to October and eat a very good diet too - with oily fish etc. Maybe a fish oil supplement but they are all so concentrated. Also Vit D is added to so many things I think (cereals , butter spreads maybe? - I don't eat these!). People who are white/pale-skinned are adapted to make vit D at lower sunlight levels ( ie as in UK) than darker skinned people (more adapted to higher sunlight levels) - who most likely will need to take vit D possibly even in summer (depending how dark the skin).

I do think we should all make it our business to eat a very healthy diet full of fresh ingredients and adopt a healthy active lifestyle so that we do not become deficient.

I'm in Scotland. Everyone here should take Vit D in the Winter. I swapped to a spray last Winter. Fab. 3000IU per spray.

Supplements cannot replace a clean diet and a healthy life style.
I take vit D, DIM, curcumin and sometimes magnesium and vit C but not at a daily basis.
I adjust my supplements to my daily diet and exercise. I also take some extra protein for gaining muscle mass.