Are Multivitamins a Waste of Money? 

RU-vid was just showing an ad on multivitamins for kid, and ur video pops up! lol

After being a long-time advocate for multivitamins, it was pretty difficult for me to come to grips with all the information I’ve read arguing against it. But, I think it’s important that all of us, especially if you have a passion for health and fitness, to always be open about changing your opinions even if they have been heavily ingrained to your personal practices. Oftentimes, people in this industry have a hard time letting go of their personal beliefs (myself included) and, in doing so, continue to deliver misinformation and potentially hurting their viewers, followers, and fanbase. There’s one huge lesson I learned from making this video: It’s okay to be wrong as long as you’re willing to accept that you’re wrong. I’ve learned to accept that I was wrong about multivitamins and I’m pretty sure I’ll learn to accept being wrong about other video topics I’ve covered. I hope that any of you reading this will find comfort knowing that I will set aside my personal beliefs as much as I can and simply let the research do the talking. In the end, PictureFit is simply a messenger of the science researched by the hard-working professionals in the field of health and fitness. The only credit I deserve is drawing weird, anatomically incorrect pictures. Keep on chasing those gains PFers! For science!

Taking multivitamins and eating junk foods thinking the multivitamins will be your "safety net" is just plain stupid

To be honest Multivitamins helped me so much... before start taking them i used to be sleepy all time now i feel much more energetic.

it depends

i take a multi with fish oils and shit when i start the day with my healthy breakfast because it gets you in a 'on track' mindset. so yeah ill pay $15 for a jar of the fuckers if it make me feel good in the morning ;)

Dude, it's called supplement for a reason. It is supposed to "supplement" your daily nutrition not replace it. Duh!

Whenever I was broke I would sneak a bottle of vitamins out of the local major chain supermarket. Helped me get through some rough times when all I had to eat was plain pasta

Supplements are a small part in a health lifestyle. A healthy diet and sleep are much more important. Think of taking supplements like doing well on a quiz for your class. At the end of the day, doing well on the exam, which is the diet and sleep part, is more important for your final grade.

How about Test-boosters? Make a video, everyone hit a like so he can see!

Bonjour Pardon my Spanish

"Ay Girl! Drop those Multi Vitamin pills. I can provide you the Vitamin D ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)."

My sports medicine doctor said that theres literally only 5 supplement that you truly need: Vitamin D Zinc Fish oil Magnesium Vitamin B12 complex

Conclusion: - Don't take cheap multivitamins with poor bio-availability. - Don't take excessive amounts (One of the studies he linked to used a whopping 400IU of Vitamin E. My multivitamin has 15IU) - Don't use multivitamins as a substitute for a healthy diet. - Take blood tests a few times a year to check up. As other have pointed out: Those living in the northern hemisphere need to supplement with Vitamin D3. And finally, due to soil depletion, the the fruits and vegetables grown today have less nutritional value than they had before.

Multivitamin pills and especially Vitamin D pills are important for people that live in the north, like Norway, Canada and Finland. Fact is that WE (im one of them) don't get enough sunlight in the winter, because of it beeing dark all the time and no sun shining. That means we get too little Vitamin D and need more from supplements. I agree that taking a vitamin D pill is then better than Multivitamin pills.

As a pharmcist i can confirm.

Rich Piana took vitamins too

you got it wrong bro: multivitamins are a INSURANCE to not get deficient!

Actually I use them to prevent any future deficiency and I always thought people agree with me. Very informative video!

do a video on test boosters also

sorry (hi for my engrish)

can i take your heart :)

Long story short, don't take bad multivitamins.

It takes 0 studies to know for a fact that a vitamin supplement will help if you have deficiencies and will not help if you don't. Obviously they should be recommended after tracking someone's diet and having him do blood tests. You went from a sweeping generalisation to another sweeping generalisation.

I take multivitamins as an extra, not an substitute. Regardless of all this info im still taking them... just in case. 😜

I do in fact take multivitamin and mineral each day, i dont do it for peace of mind or something like that, i do it because then i know, regardless of my diet, atleast some vitamins and minerals are getting into me. I dont neglect my diet cause of the pill, just an insurence not to get deficiencies which i dont want.

Hotel? Trivago

For example, magnesium oxide has 4% absoprtion rate. I stopped buying mv when I found out that. Bought magnesium citrate instead: more than 70%.

I've taken a multi on & off for years- mostly GNC's because somehow I was persuaded the quality was better than most. I've long doubted the value of all vitamin supplements, but always seem to resume taking them after going without for a few months. As you say, I generally eat well and the few blood tests I've had never suggest any low levels of nutrients. That $ could probably be better invested, but multis do seem to fill that "just in case" peace of mind- the very thing that makes them a $30B industry. They are probably better filed under psychology rather than nutrition:-) Thanks for another well-produced video!

As a GNC employee. We never old multivitamins on the basis that they would fix all of a person's problems or prevent death. We marketed them to help "fill nutritional gaps" in a person's diet. I typically would ask a person what their diet was like before selling it.

Picturefit, what about the nutritional demands of those on a physically demanding weightlifting or endurance training routine?

So the problem with multivitamins is the fact that you can get all macronuttients from a heathy diet? They're not at milagre levels of usefullness but i don't think they're worthless either.

The problem with supplements is company's put cheap and synthetic low bioavailability vitamins and minerals in multivitamins. If your body can't absorb it then it's not going to work. There are good brands out there just got to look. Use common sense too like you not going to find a good multivitamin at a grocery store.

I take them because for some reason it gets rid of my acne on my body.

I like your videos but I have to disagree you did not mention whole food-based vitamins which are totally different from synthetic vitamins

I knew this all along. I am a nurse by profession and I have observed that when patients are admitted, occasionally would a doctor prescribe multivitamins. Rather, they would require for a balanced diet customised for patient's needs. PictureFit, great video. Please make a video on immunizations, its benefits and side effects. Thanks.

my multivitamin addicted friend will still answer : it depends

Hell, you know that in medical School all doctors don't learn about Vitamins and their courses are very limited regarding that. They don't know many things about vitamins and amino acids, their researches are useless because Vitamins must be taken for reasons and in optimal doses to reverse the targeted condition.

One of the biggest issues with multivitamins is that they usually provide micronutrients bound to the wrong ions. Magnesium oxide, for example, is poorly absorbed by the body, but it's usually used for multivitamins.

Magnesium oxide might not be good for supplementing magnesium but it is great if you suffer from chronic constipation like I do because it softens the stool fast. As with any laxative, it can cause diarrhea if taken for a long time or at a high dose. I have noticed that with my gluten-free diet, the only vegetable, the only food really that helps with the constipation is carrots, lots of carrots. Of course, if I eat a lot of carrots, my stool gets orange due to all the beta carotene but it is better than being constipated. Increased water intake doesn't help with my constipation, nor do most fiber rich foods(all fruits, most vegetables, oats, etc.). Taking magnesium helps but, if I can, I want to find a long term, laxative free solution or at least a food that works like a natural laxative other than carrots. With a gluten free diet, that is going to be hard. I mean, yes, a gluten free diet means less intestinal inflammation which in the long term means less constipation. But I have been on this gluten free diet since August. Not all that long after I recovered from appendicitis, I started getting nauseous, gassy, and even dizzy and while I could explain the nausea(acid reflux), the other symptoms I couldn't explain. I then found out about gluten sensitivity and knew that the gluten sensitivity was causing every digestive issue in me from chronic constipation to acid reflux to appendicitis and a few systemic issues like dizziness and weakness. But yeah, the only things that have helped with my constipation on this gluten free diet are carrots and magnesium oxide. I have no idea how a fiber supplement is going to taste but I think it is going to taste bad and I don't like taking something that tastes bad(this is how come I fill my mouth with water before I take my medicine and it also gets it down my esophagus easier). And it is that soluble fiber that helps to prevent constipation. Grains that have gluten in them and thus I can't eat, are also rich in soluble fiber. Most fruits and vegetables have insoluble fiber but very little to no soluble fiber. Maybe I am just getting too little soluble fiber and thus my bowels are unstable(I can go from having diarrhea 1 day(from magnesium) to having constipation the next day and before, when I could eat foods with gluten, it might have been a month between stopping magnesium due to diarrhea and having constipation). Now some people that have gluten sensitivity can eat wheat again but only 10 months at the earliest after the start of a gluten free diet. I am thinking of going on this gluten free diet for 2 years and then trying to eat something with gluten to see if it was a temporary gluten sensitivity.

I completely agree with you, people just don't know when to take multivitamin. btw: Can you make a video about common deficiencies and when to supplement. Like in the winter it is smart to supplement vitamin D due to less sun exposure.

its really good that you corrected yourself with new studies, shows you dont keep your ego before sharing the truth....!

Isn't it weird that once you start hearing him breathing, even though you weren't able to hear it before, it only then starts to get on your nerves?

I just bought a multivitamin before watching this vid 😁

Most multivitamins contain folic acid, which is a synthetic form of folate, found naturally in foods. Evidence suggests that many people have a hard time absorbing folic acid and it can accumulate in the blood and cause health problems etc. Also, iron. Just because you have low iron doesn't mean you should take an iron supplement. One example would be that when you are ill, the body will deliberately lower iron levels in the blood as a way of starving off the infection. Having too much iron build up in your body can kill you.

Most people do not have balanced diets and that's exactly why multivitamins sell so much.

Thanks for sharing this important topic.

posted on my birthday thanks fam

Man I used to take these before exams n shit thinking I would have a better cognitive function😂 also my family take them and think it's important to take. This is a very eye opening video man good job on shedding light on this.

so...they dont work unless you have limited access to good food and have deficiencies? which means they do work?

Hahahaha the chocolate milk for gas was hilarious

I understand the waste of money argument, but I take a multi, Mega Men from GNC and haven't been sick for years. I get minor chest colds occasionally, but never get sick. I'll continue taking my vitamins.

not necessarily improves your health, might also affect reproduction system and other systems. I don't tend to eat lots of veggies so i take some, lol

Brought to you by BIG PHARM! Many doctors consume vitamins, yet they do not recommend them for their patients. The fact is, vitamin sales are putting a major dent in the drug business. Do your own research about vitamins.

Doesn't do much at all? Get real. I notice a big difference in my daily energy / alertness when I don't take my multivitamin, granted I admit my diet isn't the healthiest.. which is where the multivitamin is KEY.. the vast majority of us are not getting what we are required daily, this is where taking the vitamin makes a BIG noticeable difference... I also notice I stopped getting sick literally... I got sick one time last year... I take my one a day multivitamin every day now it definitely works it isn't a myth.

Still worth taking them. Organic form from sprouts only 5$. Super affordable and good to have for when the pantry is low and it’s time to refill the fridge/freezer. Otherwise no point, just need clean water source instead.

I was taking a MV with vitamin D for a year and then I got a blood test. My results showed that I had low vitamin D.

Let be honest here... we dont have balanced diet...

I love how you try to upload consistently, keep up the awesome work bro :D

not enough and most vitamins have minerals and vitamins that are poor quality in which the body will not absorb it. for zinc you'll need chelated or orotate form. Avoid Magnesium oxide it's the worst and makes you bowl movement more than u want to

this might be the best channel on youtube

Vitamins and supplements for the most part have a placebo effect. I don't recommend them and I don't take them either.

4:20 is one of the biggest reasons I buy vitamins. I can't afford to eat healthy, so I do what I can by buying vitamins and taking them with food for better absorption. I can't definitively tell exactly what areas they help me in, or how I feel different but I try to take them regardless. Also, skip pop/soda completely if you take this stuff. Soda will basically strip you and your body of that, last I heard.

That breaking bad reference at 0:43😂😂

Are multivitamin supplement worth the money? My Answer : yes. Why? Because it is a supplement.

You can't tell in most cases if you have a deficit, multivitamins simple ensure that you are getting your micro nutrients, no one takes them to prevent cancer or heart disease, people want to increase or ensure best possible physical and mental performance and well being especially on a diet or for physically active people or after injuries or illness

Just get your vitamins and minerals from smoothies and whole foods!

does chocolate milk really work as a good replacement for petrol?

who cares it tastes good

There are references with tables of how much each food contains of each vitamins as well as a reference table of how much one needs for a day. I tried to add this data up and it looks like getting enough vitamins with this data is almost impossible even with the most calculated and healthy diet. B9, E and K are especially difficult. Strange.

as a phranmacest I can confirm

Just simple Want to take multi vitamins go and have a blood test and observe which vitamin mineral deficiency your body has and then go for recovery of it .

After experimenting with my own diet and exercise, I am finding many of the things that the industry has been telling us is absolutely wrong, stuff like how much protein, what actual vitamins you need, how to actually build strength and muscle, and of course how to actually lose fat. If the S.A.D (Standard American Diet) had a little more diversity, there is definitely no reason to take any vitamins, but I am finding that for me, personally, its really difficult for me to get all my nutrients. Granted, I have actually blood testing done, and I know, for a fact, I have D and B deficiencies, so I think that helps me. I would encourage anyone, regardless of how they eat, to actually get the blood work done, just to see where they are at, and if they need any shoring up anywhere.

Great video, it got me thinking though... Might the demonization of processed food be linked with the false idea that we aren't getting enough micronutrients from our diets to help corporations sell multivitamins? Man, being a conspiracy theorist must be crazy fun.

i'm not taking multivit, but i do research and a good conclusion should have limitations on the research as well, other factors regarding the specific multivit you are referring to as well should be prompted and raised. Overall it just sounds like a sponsored video from another company, i'm out of subscription.

Do you think a placebo effect has a hand in this?

This is why I love PictureFit! Been here since the very begining and I'm glad where this channel is going! Bravo!!!

You can search about quelated vitamins and minerals, those vitamins came with some aminoacids what help the absorcion though the intestin.

You and this video deserve an OSCAR! Thanks for the profound and correct information.

I have been on and off about multivitamins. I take them, but then I forget. Sometimes I feel like I have more of a brain fog, lower speed and low performance at work despite eating and sleeping like I normally do. Often the only thing I can think that happened prior was skipping on the multivitamins. But even then Im not sure it is that. Especially since I take I big, mass produce brand of them. One a day Men's Pro edge.

At least it helps us getting missing micronutrients. No? :(

Do you not need multiple vitamins when building muscle 💪

First dislike

I live in Finland and I supplement with 3500 IU's of vitamin D during autumn, winter and spring. I also take zinc and magnesium. I eat a lot fruits and nuts!

Romans 10:9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. I

i take MV just in case i dont reach my required amount from food since i dont bother doing a blood test and knowing what i might be deficient in, a safety net you could say.

It isn't just simply taking supplements and craving for healthy life. It is a combination of eating, working out, plus, supplementation. That's when your supplements actually work. Otherwise, you can't just take those MV and still consume tons of shitty things to destroy you body such as cigarettes or drugs and stuffs.

I am not pro-multivitamin but this video is dis/misinformation. First deficiencies in US are high across population, the video wants to highlight a specific nutrient that might not rank as high as others. Second, putting chocolate milk in a car is harmful to the engine. Taking a multivitamin is in no way comparable by harm. Can you benefit from a multivitamin ? The answer is yes. It will be of minimal scope and not reach percentages displayed on bottle but lets remind ourselves that is why its called "supplement". Absorption rate is a problem and quality another but you can help some deficiencies with it. Its not a miracle pill or a do all...again it is a supplement. The video also started of talking about mortality. I don't take a vitamin to fend off mortality. I take a vitamin to improve quality of health/life while I am living.

I bet, you taking mv too lol

Picturedfit. Just as you were saying were saying when talking about one drop of gasoline, in respect to one drop of gasoline, I dropped out of my bed, with my lead leg dropped. Inflation is a bitch. Long live Healthy people wherever they may be to dominate us with their niche vitamin overload. I can say that taking UK vitamin supplement (despite taking what is commandant) has not helped my hyperhidrosis or anything I would Want To TAKE THE SUPPLEMENT FOR. just commented out of love for your channel. I sweat ,4x the Average Level, can anyone HELP, OR DOES ANYONE KNOW ANYTHING THAT WORKED. I SWEAT EVEN IN THE WINTER!!! PLEASE HELP!!!

ALIVE MULTIVITAMINS BUY AND THANK ME LATER , Jesus loves all aka Yeshua repent for kingdom heaven at hand

I agree with the topic of this video, however, the information here is presented very poorly. First video from this channel that I see bullshitting.

This is why I use quantum biofeedback to figure out my deficiencies and dosages...without guessing on my own. Every scan is accurate and faster than a lab draw 💯💯

Just buy whole food organic vitamins that don’t have synthetic vitamins in it

People most multivitamins are a scam, most companies use ineffective forms of vitamins for nearly all the vitamins For example: take two forms of calcium Calcium gluconate and calcium carbonate Imagine a pill for both these at 1000 mg Both would come at around 83% the RDA but it doesn't mention CALCIUM CONTENT in the form. Calcium gluconate has only 3% calcium while carbonate has 40%. 40% of 1000 mg is 400 mg so really you only get around 30%. Look for the most bio available forms of each nutrient

Well, I feel so much better when I do take multivitamins, especially when I work out

Don't most people know multi-vitamins are called supplements because they ADD nutrients that may be missing? It's only stuff like Garcinia Cambogia, CoQ-10, Fish Oil, Chromium, etc which promise to prevent diseases and improve health. Healthy people are better off getting individual vitamins specifically for deficiencies (based on diet or medical testing) but I still don't see the harm in multivitamins for those who don't eat enough fruits/veggies and basically consume too many "empty calorie" foods since they have a higher chance of being deficient in common nutrients.

They have their place, obviously when you take healthy individuals, by definition, they are healthy, hence, no defficiency at all, so I fail to see why they made studies on those persons. So yes, overall if you keep a balanced AND VARIED diet (key word is variety) there is really no need for MV's, obviously. HOWERVER, a lot of people are crazy about diets, diet this diet that, and most have come to terms that a hypocaloric "diet" will make you lose weight, but a lot of those people also make "crash diets" or simply make it hypocaloric but not varied. YET EVEN THEN the body isn't stupid, when you eat regurarly and varied, it will store most of the vitamins and minerals, up to a point, for example, if I remember from my classes correctly, we have in our livers up to 1 year of b12 storage (unless it's a pregnant woman but in that case there's folic acid supplementation needed, etc, basically I'm excluding this scenario since pregnancy is a huge drain on the body). So when are MV's needed?? Well they are needed when you choose to be in a hypocalorc state for too long, because I assume you control your caloric intake as you lose weight, hence you need less and less calories as times go on (to a point obviously). So you run into the risk of not only consuming the same foods over and over (hello chicken breast & brocolli everyday), but you will eat less and less and in a prolonged state of this there is an of running into deficiency. On the other side of the spectrum, there's for example, bodybuilding, and obviously the more muscle mass you build, the bigger you get, the more calories you need, and also more vitamins and minerals to keep up with it, although the need for the increased mass is minimal (unless you get gains from steroids), keeping up with a good diet in this scenario is more than sufficient. Basically, MV's fill the gap left by a non varied diet and "optimize your gains", thats how I view it.

Did Pharma pay you to say this? your video is misleading. it's called SUPPLEMENTS NOT REPLACEMENTS .. you need a variety of vitamins come from fresh fruits, veggies and meats from your meals. Multivitamin supplement is to cover up the little gap you left in meals.

This was informative but I fall in the people with low income category and can't always eat right so I take my multivitamin when I can. To get those nutrients. The commercials I've seen never said anything about "Curing all your problems " They usually say a multivitamin for nutrients you may be missing. I dont care if it only gives you 400 Iu out of 1000 and 2000 Iu .At least I'm getting some of those nutrients in me. Rather not at all. Your opinion on vitamins Is good but one sided. You probably can afford to eat a well balanced diet but for most people we eat on the fly and lives are very busy. So multivitamins are amazing.