I’ve always thought multi-vitamins were a little bit useless unless you were sick. I thought that if I was eating enough fresh organic food then my body was getting all of the nutrients that it needed and I didn’t need to take a tablet to supplement it. I always thought that taking too many vitamins and minerals that your body doesn’t need had an adverse reaction in your body. Even when I had no idea what that adverse reaction was.
Well, it turns out I was wrong.
I watched this amazing documentary last night called Food Matters. It featured some of the top medical professionals and nutritionists in North America, Europe and Australia. These teachers taught me a lot of good stuff about food and nutrition. Including how good it is to take a daily multi-vitamin.
Where do we get our vitamins and minerals from?
Whenever I think of vitamins and minerals I always think of this TV commercial we have in Australia. It’s for the brand of breakfast cereal Nutri-Grain. Everybody knows that Nutri-Grain is packed full of sugar and is not good for you at all. But the commercial promotes the cereal as a ‘power’ food because it contains added nutrients. But can a food this sweet and this processed really be good for you?
Our body requires a certain amount of nutrients to function well (how it’s supposed to). The only place we can get these nutrients from is from the food we eat, and the only place the food we eat can get these nutrients from is the soil the food is grown in. So if the soil that your food is grown in is lacking in vital nutrients, then your body is just not getting what it needs.
It gets worse. If you shop at a grocery store, and buy non-organic food. Then chances are your food is already up to a week old (nutrients in food decrease with the age of the food), and chances are the soil the food is grown in is of poor quality, and chances are the food has been sprayed with chemicals and pesticides.
So really, you’re eating something that is old, lacking in nutrients and covered in toxins.
I don’t think I need to go into great detail about why eating this kind of food is not that great for our body or our skin because it’s obvious. If we’re not providing our body with what it needs to function properly, then of course we’re going to get sick, and it’ll very likely show on our skin with excessive oiliness or dryness, uneven skin tone, clogged pores and possibly acne.
So what do we do about it? Eat organic food if you can afford it for starters. To be honest, I don’t have a lot of money at the moment, I’m a traveller living on ‘the edge’. But whenever I can I will buy organic food. I’ve put good organic food as the highest priority in my life. I’d rather do something less fun tomorrow if it means I can eat good, healthy food every day.
And find a good multi-vitamin and take it. I’m in downtown Toronto today. I’m going to find myself a decent looking health store and I’m going to buy the best multi-vitamin in store. I’m going to support my body as much as I can by giving it what it needs.
The more I learn about health, the skin and acne, the more I realize how holistic it all is. It doesn’t work to just treat one symptom, like clogged pores or pimples. You must work on making your body healthier and stronger as a whole. The only way to achieve healthy, clear skin long term is to lead as healthy a lifestyle as you can. Eat well, take supplements, exercise and relax.
Fran
Fran Kerr is the founding editor of High on Health. To cure your acne, sign up to Fran's FREE acne cure mini-course or download her latest how to guide, Eat Away Your Acne.
37 responses ↓
Hey Fran,
Hope your enjoying your excursions.: ) But how do you decide if you should start taking multi-vitamins? If we do decide to start taking them how do we manage to stay on track with all this? I personally find that this will be a bit hectic having to remember to take a vitamin everyday while checking the ingredients on stuff,finding a good regimen,avoiding sugar,doing yoga and exercising.I mean, are australians equipped with all this extra energy to do stuff that people from the rest of the world arent?
hehe, Kevin I totally agree, sometimes it does seem like a lot work! Especially for someone like you who is still quite young so should be out there enjoying yourself.
I guess with this stuff, you can just slowly build it into your lifestyle and choose the parts that fit well with you and your body. My job is to provide you with all the information you need so you can then make your own decision on what you want to follow.
And you’re allowed to start slowly. I find that when I started to eat a little healthier, slowly I started to prefer healthier foods, until my diet got better and better. Same with yoga, I started just once a week, then after a few months it built up and up, and now a year later I’m doing it every day. But it did take me a year to get that far, and it’s not for everyone
Hi Fran!! I hope your skin is doing good with the wild canadian weather. Anyway I remember about a year ago when I was taking zinc,vitamin c and vitamin D or E (can’t remember!) my skin got really clear I even remember a friend telling me “wow Zack your skin is really clear”, But then I stopped taking them beacuse they were my parents and I was like “these are only for the older crowd” and I’m only 18 at the time but maybe I should just go the health food store and get a multi-vitamin to see if it helps again. Oh by the way Fran I know what is causing my acne. THE SUN! Yes the sun ever since I started completey avoiding it my skin has got wayyyy better and clearer. I know its the sun beacuse now that I look back I remember walking home from school when I was younger in very very very hot weather-over a 100 degrees Fahrenheit and my skin would completey break out but I mean really bad even on my arms. Then once I was inside in the air conditioned house about 2 hours later everything would go back to normal. Am I crazy or is this possible? Talk to U later! -ZACK
Zack, have you checked with your doctor or dermatologist to see if you have acne rosacea? Because sun is one of the contributing factors for that, a bit of sun can break you out big time.
Hi Fran! I was thinking of taking some multivitamins too, but I’ve been reading about some people who have actually broken out from taking these, even though they didn’t contain iron or preservatives that can aggravate acne. I don’t know what to think now. What kind of multivitamins were you thinking of taking?
hey fan…i read in some beauty magizen that vitamins are good for you skin ..i think a,c and something els ..
i realy found you site to be very usefull for a teen like you to get on with my life ..
but ive been useing a therapy called “water therapy” i think ..
its drinking water on an empty stomach..
its really been a big help for me…
hope you can check it out…and tell us more..
Hi Seema, you can buy multi-vitamins that are specifically for the skin, you could try those. Being for the skin I doubt they would break you out ..I saw a lot at the health store (I went to Whole Foods in Toronto).
I bought one that’s for women. It contains iron which I think I need being vegetarian. I think maybe people have broken out because some of them contain iodine, although it’s such a low dose that I doubt it. Maybe something else broke them out or they had an allergy? Either way it’s odd ..because vitamins and minerals are a really good way to make our whole body healthy. And a healthy body and a healthy system means healthy skin.
I’ve been thinking a lot about this lately so I recently made a trip to Whole Foods myself. I was completely overwhelmed with the choices but I found one that I am enjoying. Which brand and such did you end up with?
I’m thinking of also buying extra vitamin D because it seems the regular multivitamins don’t have nearly enough and it’s hard to get from food from all the research I’ve been reading, especially since I avoid the sun like the plague.
Hi Heather, I bought one from NewChapter Organics. It’s called ‘Every Woman’s One Daily’.
I’ve noticed since I’ve been in Canada that there is a big hype about Vitamin D here. It’s strange because in Brisbane where I’m from there is so much sun and so much UV that we’re scaed of the sun! And really with my fair skin I only need to be outside in the Australian sun for 2 seconds to get my vit D.
Hi Fran,
I started taking a highly regarded vitamin, mineral and anti-oxidant supplement over 12mths ago. I have found it hasn’t improved my skin at all, although I haven’t been sick once with the cold or flu since taking them, so that’s a bonus.
Interestingly, I recently started taking medication that reduces the levels of Oestrogen in my body - that has caused major breakouts in places I haven’t had acne since high school!
I don’t think multivitamins are usually necessary and I think they discourage people from eating well and trying to get vitamins from their actual diet as they should. Most vitamins like A, C, etc. are very easy to get your daily requirement of through food - just eat half a carrot and an orange.
The only one that’s pretty much impossible is Vitamin E (which of course is so important for skin). Not many commonly eaten foods are rich in E. Those that are have too high of a fat content (like wheat germ oil, or surprisingly almonds). That’s why I bought a Vitamin E supplement recently. But I think I’ll try to get most of my vitamins from diet… and maybe take a multivitamin a few times a week to get what I may be missing.
Also I’ve heard some multivitamins are too high in Iodine and that can aggravate acne.
Yeah Ana that’s what I thought too until I watched that Food Matters documentary. It makes sense though, that we SHOULD be able to get all the vitamins and minerals from our food but we can’t always control the quality of the food we’re eating. If I ate at home every day, and ate only farm fresh organic foods, then I’ll have a good chance of getting what I need. But that’s just not possible on a daily basis. If I eat out I’m eating non-organic food that’s likely depleted in essential vitamins and minerals. Minerals especially seem to be a big one, because we need to rely on the quality of the soil that the food was grown in.
If you’re worried about iodine you can read the listing of added vitamins and minerals and choose one that does not contain added iodine or a lot of it. My multi does contain a small amount of iodine but taking it hasn’t aggravated my skin. Actually my skin is healthier.
Hmm, I guess it’s really complicated
Hi Fran,
Welcome to Toronto!
I agree with taking vitamins for the skin. I have always taken a multivitamin (well most of the time). The one I prefer is called “Progressive” and you need to take them two or three times a day. This way your body gets a controlled amount throughout the day, otherwise the excess just gets sloughed out. The problem is remembering to take them 2-3 times a day!
I have also recently been taking a pill called “Perfect Skin” by Genuine Health, which contains fish oils, green tea extract, zinc, selenium and chromium. I have been getting compliments on my skin, not only because it is clear but also just looking hydrated and smooth
- finally happy with my skin at age 46!
Hi Gwen and all,
I’ve been wondering about “Perfect Skin”, my naturopath said it was a good product, but I’ve been reluctant to try it since I’m vegan and not crazy about fish oils, and it’s not cheap. I figured it was just another gimmick. I’m happy you’ve had success with it though. What kind of acne did you have before you started taking it? Did you do anything else to improve your skin?
Hi Jill,
I think its a great product myself. People have been commenting on the nice state of my skin. I don’t have super serious breakouts at age 46, but I do have aging skin concerns now, so its great for both things. I get periodic breakouts - mostly the smaller whiteheads that get reddish and slightly inflamed on my forehead, outer cheeks and jawline. I don’t get the deep cystic acne and never have, so I am not sure how effective the pills would be for that type. I have been giving the pills to my 12 yr old daughter as well to stave off the onslaught of acne that I had to contend with as a teenager. So far her skin looks great…and she had just started to break out with the onset of puberty.
As for other treatments, I had been putting olive oil/castor oil combination on my freshly washed face twice a day. However, lately I have been trying “bio-oil” to see if their claims of smoothing and toning the skin and fading dark marks is true. I have to use it for a minimum of three months, though, and its been only one, so I will see how that pans out. I think I will return to the olive oil/castor oil combo later on, as I got most of my compliments during that period
Hi Fran,
I really enjoy reading your newsletter and blog entries.
This is my first post and I’m afraid I have to disagree on the “adverse reactions” and “bad soil” parts. I read that it is a myth made up by marketing people of the vitamin supplement industry that our soil lacks nutrients nowadays. On the contrary, it is said to be higher in nutrients today than in the past (at least here in Germany) says the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Ernährung (German Nutrition Society DGE). Source can be found here: http://www.stern.de/wissenschaft/ernaehrung/:Vitaminpr%E4parate-Wie-Frucht-Pillen/593711.html (all German, sorry)
About the adverse reactions that the take-in of too many nutrients can lead to I cite just 2 pages I found randomly:
“Too much Vitamin A can lead to headaches, changes of the skin and liver damage. Taken while pregnant it can lead to malformations of the embryo. An overdose of beta carotene increases the risk of lung cancer for smokers. Too much Vitamin D leads to calcium deposits in the kidneys. Too much Vitamin C can lead to diarrhea and the formation of kidney stones.”
(free translation from part of article above)
“Too much Vitamin A on a permanent basis can make bones fragile, high doses of Vitamin E prolong the blood clotting time. Too much magnesium leads to diarrhea and damages the kidneys, too much calcium can promote the formation of urinary and kidney stones.” (translated from part of article: http://www.daserste.de/moma/servicebeitrag_dyn~uid,mc2lk0o1lwc9f2xk~cm.asp)
Honestly, I don’t know what or whom to believe. I absolutely agree on the part that most veggies in the supermarkets might be old, so I buy mostly frozen or organic veggies.
By the way, I’m a pescetarian too. Whenever I feel like I might get a cold or didn’t really eat healthy and my nail cuticles start to fray or something (I hope you know what I mean
- like small wounds won’t heal easily etc.) I take an effervescent tablet like this with Iron and Vitamins every couple of months: http://www.rossmann.de/DesktopModules/WebShop/shopexd.aspx?productid=4459&id=185&page=2 and just hope the ingredients are okay…. (no bad sweeteners like you mentioned contained) It has iron, vitamin C, folic acid and vitamin b12 in it, nutrients us vegetarians most likely lack from time to time.
Sorry for the long post…
Please keep us updated on what you decided to buy and thanks again for your great page!
Monika
Monika- Have you seen the documentary “Food Matters”? I strongly encourage you to watch it. It interviews a handful of the leading doctors and nutritionist throughout the globe. I trust these experts more than any Internet resource.
http://www.foodmatters.tv/
Hi Fran,
no I haven’t indeed! I looked at the page, but couldn’t find any information about those experts. It all seems like a big marketing machinery to me.
Obviously we trust different sources
No offence meant!
Regards,
Monika
I’m SORRY, I was wrong! Here you can find infos on the experts: http://www.foodmatters.tv/the-teachers.html in case anybody was wondering, too.
I find that most the ‘good’ and expensive muiti-vits have a quite high dose of iodine in it. Loads of sources say to avoid lots of iodine (haddock, kelp, iodised salt etc. AND multi-vits with iodine in it).
Therefore, I supplement the vitamins/mineral individually and buy a cheep multi-vit also, that doesn’t have iodine in it (seems to be only the cheep supermarket ones (which probably do nothing) that done have it in).
I’ve read lots of reports of a multi-vit actually provoking acne due to the iodine content. What’s you’re view?
Anon, I don’t like this advise to remove iodine from the diet. Iodine deficiency is VERY common and we really should be taking more iodine to improve our health. Women especially are experiencing more and more underactive thyroid problems, due to not enough iodine in the diet.
I think acne can be treated and cured while still eating iodine. It’s just so bad for your health to remove it from your diet so I don’t advise that at all.
Hi, everyone!
There is a lot of health practitioners ( that are featured in Food Matters ) that don’t believe in chemically extracted minerals and vitamins.
The size and way of extraction is very important, because if the molecule is to big, the body will store it and push it in some corners of the body. For example, David Wolfe’s research regarding nano-bacteria, which is related to EVERY disease we can think of, shows that calcium supplements cause the calcification - which is very dangerous and cause all the stiffness in the body.
If I would take any brand that are vegan and don’t use additives I would choose : Omica products, Life Extension and New Chapter.
There are minerals in a form of angstrom sizes which possibly don’t build up the body - they still are metal extractions diluted in a destilled water. David Wolfe sells them too and they are called Mother Earth Minerals : http://www.meminerals.com/
Of course it would be awesome to get all the minerals and vitamins from the food. But , even if the food would be rich in them, we still need to deal with such a pollution, that we need minerals to detoxify these bad guys also.
Additionally to this, we have been probably abusing a bit our body through some time, so now it is not about MENTAINing the health but fixing the errors, which need more care, more mineralization.
What I do for myself is green superfoods ( usually in form of powdered wholesome food ) plus some necessities like : melatonin, tryptophan, powdered mushrooms, Omica Z-lites, Hormone Balancers, some Mothers Earth’s Minerals, few others, but I won’t bore you
Let’s be sure that by no means we won’t loose any nutrition through ” bad Goods” like cookies, coffee or whatever.
The best food ever ( grown organically or on ocean water ), the best spring ever, few supplements, exercise, fresh air, love, some creative acts and we good to go!
And no matter what : always shoot for the best quality!
Cheers!!
Hey Fran! Thanks for the advice! I have been taking multivitamins for around about 6-7 weeks and to be fair i haven’t seen that much of a difference i still have my spots a pimples , and they are meant to be good for skin and lear up obviously not right away of course so do you hav any idea how long it takes for them to work or get into my system ? Thanks Fran!! many regards , Brett
Hi Brett, clearing acne is a holistic thing so you’ll need to do more than just take a multi. Sure a multivitamin will help but you need to look at your diet, skin care regime, stress levels, other supplements etc. Are you in the mini-course? I’ve got heaps of tips in there.
Thanks i just take things in and believe they will work on their own !! I’m thinking of joining yes it sounds really informative
also your videos are ver helpfull ! Thanks 
Hi Fran,
I’m currently taking vitamins: C, Complex B, E, D (because I’m in Canada :D) and omega 3. If I take ‘Every Woman’s One Daily’ with these vitamins, would that be too much?
Thank you
Maral, this is a good question for a natural therapist. I’ve recently had a blood test and will find out later today if I need to take any additional supplements.
Hi Fran,
I watch the short clip in ”foodmatters”, and it was very interseting. I do agree that taking a good multi-vitamin can be very benifial for your health and skin. Although I also agree with Monika, that taking too many vitamins can be dangerous to your health. For example taking too much of vitamin A can be toxic and damage your liver. So it’s important to take the right amount for yourself.
I do take a good multi-vitamin (every now and then) and I notice a difference. I use to be like Anon, avoiding multi-vitamin supplements that contain Iodine, bad idea. Your right, avoiding Iodine from your diet completely can lead to serious health problems such as unbalance Thyroid.
I have heard that acne can be caused by nutritional deficiencies such as; Zinc, vitamin A, and Essential fatty acids. I have found a wonderful book by a women that has been working in the field of food and nutrition for more then 15 years! She’s has produce many books and has her own web site. The two books that I have are called “You are what you eat” and “Food Bible” by Gillian Mckeith’s. Check out her web site http://www.gillianmckeith.info . I love “Food Bible” it talks about how to heal acne naturaly through food, herbs and supplements. It only mentions about acne through a few pages but its still a wonderful book about using food to cure what ails you.
hey fran,
i was looking at the comments and finding some helpful stuff and i kinda wondered, are there certain stuff in vitamins or like minerals or elements that can actually aggravate skin condiditon? Like drying or making it oily or causing break outs? Also every woman’s daily, (i read it above) its my mom’s supplements, do you think if i take it, its okay? like for my age? Im 15. Thank you:)
Hi Janine, no ..I personally don’t feel that a multi vitamin can break you out. But if you’re worried please talk to a nautropath or the staff at a health store.
hey fran can multi vitamins help with acne or make it worse?
I am convinced that if you are suffering from persistent acne then just a multi vitamin a day is not enough. Here are some essential supplements which can cure/prevent acne.
Super EPA. (Omega 3 fish oil)
Liver Detox (basically a bunch of vitamins and minerals to maintain healthy liver function which in turn means less toxins going out your skin)
Zinc Picolinate (A mineral which is essential not only for good skin but also for other body functions. To understand what picolinate means, you should google it, but it just allows zinc to be absorbed properly when ingested).
Remember that this is just part the solution. As Fran mentions this time and again, you also need to have proper skincare and a healthy diet. If you follow the complete regimen then I guarantee that you will see improvement.
Best regards,
Alex
Hi! There is a good book about the issue - Your Last Acne Solution. Leo from acneyoda.com writes about everything any acnesufferer should know (good fats, vitamins, minerals, herbs and mwthods for cleansing all your organs, etc.) The most important thing for me is that he writes about WHY you should eat this or that - no trash like ‘all vegetables are good’, or ‘do not drink coffee drink green tea’.
Multi-vitamins … I doubt it’s good. Many vitamins and minerals are antagonist and should not be taken together. You also should know that not every product (vitamins) is good in regards of its quality. In other words, you do not absorb, say, all the 70% of V A in the pill as it’s written on the label but only 40%, for example. So, it’s better to buy natural sources of the vitamins (like bee pollen) from well-know brands.
Fran, do you think centrum multivitamin is good? with vitamins A- Zink
reply back, thanks
I don’t take multi’s because I find that they don’t contain enough of the vitamins and minerals I want to help my skin be clear. Also, often multi’s will include synthetic vitamin e, include iron with the calcium and zinc which all interefer with one another. I prefer to take high quality isolated supplements so I can control when I take them and in what dosages.
However, I would suggest New Chapter since their multis and all of their vitamins include the necessary cofactors and other good stuff.. however on the other hand, I personally don’t use it because Im convinced I might be allergic to one of the ingredients and because there are so many Im not sure which one… Too much of a good thing isn’t necessarily good. haha
There are also multi’s specifically for good skin. ie. Greens Plus has one called Perfect skin. When I read the ingredients though I am already taking most of what is in the product and more. I don’t find these really make any difference at all.
Hmm, see I find this a bit confusing. I heard that taking health supplements are only beneficial in the short run? That in the long run it can actually be harmful towards you as the body becomes desensitized towards the products.
I’ve no real information on this however, but would be interesting to find out if it is true!
The best multivitamin I’ve found is Bell’s Liquid Multivitamin. Liquid’s are 85% more absorbable than pill-style. I compared Bell’s with some other one’s I’d been taking, and it’s at the exact right balance, unlike many other vitamin supplements. Plus it’s vegan and it’s got not only vitamin and olloidal/trace minerals, but amino acids, enzymes, and some really good herbs. I’m going to use it from now on. You can read the ingredients here:
http://www.belllifestyle.co/13-liquidmultivitamin.htm
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