I started taking multivitamins in Fall of 2009. I have not had a cold or flu since; only food poisoning once since then.
Considering the basic time frame of my not getting sick is roughly the same as when I started my vitamin intake, well then I guess I'll chalk it up to a coincidence in my body having phenomenal and timely immune system changes. Nothing to do with the vitamins, right? God, I love keyboard warriors.
I started taking multivitamins in Fall of 2009. I have not had a cold or flu since; only food poisoning once since then.
Considering the basic time frame of my not getting sick is roughly the same as when I started my vitamin intake, well then I guess I'll chalk it up to a coincidence in my body having phenomenal and timely immune system changes. Nothing to do with the vitamins, right? God, I love keyboard warriors.
But anecdotal evidence is awful. There are many reasons that you didn't get sick, to chalk it up to taking vitamins isn't a very good reason. There is a placebo effect, which the video was largely about (and Ben Goldacre also wrote the book Bad Science which features a section on the placebo effect), in which you respond to the pills because you are taking pills, not because of what is in the pills. It has nothing to do with being a keyboard warrior (a phrase that seems ludicrous given that no one is being verbally aggressive), it has to do with looking at the evidence that is available using scientific studies and examining effectiveness as a result. Odds are that vitamins are doing nothing positive for you except making you feel better because you are taking vitamins.
Honest question what made you start wanting to take vitamins, did you have any other changes in your lifestyle, did anyone around you die/are you around sick people less... I question whether your decision occurred in isolation is all.
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Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame
Considering the basic time frame of my not getting sick is roughly the same as when I started my vitamin intake, well then I guess I'll chalk it up to a coincidence in my body having phenomenal and timely immune system changes. Nothing to do with the vitamins, right? God, I love keyboard warriors.
You seem to be emotionally wedded to this idea that you, and you alone, are the arbiter of truth in this matter because of personal experience. I'm not sure if that's breathtakingly arrogant, or just hilarious.
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The Placebo affect is one of the best medicines money can buy. It is amazing how effective it is. If the Placebo is making someone healthier and not harming them then they should continue to take the placebo. And debunking that placebo actually harms them.
You seem to be emotionally wedded to this idea that you, and you alone, are the arbiter of truth in this matter because of personal experience. I'm not sure if that's breathtakingly arrogant, or just hilarious.
Does my taking vitamins and having them work for me, in any way, affect you and your personal well being and/or health at this current time?
I'm going to guess no.
I'm going to guess you just want to push buttons today. That's OK, chief. You're in a cheeky mood. I get like that sometimes when I'm not being breaktakingly arrogant.
But anecdotal evidence is awful. There are many reasons that you didn't get sick, to chalk it up to taking vitamins isn't a very good reason. There is a placebo effect, which the video was largely about (and Ben Goldacre also wrote the book Bad Science which features a section on the placebo effect), in which you respond to the pills because you are taking pills, not because of what is in the pills. It has nothing to do with being a keyboard warrior (a phrase that seems ludicrous given that no one is being verbally aggressive), it has to do with looking at the evidence that is available using scientific studies and examining effectiveness as a result. Odds are that vitamins are doing nothing positive for you except making you feel better because you are taking vitamins.
Actually one of the biggest things why I believe they work is because I usually don't get enough sleep as I should per night (usually 5-6 hours instead of 7-8) . . . Lack of sleep weakens your body and makes it susceptible to catching viruses, but since the vitamin intake, I haven't increased my sleep and my body has strengthened to viruses, at least from a purely observational view.
Does my taking vitamins and having them work for me, in any way, affect you and your personal well being and/or health at this current time?
I'm going to guess no.
I'm going to guess you just want to push buttons today. That's OK, chief. You're in a cheeky mood. I get like that sometimes when I'm not being breaktakingly arrogant.
I don't think anyone is saying what you take has any effect on them. It's largely been a select few of us finding your submission of a post hoc anecdote as evidence incredibly amusing.
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Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame
Does my taking vitamins and having them work for me, in any way, affect you and your personal well being and/or health at this current time?
Yes. From my personal and exclusive viewpoint, which you have no way of disproving to me because I am not interested in what other people say, it does. I think I feel a headache coming on, for one, and I blame you - before I read your post, I was fine, and now I'm not! You can't argue with that kind of direct correlation!
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Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame
I'm going to guess you just want to push buttons today. That's OK, chief. You're in a cheeky mood. I get like that sometimes when I'm not being breaktakingly arrogant.
Oh, so you also don't think telling everyone else they are wrong - because you just "know" they are from your amazing 3 year experiment with vitamins - is arrogant. Let me guess - you don't think it is, and therefore it's not! How wonderful it must be to be able to create reality by fiat.
You know why I sound ridiculous? Because I am arguing along the same lines as you. Except I'm doing it ironically, and you actually believe what you say.
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I don't think anyone is saying what you take has any effect on them. It's largely been a select few of us finding your submission of a post hoc anecdote as evidence incredibly amusing.
Well, I suppose you can regard what I say as evidence for vitamin effectiveness (or not). My point is that I do believe they work, at least from what I have experienced.
I'm not trying to refute science or anything; I'm not a scientist myself. All I'm saying is that, no matter how they actually work, they do work for me, and as such, I will continue to use them.
I started taking multivitamins in Fall of 2009. I have not had a cold or flu since; only food poisoning once since then.
Considering the basic time frame of my not getting sick is roughly the same as when I started my vitamin intake, well then I guess I'll chalk it up to a coincidence in my body having phenomenal and timely immune system changes. Nothing to do with the vitamins, right? God, I love keyboard warriors.
Between 2008 and 2009, I got the flu twice and the cold once. Since then, I have not had the flu and have only had 1-2 minor colds that lasted no longer than 48 hours. Throughout this entire time, I have not taken any vitamins, so what changed? I started eating better, exercising regularly, drinking more water, and getting more sleep. In essence, I began to consciously take better care of myself. Most people that start taking vitamins, likely recognize a need to be healthier, so they start taking better care of themselves in other areas as well.
Between 2008 and 2009, I got the flu twice and the cold once. Since then, I have not had the flu and have only had 1-2 minor colds that lasted no longer than 48 hours. Throughout this entire time, I have not taken any vitamins, so what changed? I started eating better, exercising regularly, drinking more water, and getting more sleep. In essence, I began to consciously take better care of myself. Most people that start taking vitamins, likely recognize a need to be healthier, so they start taking better care of themselves in other areas as well.
I am generally at the same activity level now as I was before I started taking them - 3 times a week running, and recreational soccer once or twice a week for the most part. Only noticeable change in diet was a reduction in milk intake, but that was only about a year ago. I definitely agree that taking vitamins is obviously an attempt to get healthier. I just find that the general time frame of taking vitamins and not getting sick is for the most part on the same track (for me). It's of course different for everyone.
I don't think anyone is saying what you take has any effect on them. It's largely been a select few of us finding your submission of a post hoc anecdote as evidence incredibly amusing.
So it's false that vitamins help in preventing you from getting sick?
In that case Ozy, start eating alot more pixie sticks and jube jubes instead. It's only a placebo effect anyways, so you should be healthier as a result.
So it's false that vitamins help in preventing you from getting sick?
In that case Ozy, start eating alot more pixie sticks and jube jubes instead. It's only a placebo effect anyways, so you should be healthier as a result.
This is a well presented rebuttal that in no way represents a massive logical fallacy.
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The Placebo affect is one of the best medicines money can buy. It is amazing how effective it is. If the Placebo is making someone healthier and not harming them then they should continue to take the placebo. And debunking that placebo actually harms them.
Debunking the placebo may actually do nothing, there have been instances that placebos work even when the person taking the placebo knows it's a placebo. (Ben Goldacre mentions this during his guest appearance on BBC's Qi; Series I, Episode 'Illness'.)
I have no problem with someone taking placebos so long as a) they aren't contagious, b) they aren't someone I am close to, and c) they aren't advocating for the efficacy of said placebo to other people. However, prefacing a ridiculous claim with "I don't care what anyone says" is the equivalent of sticking one's fingers in their ears and going "LA LA LA LA I CAN'T HEAR YOU", and therefore will automatically draw the ire of anyone with functioning critical faculties.
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Originally Posted by Azure
Typical dumb take.
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Debunking the placebo may actually do nothing, there have been instances that placebos work even when the person taking the placebo knows it's a placebo. (Ben Goldacre mentions this during his guest appearance on BBC's Qi; Series I, Episode 'Illness'.)
I have no problem with someone taking placebos so long as a) they aren't contagious, b) they aren't someone I am close to, and c) they aren't advocating for the efficacy of said placebo to other people. However, prefacing a ridiculous claim with "I don't care what anyone says" is the equivalent of sticking one's fingers in their ears and going "LA LA LA LA I CAN'T HEAR YOU", and therefore will automatically draw the ire of anyone with functioning critical faculties.
Doesn't matter.
If I take a pill and the pill solves the problem I want it to, because of how it is suppose to work, Great!
If it solves the problem because the human brain is much more complex then anyone though, and through the placebo effect the problem gets solved - Great!
Point is, I don't care if a pill causes a placebo effect to solve my problem, if it works it works.
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