Dietary Supplements and Flying

[Doug Taylor]

Hi Doc!

I did a amateur 'health assessment' a few months ago and determined that I was eating like crap and not exercising enough.

So I started running again and also taking a dietary supplement in order to act as a dietary 'umbrella' of sorts as insurance that if I don't get enough leafy greens during my trip, that I at least have some of the dietary benefits.

Are dietary supplements (in terms of multivitamins) "snake oil" or something that's actually beneficial when you're not able to eat enough of the recommended daily allowance items because of travel?

[Maximillian_Jenius]

Dood...get an LA Fitness membership and we can workout me you & Kristie!

[My Flight Surgeon]

Probably will not hurt you unless you take them to excess.

The problem with dietary supplements and vitamin therapy is the lack of good scientific studies to prove or disprove their efficacy. Good trials should be well designed, double-blinded, and have large numbers of participants. Dietary supplements and vitamins are naturally occuring, thus no one can patent them --> this translates to no exclusive rights to manufacture or market them which then translates to no reason to spend $millions to do the research. Sooooooooooo, there is no good evidence they help.

Common sense would tell us that a multi-vitamin a day + calcium is good for you. (Remember, vitamins are co-enzymes that facilitate biochemical reactions in the body.) Anything more than this is not recommended and mega-dose vitamins can be harmful.

The real benefit of dietary supplements and vitamin therapy is to line the pockets of the marketers with a handsome profit.

Hope this helps. I know it goes against the "wisdom" of some personal trainers, etc.

[Doug Taylor]

Thanks!

[My Flight Surgeon]

Just trying to save you money

[jonnyb]

Thanks Doc, good advice. It's always nice to get it straight!