Will I be able to walk out of a clothing store now without setting off the alarms?

Ah, excellent, didn't we have an article that said almost the same thing about pet supplements and lead last week? Good to know that the vitamin and supplement industry doesn't hold humans to a higher standard than our pets.

But uhh, the article seems to neglect to mention quantities. And saying that California would require warning labels on 15% of tested products doesn't exactly say much considering what else they require warning labels on.

Soon I won't have to wear that heavy vest when I get my teeth X-rayed!

Why is it so hard to keep lead out of things?

@Kogenta: Probably because "the study results are by subscription only". Maybe they're worried they'll get in trouble for posting the exact info.

@Rectilinear Propagation: That should read "get". Why is it so hard to get lead out of things?

Wonder how this correlates with those studies that show people that take multivitamins live shorter lives.

My theory was people that take them are usually overweight, eat poorly, and don't get enough natural vitamins/fiber, so feel popping a pill will help out. So the multivitamin wasn't the cause of the shorter lifespan. But if there is lead in supplements...yeah, guess it could be the vitamins.

Seems to me that lead isn't the big issue here. The article says "lead-free may be an impossible goal because fruits and vegetables absorb lead from soil and water."

Isn't it much more disturbing that the supplements studied didn't contain the vitamins and minerals that appeared on the label?

Fortunately, I am not a fetus or a small child.

@David Anderson: And sometimes they contain too much. Overdosing on some of the vitamins can also be dangerous.

It would be nice if you listed the results, but alas...

"You must subscribe to get the full test results and ConsumerLab reviews and recommendations."

Thanks, but no thanks.

@Rectilinear Propagation: I think keeping lead out of things is hard because using leaded gasoline for so long (and continuing to use it in some countries) was actually a perfect way of dispersing small particles of lead over everything - soil, water, etc. And it'll stay there forever, so we'll keep ingesting it. And it keeps showing up in paint, because it's so useful. So we're perpetuating the problem, IMO.

Though maybe you already knew that... since you changed the question. Maybe someone knows why it's so hard to get it out of things? My experience is that anything contaminated (topsoil, paint, dust) is hazardous waste & all you can really do is dispose of it properly.

@HiPwr: True, but if you're a woman who may have a fetus in you at some point, it could be important. Your body holds on to the lead, and if you have a fetus, and it starts needing calcium, your body will also send over a certain amount of the amount of lead you've been carrying around. If you don't have a lot of calcium to give to the fetus or have a high lead level, the fetus might be affected.

@Saboth: I've heard the "no benefit against heart disease and cancer," but I've never seen any correlation posited with shorter lives. Can you point me in the direction of that?

Is it that hard for people to have an healthy and balanced diet ? there is no need for any multivitamins.

I don't think I would have admitted that much knowledge about Alanis.

I thought everyone knew Vitamin L was LSD. eh. Maybe it's an OC punk thing.

@floraposte:

This isn't the official study, just a quick link reportin on it:
[www.bupa.co.uk]

I've seen 1-2 other studies say the same thing about multivitamins, but IMO they are all dubious.

@krispykrink: Yeah, I really dislike the fact that the results are hidden behind a subscription link.

Also, it looks like *one* men's multivitamin and *one* pet multivitamin were contaminated with lead, not the whole shebang.

I might want to get my Kirkland (Costco) branded vitamins tested.

@oneandone: Not to mention that if there's lead in prenatal multivitamins, you're doubly screwed.

@oneandone: I want to suggest that the phrase "I have a fetus in me" become the new euphemism for pregnancy. It would be even better if this phrase were uttered while wildly rubbing ones hands about her abdomen.

@floraposte: Recent studies on vitamins show that antioxidant vitamins (A & E) reduce life expectancy, but D increases it. It wouldn't be very statistically rigorous to use a multivitamin as an experimental condition, since it contains so many different components. When I worked as a gerontologist some years ago, every inpatient oldster got, and was urged to take A & E. Now the recommendation is the opposite, and docs ask their patients if they're taking them, and if so, to stop.

Multivitamins and individual ones have been studied for their effectiveness in preventing transmission (mother to child and adult to adult) and seroconversion to HIV+ status, with mixed results.

@Beastage: Actually, yes it is that hard for people to have a healthy and balanced diet. Historically and across cultures, dietary want has always been a problem. In the modern Western era, the issues of want are those of nutrition as well as disparities in the availability of foodstuffs for different socioeconomic classes, not of sufficient calorie intake. Vitamins were identified and isolated exactly because people were ill, and scientists wanted to find out what components of foodstuffs would treat said illnesses.

Just yesterday I read a story about how the cost of healthier foods is a real obstacle in the U.S. and Canada. If anybody else has this recent article, post a link here. I believe this article reported on how to eat healthfully for less.

Lead: For stronger bones.

I wonder about children's vitamins? Are they reviewed by the FDA. My son's pediatrician is always reminding me to give him a daily vitamin.

@Saboth: Cool, thanks.

@Beastage: Even if you do get a healthy and balanced diet--which is actually a pretty tricky thing these days--you've still got all the various absorption issues to deal with.

Not that a multivitamin is necessarily a solution, just pointing out that even if you're lucky enough to be eating the right stuff that doesn't guarantee that your body's getting it all.

If you could buy... I'm sure they'd sell... Vitamin L! Makes all things well!

Lead it's like iron only with over 3 times the molecular wt. That means it's three times as good right?

@Beastage: Actually, there are those people who do eat balanced diets, but have to take medication that disrupts absorption of vitamins and reduces the ability to process fats. That would be my case, and multivitamins and supplements are important. I am a member of Consumer Labs, and rely on their information to give me a somewhat educated idea of what I should buy.

@ChuckECheese: Definitely. So much better than "women who are pregnant or may become pregnant" as the drug commercials say. The day that one of them refers to "women who currently or in the future will have a fetus in them" I will run out and buy whatever it is.

That is interesting to hear about the antioxidants. They seem a little fad-ish now (in face cream! In bottled tea!) so I'm going to avoid deliberately introducing new concentrated substances into my diet and keep trying to eat vegetables, etc. I'm content to wait and see what research says about it in a decade or so.

@Rectilinear Propagation:

My knee-jerk reaction is supplements are farmed out to the cheapest producer, then rebranded later. One guess as to where the cheapest supplements come from.

-hate to find myself thinking this way. but I do.

@Ubik2501: Yeah, I'm all for business and profit, but it just seems EVIL to say, "Your vitamins might be killing you, and you can't find out unless you pay us $29.95."

@jamiesue: The article on Sac Bee says that more than 300 children's vitamins were tested, and only four were lead-free: TwinLab Infant Care, Natrol Liquid Kid's Companion, NF Formulas Liquid Pediatric and After Baby Boost 2.

My pediatrician is always telling me to give my kids vitamins, too. On the assumption that ALL children are picky eaters and/or mostly eat junk. But I don't keep junk in the house, and we only eat out once a week, so between the carrots, apples, strawberries, whole grains, milk, peanut better, yogurt, etc., that my kids consume, I think they're ok.

@ChuckECheese: Could you cite or post the links to those articles stating that Vitamins A and E reduce life expectancy? I'm interested in reading those. I read something similar not too long ago. I then also read that the approach used in some, if not all, of these studies was basically guaranteed to result in an unfavorable outcome. The reasoning is that vitamins should not be consumed in isolation, unless being used for a specific nutritional deficiency. Vitamins and will cause nutritional imbalances if they are not used SYNERGISTICALY. The researchers'/testers' approach was flawed since they were trying to use these vitamins like "harmaceutical" medications. Therefore, it is no wonder that they got their results. Now, there is a bunch of scaremongering going on based on these rubbish studies. Big "harma" must love it.

Another point is that vitamins A and E are fat soluble vitamins. Too much of those and they will become toxic in synthetic form. Therefore, individuals must be careful about their intake of fat soluble vitamins like A, D, E, and K. Another thing is that patients should rarely, if ever, follow the advice of their doctors when it comes to vitamins. The large majority of doctors know nothing about vitamins or nutrition and are typically only skilled in pushing dangerous drugs.

I disagree that it is hard for people to have a healthy and balanced diet. More likely than not, the reason an individual does not have a healthly, balanced diet is that they have no desire to have a healthly, balanced diet. They have no desire to learn how to eat healthly and take care of themselves. They'd rather purchase highly processed foods of convenience off store shelves than purchase whole foods and take the time and effort to prepare healthy meals. I have a healthy, balanced diet. It's not hard. The transition (I used to consumer a lot of those convenience foods) was difficult at first, but then it's been all smooth sailing.

Also, while the initial cost of healthier foods may be higher, healthier foods are more nutrient dense and the nutrients are more bioavailable than those in cheaper, highly processed foods (where the nutrient content is stripped out and then inferior synthetic nutrients are added back in). Those more wholesome foods will also keep the consumer feeling satisfied longer, requiring them to consumer less food. The need for smaller amounts of high quality food (as opposed to large amounts of highly processed food) probably makes it a wash in regards to cost. Less food consumed, fewer calories. Fewer calories helps to beat obesity. No obesity, fewer health problems. Pretty simple. Too many people live to eat instead of eating to live.

@Saboth: Unless you have a vitamin deficiency almost all clinical trials have shown no benefit or trended towards harm especially with high doses. My favorite 2 are that vitamins block muscle repair and protect cancer cells from chemo and radiation.

@Righteous: This research is all over the internets. Just google "vitamin life expectancy" or some such. My own doc warned me last month not to take extra A and E. I told her about when I worked at a hospital and we had all the seniors on A & E. She laughed and said, "If they're still alive, we can tell them to stop." My doc is funny.

The socioeconomics of food cost, availability and nutrition are also not hard to locate. Start by reading the works of Marion Nestle, who has some of the most impeccable credentials there are in the field of nutrition, agricultural policy and public health. She is a big proponent of healthy eating, but she is honest about the obstacles people face.

All of your righteous comments about bioavailability and satiety overlook the fact that somebody has to be able to afford the stuff, and has to have the means to prepare it. Despite your logical sounding arguments, you rely on a facile blame-the-victim approach to nutrition. Blame away, but 1000 calories of apples costs about $6 and 1000 cals of milk costs about $2.50 at current prices (and going up) and 1000 cals of eggs costs about $2 also. These prices are higher if you live in a high-cost area (such as in an inner city) or you purchase organic. I can get 2000 cal of food from McDonalds for $3.

@oneandone: There is a decent body of research that says, for best health, eat whatever you want, so long as you also eat plenty of vegetables and fruits (raw and/or cooked). It's really pretty easy.

I've never heard of Consumer Lab before (and I'm an avid consumer rights reader). Having done an hour or so of googling I'm inclined to view their report with skepticism. While their results largely conform to what I'd expected and are consistent with other supplement studies I would have to see the actual data and methodology before I would consider citing this particular study. And I'm not interested in paying $30 to do so.

@ChuckECheese: I profoundly disagree with your statements. A food like apples are high in fiber. High fiber foods keep you filling full longer. You don't need as much. Therefore it is a wash or you are spending less since you are buying less. Additionally, what does somebody need to do to prepare an apple. Bite into it? What about a banana? Peel and eat it? Sure eggs must be cooked, but are you telling me that people are too lazy to do that?

Also, why must you frame up a victim? These people aren't victims. IT'S ABOUT PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY!!! I'm not proposing that anyone go vegetarian (with your apples comment). Milk...uh...that's OK for some folks, but I'm a proponent of avoiding milk for better health. Also, you eventually need food. Milk is not food. It's a beverage. Also, eggs are fantastic. A very nutrient dense food.

See, you are already defeating yourself in this argument as the foods you list, with the exception of McDonald's, is on the outside of the store and is not contained in the inner aisles. Also, you can go eat McDonald's every day you fool. It's your health, not mine. It WILL eventually catch up with you. Also, don't expect me to foot the health bill for the maladies (from all the sodium, trans fats, rancid vegetable oils, lack of nutrients, etc.) that you or these junk eating deadbeats develop from eating McDonald's every day. Eating properly, even if there is a higher initial cost, sure beats costly health care over the next 10, 20, 30 or more years. Your myopia is disgusting!

And again. Don't listen to you doctor when it comes to nutrients. Doctors have very little, if any, education during medical school on nutrition, vitamins, minerals, etc. One other thing, doctors destroy health.