Vitamin question

ReenieHJ

Probably a silly question but if one is taking a multivitamin is there a need for extra, such as V D or B 12 or Biotin, etc.? I just started taking Centrum Silver; it states 100% of some of the vitamins I've been taking separately; one of them is even 1000%.
Sounds like overkill to me? Thanks!

cmriverside

I don't know if I believe in multivitamins but that doesn't stop me from giving them money and taking them.

I take one One A Day supposedly formulated for my gender and age three times per week instead of daily. I think daily *could* be overkill. I think I'm hitting most everything in my very varied diet. I do take Vitamin D in a pretty high dose, also three times per week on alternate days from the multi - not daily. My doctor is on-board with the Vitamin D, not the multi. She suggests I not take the multi. I compromised with the 3X week. She said they are a waste of money.


No idea if they help/hurt. It seems like cheap insurance. ::shrug::

goal06082021

If you take in too much of a nutrient in a given day, it just gets metabolized and you pee it out. If you're OK with having expensive pee, go nuts, I guess...I would maybe talk to a medical professional periodically and have your levels checked, though, just to be on the safe side. You can hurt yourself with too much of certain micronutrients, vitamins especially.

Xellercin

There are water soluble vitamins and there are fat soluble vitamins. Then there are minerals that block the absorption of other minerals.

In terms of water soluble vitamins, you just pee out the excess. And in terms of multi vitamins, they tend to be low on really important vitamins like vitamin D, which is fat soluble, and calcium, which blocks the absorption of other minerals.

A multi vitamin isn't going to hurt. But it won't compensate for a diet that is nutrient poor, or if you need more of something like vitamin D.

So is it enough? Maybe, if you get most of what you need from your diet. Is it too much? N'ah, you will just pee out almost all of the excess.

ReenieHJ

Thanks all. The thing is taking a V B12 and D 3 were advised by my PCP awhile back, then right before the holidays I was talking with her about my hair loss and she recommended Biotin. Along with Rogaine but I'm not sure I want to go that route just yet. Anyways, my insurance changed with the new year and through it, I'm able to order $50 every quarter; it's included free in my benefits so that's why I ordered the Biotin and Centrum silver. I truly wish my insurance would cover the Rogaine but it won't.

Anyways, that was why I asked. My diet's okay; I'm sure it could be lots better but it's heavy on veggies, eggs, some fruits, some oatmeal or wraps, yogurt. Don't really eat much meat or pastas/breads(except the wraps), etc.

Luke_rabbit

ReenieHJ wrote: »

Thanks all. The thing is taking a V B12 and D 3 were advised by my PCP awhile back, then right before the holidays I was talking with her about my hair loss and she recommended Biotin. Along with Rogaine but I'm not sure I want to go that route just yet. Anyways, my insurance changed with the new year and through it, I'm able to order $50 every quarter; it's included free in my benefits so that's why I ordered the Biotin and Centrum silver. I truly wish my insurance would cover the Rogaine but it won't.

Anyways, that was why I asked. My diet's okay; I'm sure it could be lots better but it's heavy on veggies, eggs, some fruits, some oatmeal or wraps, yogurt. Don't really eat much meat or pastas/breads(except the wraps), etc.

My dermatologist recommended Viviscal for hair. It's "clinically proven" to improve hair loss. I am noticing a decrease in the hair forest on my bathroom floor after 3.5 months, so I think it's helping. If you use Ibotta, they have a $10 rebate right now. So does Kroger, so that can be up to $20 back to try it if you shop at Kroger. Note: I never did the 2 pills a day for the 1st month like the package suggests, just one.

Plus, I assume your doctor checked your iron, right? Low iron can cause hair loss. I'm also on an iron supplement and my PCP has nixed any future blood donations (guess I was a little too giving after getting vaccinated for Covid).

AnnPT77

ReenieHJ wrote: »

Thanks all. The thing is taking a V B12 and D 3 were advised by my PCP awhile back, then right before the holidays I was talking with her about my hair loss and she recommended Biotin. Along with Rogaine but I'm not sure I want to go that route just yet. Anyways, my insurance changed with the new year and through it, I'm able to order $50 every quarter; it's included free in my benefits so that's why I ordered the Biotin and Centrum silver. I truly wish my insurance would cover the Rogaine but it won't.

Anyways, that was why I asked. My diet's okay; I'm sure it could be lots better but it's heavy on veggies, eggs, some fruits, some oatmeal or wraps, yogurt. Don't really eat much meat or pastas/breads(except the wraps), etc.

If you don't eat much meat, how are you doing on protein? Lowball protein can also contribute to hair thinning/loss. Don't ask me how I know . . . but that was long time ago, fortunately.

ReenieHJ

I hit protein goals most days. Not sure if she checked for iron levels but being past menopause I'm assuming it's probably fine. She did check thyroid.
I feel mine is a hereditary issue, as others have shown hair loss within my family. And as we grow older, follicles die and never regrow. Not sure if anything can really help that except something like Rogaine.

cwolfman13

Depends. For many people, a once a day multi-vitamin is just fine and covers most of the bases. However, if you're deficient in something, it's not likely to be a high enough dose in a multi-vitamin to bring levels back to normal.

I was vitamin D deficient, which is a fairly common deficiency. I required 5,000 IU per day for a couple of months to get my levels up to normal and my Dr. has me on 2,000 IU maintenance. I get 1,000 IU from my multi and another 1,000 from a stand alone D3 supplement. D3 is the only thing I take outside of my multi-vitamin, and that is at the instruction of my PCP.