I am 24 and extremely healthy but have been reading a lot of articles in an old stack of mother earh news about the absolute necessity of vitamin supplements in one's diet. The two that stuck in my mind were B17 which I have never heard of and massive amounts of Vitamin C as a must? Before I run to the Health Cottage for a bottle I would like to inform myself on which Vitamins I really need and also how much of each. I also insist upon food derived vitamins rather than synthetic if there is such a thing? Please mentor me with your Vitamin wisdom! Thanks for anything you can share.
Vitamin B17 (known as amygdalin or laetrile) is a farce. It's marketed as a anti-cancer compound and a vitamin, both of which are lies. It's actually metabolized into hydrogen cyanide which is poisonous. It's basic function is breaking down complex sugar, which the human body already does well-enough on its own. Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is good to have and is fairly non-toxic (being a water-soluble vitamin), but it's also one of the most common vitamins found in food these days. It's beneficial for those with some health risks (ex. smokers are recommended 200% RDA instead of 100%) or in cases of illness. I've only heard megadosing of Vitamin C (<%1000) might be helpful in cases of illness. Unless your diet is terrible from such things like completely cutting out food groups and/or eating one type of food for long periods consistently, vitamins generally aren't necessary. Contrary to popular belief, you don't need to get 100% RDA EVERY day, only once every few days would suffice since the body is capable of storing some vitamins and minerals.
Damn! Thanks IGemini for the awesome information! Are there any vitamins that can heighten senses and/or increase energy the way only MJ can do for me thus far? I don't understand the fact that MJ takes me to a completely different sensory level that say taking certain vitamins or eating certain foods cannot begin to mimic??
It doesn't really work that way...otherwise people would be using vitamins to get high. You'd probably want food/vitamins that improve energy and neural health, especially B-vitamins like thiamine (B1) and pyridoxine (B6), and omega-3 amino acids (specifically α-Linolenic acid). In foods you find these best in lean meats, fish, nuts and whole grain. If you decide to take supplements, like everything else, moderation is key. Read the labels. Just because I listed a few nutrients that would serve your purpose doesn't mean you should eat a whole lot of those foods. The body is a complex system and excessive amounts of some nutrients can interfere with the absorption of others. Lots of multivitamins also include nutrients that the body is capable of synthesizing on its own.