I found this documentary refeshingly unbiased and unmanipulative, showing what we do and don't know about vitamins without pushing an interpretation on the viewer. I highly enjoyed the playful instances of song and colorful, but unintrusive, animations. The anectodal stories are made relevant by statistics and add an engaging dimension to facts instead of just playing on feelings to convince the audience of a pushed viewpoint. I found the whole narration very NVC and trustworthy and the information well-packaged and pedagogical.
I appreaciated this documentary enough to go and pay for it after having watched a pirated copy, and it was good enough to actually make me think about my life choices and multivitamin consumption.
20 Reviews
Not a serious scientific documentary
jimmy-2416021 April 2021
If you're a fan of Veritasium you may find yourself disappointed by this. The science is lightweight at best and it spends more time on anecdotes and lame musical/singing intermissions than it does with critical analysis of the matter at hand. Maybe it's designed for kids? I doubt it though as the information isn't presented in a way that's relevant to them... It kinda seems like the directors and producers didn't actually know what they wanted this to be.
Very well organized and covers everything you need to know about vitamins.
mehobulls7 January 2021
This was a very well done documentary. If you think you know enough about vitamins you might want to consider watching this. There was some extremely interesting and potentially life-saving info given. How about the mother who nearly killed her little baby daughter with vitamin d, but truly thought she was helping her? What will the astronauts be eating on their way to and from Mars and what is the only vitamin they'll be taking with them? How high a dose of vitamins do you really need daily? Can you get too much of any vitamin and can they make you seriously sick? Can you get enough vitamins in the food you eat? Lots of good stuff here. I highly recommend!
Tonal whiplash
slipstream3d28 June 2021
Overall, this seems to be a decent review of some of the basics on vitamins, without getting too far into the weeds. But then... WHY ARE YOU SINGING? What is happening?? I haven't felt this much secondhand embarrassment for something happening on my TV since "The Office".
It's like whoever helped fund the thing said "yeah ok but only if we get four songs to play in elementary schools!". Skip the songs, there isn't any information that isn't repeated later anyway.
It's like whoever helped fund the thing said "yeah ok but only if we get four songs to play in elementary schools!". Skip the songs, there isn't any information that isn't repeated later anyway.
The doubt to take supplements is gone.
jhendriksnh16 August 2018
Excellent presentation about vitamins
HiMoO219 October 2018
This documentary is astonishing. Although it's extremely difficult to depict all information about vitamins, this movie outlines a significant conclusion about them. Not only does Dr Muller focus on their scientific aspect, he also describes their use from a historical and industrial points of view. Additionally, he explains the mainstream concepts that have became recently influential, and sometimes debatable, about how we understand vitamins. However, if a couple of stats, edits and critics were added, it would've became a master piece. In conclusion, this movie has shown what's needed to be presented to the public about vitamins.
It gets too many things wrong
alex-curpas20 August 2018
The vitamin "B9" that is added to bread is not folate, it's folic acid. Most people can convert this to folate which is the usable form of B9, but there are many mutations )(collectively called MTHFR mutations) that impair this process and make folic acid do more harm than good.
The same is true to some extent for the conversion of beta-carotene to vitamin A. The best source of vitamin A is liver.
Same idea again for vitamin K. Plant-based K1 needs to be converted to K2 in your body. Some bodies are better than others at doing this. Fermented foods and pastured animals are the best sources for the two types of vitamin K2 - MK4 and MK7. You probably need both for optimal health.
Same idea once more with Vitamin D. Some people are better than others at converting cholesterol to Vitamin D in their skin - if they even spend enough time outdoors mid-day.
The one thing the film gets right is that vitamins should be consumed in their natural context. Supplements might prevent the most severe deficiencies but it's a gamble.
The same is true to some extent for the conversion of beta-carotene to vitamin A. The best source of vitamin A is liver.
Same idea again for vitamin K. Plant-based K1 needs to be converted to K2 in your body. Some bodies are better than others at doing this. Fermented foods and pastured animals are the best sources for the two types of vitamin K2 - MK4 and MK7. You probably need both for optimal health.
Same idea once more with Vitamin D. Some people are better than others at converting cholesterol to Vitamin D in their skin - if they even spend enough time outdoors mid-day.
The one thing the film gets right is that vitamins should be consumed in their natural context. Supplements might prevent the most severe deficiencies but it's a gamble.
Excellent presentation, but kinda biased documentary
yeolit9 January 2019
For all those who are confused over just how good vitamins and dietary supplements, this documentary has provided a huge insight.
However, it does lack some objectivity and does skew some points and add certain sound effects to emphasise more towards supplements being a bad thing.
I say that it is non-biased, simply because it provided both sides of the coin. Yes, it is good, and it is bad.
However, while the presentation is excellent, some beneficial points were sung, the main points were covered, there seems to be quite a lack of defending from prople supporting dietary supplements regarding why dietary supplements are essential and benefical - in their own words. Outside of scientists or researchers who either explain history about vitamins or are busy bashing how dietary supplements are brining risks, there seem to be little objective or subjective views from that audience.
I say that it is non-biased, simply because it provided both sides of the coin. Yes, it is good, and it is bad.
However, while the presentation is excellent, some beneficial points were sung, the main points were covered, there seems to be quite a lack of defending from prople supporting dietary supplements regarding why dietary supplements are essential and benefical - in their own words. Outside of scientists or researchers who either explain history about vitamins or are busy bashing how dietary supplements are brining risks, there seem to be little objective or subjective views from that audience.
What the hell
victorchagallo31 May 2019
I'm a huge fan of Derek Muller and his youtube videos so i really didn't want it to be bad.
But i cannot lite it's really bad made. Seems like it made for 5-10year olds, with random songs playing and everyone starts to sing along like a disneymovie. Slow progress in the actually information, and simplified to the extent that you don't really get to know much. If he just would have gone at the speed and complexity as he does on youtube i think it would be much better for adult watchers.
Excellent and insightful , well done Derek Muller keep up the good work
haroonhamid8 July 2019
Really must watch.
most vitamins not really checked before selling.
Insightful and nothing can compete to the food our creator has given us , The only people that would not like this info is the actual people selling vitamins and making money off people.
In the quran God states we can not recreate fruit or food HE has given us. Chapter 36 verse. 33-35 In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful And a sign to them is the dead earth: We give life to it and bring forth from it grain so they eat of it. And We make therein gardens of palms and grapevines and We make springs to flow forth in it, That they may eat of the fruit thereof, and their hands did not make it; will they not then be grateful? (36:33-35)
most vitamins not really checked before selling.
Insightful and nothing can compete to the food our creator has given us , The only people that would not like this info is the actual people selling vitamins and making money off people.
In the quran God states we can not recreate fruit or food HE has given us. Chapter 36 verse. 33-35 In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful And a sign to them is the dead earth: We give life to it and bring forth from it grain so they eat of it. And We make therein gardens of palms and grapevines and We make springs to flow forth in it, That they may eat of the fruit thereof, and their hands did not make it; will they not then be grateful? (36:33-35)
Informative and entertaining
donovanpauldoroin22 September 2020
Low on actionable conclusions, high on silly child songs
Sembiance18 August 2018
15% childish songs and animations
70% personal stories about how too much of a vitamin or too little was either good or bad
10% travel to locations to see fish/sheep/ice
5% facts and science and conclusions and actionable info
I wish the movie was more serious and shorter, much like the Veritasium videos the host makes. Unfortunately it isn't. It has several multi minute long made up "children's songs" along with horribly childish animations. It's almost like the producers were afraid to put too many facts or conclusions or opinions into it.
It started out by stating how many people take multivitamins and then asked the question, "should you take them, how do you know?" But it never really answered this question and ended with "If you take them, take them seriously... fade to credits.". Sigh.
I wish the movie was more serious and shorter, much like the Veritasium videos the host makes. Unfortunately it isn't. It has several multi minute long made up "children's songs" along with horribly childish animations. It's almost like the producers were afraid to put too many facts or conclusions or opinions into it.
It started out by stating how many people take multivitamins and then asked the question, "should you take them, how do you know?" But it never really answered this question and ended with "If you take them, take them seriously... fade to credits.". Sigh.
If you want to watch Sesame Street on Vitamins
BBogus8 September 2018
Reasonable information with annoying songs
strimbello-107-76235527 February 2021
This documentary provides some good information about the history of certain vitamins, but very little about our current understanding of vitamins and how supplementation should be used.
In addition, the artsy style of the documentary with songs about vitamins (yes, really) is somewhat annoying.
More could definitely have been done to provide up-to-date information. 4/10
In addition, the artsy style of the documentary with songs about vitamins (yes, really) is somewhat annoying.
More could definitely have been done to provide up-to-date information. 4/10
One for the kiddies...
Bernie-5624 August 2018
...by that I mean people 25 and under. For those my age (which is a lot older) there wasn't much new in it. The dangers of excessive Vitamin D were the only thing of interest for me.
The program could have been good but it's too long and filled out with superfluous musical skits and cartoons. It needs hard editing to bring it back to 60 minutes. The background music was distracting and pointless. Why have background music at all?
Several times I was on the verge of giving it away but soldiered on thinking it might improve. It didn't.
The program could have been good but it's too long and filled out with superfluous musical skits and cartoons. It needs hard editing to bring it back to 60 minutes. The background music was distracting and pointless. Why have background music at all?
Several times I was on the verge of giving it away but soldiered on thinking it might improve. It didn't.
Sign of the times
jasondana10 December 2019
Yet another documentary overfilled with fluff..Made by someone not,at least seemingly,to not be very passionate about the subject.
If you know anything about supplements, then you will not learn a thing from this film.
And....BTW Whats with documentaries these days?
Nearly everyone of them could be half the length they should be because too much effort is put into artsy fartsy filming and filler. The song sequences are especially tough to watch in this film and nearly forced me to shut it down before ending.I don't think I have seen a documentary without the obligatory drone shot in years. It seems,these days if ya got no drone shot,then ya don't got a worthy documentary.. Please!!!!!!!!! doc film makers..Get over yourselves. Decide,do you wanna make documentaries with valid info or do you wanna make artistic films?
Please choose..Ya shouldn't be allowed both
Filled with cringeworthy segments and overall hard to watch
cristianbaltoc28 January 2019
I only watched this because it was recommended by someone who makes nutrition videos on YouTube but god damn, I could've done without.
The segment with the mother who overdosed her own child with vitamin D was particularly weird. I didn't get the point of showing a mother being a moron about feeding her baby. What exactly was the viewer supposed to get out of that? That you're not supposed to give a newborn 30 doses of a vitamin at a single meal? I think that's pretty common sense and they could've come up with a better explanation of what happens if you overdose. The vibe I got from it was that the overdose was accidental until she openly admitted she administered 30 doses every meal cause it sounded better to her. What?
The singing segments were particularly cringe, I hit mute after a few seconds of that until they were done. Not sure what the hell the director was thinking by including kiddie segments in a documentary about nutrition, something that only adults will watch. It's insulting to my intellect to be fed information in the form of a song like I'm 4 years old and couldn't possibly comprehend it otherwise.
The music was overall trippy and strange. Felt like an indie movie. The colorful childish motion graphics were out of place. There are way better ways to find out about vitamins by searching on YouTube and reading DrAxe than spending so many minutes watching this awkward drivel.
The segment with the mother who overdosed her own child with vitamin D was particularly weird. I didn't get the point of showing a mother being a moron about feeding her baby. What exactly was the viewer supposed to get out of that? That you're not supposed to give a newborn 30 doses of a vitamin at a single meal? I think that's pretty common sense and they could've come up with a better explanation of what happens if you overdose. The vibe I got from it was that the overdose was accidental until she openly admitted she administered 30 doses every meal cause it sounded better to her. What?
The singing segments were particularly cringe, I hit mute after a few seconds of that until they were done. Not sure what the hell the director was thinking by including kiddie segments in a documentary about nutrition, something that only adults will watch. It's insulting to my intellect to be fed information in the form of a song like I'm 4 years old and couldn't possibly comprehend it otherwise.
The music was overall trippy and strange. Felt like an indie movie. The colorful childish motion graphics were out of place. There are way better ways to find out about vitamins by searching on YouTube and reading DrAxe than spending so many minutes watching this awkward drivel.
Ridiculous. Don't waste your time
lekkerpotjie24 April 2019
Is this a musical, a documentary, or what rubbish is this?? The first most annoying thing is the constant singing about vitamins, with childish lyrics. The documentary is all over the place, with snippets of completely useless info. Don't expect to learn anything new here as the information is completely shallow and unresearched, with no attempt to educate the viewer on anything we don't already know. The random interviews with uninformed people is annoying to say the least. Did I mention the singing??? Totally ridiculous, save yourself, watch paint dry or read your Vitamin bottle, you will learn more from it.
Cringe worthy
haterz-429894 September 2018
This is a terrible documentary, most of it was stripped from a wiki page, word for word and the cringeworthy singing and rapping was awkward to watch i managed 16 minutes before i shut this crap off completely.
I was expecting something better, something new but this wasn't it
I was expecting something better, something new but this wasn't it
Unwatchable cringe-fest
djdrock-565882 August 2022
I made it 11 minutes. I could not take it anymore. Doubtful that your average person who is looking for the type of information you would typically find in a documentary would find being fed musical numbers Sesame Street style of any value or interest. Abysmal.
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