Great Source of Factual Information about Vitamins

[MineralMan]

The Merck Manual is the go-to source for fast, accurate information by physicians and other health-care professionals, and it's handy for non-professionals, as well. Everything in the Merck Manual is evidence-based and represents current scientific medical information. There's a section of the Merck Manual that covers vitamins and offers a wide variety of information that is easily accessible by laypersons. This information on Vitamin Deficiency, Dependency, and Toxicity, is summarized on a single page at this link:

http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/nutritional_disorders/vitamin_deficiency_dependency_and_toxicity/overview_of_vitamins.html#v884344

On the page, you'll also find links to tables, mostly in pdf files, along with links to expanded information on individual vitamins. Each has its own page, where you can find out the details. Another table, shown in full at the link above, shows possible interactions of vitamins with prescription medication.

If you're looking for evidenced-based information on vitamins, this is a great place to start. It's unbiased, science-based, and presented in a very accessible way. I recommend the Merck Manual for most questions regarding health issues, at least as a starting point. Your physician keeps a copy handy, too.

[MineralMan]

1. Information about Minerals, Too

The link below goes to a similar home page in the Merck Manual for minerals needed by the body:

http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/nutritional_disorders/mineral_deficiency_and_toxicity/overview_of_minerals.html?qt=minerals&alt=sh

[tblue]

2. Hey thanks, MineralMan!

I take vitamins and always have. Always trying to maintain my health. Thanks, bud!

[MineralMan]

3. You're welcome. The Merck Manual is a great source for

all sorts of health information.

[Bluenorthwest]

4. Of course one should be aware of the history of the company

With special attention to the publishing of fake medical journals in Australia, the vioxx story and their huge payout after years of Medicaid fraud. Big picture.

[MineralMan]

6. One should also be aware of the wide acceptance of this handy

reference by physicians and other health care professionals worldwide. The Merck Manual has been a standard reference for many, many decades. Ask your physician. All drug information in the Merck Manual is conservative and generic. It's not an advertising book. Go look at it, and judge for yourself.

[uppityperson]

5. Thanks MM, I need to get an updated Merck Manual, know can look up online, but it's fun to

have a paper copy to go through. All sorts of good stuff in it. And it's interesting to see what has changed in last couple copies, HIV for instance. Minimal mention in 1976, more in 86, much more now.

[MineralMan]

7. Yah, but you have to be way of falling prey to Medical Student

Syndrome if you're browsing in it.

http://www.medicalstudentsyndrome.com/

:rofl:

[uppityperson]

10. way back in nursing school, it was when I decided I had TB that I figured this out

Too easy to fit all the symptoms of something.

". It is part of the downside of the free and opulent information flow available on-line, especially where that information is either of dubious quality or is accessed by an amateur who cannot temper the information with a reasoned and informed opinion."

[saras]

8. Whatever.

If they're so good and accurate about vitamins, how come they are so hideously INaccurate and dishonest about psychoactives, like antidepressants.

Oh, that's right. That's systematic fraud through the scientific establishment, that's not Merck's personal responsibility.

The problem with "current" science is that NOTHING GETS RESEARCHED IF IT ISN'T PROFITABLE, so there are huge bodies of information necessary for putting other information into context that we simply DON'T HAVE.

It's just so CONVENIENT to say "there's no data to support that", while researchers attempting to gather the data are having their funding cut off for offending corporate sponsors.

Sorry, until science separates itself from corporate technology, it has LOST, and DOESN'T DESERVE, the unthinking trust it used to be given.

Regarding medicine, compare anything in Merck with European sources. If they disagree, go with the mainstream ones, and leave the US behind.

[MineralMan]

9. Merck Publishing is pretty independent of the

pharmaceutical side of that business. It's operated as a non-profit organization. Their publications are pretty much standard for all health care professionals. You can hate Merck all you like, but your doctor will still consult the Merck Manuals.

If you find material fault with the information on their vitamin or mineral pages, you let me know, OK?