>Now, please correct me and tell me that this analogy of mine is incorrect
 >or partly incorrect, and then convince me that it's harmless to take
 >sup
 >plements, or at least some of them.
 >
 >/Fredrik

What a lot of people seem to forget that vitamins need to be metabolised by
the body. As vitamin/mineral pills do not come complete with a whole food
containing metabolising agents, these vitamins have to draw on the bodies
reserves of other nutrients to metabolise them. So long term they can actually
cause imbalances in other things. Another thing is that the body does not
eliminate certain vitamins and minerals when an excess is reached. The body
stores them. But if they come in whole food form the body naturally gets rid
of excess. Perhaps vitamins and minerals have a place in clinical vitamin
deficiency short term. But long term if you take vitamin pills the body will
become lazy and stop metabolising it from your food. In a sense you are then
addicted and have to keep taking them and a vicious cycle errupts.

I can't take supplements of any form, due to what I beleive was chronic
imbalances for many years. The paleo diet is what is regularising me.

Just my opinion based on my reading and research into why I had a bad time
trying to supplement.

Fran