Are the Supplements You Take Worthless?

[DJ_KiDDvIcIOUs]

Recent studies have shown that many vitamins and supplements do little for our health and are a waste of money. This chart will make it abundantly clear how true that is.
In this brilliant chart by David McCandless from 2010, you can see a gorgeous visualization of how many supplements are actually helpful — based on scientific studies — and how many are basically nothing more than snake oil.
McCandless, writing on Information is Beautiful, explains:

This image is a "balloon race". The higher a bubble, the greater the evidence for its effectiveness. But the supplements are only effective for the conditions listed inside the bubble.
You might also see multiple bubbles for certain supps. These is because some supps affect a range of conditions, but the evidence quality varies from condition to condition. For example, there's strong evidence that Green Tea is good for cholesterol levels. But evidence for its anti-cancer effects is conflicting. In these cases, we give a supp another bubble.
​

Interesting

 

[KevanG]

I remember reading a study some time ago where they said, depending on the supplement, as much as 90% of the vitamins you take aren't absorbed in the body. Vitamin C and D are supposed to be the highest to be absorbed and many of the multivitamins have a less than 20% absorbancy rate.

 

[DJ_KiDDvIcIOUs]

Ya you pee most of it out, that's why if you do take them you need to make sure it's good quality

 

[Feenix]

It's better than nothing, but at the end of the day, the supplements don't do much.

 

[Anita18]

The most dangerous thing is that they aren't FDA-regulated, so you aren't sure what's ACTUALLY in your supplements.

 

[Warhammer]

I take fish oil for the hell of it, I guess. I know it's "supposed" to be good but I don't know why. I take Vitamin D supplements. I know that's not a waste. A doctor told me that it'd be wise for me to take vitamin D because since I'm half-black, my skin causes me to not absorb from the sun as efficiently. Also, I'm not getting too much vitamin D naturally either since I don't work outside. I don't do multivitamins, though. I feel as though my diet is good enough to where I'm eating what I need to eat for the most part.

And of course, all of my supplements aren't pills, but adult gummies. It isn't necessarily good for my teeth, but it tastes just like candy.

 

[KevanG]

I take a Vitamin C + D tablet every other day. I figure that a steady stream alternating days is just as good and it gives the body time to finish absorbing what it can before the next one.

 

[Piper Maru]

I just take multivitamins.

 

[Hal_Jordan]

They're not worthless if you like expensive pee.

 

[Teelie]

I posted about this two weeks ago and on one noticed.

 

[KevanG]

I noticed.

 

[Teelie]

But you don't count.

 

[KevanG]

 

[DJ_KiDDvIcIOUs]

I posted about this two weeks ago and on one noticed.

Ahh but you didn't include an info-graph, everybody loves those things

 

[Spider-Aziz]

This thread gave me a wonderful... an idea
Extract vitamins out of peoples pissing and sell them in tablets
Nothing morally wrong with that, is it?

 

[KevanG]

Not unless the Health Board catches you.

 

[Spider-Aziz]

Marijuana is approved for medicine
I can try to twist arms for approval

 

[KevanG]

I think the big problem would be the fact that it's mixed in with biological waste and therefore would be a ***** to extract safely. I'm not saying it can't be done as it has been but if you used improper safety measures then people could die. Just an FYI.

 

[Spider-Aziz]

Not hard to forget
Get sicker maybe, not instant death

 

[KevanG]

It depends how well it's extracted.

 

[Maximus One]

Piss won't kill you. It's sterile, least what I always read

 

[KevanG]

It may help sterilize, which is why it's considered acceptable in emergency situations for SOME things including Mustard Gas oddly enough, but it still contains waste products which can be harmful if reingested.

 

[Colossal Spoons]

Piss won't kill you. It's sterile, least what I always read

It's sterile in the bladder, but once it hits the urethra there's no guaranteeing it's sterility.

I swear by coconut oil, and it's delicious so I'm cool with it being in the "conflicting" category.

 

[DaRkVeNgeanCe]

One word....NO

 

[KevanG]

As for your one word, what is it referring to? The Supplements being worthless, them not being worthless, the whole pee thing or something else?