http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle ... scientists

I used to take them because they were so cheap, but they've been lying in the cupboard for months now. Anyone here take them?

I take one multivitamin tablet every morning. Even if it does little good it's unlikely to do any harm and the cost is minimal - literally pennies a day.

People often self-medicate. I know. I'm just as bad. But I know my diet is crap. I hate oily fish so take fish oil capaules. Net result? I can sleep solidly and wake up refreshed. If I don't, my sleep is disturbed. Walnuts have the same effect so I've switched to that instead.

Vitamin C. Not sure about this. I take it and take around 1g a day. As long as I continue to take it, I'm fine. If I stop for more than a few days, I seem prone to regular coughs or colds. If I continuously take the vitamin, I seem to be immune. Not sure why. Not sure whether I need to take it continuously.

Anything else I think I'm fine with.

Vitamin D is a contentious issue and I'm finding more and more people are classed as deficient. The question is: are they deficient or are the parameters incorrect?

I've never taken vitamin supplements and I'm nearly 45 *shrugs*

The only scientific, proven result of taking a daily Vitamin C tablet is a very slightly increased risk of death.

That means that they either do nothing at all, or do you a little bit of harm.

UNLESS you are deficient in a certain vitamin, and for a modern diet, that means an extremely bad diet, most probably you have not eaten a single vegetable or piece of fruit for months.

I used to take them many years ago. I stopped when I worked out what a scam they are. If you eat a normal healthy diet you do not need them, unless you have a reason to take supplements such as pregnancy. I have not had a cold for decades.

When I was exercising a lot then I used to take 1 multivitamin a day. Nowadays nothing

I'm D deficient, and my bones consultant has recommended - prescribed indeed - 1000iu a day.

Otherwise, I don't take any supplements.

Deficient? Or just a bit low? I've been putting Vit D deficient patients on something like 50,000iu once a week for eight weeks before switching them to high dose maintenance.

No, you're right. The blood test showed D was low. It's all part of the early onset osteoporosis I have.

And why didn't he suggest spending some time in the sun?

I used to take A LOT of Iron tablets (ferrous sulphate), combined with vitamin C to help absorb it and painkillers, all on prescription. It was not fun.
I'm better now

It's not enough. For the average person to get their daily requirements of Vit D from the sun, they need exposure of face, neck and arms between the hours of 1100 and 1400 for approx 30 mins (if Caucasian, otherwise it's 45 mins). It's down to the wavelength of UV light. Now weigh this up against the potential risk of melanomas.

So 30 minutes in the sun is a bigger risk than the vitamin D deficiency?

Depends if you want skin cancer or not I guess