Training & Nutrition - Too dependant on supplements?

Is there such a thing as becoming too dependant on vitamin supplements?
I currently take a multivitamin plus either an extra C or E and calcium every day.

I think the important question is whether the vitamin supplements are doing you any good or whether they are harmful. I think it is too early to tell for certain as the main benefit of taking multivitamins is the reduction in cancer rates which is a long term thing. Most studies seem to show a reduction in cancer risks associated with multi-vitamins. Some studies seem to show that multi-vitamins don´t make any significant difference and some studies even show an increase in some cancer rates associated with multivitamins.

It is difficult to say for certain as there is so much money tied up with multivitamins (and consequent pressure to prove that they are useful) but as far as I can tell the benefits of taking multivitamins seems to outweight any disadvantages.

The vitamins work a lot better better in their original form (boring old fruit and veg) however.

Well I don't do it to cure cancer or anything. It just makes me feel less tired and groggy.
I take it to provide an extra kick, not to substitute healthy eating.

hmmm, I take whey protein. It's just a "booster" to add some extra protein to my diet since I'm lifting weights.

I'm fairly sure I get my other vitamins from fruits and vegetables. I eat the 8+ servings of fruits and veggies recommended.

Well I don't do it to cure cancer or anything. It just makes me feel less tired and groggy.
I take it to provide an extra kick, not to substitute healthy eating.

I think this is just mainly psychological (but I admit I sometimes take them as well before a training session)- any healthy diet should provide enough vitamins without taking multivitamins

the main additional benefit I think from taking multivitamins above this level is that many vitamins are antioxidants and stop your DNA from oxidising. DNA oxidation is a bad thing and if the cell can't repair it may lead to permanent mutation and cancer.

So I'm delusional... :p

Check this out on vitamin E:

http://www.theomnivore.com/You%20Are%20Probably%20Taking%20The%20Wrong%20Vitamin%20E.html

I think taking the daily recommended doseage of vitamins is fine, but from what I've been told, there are some side effects of taking too many of some kinds of vitamins, and with other vitamins, if you take too much, you just pee it out. The best thing you can do is find out what the recommended vitamins are for your sex and age group, and you'll be ok. If you're feeling less groggy or whatever, it may just be a psychological effect... I don't think vitamin C and E are supposed to pep you up, but don't quote me on it either. ;)

Koffee

We are made up of the vitamins and minerals found in multi's. even though they are synthetic, they are 'natural' to our bodies because we recognize the chemical structure. Multi's and other more specific vitamins are designed to round out your overall health picture.
If you are doing everything else correctly, then you will benefit from these multi's, etc. Every positive study i have seen is well conducted. The negative ones are most often, fatally flawed, where a scientist or group wants to make a name for itself with the puiblicity that a negative campaign generates. Keep in mind that everyone is aiming to gun down all the science behind vitamins, but only a few negative studies make it to t.v. on the slow news days/cycles.

WE ARE dependant upon vitamins. That is called nutrition. We prepare our foods in bad ways (microwave, lengthened storage) that lessen the nutritional content of many foods.

Personally, i take a Vitamin B complex. I largely feel that the B vitamins act as cofactors that help pull the nutrients out of the foods that you do eat.
I also take Vitamin C 100mg twice a day (it is very water soluable) and a 400U vitamin E. I also take a magnesium & potassium tablet. sometimes i will add a zinc and/or selenium to round out my antioxidant regimen.

With respect to Vitamin E this very large, randomized controlled trial showed no benefit:

Effects of Long-term Vitamin E Supplementation on Cardiovascular Events and Cancer
A Randomized Controlled Trial

The HOPE and HOPE-TOO Trial Investigators*


JAMA. 2005;293:1338-1347.

Context Experimental and epidemiological data suggest that vitamin E supplementation may prevent cancer and cardiovascular events. Clinical trials have generally failed to confirm benefits, possibly due to their relatively short duration.

Objective To evaluate whether long-term supplementation with vitamin E decreases the risk of cancer, cancer death, and major cardiovascular events.

Design, Setting, and Patients A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled international trial (the initial Heart Outcomes Prevention Evaluation [HOPE] trial conducted between December 21, 1993, and April 15, 1999) of patients at least 55 years old with vascular disease or diabetes mellitus was extended (HOPE–The Ongoing Outcomes [HOPE-TOO]) between April 16, 1999, and May 26, 2003. Of the initial 267 HOPE centers that had enrolled 9541 patients, 174 centers participated in the HOPE-TOO trial. Of 7030 patients enrolled at these centers, 916 were deceased at the beginning of the extension, 1382 refused participation, 3994 continued to take the study intervention, and 738 agreed to passive follow-up. Median duration of follow-up was 7.0 years.

Intervention Daily dose of natural source vitamin E (400 IU) or matching placebo.

Main Outcome Measures Primary outcomes included cancer incidence, cancer deaths, and major cardiovascular events (myocardial infarction, stroke, and cardiovascular death). Secondary outcomes included heart failure, unstable angina, and revascularizations.

Results Among all HOPE patients, there were no significant differences in the primary analysis: for cancer incidence, there were 552 patients (11.6%) in the vitamin E group vs 586 (12.3%) in the placebo group (relative risk [RR], 0.94; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.84-1.06; P = .30); for cancer deaths, 156 (3.3%) vs 178 (3.7%), respectively (RR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.71-1.09; P = .24); and for major cardiovascular events, 1022 (21.5%) vs 985 (20.6%), respectively (RR, 1.04; 95% CI, 0.96-1.14; P = .34). Patients in the vitamin E group had a higher risk of heart failure (RR, 1.13; 95% CI, 1.01-1.26; P = .03) and hospitalization for heart failure (RR, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.00-1.47; P = .045). Similarly, among patients enrolled at the centers participating in the HOPE-TOO trial, there were no differences in cancer incidence, cancer deaths, and major cardiovascular events, but higher rates of heart failure and hospitalizations for heart failure.

Conclusion In patients with vascular disease or diabetes mellitus, long-term vitamin E supplementation does not prevent cancer or major cardiovascular events and may increase the risk for heart failure.