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Western Medicine: “Supplements have no clear benefit and might even be harmful”

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More Misinformation from Western Medicine

On 17 December 2013 the Annals of Internal Medicine published an article that states: “Multivitamins offer no benefit and are possibly harmful.” The article is based on three separate trials.

Based on that report, Forbes published the article “Vitamins Lack Clear Health Benefits, May Pose Risks.”

CNN has this response to the story, “Are multivitamins a waste of money? Editorial in medical journal says yes.”

NPR chimed in with this article, “The Case Against Multivitamins Grows Stronger.”

Undoubtedly, such a story will be widely circulated due to its sensationalistic ability to sell papers and increase page views on websites — and subsequently advertising revenue. According to Google News, hundreds of other news outlets are reporting on the story.

My Real-World Clinical Studies

My own clinical studies (using myself as a subject) show that proper use of nutritional supplements can assist with lowering blood pressure, maintaining blood sugar, reducing cravings, increase energy, and promote weight loss. So, in this case, my own real-world personal experiences and clinical studies will win out over the claims of a medical journal.

Proactive Malpractice

An intentional propagation of misinformation, such as telling people their supplements are worthless, will undoubtedly result in many people ceasing to take their nutritional supplements. Clinical studies demonstrate that this will lead to illnesses and conditions that require costly pharmaceutical drugs and medical procedures. Perhaps this is why the healthcare industry is promoting such misinformation — to intentionally cause thousand of people to become sick, thus turning these people into thousands of profit centers for the sickness industrial complex.

Common Sense & Scientific Results

It’s fairly easy to identify the failings of the study reported by the Annals of Internal Medicine. Here are some examples of why and how taking multivitamins can benefit your health. These are tests you can perform at home.

  • Vitamin D. If you are deficient in Vitamin D, chances are your health practitioner will recommend a supplement because your current diet and lifestyle don’t provide you with the Vitamin D required by your body. Once you begin to take the Vitamin D supplement, subsequent lab tests will demonstrate that your levels are increasing and at some point should return to normal. You’ll need to continue supplements because the conditions that produced a deficiency in the first place haven’t changed. An undiagnosed and untreated Vitamin D deficiency can lead to depression, lethargy, obesity, muscle aches, weakness, muscle twitching, Osteoporosis and other conditions.
  • Vitamin B. You can easily test this theory on your own. Take a vitamin supplement that contains safe quantities from the Vitamin B family. Most people will feel a noticeable boost of energy. This is why natural energy supplements and fruit drinks often contain B Vitamins to produce an increase in energy. This energy increase can result in a more active lifestyle and boosted metabolism. To the person who is intentional about benefitting from this energy boost, regular walks and additional exercise will have other health benefits as well, besides the extra energy.
  • Multivitamins and Hunger. Here’s another test you can perform on your own. Start taking a high quality highly absorbable (high bioavailability) multi-vitamin. Track your hunger through the day. It’s likely that your brain will interpret the broad spectrum nutritionals as meeting your body’s needs and you won’t have the same hunger as if you were deficient in some area.
  • Iodine. Many people find they are iodine deficient. When an iodine deficiency exists over an extended period of time, it can lead to undesireable thyroid conditions. A simple and inexpensive in-home iodine test can determine if you’re deficit and help replenish the iodine level in your body.
  • Black Tea. Most coffee shops sell a form of Chai Tea Latte that has black tea as its primary ingredient. This provides an energy boost without the adrenal fatigue and damage caused by coffee. Using Chai Tea Latte as a supplement can help give you energy that keeps you active during the day.
  • Vitamin C. According to WebMD, “A recent study published in Seminars in Preventive and Alternative Medicine that looked at over 100 studies over 10 years revealed a growing list of benefits of vitamin C.” (source)

Summary

Thousands of independent studies and decades of research along with common sense and personal testimonies affirm that nutritional supplements are beneficial. Targeted supplementing, by taking the nutritional supplements specifically needed for your own unique health condition, will of course be even more helpful than broad spectrum indiscriminate supplementation. If you’re blindly supplementing without knowing your own body’s unique needs, then you may very well be wasting your money. The best course of action is to partner with a wellness practitioner who can prescribe the appropriate supplements for your condition.

By Greg Johnson

Greg Johnson is a freelance writer and tech consultant in Iowa City. He is also the founder and Director of the ResourcesForLife.com website. Learn more at AboutGregJohnson.com