The Vitamin Solution: Two Doctors Clear the Confusion about Vitamins and Your Health

by Romy Block, Arielle Levitan

Are you confused about vitamins? Unsure of which ones you need for optimal health, and what levels are safe? You’re not alone. Many people’s health issues could be improved with vitamins―if they only knew how to use them. In The Vitamin Solution, Drs. Romy Block and Arielle Levitan provide a common-sense, medically sound approach to using vitamins to improve your diet, exercise plan, and overall health. In clear, accessible, language, they explain which vitamins and supplements can be helpful, which can be harmful, and which are altogether unnecessary; explore health topics including migraine, hair loss, fatigue, irritable bowel syndrome, hot flashes, and more; and address preventive care, providing insights on topics such as screening tests, weight loss, and preserving memory. Illuminating and accessible, The Vitamin Solution is an indispensable guide to safely incorporating vitamins and supplements into any lifestyle―one that will leave readers educated, informed, and armed with simple, everyday strategies for bettering their health.

Genres: Health, Nonfiction, Medical, Science, Self Help

200 pages, Paperback

First published November 17, 2015

About the author

Romy Block, MD, is a board-certified specialist in endocrine and metabolism medicine, member of American Thyroid Association, and the cofounder of Vous Vitamin, LLC. She is the author of The Vitamin Solution: Two Doctors Clear Confusion About Vitamins and Your Health to be published November 2015. She attended Tufts University and Tel Aviv University’s Sackler School of Medicine. She completed residency training in internal medicine at North Shore University Hospital—North Shore-LIJ and did a fellowship at New York University. She practices on the North Shore of Chicago, where she specializes in thyroid disorders and pituitary diseases. She enjoys travel, food and wine, working out with her personal trainer, and spending time with her husband (a pulmonary and sleep specialist) and their three boys.

Reviews

[Debra Jeakins · Rating 5 out of 5]

EXCELLENT! THE VITAMIN SOLUTION:TWO DOCTORS CLEAR THE CONFUSION ABOUT VITAMINS AND YOUR HEALTH BY DR ROMY BLOCK & DR ARIELLE LEVITAN. The book is clear, concise and to the point. Vitamins are good for us but you just have to know which vitamins and in what doses. The two authors do just that. They have taken some of the more "popular" reasons we need vitamins and give the reader an explanation & direction of how to utilize the vitamins without all the "doctor" speak. They have succeeded in their goal to explain and clear up the confusion about vitamins and how they pertain to your health without boring the reader to death. They not only give you advice on dosage, what the vitamins will help but will explain why too much of a good thing can be bad for you without preaching it to you.

I received this book from goodreads in exchange for a review.

[Angela Richter · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not worth reading

I was disappointed. As usual, medical doctors put vitamins in the same category as chemical drugs and try to convince us of all the dangers yet the author sure pushed her own brand of vitamins. I agree that cheap synthetic vitamins can be harmful but if people would do research and study from the many great orthomolecular medical doctors, they will find there are uses for megadoses of vitamins and supplements. This book was a waste of time and money.

[Samantha March · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was really grateful to receive a copy of The Vitamin Solution, in addition to vitamins themselves! Before I started any of the vitamins I read the copy and was so impressed by how easy it was to read and how informative it was. I marked sections for my husband (not a big reader!) to go over himself, and I think this book will be a great reference to keep around the house. I took notes while reading, found myself googling to get further information, and chatting about what I learned with several friends. Really interesting read!
I received a review copy

[Romany · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some information about vitamins, but mostly an ad.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book in a goodreads giveaway.

I absolutely loved the layout and organization of the book. It made it so easy to read and understand. I was able to either read or skip a chapter based on what ailment they were talking about.

I felt like the vitamins that were focused on were Vitamin B, D, Calcium, and magnesium. Other than those, there was only sporadic mentions of other vitamins (vitamin A, folic acid, biotin, etc...). So this isn't a book that discusses every vitamin under the sun.

I only gave it 4 stars instead of 5 partly because I feel like people should talk to their doctors first before starting to take certain vitamins they read about in a book and also because they had plugs for their own brand of vitamins throughout the book, which got a tad annoying.

[Arielle Levitan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a little biased but this book is a must read for anyone who is looking to better your health. Whether you are a couch potato or a marathon runner, a nutrition enthusiast or a junk food addict you there is something for you to learn. There are simple steps we can all take to improve our lives. Two doctors with decades of seeing patients have a lot to say about what works and what doesn't. Migraines, fatigue, thinning hair, IBS, trouble losing weight, and the need to take better care of yourself... these are things that affect so many of us.

[Vincent Schaefer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this in a Good Reads giveaway.

Very well written and well organized book. As usual, plugging their own product, but that seems to be the new normal. It wasn't too pushy

I really liked how the book was organized. There were some chapters that I did not need to read as it would not apply to me, so I appreciated the organization

[Penny Tunnell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Basic vitamin info!

While this book suggests a slight endorsement for Voux Vitamin brand, it is a very good guide that simply explains the pros and cons of each vitamin and mineral that are essential to good health.

[Get Red PR Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informative. A great reference manual. Glad it's written by MDs.

[Nicole Gerber · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an excellent book and very informative.

[Sherry]

I use it every day for ref.....

[Vanessa Princessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book thanks to Blinkist:

The key message in this book:

Taking vitamin supplements is a useful way to improve your body’s health and functions, but taking them is not always as simple as you might think. It is important to find the right vitamin for your specific problem and to take the appropriate dose over the necessary amount of time in order to reap the benefits.

Actionable advice:

Talk with your doctor or health counselor.
If you are unsure about which vitamins and what dosage to take, talk with your doctor. You can even get tests measuring the current level of vitamins in your body. This way, you’ll know which deficiencies you’re experiencing and whether or not you do in fact need supplementation.

[Debbie · Rating 2 out of 5]

The transparent product recommendations make it clear this is a book written by doctors advertising both their field and company. However, there’s no hard sell and lots of broad information about vitamins. In the end, though, the central message for me is that vitamins and supplements are complicated, a lot can go wrong (if you take too much; if you mix the wrong things, etc) and that no matter how much information you may get from this book, you’re going to need the advice of a medical professional to use them wisely and well.

[Cate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Better used as a reference book rather than reading cover to cover, particularly as there's a lot of repetition (understandable if they're expecting people to read parts in isolation). Some really interesting info about each of the vitamins and what they do, and which vitamins can help with various ailments. Far too much company promotion and filler though which just gets annoying.

[Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

GMP, USP, NSF certification - look for this when buying vitamins and supplements. Helps to ensure that you are buying pure, well-made products from a reputable source.
Best for most of us - Vitamin D, Magnesium, Omegas & Iodine
Iodine - if not adding salt to food, probably need to supplement. Many multi-vitamins do not contain Iodine.

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had high hopes for this book, very disappointed. Was hoping to see the chapter on fertility include heavy metal detox and also the Vitamin Solution to Cervical Cancer which has been known since I was in Nursing school over 30 years ago.

[Kaz Carr · Rating 1 out of 5]

An ad for vitamins sold by the authors, so all their advice becomes suspect.

Pretty shallow too, I felt like I learnt more about vitamins from Bill Brysons "On the Body", which was more interesting to read.

[Sam With Veggies · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was really repetitive. Good for abit of revision if you work in the healthcare industry but felt like I was reading a text book. I don’t know I was expecting abit more…

[J.A. Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great resource book that I'm keeping next to my bed. I've been a consistent vitamin consumer for a few decades for many reasons. This book reminded me of a few I hadn't thought of for a while.

[Corien · Rating 2 out of 5]

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