Do you track multi-vitamins and are they worth adding to a not-yet-totally-healthy-diet?

victorbalbian

I have been trying to clean up what I eat and I still have some work to do. I know I need more fruit and vegetables and have been trying to build meals around them, but some days I get rather busy and don't eat as much as I should. I have a One A Day type multivitamin and have started taking them as of a couple of days ago (and logging them, just in case), but I worry that I am taking 2x-3x the recommended daily Vitamin A and C. What are your experiences with multivitamins, are they worthwhile (provided a not perfectly balanced diet) and should I do away with them once my diet is a bit more balanced and vitamin-rich?

47Jacqueline

I log my calcium, vitamin D, Biotin and a prescription drug to remember to take them.

Laurend224

I log my chewable vitamin to ensure I'm getting enough iron, and its 5 calories.

smiffyatveronnav

Difficult, as Vit A is fat soluable and the liver can store it and so it is possible to overdose on it, but Vit C is water soluable and not stored, so that you need to ingest that daily. Having said that, I have taken a multi vit for years, (low dose Vit A, D and E), but I am a veggie. I do not use skimmed milk or fat reduced dairy products, so don't need to add extra Vit A. I think that vitamins are not a replacement for good, healthy food, and many would argue we don't need them if we eat properly, but I don't grow my own, so think some values are degraded by the time I get it, and every little helps!

PeachyCarol

I don't log my vitamins, but I do take some supplements. I have chronic migraines, and my neurologist recommended that I take B2, Magnesium, and CoQ-10 along with Butterbur. So I take those along with some other medications and a multivitamin. I have a pill holder that I fill once a week.

h7463

I log everything I take. Some, like fish oil and flaxseed oil have calories, too.

Azexas

I take the naturemade vitamelts and I log them.. mainly to remember if I actually took them or not. They're 10 calories but they get logged all the same.

SueInAz

I log my vitamins even if they don't have calories but my gummy multivitamins are 15 calories so I'd log them anyway.

Unless you are at thousands of percentage points over your vitamin A allowance, I really wouldn't worry about it. You'll know you're getting too much if you start to turn yellow or orange. Seriously. It takes a lot of Vitamin A to make that happen; much more than 2 or 3 times the recommended allowance. Vitamin C is excreted daily so you can't hurt yourself by taking too much.

If you're getting all of your vitamins and minerals through food there's no reason for a multivitamin but it also can't hurt to take one daily, regardless.

kailadriel

I don't take any supplements besides vit d. I generally don't log it.

I wouldn't be too concerned about your Vit A intake. As long as you are consuming less than ~10x the recommended daily value of vit A , you will probably be fine. If you are really concerned about it, keep an eye out for repeated nausea, dizziness, and headaches and go to see your doctor if they occur.

reference - ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminA-Consumer/

williams969

I log them--they're in my recipe titled "My Protein Shake", just for simplicity, so I don't have to add another 3 items I ingest every single day. Multi vitamin, Vit D, and fish oil. I do this since I track my micro nutrients, and want to see the whole picture (and it's 50+ calories for the fish oil and Vit D drops).