Are multivitamins worth it?
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- Опубліковано 21 лют 2024
- If you're watching this video, you probably take some form of supplement every single day.
Do they actually work?
Do they improve your health?
Do they actually contain what they claim to?
Are there any dangers of supplements?
In this video, we take a deep dive into the world of supplements and look at the murky science of multivitamins to see if all the tall claims actually stack up...or if you're just wasting your hard earned cash..
The fact that I've had an AG1 advert before the video started is just fantastic.
Haha
I know, huh
@@DrKaran do an episode or a video on getting bloodwork done
Adverts typically are related to the video
I'm into dry fasting and the Jardiance (diabetes) ad is on before every one - like people into dry fasting have diabetes, LOL!
The only supplement I started taking (on doctor's advice) was vitamin D because tests showed I had deficiency.. which didn't surprise me as I've spent the past 20 years of my life working night shifts and I rarely get any daylight to absorb vitamin D naturally.
And you fit into one of those risk categories I mentioned - nutrient deficiency! Absolutely important to supplement then!
Same here
Same here but for me I was having problems like anemia , I do get sun or vitamin D but maybe because I run miles a lot and feeling tired and I don’t. Believe in vitamins before so never took anything . But after Doctor prescribed me only Vitamin D and keep drinking water and eat healthy that’s it. Means no sugar no fried foods .
@@DrKaran don't you generally take supplements when you are deficient in certain nutrient? The title is just wrong and clickbaity
@@sattesI think if you actually watch it then no. It’s excellent critique of the whole subject
I think any product that is intended to effect a person's health should be regulated, it baffles me that this is not the case in so many countries.
Absolutely agree
Well, I'm sure the doctor would also tell you to eat the odd apple or banana. That's purely for your health, like protein, fats, water, fibre. What level of regulation do they need? Prescription?
It's tricky. While it's still legal for homeopaths to walk our streets and sell snake oil in Boots, and the NHS have only just stopped using homeopathy themselves having finally admitted in 2017 that it didn't work and they were basically a bunch of quacks, getting into regulating supplements perhaps isn't the best use of time for a bunch of Luddites who sneer at STEM and can't comprehend why the solution to untreated sewage is to improve our treatment facilities, not not, well, just it into a solution of river water and sewage.
But yeah, in a perfect world we should just regularly test everyone for deficiencies so that the only money spent on them is either giving people supplements they need, testing supplements to see if a 'new' one does work, and testing people to see if they work.
"By definition, " I begin
"Alternative medicine, " I continue
"Has either not been proved to work, or been proved not to work
Do you know what they call
Alternative medicine that's been proved to work?
Medicine."
Tim Minchin
If we aren't going to pull all the levers at once, we have to pull the most valuable ones first, I'm afraid. The incoming lot looked at the health and economic benefits of investing in a new industrial revolution and said, 'Nah, this feels like it's coming out of my pocket, not everyone's great-grandchildren aka the Waterworld people. I don't want to spend this money we'd have to print.' That's how bright MPs are, which is why we need people like Dr Karran with a STEM background in parliament, not a bunch of feckless PPE graduates from Oxbridge (who you will find as both Labour and Conservatives in absolute droves btw).
Regulated how so? Like restricted?
They are overregulated in some areas and underregulated in others to maximize their profits. Thanks lobbyists.@@jonevansauthor
@@bobbarker5884 Regulated, as in, they need to complete rigorous testing to prove that the claims they print on the labels are legitimate. Likely most of the vitamin & supplement aisles in shops would be cleared out and gone, if they actually had to follow regulations
Dr. Karan pushing out the insanely quality content
I’m trying. It’s still not how I want it but I’m slowly improving and trying to make some good longer stuff for you guys!
@@DrKaranthis longer stuff is really nice
Yeah man just take your tylenol and covid vaccins, vitamin C is such a scam bro 😂
It’s called ai
As a med student myself, I’m sad that many doctors use their profession unfairly to advertise these. I’m not mentioning who, but I saw one in the beginning of the clip and I’ve always suspect this UA-camr for a while. I think to myself that is it so freaking hard to be a good doctor with honesty? But thanks Doc, you are one of the best doc that still shine hope for me❤
Thanks, a lot of these “doctors” are also not medical doctors and have never actually seen patients
I wish you would say who, instead of tip toeing around it
@@janelleg597 my guess would be Andrew Huberman
He’s not a medical doctor. He’s a neuroscientist. He does research, and teaches. His ‘doctor’ status comes from his PhD.
Th fact that you didn't mentioned anyone makes other think all of them.
In September 2022 I got a sleeve stomach. And during the appointments leading to the surgery the doctor told me that I should get a multivitamin supplement and I was suprised, since I knew they are mostly pointless. And the best part was, my doctor actually confirmed me with the knowledge I had, but for me it would be really hard to nearly impossible to get enough vitamins, so now I take just any fitness supplement and am probably one of the few customers they have that actually needs that stuff. For context, I am in Germany.
Now we're gonna take health advice from the guy with a sleeve stomach
the sleeve makes it difficult for your body to absorb micronutrients such as vitamins since a large surface area of the stomach is removed. the stomach is supposed to release enzymes thad aid in micronutrient absorption. the supplement is meant to help increase your body’s chances of claiming those much needed vitamins
@ArimaSenne1 I am a doctor and this is what we recommend and most GI surgeries that eliminate parts of the GI tract cause a loss of the ability to absorb certain micro and macro nutrients and vitamins because things get absorbed in specific parts of the GI tract so supplementation becomes necessary in order maintain adequate levels of those nutrients and vitamins in the body.
@@kpatelv607What was the weirdest thing for me, just take this complete bullshit product no one should ever take, but hey its cheaper than from the pharmacy. I actually needed to laugh, because I thought she was joking.
Thank you for sharing your experience. I hopw you are feeling better.
Dr. Karan, you are the best. Here is the problem though, modern medical practice is pretty archaic. I've lived most of my life with symptoms of Hashimoto's. Doctors would test my T3 & T4 find OK values and drop the issue. I took antidepressants for many years. I struggled with functioning under stress. It was challenging in so many ways. Finally in my sixties a doctor tested my antibodies and confirmed Hashimoto's, but since my T values were OK still no help. I know seniors have diminished ability to absorb nutrients. I've tried to find a physician who specializes in senior care with no luck. I got COVID three times. That definitely does some damage. Still no help from the medical field. I started into a multi front attack on the multi system problem. You can cast doubt on the herb/nutritional supplement field, but you can't get the medical field serious about enhancement and care of people's Health. We are left to our own devices.
I recently learned that thyroid issues should usually be managed by someone who specializes in it. Until recently, my levels were always normal”, however in 2018 they weren’t “good enough” for pregnancy & I had to start using levo during pregnancy. There was one midwife in the office who managed all of the thyroid issues & she told me that the “normal” numbers aren’t always reasonable & if you have symptoms (or are pregnant/ttc) that they strive for “optimal” levels.
After baby 2, my levels dropped enough to start seeing an endo.
Good luck with your hashimotos!
You need to find the UNDERLYING cause of your thyroid issues. It never just occurs for no reason.
My Hashimotos “specialist” treats lab values, not patients.
For doctors treating patients is a job to be done
They r not in it bc they hv some great passion for medicine and r on a mission to heal. Many doctors are physically sick themselves and know the limitations of their knowledge and skill.
I live with Crohn's disease and I have found that if I take a multivitamin especially when my Crohn's is worse I have a lot more energy than I otherwise do but I know I am more at risk of malabsorption (my disease has been managed through surgery) than most people. Supplements definitely have there place but not as widely used as they are
As someone with gastreoparesis i agree, i barely get to eat food, multivitamins help a lot
Same here. Currently on a low fibre diet so using a cheap aldi one a day multivitamin
Yeah i find this man strangely negative. He says he quotes numerous scientific papers debunking many if not most supps? Yes there's corrupt information in every field but there are sooo many scientific conclusions that prove a lot of supps do their job very well. Br sure though to take a natural organic multivit. Like new chapter. See if u can tolerate it. Chlorella really works as well and there are sooo many others. Its good to be cautious but to write them all of as another hoax is BS. And scientific studies dont always tell the whole picture. There are a lot of factors that make a solid Scientific study.
I have crohns too, used to be DEBILITATING.
Now I take x2 4000iu of vit D a day with healthy fat meal and a high grade multivitamin a day. My overall health is MUCH better in a week of doing this routine. I don't have flare-ups anymore as I avoid foods with tough fibre, dairy and spices/aromatics.
Have you tried carnivore? I've heard of many Crohn's sufferers putting their disease into remission by eating only meat. I don't have Crohn's, but I did have worsening GI issues that became life-affecting. It stopped when I switched my diet to carnivore.
lol right before this video starts there’s an ad for weight loss supplements.
Damn UA-cam
Get UA-cam premium, no more misleading annoying advertising.
@@Dalbayob69
The misleading ads are only the start. There are tons of outright scams being allowed to advertise!
😢😢
I got an ad saying "WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU LOST YOUR JOB TODAY!?"
(I don't even have a job)
@@Dalbayob69 You think I’m made of money?
Magnesium Citrate helped my migraines. I was getting brain pain after the migraines and thought i was dying. Dr prescribed them and new health level unlocked 🔓
Good for you. This is the purpose of supplements.
There are more stomach friendly versions of magnesium. I sleep way deeper when taking it
Magnesium helped my migraines too 😊
Helps my sleep. I take Epsom salt baths 2-3x as week regularly & take it by pill before bed. I have had 3 C spine fusions & I have read that spinal patients often have a magnesium deficiency.
Switch to magtein and Glycinate form. Much more bioavailable and less stressful on the stomach. Works wonders for sleep as well
As someone who is useless myself, this was very insightful
Why would you say that? You are valuable to God and to other people. Even when you don't see it. Be blessed my brother.
Keep your chin up, Son. Be blessed!
Made laugh so hard 😭. That's hardly useless
This gave me a sour laugh. Anyway being useless is admirable since nobody is using you
damn man, getting too real 🥲
Doc, in an era when only polar views sell, thank you for your super realistic and balanced presentation. For everyone out there who is commenting without having watched the whole vid carefully, doc is not saying that supplements are bad full stop. He said supplementing can be beneficial when there's a medically documented deficiency, when there is a factual reason to take a specific element. AND he's talking about the chemical elements and not just pills. For example true story I was low on selenium and my doctor prescribed me Brazil nuts rather than a powder in a capsule.
I need to get me a doctor like that
Bout 6 months ago I found out I am borderline anemic. Started taking iron supplements and vitamin C. It's made such an amazing difference and I never realized how much it affected my ability to run. Just always thought I was bad at cardio.
I only became suspicious because the 2 times in a 10yr span I tried donating blood, both times my iron counts were low. Bringing it up to my doctor and knowing menstruation cycles weren't in play because the times didn't align, I'm so glad she took my concern seriously and kept an eye on the blood results from a checkup.
I've probably had the problem since high school. Used to play softball and I was the slowest on the team, becoming winded faster. Being in my 30s now knowing, I'm so grateful having an actual answer. I've since learned it runs in the family on my mother's side, though it never affected her directly.
Women are often iron deficient. So if you don't eat more red meat, it'll get bad
Try to consume more red meat. Fixed my anemia, and now I have pretty much perfect iron levels consistently.
@@_________________142 this. you need heme iron, iron supplements are not very bioavailable and are known to cause severe side effects. They're low grade toxic, basically.
heme iron is primarily in red meat, liver, and blood. I used to be anemic nothing improved it or made me feel better until I started eating unreasonable amounts of red meat
obviouslyno like from the doc cuz your comment dint support his hate content spewing half truths and bs just like other toobers 😂
Get a vitamin panel screening. You can see if there is a need for specific supplementation.
There are people, especially in advanced age, which are badly deficient in vitamin D and/or vitamin B12; I don't understand why the GP never order a screening - even when a deficiency is evident. If everyone would be aware of their vitamin and minerals levels, they wouldn't get on supplements so easily.
Thank you Dr. Karan.
Greetings,
Anthony
They're included in a standard NHS blood test, you can practically ask for it outright. or pay for it yourself
The blood tests aren't good, there's several reasons for that but homeostasis is a main one, the body will drain nutrients from bones and other tissue into the bloodstream to keep a balance, which makes it so that a blood test will only show if BLOOD has the necessary nutrients, even if it is siphoning minerals from your bones to keep it that way, for example. A hair test is significantly more reliable, but it needs a lab that's good at it and used to it. A blood test might show that you have a copper deficiency, when your tissues might have too much copper instead.
I agree with Dr. Karan that you should not supplement unless you're at risk or have a deficiency.
The problem is that you might not be able to have a reliable test for whether you're deficient or not. Supplementing vit D in countries with less sunlight or if you stay indoors a lot is recommended (for example Finland, even if you were outside all day in winter, you wouldn't get enough vit D from just sunlight.) and if you for one reason or another do not have a balanced diet, then a multivitamin (which are not great, a lot of ingredients that aren't exactly bio-available to make them cheap.) is still useful, but you SHOULD get the nutrients from a balanced diet.
@@sudenluola2241 this is true. the tests often aren't reliable but it can at least earmark clearly problematic ones or dangerous ones. Ferritin and sodium status is particularly bad because you need alot of it and most is needed in cells not blood
I definitely agree, there was a study done by the NHS showing that most of the UK population is deficient in vitamin D, but this won't be solved until there is better education on the value of taking it in suppplement form over the winter months (and/or more fortified products available, especially for kids). Iron deficiency anemia is also a very common issue in women that you won't get tested for unless you actively seek it out, but the problem is many women don't seek it out because they don't really understand what it is. I think low level iron supplementation should be reccomended (and potentially offered for free) to all women of reproductive age because the idea that anemia always fixable through diet alone is such a dangerous myth when menstruation can pull far more iron from your body than is reasonable to replace through food sources alone. The number of women I know that didn't even realise what was wrong with them until their anemia was so severe they needed a blood transfusion is shocking - there's just not enough education on this topic many people don't even know how to recognise the symptoms.
@@sudenluola2241 correct. unfortunately some of the tests are not representative of health status but it's s start. ferratin and vitamin D are particularly bad
I disagree people should not supplement without deficiency. deficiency is an opinionated number on what is enough. sometimes this is enough to prevent known casual disease. but often this is not enough for good health
Hmm, it seems Pauling had a chronic case of Nobelitis. I prescibe him: 1 reality check per day
lmao
😂😂😂
I learned about “food groups” in school but that was about the extent of our nutritional curriculum… NO one told us getting “too many vitamins” could actually be a bad thing! So not only are we released into the world without understanding the extent of the vitamins and minerals our bodies need and where to get them naturally, but we are also unaware that these magical health drinks could be doing nothing for you at best, and harming you at worst. Thanks for shining light on this 🥇
Thanks for the great info, Dr Karan! As nutritionist and pharmacologist myself, so far from my own experience and many I observed, the "supplements" that may work for most in improving health and lowering certain disease-related blood biomarkers are these: High-quality fish oil (Omega-3 > 50% of oil content) in lowering triglyceride and/or LDL, Iron and/or B-complex (or Folate-B6) in relieving anemia, B12 for improving anemia and fatigue among Vegans, niacin/nicotinamide in lowering LDL, vitamin D3 for bone and mental health, berberine in controlling blood glucose, and glucosamine for mild joint degenerative disorders.
Thank you for this. From what I heard pharmacists are often better equipped than doctors to tell what works based on feedback at the dispensary.
Agreed! Get blood work to find what your are deficient in or areas of potential concern that can lead to other diseases or disorders as you mentioned. Then simply adding in the nutrients and vitamins that will help those health markers get better!
Personal example, I had low ferritin level thought it was iron. It was also my low MCHC, meaning my iron absorption was low. Solution? Increase my vitamin C to help with iron absorption. Did it and feel a huge improvement in energy throughout the day, no longer need naps!
I take omega 3 DHA & EPA based on algae. Pollutant free and sustainable. Algae is what the fish eat to obtain DHA/EPA.
Unfortunately there's been multiple systematic reviews showing that glucosamine has no effect on joint health/pain and is no longer recommended as a supplement by most major health organisations.
Great video! Very informative and approachable, and you’ve done a great job covering the topic fairly.
I was having extreme hair loss post dengue fever. Like clumps of hair every day to a point where I was afraid of combing or shampooing my hair.
I started taking Vitamin D supplement once a week post seeing a video on YTshorts.
Like magic my hair stopped falling.
I enjoy your media work, Doctor, and would love to see more of these long-form posts. I am into about a year of a whole food plant-based lifestyle and appreciate your posts along those lines.
More long form coming!
Your videos help a lot of people. 🙏 That was a great summary on supplements!
Ps. That yoghurt dish with the kiwi 🥝 look delicious 😋
Thanks for watching! Glad you enjoyed :)
Literally what i needed to see. Thank you Dr Karan! Loving your work
Welcome sir
Love the video. Would you please make a video about chyawanprash as well?
Good topic. Some suggestions: Don't wear black and sit on black chair in a dimmed room. With your beard only your face and hands stand out. Volume was also inconsistent - the main part feels louder compared to the first part.
Noted thanks!
My anecdotal experience with berberine (1g at night) is that I tried it for 3 months while doing resistance training and it seemed to stop muscle growth. I stopped taking it and with the same exercise routine and diet, muscle growth started again in about a month. (But take this with a grain of salt as my experiment is far from scientifically accurate).
I tried AG1 for a month with great initial results (increased energy, focus, motivation, descreased depression and anxiety), but eventually I replaced it with diet and more optimized supplementations and proper sleep, which had even better effect.
Interesting experiment!
Thank you for this informative video, I like that you went into detail about valuable exceptions instead of tarnishing all forms of supplementation with the same brush. However, I think the importance of iron supplementation for women of reproductive age may have been worth mentioning too as this is a very common condition not always treatable through diet alone (as its caused by iron loss through menstruation, rather than insufficient iron intake alone). The NHS also reccomends B12 and calcium supplements to pregnant women which I think is very important (as well as folic acid, but that was already mentioned in the video).
Couldn't agree more doc! And I like these longer form videos a lot 😊
More
Coming!
I'm a vegan Canadian who works indoors most of the day, and has a history of vitamin D deficiency, so I supplement with vitamin B12 and D. Literally everyday somebody tells me I should be supplementing with something else. People can't wrap their minds around the idea that I'm not supplementing with everything I can just in case. Just because I don't eat animal products doesn't mean I feel like throwing my money away.
Omega-3 are actually recommended for us, since it's hard for us to get good balance of omega-3 to omega-6, and ratio is important. There are vegan omega-3 oils made from algae.
Vegans and vegetarians may need to supplentation for iron, b vitamins, mainly B12 and vitamin d if the milk they drink isn't fortified with it. Most can get enough of everything else not to become deficient.
Didn't you just said you're vegan? It's not throwing your money away if you really need it. You're literally cutting out a whole food group from your diet, don't expect to not need any supplement to counterbalance that. You should make a blood test.
@@kirtash7922 Being vegan only makes me require to supplement B12, and maybe some omega-3. It doesn't make my body require 800% RDA of water soluble vitamin, since kidneys remove all above 100% RDA. AG-1 is just a way to make your pee extensive. Dr Karan actually even made a video about AG-1 and their practices
ua-cam.com/video/iNRd-bhHbFY/v-deo.html
@@kirtash7922 B12 and maybe omega-3 is all vegans need to supplement.
I do a fair amount of research before trying a new supplement, such as reading studies on what they do and in what doses, and what foods they’re found in and how much I’m already getting. I then aim to tweak my diet, but supplement temporarily whilst I work on that.
But, beyond that, I also experiment by testing one new supplement at a time for a few months (whilst tweaking my diet), see if I feel any different or notice any improvements, stop the supplement, again for a few months, and again see if I notice any deterioration.
There are a few supplements that I’ve observed differences with, such as vitamin D, vitamin K2, vitamin C, zinc, and omega 3 fatty acids. It’s really quite surprising just how much of a difference they made. I had a stubborn verruca for years that just wasn’t budging and a history with having to throw the kitchen sink at them to eradicate them… started taking vitamin C and it healed itself in a matter of mere months 🤯 I also noticed that it was harder for me to bruise when I started taking vitamin K2 and when I stopped it, I started bruising easily again. Omega fatty acids have also helped my skin barrier and I’m less prone to skin problems since starting that (I don’t eat fish, so that one is probably here to stay. Make sure they’re algae oil supplements, not plant oil supplements, if you’re in the same boat). There’s also been a noticeable difference in how often I get sick since taking zinc. I have a diagnosed vitamin D deficiency, so that one didn’t need much convincing, but I have noticed a general improvement in energy levels, immune health, and skin health since taking it.
If you’re vegetarian or vegan and over 25 years old, taking hyaluronic acid and veggie collagen supplements might be a good idea because you’re probably lacking in those in your diet and there’s some strong evidence to back their effects on skin. The only vegetarian (not vegan) source of collagen in food is egg membrane (specifically), which is possible to obtain in your diet, but it’s time consuming to peel the membranes, difficult to consume (I add it to scrambled egg, as it hides the texture), and I’m not convinced you can get it in sufficient quantities without consuming an awful lot of eggs each day. I would add that making sure you’re consuming enough protein in general should be a precursor to any collagen supplementation anyway to mitigate the body pinching the amino acids and using them for other things the body deems more important. But, collagen supplements aren’t just about the amino acids, they’re about tricking the body into thinking that collagen is breaking down somewhere in the body so it ramps up collagen production when it otherwise slows down. It serves a purpose you won’t get without supplementing (or actually breaking down collagen to induce the repair response).
It’s all trial and error, but pay attention and don’t just keep taking them indefinitely, hoping that they do something. Make sure that you’re targeting something specific to begin with. And work on tweaking your diet so that maybe you can wean yourself off certain supplements altogether in time.
oh cool. I strongly recommend adding non oxide magnesium, heme iron, and carnitine to your list of things to research.
these all I believe have profound effects within sometimes 24 hours of taking it. magnesium straight up cured insomnia for many of us apparently. carnitine has a steroidal effect and also helps balance male/female hormones in general. heme iron is the only form of iron humans can use. oxide based iron supplements are known to be toxic to doctors
everything listed can be gained through diet and sunlight. most of them are severely hampered by high carbohydrate diets. unfortunate but true
@@Mallchad Will do, thanks!
Can confirm that magnesium does make me sleepy, but wasn’t seeking that effect. My magnesium was combined with calcium and found out that calcium supplementation tends to be overkill anyway (vitamin D and vitamin K2 are the important ones) and is known to cause some harmful effects, so I stopped taking that one.
I would question if heme iron is suitable for vegetarians? I’ve been tested for my iron levels several times and never had anaemia, so not too concerned about getting sufficient iron in my diet. Iron fishes are a fun way to boost iron in cooking, though!
Will look more into carnitine, thanks!
@@spookylittlebat5208 Like I said, even for vegetarians elemental iron is not super usable and a little toxic, its not easy to quantify if it causes tiredness or immune system weakness and ferrtin test are aparently not representative of your actual iron status in cells.
Personally I try to keep my believes and idealogies seperate from nutrition and unfortunately a lot of things just have no obvious vegan alternative. Iron fish are a cool concept though.
Yes I believe calcium supplementation is overkill for most people simply hard tap water and dairy is enough. Without milk its a little more "risky" to get enough but easy to correct. But doesn't seem obviously harmful except in a diet rich in oxalates (which is in foods touted as healthy)
Good day o/
Amazing video Dr. Karan, very helpful. Please make a video on veg vs non-veg as well.
Thanks for a great video!! I was wondering about this the other day- glad I got my answer. Have you done a video on powdered collagen supplements? I’m curious to see if that’s also a waste of my money or if it’s truly beneficial.
That’s on the list - collagen supplements deserves it’s own video 😂
@@DrKaran wonderful! Thanks for all your hard work!!!
Can you cover in a future video for Perimenopause and postmenopausal and changes for vitamins intake? There is a lot of information like D, calcium, B vitamins ... but what's real and what's BS? BTW bought the ebook, on chapter 2 about the brain, great read so far and learning experience!
You're gonna give yourself a headache trying to study vitamind I'll tell ya.
long story short is if its found in an animal its probably at minimum useful to you if not mandatory nutrition. vitamin D must be D3 or reduce carbs to 0 and get some sunlight. B12 is ideally methylcobalamin, iron must be heme. magnesium must not be oxide, vitamin A must be retinol. all is found in fish and red meatanything else is not bioavailable and might buy be used by your body at all.
carnitine is the only thing I would look into for hormonal issues. as well as saturated fats so your body can actually make the cholesterol based hormones to begin with.
Amazing content, always rich in great practical useful knowledge! Your videos are the science version of a golden saying I've heard from a chinese old lady, that I took to life: "It's food today, or medicines tomorrow."
Thank you my friend!
Thank you so much for your content!
Its so good to hear you say that !!!!! I keep tell people but now can show them this 👏👏👏👏
Hmm when it comes to vitamins, I'm a little concerned about the Skincare industry as well. Using vitamin packed serums is being promoted extensively since the past 3-4 years, even those which are fat soluble like Vitamin A and E. What would be the ling term effects of this? @Dr Karan, a video regarding this will be appreciated. Thanks.
The skincare industry is wild. Takes advantage of people’s insecurities
Whats wrong with tretinoin?
Hats 🎩 off...
Thanks for being so eloquent ❤❤
Thank you!
Thank you, I love your content and have stopped taking most of the supplements that I used to do.
Keep up the great videos Dr! Halfway through your book - love it!
Awesome! Glad you’re enjoying it
What do you think of joint supplements like glucosamine, condroitine, msm, collagen mix? Are they worth? Thank you
Research does say it can help some with arthritis better than nsaids
@@springflowersofdistantdays thank you
The glucosamine, condroitin, & msm have no evidence in trials ever though many products with claims!!
They are suggested to be helpful in unknown ways for general health and healing. specifically taking about glucosamine and collagen. they are just meat derivatives. eat meat with connective tissue for collagen and bone marrow for glucosamine. for that reason I think Coleman is pointless. don't avoid meat and you'll get it
They have been worth it to me. Diagnosed with OA at age 24. Still have my original parts at 57. Have taken glucosamine for years. It definitely helps with my pain over time.
I’ve just started taking Q10 co enzyme, what are your thoughts on this? Apparently it’s been given thorough testing.
I'm glad that you came to your senses and changed your title. I 100% agree with you that if you want to improve your health, first start by improving your diet. But to say that supplements are (mostly) useless was just showcasing that your education as a doctor was woefully deficient in some of the benefits that proper supplementation can lead to.
You should watch the video where I go through specific indications for supplements. Most people do not need them. Prioritising whole foods will lead to most people getting plenty naturally. Also supplements sold in supermarkets or online are generally unregulated and can’t guarantee the concentration of doses.
@@DrKaranI would argue that on a typical American diet, deficiencies are more widespread than is thought and supplementation can help to offset this. Key minerals such as magnesium are purported to be depleted in our fields due to non-regenerative farming practices, so supplementation can be an easy and affordable way to improve this important aspect of health. For myself personally, a subclinical thiamine deficiency led to all sorts of IBS / SIBO related GI issues, and it's only been since I started supplementing with benfotiamine ~8 months ago that I've begun to finally notice lasting improvements in my bowel health. (EONutrition is a great resource on youtube if you are so inclined)
As for I'm not sure how tight regulation is in the States, but to my knowledge, in Canada there is enough random testing of supplement products by our government agencies that reputable companies maintain high quality standards and do not risk adulteration of their products as fines are hefty. The online supplement world is still the wild west as you point out, and people need to realize that saving a few bucks by buying a knock-off brand has it's downsides.
I have iron, B12 and vit D deficiencies. Sometimes all three or two and depending on the blood work results a prescription or OTC is prescribed. Even though I take supplements, I haven't seen a big difference like tiredness, depression, foggy, muscle ache, etc. I started feeling pointless to take them. I saw a doctor in YT teaching about the deficiencies and in all his classes I saw Magnesium has been mentioned as one of a co-factor. And that is what finally helped me to feel better. I take Mg once a week along with iron and B12 supplements everyday. I do see my doctor every three months, as I have hormonal issues. I agree that some of the super foods sold have high % of certain vit and minerals than needed.
Not sure if it helps to know but B12 works best when consumed with folate. And Vitamin D with K and Calcium all work together- and you can get D and K combined supplements and you can eat it with something with calcium like cheese.
Might be worth a look/running a blood panel to see if you could benefit from these too.
what do you think about n acetyl cysteine? i find 600mg daily helps make my mood swings less severe and really helps cravings
I got NAC since I had to get the jàb since its an antioxidant supporter etc. I will never stop getting my supplements
NAC is good but you need to cycle it. Take a few days off a month or it can cause similar effects to long term SSRI use
@@alphared4655what are the effects of long term use please? And by "cycling" do you mean alternate months of different time-spans of use/non-use?
Im so happy you are doing videos like this, you give me hope for doctors, sadly the wait times for nhs are awful so i have to go private, bye bye savings
Fantastic! Very like the lecture I used to give my college students every semester.
i do it bc my dr told me to take b12 since the levels were low and now it’s up to normal
Me too. But she said it had to be sublingual.
yes me too and doc said in the video it's ok if you have a documented deficiency. It's ok when there's a legit reason.
Ok, last comment then I stop ranting: there are some non-vitamin supplements that have very well documented effects, such as the anti-inflammatory role of curcumin or the effect of ashwagandha on anxiety. Of course, because of the absence of regulation, the long term safety data are largely missing and I think this should actually be the priority, generating good quality data with studies that are actually taking into account individual responses to supplements, rather than wanting to downplay supplements altogether.
Just add turmeric powder or even better, fresh grated turmeric into your food. You don't need to buy pills when you can just eat the food. And that way you also get the other benefits from each spice, vegetable, etc
@@alvareo92tumeric powder varies wildly in curcumin content and has the same risks if you’re taking it regularly. I’m quite happy with my 3rd party tested longvida.
@alvareo92 the problem is that natural turmeric, at doses where it would be effective as an anti-inflammatory, can be harsh on the gut (which can be a big issues for people with inflammatory gut conditions) and is not well absorbed. Some companies sell "optimized" curcumin, such as fermented curcumin, that they tested as better absorbed and tolerated. But that would be nice to formally prove that in independent studies.
@@alvareo92 but you can't add tumeric everyday to every dish.especially if you are not indian.
@@cmfrtblynmb02You mean to tell me you don’t put turmeric on your toast? Just kidding. 😂😂
Thank you for this. I am new to going to the gym and there just seems to be a lot of pressuring to take supplements. I just want to exercise with as minimal bother as possible.
Good video mate, and congratulations on the book! Take care. Vik
Thanks Vik!
Thank you for the information on supplements and also for your wonderful book. I HAVE A QUESTION....you talk about microbiome of the gut..what happens to this microbiome after bariatric surgery? If half the stomach is removed (or the food rerouted), does that permanently affect the microbiome? I would really appreciate if you could do a talk on this subject. Once again, many thanks for your wonderful presentation of the facts.
Nobody knows. the gut micriobiome is complicated and elusive. all the research says clearly it's it will adapt to your diet no matter what. so be consistent. for this reason you should be weary of people that say things like "x is good for your gut bacteria". it could just as easily be harmful and cause pain
I'm looking at you dr karan...
@@Mallchad Thank you for your explaination. It has been playing on my mind.
Excellent video! Thank you ❤
Thanks!
Thank you Doctor Karan.
Welcome!
I've only ever seen one product that ticks the box on all the pillars of health you listed. The fully paid version of Noom. I'm so impressed with the rest of the product that I continue to use their crappy food logging system that currently doesn't let you track macros like protein and fiber. I got the book on audible, kids fall asleep at night to your soothing voice. Who knows maybe they'll end up being doctors.
Found this really interesting and won't be buying any more vitamin supplements! (Apart from VitD) But what about glucosamine? Is this any good or just another gimmick? I've taken this for a while, convincing myself it's good for my aging joints ;)
Thanks for the information! I have an ileostomy (I had everything downstream of my small intestine removed when I was 16) I take a multivitimin and a super greens shake everyday because Im worried I might not get a nutriants absorbed without a colon. Do you think my fears are grounded at all?
Useful video!
Thanks! Glad it helped!
I use a multivitamin and some fish oil pills, these I purchase maybe a couple times a year if even that.
But its also important to eat your veggies, wholegrains, pulses etc.
The latter - hell yes!
Thank you for such useful information Dr.Karan !! Especially AG1, I was almost convinced by the way Andrew Huberman promotes it...
Oh god don’t get me started
I am trying to convince my partner not to get it and just add more fruits/veg to his diet...but he's a big Rogan fan--not sure i can get through to him 😅
@@kytastrophe-sorry right wingers are extremely stubborn i know this too well
Lol I had a subscription, and got 2 bags of 2 months worth and it was only because of how Andrew huberman promotes it, I love him he's a very intelligent guy and I guess I got fooled by when he says "I have been using ag1 before I got a sponsor, if there was 1 supplement I would suggest to anyone it's ag1" so that's why i got it.. i cancelled my subscription after this video though lol
@@dalekim my partner isnt a right winger though. we have been together 15 years and have always spoken against both the right and the left. neither party is on our side.
The Party War keeps us fighting amongst each other instead of working together to put adequate citizens in leadership positions...instead, we keep voting for "one or the other": those few that the lifelong politicians groom for years. they're fooling everyone and continuing to make the choices for us, all the while selling us on the idea that WE get to choose.
Thanks. Interesting. Can you do a video on whether our food has fewer nutrients than the food of the past? I have heard this claim for years.
Im often low on ion and was once low on vit D and after ny strong course of vit D told to continue taking it.
I eat a variety diet which includes lots of fruit and veg, but I noticed a difference in how i felt after i couldnt find the normal ion tablets i took and started taking multi vitamins with iron. Because of this i continued to take them. I do wonder if i dont absorb things correctly. I was also told my a nutritionist that due to how we farm fruit and veg we grow them too quickly and the turn over is too fast for the soil to get the nutrients it needs so fruit and veg dont have as much of the goodness it use too. Also they make them sweeter by how they select them for seeding.
Hey, as fas as I know, iron malabsorption through tablets is quite common. Usually iron injections/infusions are the answer.
My son and I ended up with very high B12 levels due to taking a multivitamin. I contacted the company and they didn't care, even though the B12 levels per dose were 2000% of the daily amount! It's hard because I have a chronic illness for which the GP is unable to do anything, so supplements are a tempting thing to try, but nowadays I research everything.
I am wondering what protein powders/ supplements you would recommend that will be healthy for the gut? I had major surgery on my stomach last June. I need more protein i lean towards not eating meat and also it's too expensive. most processed foods in my gut make me feel sick, so windeeed whst the lesst processed optiond sre. I cant eat beans either as oesophagus doesnt close properly
This is a great video! Informative and thought-provoking about what I put in my body. I just started reading the book "This book may save your life" and it is truly a humoristic and life changing book! A must read!
Thank you :)
I am having good experiences with amino acid supplements, specifically L-carnitine, taurine, creatine, and beta-alanine. As well as vitamin K.
I've had Lyme disease a few times (apparently getting it more than once is considered VERY strange) and one of the times I probably didn't get rid of the bacteria properly despite getting on antibiotics just one day after finding the tick bite (I find the tick because I get all the symptoms of early Lyme infection within a few hours of a tick bite).
So I read up on chronic Lyme disease or post treatment Lyme disease syndrome and found that it can affect the liver in a way, that makes it so that it doesn't properly syntesise those amino acids, and store and release vitamin k.
Since taking the supplements I have gotten energy, appetite, and warm hands and feet, as well as functional amounts of bleeding when on my period or in case of injury (before taking vitamin k I got a small scrape on my hand and it bled for like 4 hours...😅)
Please do a video on calcium suppliments. There's so much contradictory information about them, even from doctors. Do they support bone health, or make it worse?
I have had two surgeries in my small intestine, and now have serious problems absorbing nutrients, in spite of eating a very healthy diet with plenty of veggies in all forms and colors.
Just recently i was diagnosed with anemia and other severe mineral and vitamin deficiencies. I needed iron and magnesium infusions, and my vitamin D was at 3.
By doctor’s orders, I have to take vitamin D, calcium, iron, vitamin C, zinc, folic acid, and magnesium. I’m pretty sure I’m forgetting something.
I’m tired of taking supplements, but I don’t know if there’s another alternative.
First of all I love your book!
I recently stopped taking Magnesium glycinate because it gave me weird dreams… will magnesium spray oil for your feet will have the same effect?
I also stopped taking probiotics and have kimchi, yogurt, and yakult handy instead.
Try an epsom salts bath. The body will only absorb what it needs through the skin. No need to buy expensive mag sprays either.... mag chloride in water makes good spray.
What do you think of Bryan Johnson's longevity Mix?
Really curious to know your thoughts and this and his other capsules please?
I have breast Cancer and just finished with chemotherapy 8 sessions, and going to start with radiotherapy, because of the hormonal therapy I'm also going thru my doctor recommended taking calcium, and over that, I'm eating super healthy but still, I feel that maybe I need extra help. What would you recommend? is there some supplement that cloud help me? maybe folic acid or something? thanks for this amazing videos❤
@ Dr Karan
Are blood tests for vitamin/mineral deficiencies accurate?
Yes
No. they can only inform on blood status which requires the most medical attention. they regularly cannot inform on intracellular status and there isn't even a well researched rule for how much it each nutrient you need in your blood.
It is an okay starting point but do not assume a health problem is not nutrition related just because your bloodwork is fine
One of the things Dr. Karan didn't mention is that often the vitamins and minerals in food are better absorbed by the body when eating the whole fruit or vegetable instead of just taking the vitamins/minerals alone. Fruits and vegetables often contain other things the aid in vitamin absorption, so taking a multivitamin means that your likely peeing out even more those vitamins and minerals than if you just ate a normal and varied diet. Additionally, many people treat vitamins and minerals as if their body is a gas can, and the vitamins are filling it up (like taking a wide amount of supplements before partying for a weekend). However, your body doesn't really work that way, especially for water soluble vitamins. Taking a large does now doesn't ensure that your body will have enough in the future.
Seriously, unless you're pregnant or your blood tests show you are insufficient or deficient in certain vitamins/minerals should you taking supplements, and even then, it should be with the guidance of a medical professional.
Thank you for another fab video.
I only have one question. Where can I have tests carried out, to establish whether I'm deficient in any nutrients? My GP Surgery doesn't offer this service; perhaps for Vitamin D, but only if you're on your last legs!
Dr Karan, are you aware of any reputable companies that offer this service; and don't charge the Earth?
Many thanks in advance.
GPs have a general blood test which includes all of those things but may have to send you to a hospital. you can't ask for them persay but if you have health problems or are very persuasive you can get it. you can also pay for it yourself if you find the right NHS outlet
I'm not sure where you live, but where I live (Germany) the following options exist: First, you might be able to ask your usual doctor and pay for the test yourself if the doc or insurance doesn't deem it "medically necessary" enough. Second, there are independent labs that offer testing services directly to patients - anything from STI testing to vitamin testing to allergy tests. That you will also have to pay for out of pocket though.
Thriva
Brilliant video Karan!
Thanks Jack!
I only take a B Complex and Vit D supplement, but that's to help with chronic fatigue and mood. I'm also perpetually deficit in Vit D so my Dr said it's imperative so I don't develop osteoporosis at a young age (under 40)
I like this, honestly. I personally need supplements because I literally can't eat fruit because I have autism and fruit overstimulates me so severely. But this video is really great for people in general who don't have the same issues.
Fair enough
Much obliged, good doctor
Welcome
I think the answer really is complex and not so easily solved through finite difference studies. Depends on a whole bunch of parameters, a person's lifestyle, their income levels, integrated history of lacking said nutrition and the purpose for taking it. I think there are some on the market that are dangerous particularly high doses of certain vitamins.
Yep, if you watch the whole video I give a pretty balanced overview of supplements, nuances and caveats and certain indications for supplements.
Vitamin D long term (North UK & previous low levels due to sun Intolerance from being too fair) and I've just finished 3 months of folic acid from a low blood test. However, everything else would be expensive urine for me.
I take vit d but i decided to look on the bottle.
Is 500% daily recommended and i have been taking daily as that is what i had been recommended.
After a winter of this i got bloodwork done and i was told my values were good but ofc i dont know if they checked for too much intake by way of those other factors you mentioned...
I guess I'll contact my doctor...
Supplements I would think I may need is, Vitamin D and Omega 3 supplements.
But definitely eat a healthy diet, and the reason I say Vitamin D is because of lack of sunlight.
Omega 3 because alot of foods have too high Omega 6 to Omega 3 ratio.
What is your opinion on using Trulicity for weight loss? Is it effective or is it dangerous for your health.
I’ve got a video about weight loss injections! Check it out
@@DrKaran Thanks I will.
I started taking supplements when I started working out and running more. I fractured a hip running and one of the docs asked if I drank milk regularly. I told her cereal in milk is a favorite of mine even as an adult so she suggested I take a Calcium supplement. I take Omega-3, Calcium and a Multivitamin and I feel that is all I need. I once stopped taking Omega-3 for two months and my knees started hurting during squats so I started again. I feel like if you are not doing athlete stuff then a balanced diet should have you covered.
Take vitamin d with vitamin k2! Vitamin k2 is what puts calcium into the bones. Look into it.
I was always sceptical. So it’s nice to have it confirmed .
Great talk! However I find the looping background music distracting.
Can you make a video on how you should maintain your diet, sleep, etc. Like a whole day routine?
It's going to be different for pretty much everyone. The whole video is going to be "well it depends on x, y, and z"
There is no way anybody but yourself could ever figure that out for you. Everyone is completely unique. That’s why one really shouldn’t compare oneself to others or try to act like their lifestyle is so much better than someone else
WOW! Superb content, I do supplement with D3 monthly basis as I am indeed deficient, and don't get much sunlight.
Fair enough!
- I take a normal dose multi-vitamin, cod liver oil, B-complex and vitamin d everyday, because I am a day/night shift worker and rarely see more than a couple hours of light a day. As well as eating generally crap. While switching days / nights every few days.
- I take whey protein powder, when I'm going to the gym regularly, which is just expensive convenient protein. Along with creatine, which is proven to provide various positive benefits to muscle exertion(believe which ones you want, but I like the %10 in short burst performance papers.)
Good video, however I noticed the sound and the video are a bit out of sync, probably due to them being done separately.
How about collagen, and other supplements used by the fitness community?
P.S. Love your work x
Dr. Karan, can you please do a video of the benefits of taking sea moss.
Useful information ❤
Thanks!
I agree
However
As as person with ibs asthma and fibromyalgia a restrictive diet and chronic inflammation and pain… I take a multi vit and min a b complex magnesium citrate vit k 2 vit d and pro biotics. Mostly because blood tests show I’m deficient
So talking about the normative range of the population is good but certain supplements are needed
If you have specific medical conditions then you may need supplements
The definitions of “deficient” vary and it’s not necessarily scientifically rigorous. Yes some people may need them, but almost all people who are taking supplements are not nutritionally deficient
if you have IBS you probably shouldn't have citrate based magnesium it's a laxative and gut irritatant. your gonna need a lot more restrictive of a diet if ots still causing problems
generally low gristle muscle meat is okay for most people particularly with IBS. Most things plant based is bad particularly grains and fibrous stuff
unfortunately this leaves you with high fat low carb keto/carnivore but you're out if options. please ask questions if you need to know more
@@Mallchadsadly your total correct. I know how important Fibre and veggies/ fruit are but my guts really can’t handle much
I’ll try magnesium gluconate now. Thank you. Really helpful comment
@@scottessery100 Unfortunately I believe the science suggests vegetables and fruit are probably not food for humans either but what can you do, maybe the odd fruit... One study had a nearly complete remission of all gastrointestinal issues on a 0 fibre diet. even low fibre didn't help
Everybody I talked to or heard about had the same experience except diehard vegetarian that probably got straight up lucky with a tolerant mix of fibre and laxatives. I can't do it anymore I tried so hard. to follow the guidelines
I've been eating almost nothing but meat fish eggs and dairy for like 6 months now and nothing happened to me, in fact my health problems started to become much more manageable
Have a good day, and good luck
I took B12 and D3 supplement after blood test showed very low level of D3 (it was 12.06 ng/ml). Doctor prescribed me Lumia 60k once a week for 3 months and get it checked again, I got checked after 6 months and it was 66.4 ng/ml (it should be a little less but I just couldn't get time to get blood test done & someone who runs lab said if it was that less,then it won't get too high) and I have never felt happier in a decade (there were other issues but I think this too might be a reason). Surprisingly my brother and my mother too had B12 and D3 deficiency(surprisingly we live in India where sun is there most part of the year and it gets pretty hot) . It started with my brother's nerves getting weak and he fainted all of a sudden and his eyesight got hazy &his feet used to tingle all the time so after getting checked that came out and he was prescribed 8 shots of B12 and after that continue with capsules. He too got better. He was getting treated by a neuro specialist in my city. I just got my prescription after showing blood test in my hospital bcz I didn't have other issue.
Great video!!
Thanks!
I like the screen time app ad remake in the intro
Haha that’s exactly what I was going for!
excellent video! now please do the same for over prescribed prescription drugs with dubious benefits and tricky relative risk exaggerated marketing :)
I always have been sketched out by most vitamins. Only one I've ever taken is vitamin c, as I have a blood disorder that requires me to take iron pills, and my doctor told me vitamin c will help with the absorbtion of the iron. If anyone is curious, the blood disorder is thalassemia. It can be different depending on if it's major or minor, but I have minor, so I don't need things like blood transfusions, however my blood cells are shaped abnormally, so iron isn't always absorbed right (this is from my own knowledge and what I've been told/researched)
Any thoughts on supplements for things other than vitamins? I think melatonin is a hormone rather than a vitamin, for example, and those things have fixed a lot of issues for me, but I'm always wondering how much of that is placebo vs how much of that is science
I would say use with extreme caution and work on fixing any deficiencies. I used to use melatonin to sleep then I worked out I had a magnesium deficiency so I started supplementing for that and I no longer need the melatonin to sleep.
I take an iron supplement, especially close to my menses. I don't have a lot of red meat in my diet. It does help mitigate the utter lack of energy and feeling of "blah". Side effect though is constipation, so not an everyday supplement.