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[Raphael]

OK, everyone, I need a second opinion: I had a general health checkup at my GP's office on Monday, and the result was apparently that I'm mostly in fine health, but seriously lack Vitamin D, presumably because I don't get out enough. So now my GP wants me to take Vitamin D supplements. Is that legit or snake oil?

[Darren]

OK, everyone, I need a second opinion: I had a general health checkup at my GP's office on Monday, and the result was apparently that I'm mostly in fine health, but seriously lack Vitamin D, presumably because I don't get out enough. So now my GP wants me to take Vitamin D supplements. Is that legit or snake oil?

Probably legit. Most people don't get as much sunlight as our ancestors did and vit D definitely is important. My mum who's a (real) doctor takes it.

[Ares Land]

OK, everyone, I need a second opinion: I had a general health checkup at my GP's office on Monday, and the result was apparently that I'm mostly in fine health, but seriously lack Vitamin D, presumably because I don't get out enough. So now my GP wants me to take Vitamin D supplements. Is that legit or snake oil?

Absolutely legit. We're all Vitamin-D deficient.

[Raphael]

Thank you!

[Moose-tache]

You live in Germany in the winter, Raphael. You should be putting entire salmon in a blender just to get your vitamin D levels up to merely inadequate.

[linguistcat]

I'm obviously not a doctor, but if you don't want to take a pill then you could look into eating foods high in natural vitamin D, like whole milk, some mushrooms, leafy greens, certain kinds of fish, etc. The main reason doctors suggest pills for this is it's easier than changing your entire diet, which you'd likely have to do if you don't get enough vitamin D that way currently.

[malloc]

You live in Germany in the winter, Raphael. You should be putting entire salmon in a blender just to get your vitamin D levels up to merely inadequate.

Then how did people survive winters in Germany before modern medicine or food distribution?

OK, everyone, I need a second opinion: I had a general health checkup at my GP's office on Monday, and the result was apparently that I'm mostly in fine health, but seriously lack Vitamin D, presumably because I don't get out enough. So now my GP wants me to take Vitamin D supplements. Is that legit or snake oil?

Definitely recommend vitamin D supplements. My checkup from several years ago had the same result and I've had good results with supplementation.

Returning to an old hobby, I have been trying to draft housing floor plans and such, but have gotten stuck on the stairway and elevator. There are many subtle challenges in fitting these components into the building. The staircase must have enough steps to reach the next floor without becoming too long for the available space. The elevator must have enough space to accommodate a wheelchair user while fitting among the stairs and circulation space. The building also needs an entrance on the ground floor which allows one to reach all the units and elevator without using the stairs. Ideally all those components should fit neatly into the building rather than tacked onto the side or disrupting the façade with jumbled windows.

[keenir]

You live in Germany in the winter, Raphael. You should be putting entire salmon in a blender just to get your vitamin D levels up to merely inadequate.

Then how did people survive winters in Germany before modern medicine or food distribution?

Eating salmon that weren't put into blenders.

[Raphael]

I'm obviously not a doctor, but if you don't want to take a pill then you could look into eating foods high in natural vitamin D, like whole milk, some mushrooms, leafy greens, certain kinds of fish, etc. The main reason doctors suggest pills for this is it's easier than changing your entire diet, which you'd likely have to do if you don't get enough vitamin D that way currently.

Thank you, but I don't have a general problem with taking pills. I just got a bit suspicious because so many other types of vitamin supplements seem to be scams.

[rotting bones]

Thank you, but I don't have a general problem with taking pills. I just got a bit suspicious because so many other types of vitamin supplements seem to be scams.

Vitamin supplements are not a scam. Vitamins are an essential nutrient. Taking random vitamins for general health is a scam. (Originally, scammers sold them as a cure for cancer!) If you take excess water-soluble vitamins (B and C), they are expelled. If you take excess fat-soluble vitamins (the others), they are toxic. But taking too little causes disease.

[Raphael]

Taking random vitamins for general health is a scam. (Originally, scammers sold them as a cure for cancer!)

Yes, that's the reason why I posted my initial question.

[Ares Land]

Then how did people survive winters in Germany before modern medicine or food distribution?

People used to spend a lot more of their time outside exposed to sunlight. Also, rickets were very common.
Doctors systematically prescribe vitamin D supplements to babies.

It's not just Germany; we have the same problem in sunnier climes. It's really the indoors lifestyle that's at fault.

Thank you, but I don't have a general problem with taking pills. I just got a bit suspicious because so many other types of vitamin supplements seem to be scams.

Yeah, they generally are. In the case of vitamin D, it is prescribed by doctors (unlike other supplements). They do check vitamin D levels sometimes -- though vitamin D deficiency is so common they mostly don't bother.

[zompist]

The LCNAF (Library of Congress Authority File) has a lot of names, 11 million of them. One Matt Miller figured that a lot of names must be anagrams of each other, and lo, found 4000 sets of at least 5 names.
He created a web toy to show them off.

[Moose-tache]

Gotta say, I wasn't expecting the LCNAF to be 80% Korean.

[Torco]

do as the vikings did and supplement vitamin D with cod. if you start getting ideas about raiding monasteries, consult your GP again.

[alice]

Also, rickets were very common.

Actually, "rickets" is singular; I can't imagine what a single "ricket" would be.

[zompist]

Also, rickets were very common.

Actually, "rickets" is singular; I can't imagine what a single "ricket" would be.

A small rick.

Yes, one ricket can't kill you, but don't underestimate a rick. It'll never give you up, never gonna say goodbye.

[keenir]

Also, rickets were very common.

Actually, "rickets" is singular; I can't imagine what a single "ricket" would be.

A small rick.

Yes, one ricket can't kill you, but don't underestimate a rick. It'll never give you up, never gonna say goodbye.

And it'll compare all sorts of things to a hill of beans, but, as Zompist points out, it'll never give up on you, not even when going up against the Nazis.

[hwhatting]

This made my day today.

[zompist]

This made my day today.

Then you should appreciate Justin Rye's comment that Star Trek could get past Einstein using dilithium.

('two stones')