Do Multivitamins actually do anything?

D3struction@lemmy.world to No Stupid Questions@lemmy.world – 223 points –

I’ve gone back and forth on taking a multivitamin since I know my diet isn’t all that great. Ideally I should be working to improve that diet but let’s say due to certain circumstances that’s a bit difficult at the moment.

Would it be worth taking a 1 a day multivitamin to at least correct some possible deficiency or is it very unlikely that it would have any effect?

Not asking for professional medical advice or anything, mostly looking to see if anyone else is taking a multivitamin and if so why?

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I look at them the way Voltaire looked at going to church. To paraphrase (going from memory here), "If heaven exists then by going to church every Sunday I've saved my soul, if it doesn't then I've only lost a few hours every Sunday." Multivitamins are cheap enough that I can take them on a "just in case" condition.

This is not a good way to deal with anything.

Think of them like a seatbelt then. I have no intentions of benefitting from a seatbelt and over several decades of driving, I haven’t had any use for one. I’m still going to wear it “just in case”

This is simple (opportunity) cost/benefit analysis and is an excellent way of dealing with most things.