Overtraining

[CL]

I disagree with the advice to take a multivitamin - have a healthy diet instead. Chemical vitamins are different from natural vitamins and there is no evidence they benefit healthy people, indeed there is some evidence of harm, particularly in smokers. If tests show you are vitamin deficient then you need to find out why, rather than simply replacing what is missing.

Good luck doing The Great Lakes Run - it could be a bit wet!

But Mike on the beetroot thread you told us you were chugging concentrated beetroot juice in an attempt to boost your performance. Not only that but you also advocated to a forumite to take fish oil capsules. So you clearly aren't just a 'have a healthy diet' person as you believe in taking supplements on top of a normal diet.

As far as vitamins and minerals are concerned I don't believe a low dose multi vitamin and mineral tablet is harmful even in healthy individuals. I also don't believe they are necessary in individuals who are getting all the nutrients from food. For some individuals though they are necessary. I know because I've seen the transformation with my own eyes. Recently a friend went to the doctor, yet again, about chronic fatigue caused in the past by excessive exercise. Whilst there he asked him if taking vitamins would help. The doctor said something to the effect of " there is no evidence to show they work." Anyway he did agree to run some new blood tests and when the results returned they showed a low folate level. Even at that point the doctor still didn't advise the taking of a supplement because he'd already stated his views on them and couldn't be shown to be contradicting that even if it meant the patient suffering for an unnecessary period. When he told me I advised him to 'nip it in the bud' and get some folic acid tablets. He took them and after a short period miraculously recovered.

I almost couldn't believe it. A little mineral like that could have so much influence. It's all well and good telling athletes to get a healthy diet but often they won't/can't. I find this true especially with vegetarians and others that don't like meat. For those people supplements are a useful addition to the diet to ensure they get the vitamins and minerals they need.

One last point. All vitamins and minerals are chemicals, regardless of whether they occur naturally or are man made. They have also been used for decades to overcome deficiencies and are very potent in that respect. The research about them in healthy people has been contradictory for ages. For instance I did read that each cigarette smoked utilises 25mg of vit-c, implying that smokers need more, not less, vit-c. Of course reading and believing are often different things and what one individual believes isn't always what another one does.