How do 'Multivitamins' Work, and are They Actually Useful? | Food Unwrapped

Kate Quilton heads to a lab to find out how multivitamins are made and in what circumstance they're even intended to be used in.

Food Unwrapped Season 6 Episode 13

Our team of intrepid presenters (Jimmy Doherty, Kate Quilton, Matt Tebbutt, Helen Lawal, Andi Oliver, Amanda Byram and Briony May Williams) travel the world uncovering unusual, intriguing and surprising secrets behind the food we eat.

[MrDDiRusso]

Of course the vitamin maker is going to say his product is good.

[Pacheenee]

"but do we really need them?" Proceeds to ask guy who loses his job of its a no

[Jwwwwwww]

Maybe next time ask a nutritionist or a scientist????

[danielpalma]

You don't need to take multivitamins if you have a balanced diet. What happens is that your body will simply get rid of the excess.

[dougwhite]

That was rather fluffy. Give the other point of view. What else is that guy going to say?

[SPMSPM]

Didn't answer your own question from an independent source!

[Tuxedoz]

Yes, and the crack dealer will tell you crack is fine and necessary.

[kazzagreen]

They're only good if you're actually deficient.

[techtitanuk]

I do cos I work so much I can't eat a proper diet so I supplement

[nissanmaestre]

Supplements are basically a waste of money, unless you are medically diagnosed with vitamin/nutrition deficiency or prescribed by a doctor. Any excess vitamins will basically excreted and will not utilised at all by the body.

[santallum]

I have got it into my head that supermarket fruit and veg is low in nutrients
I worked in horticulture for many years, I know how its produced
Plant food doesn't contain all the minerals we are told we need for a start
So I take one or 2 multivitamins a week "just in case" .... and nibble a few wild herbs

[abbeyroberts]

I only take omega 3 tablets love watching these 💕

[ftswarbill]

So if they are made from bacteria does that mean that all alcoholic beverages can be called a vitamin also? "Thompson are you drunk!!!!. No Boss I took 8 shots of vitamins before work". :D

[fridgemagnet]

Heard this great analogy, at a building site if you dump a ton of cement, let's say far more than I'd needed it won't improve the building process just create more work to remove this cement.

Eat a varied diet, try to incorporate greens and you won't need any supplements. Exceptions of course.

[joenk]

I usually forget to take my vitamins so I just eat handful when I remember. Pretty sure they're snake oil or I would be seriously ill

[axem.]

Focus on good diet rather than taking multivitamins. Rather take individual vitamin D and K which actually do have an upside.

[a]

What a fail. If they are going to ask somebody if multivitamins are useful they have to look for a neutral 3rd party, not a multivitamins maker...

[leafster]

fish oil and minerals are usually good to take for most ppl

[ethimself]

High quality supplements including Multi's are a very good idea for everyone. Edible plants of every description including Organic have vitamin and mineral levels that are down 30% in the last 60 years. Much of the Organic is mono cropping with modern practices as opposed to Sustainable farming practices. As well, supplements are specifically used to treat or prevent many disease processes. Not many people smoke these days - but if one eats a decent diet and includes 200 - 400 mcg of a quality supplement this will will reduce the lung cancer rate down to Non Smoking Americans, these studies go back to the 70's at least and some to the 50's. There are many many other examples. If anyone is interested - Functional Medicine is far beyond most Allopathic Medicine of just treating the symptoms with prescription drugs

[Enclave.]

I take vitamin D but I'm in Canada and if I don't take it then I'm going to be deficient in it during the fall and winter. The rest? Don't need it if you eat even remotely properly.