Berocca, anyone?

[sarahsarah]

Water does wonderful things for us yet few of us drink enough of it. I do try to keep informed about supplements and eating well, but it can be difficult. I know the basics never really change but there's such contradictory advice on so many things, sometimes you don't know what to do for the best.

I wish someone would write a short book or pamphlet entitled "Eat this, take these" containing information which was agreed on universally. Meanwhile, while I wait for that, I will just keep trying to make the most informed choices I can.

Right, I am off to have a glass of water! Xx

[Sparkle1984]

I must admit, I am confused about why some of the ingredients are well over 100% of RDA. I was surprised about that the first time I read the list of ingredients on the side of the tube. However, if all the excess gets removed from the body, I don't understand how it can be dangerous?

[steveo]

It's dangerous in the same way that our bodies are over working to get rid of what it sees as a 'waste product'. By constantly bombarding our bodies with too much, it can go on to cause problems.

It's just causing unnecessary work for our kidneys. Urine should never be that colour!

[Sparkle1984]

Is there anything you would recommend instead of Berocca? The main reason I chose it is because it's soluble and I don't really like swallowing ordinary tablets. I used to have the Boots own brand vitamin tablets, but they were massive and I often used to have trouble swallowing them, so I didn't buy them any more.

[steveo]

I wouldn't recommend vitamin tablets.

There hasn't been a single bit of research out there that shows they benefit us but infact, there are a handful of professionals that say they do more harm than good.

Alot of people guiltlessly take a vitamin tablet daily to make up for what they might be lacking in their daily diet.

Unfortunately popping a synthetically made vitamin doesn't do that. You'll be surprised how easy it is to get your daily quota of vitamins and minerals from fresh fruit and vegetables.

I recently bought a cheap juicer (£30). I go off to the local fruit and veg shop or farmers markets as it's cheaper than supermarkets, and pick up 3 full carrier bags of fresh fruit and veg for well under a tenner, and pop alot of that in my juicer for a lovely fresh juice. So not only am I getting well over my daily quota of liquids, I'm also getting more than enough fresh fruit and vegetables and all the wonderful vitamins and minerals that go with it.
Vitamin tablets don't make up for this.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/ar...es-health.html

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/talking_point/2097492.stm

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/0...n_1510985.html

http://scienceblogs.com/scientificac...ins-dont-work/

There is some reading material.

I also have a great quote here from Web MD - Vitamins and other dietary supplements are not intended to be a food substitute. They cannot replace all of the nutrients and benefits of whole foods.

"They can plug nutrition gaps in your diet, but it is short-sighted to think your vitamin or mineral is the ticket to good health -- the big power is on the plate, not in a pill," explains Roberta Anding, MS, RD, a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association and director of sports nutrition at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston.

It is always better to get your nutrients from food, agrees registered dietitian Karen Ansel. "Food contains thousands of phytochemicals, fiber, and more that work together to promote good health that cannot be duplicated with a pill or a cocktail of supplements."