Multivitamins Then and Now

It was a decade ago when I was still in my 40s.

We actually were at a party talking about usual things – weather, kids and diets, when a friend’s wife asked me what vitamins or supplements I was taking. 

-      None - I said innocently, - Why should I?

-      Everyone must, because we do not consume enough nutrients with food.

I made an attempt to explain that for that reason I tried to eat better.

She was not convinced,

-      Oh, you are just too young to understand it, but wait until you hit 50! Believe me, you won't feel good unless supported by vitamins.

This I could not argue.  At that time 50s seemed to me like a still distant milestone and I was not sure if after it people do not fall apart.

Being obviously considered eccentric I had suddenly felt uncomfortable and tried to change the subject... 

Now I see a lot of information supporting my point of view. In fact, this posting is directly inspired by the article by Sarah Mahoney "Should you kick the Multivitamin habit?" (http://health.msn.com/medications/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100265403&gt1=31053) that I recommend to everyone. It confirms the point 100% and explains its aspects much better than I ever could.

What puzzles me is the fact that I knew it then (for additional proof see “The Compulsive Liar”).

In all honesty I cannot remember what made me so settled on the issue when practically everyone around thought differently:

It could be that the concept of eating chemical-laden food and compensating for it by consuming more chemicals seemed double flawed to me.

Or maybe, I was afraid that constant artificial boost would distort my bodily warning signals. So, I would feel OK when I  actually wasn't!

And being unable to trust my body I would become the doctors' dream patient - the one who has no other choice but to completelly rely on their judgment and obediently follow their recommendations.

To this I could never agree.

Back then at the party I was too shy to share my concerns.  Now these very concerns have become pretty much common place.

Or, have they?