Oh good GOD.

Gee_24

Hello again.

Well all is well with weight loss and staying under cals. But today out of curiosity I looked at my vitamins. WOW.

I hit zero more than half of the time...for all of them. ( apart from fiber and calcium ) the most worrying for me is the lack of Iron as I have been losing hair since 2011.

Anyway I'm looking into multi vitamins but I've read recently that they are actually considered BAD for you. Would you agree?

I intend to take in more veg ( hate fruit, but may make smoothies ) as this has been a major wake up call. I think this journey is leading to small steps every month to becoming " Healthy ". :-) My diet is still atrocious by most members standards but I like what I like!

Question: Do you take Multivitamins? Should I?

MityMax96

I don't.

I try to eat the right foods......

Gee_24

I used to take Perfectil ( for the hair loss ) and it worked wonders. I have just discovered it actually has many of the vitamins I may be needing.

Vitamin D (D3 200 IU) 5 µg 100
Vitamin E (Natural Source) 40 mg α-TE 333
Vitamin C 60 mg 75
Vitamin B1 (Thiamin) 8 mg 727
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 4 mg 286
Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 18 mg NE 113
Vitamin B6 10 mg 714
Folic Acid 400 µg 200
Vitamin B12 9 µg 360
Biotin 45 µg 90
Pantothenic Acid 40 mg 667
Iron 12 mg 86
Magnesium 75 mg 20
Zinc 15 mg 150
Iodine 200 µg 133
Manganese 0.5 mg 25
Copper 1000 µg 100
Chromium GTF 50 µg 125
Selenium 100 µg 182
Cystine 10 mg --
Natural mixed carotenoids 2 mg --
Grape Seed Extract (95% proanthocyanidins) 15 mg --

Guinivere

I just get mine from food. Watch out for smoothies - they were too much for me and I put weight on again as thy are so high in carbs. And you lose all the good fibre. I eat very little fruit but lots of veggies. Probably 8 portions a day for variety.

Gee_24

I don't.

I try to eat the right foods......

Fair enough! I started out eating right, myself. Eating fish steaks and lots of broccoli, etc. But when I upped my cals to 1400 I found it hard to eat enough of the only healthy foods I can stomach. So in creeped the chips, pizza and chocolate! And because I was still under my macros ( most of the time ) and losing the same amount I thought " Well, why not? "

I am losing weight steadily and that was all I cared about before. But now, I'm caring more each day about my general health. So at least Im heading in the right direction. ^^

MinnieInMaine

If you're going by the listings on MFP, in my experience, user entered listings tend to be way off in the vitamin department.

Your hair loss could be due to a variety of reasons. Have you ever talked to your doctor about it?

I'm not great about taking my vitamins every day but I do have some here at my desk that I take when I remember. Like right now...LOL!

randomtai

I take a multivitamin. I can't eat most fruit due to oral allergy syndrome, and veggies... well.. I eat them usually with dinner or so.

TheGymGypsy

You hate fruit? Your life must be so empty...

Lizzy622

Have you been tested by your doctor? You may want to do that before going on mega doses of anything. I am on mega dose of D due to doctors orders.

SwitzEngine

I take every day a multivitamin and eat lots of fruits

Unknown

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sobriquet84

i don't understand the whole vitamins = bad thing.

i'm on a prenatal. i'm not pregnant, but i [hopefully] will be within the next 6-12 months. switched to a prenatal from a regular multi because of really bad anemia and other deficiencies.

annie7hudds

No, I don't take any supplements.
.
From what I have read you do need to be careful. Some vits and minerals can be a bit dodgy if you have too much, and others next to useless.

I had a quick peek at your diary.

There is one food group missing - vegetables . But you know that.

Veggies don't have to be dull - by cooking them differently you may be surprised and like them.

Have a look at some of the recipes, there are some inventive members on mfp.

I love vegetables, we eat in excess of the 5 a day here But new recipes are always good - to keep it interesting. Tonight with roasted turkey breast I served brooli. But it wasn't boiled to within an inch of its life. I tossed the florets in a tiny bit of oil, with minced garlic, sprinkling of chilli flakes, salt and pepper. Then roasted in the oven (in the same oven dish as the jacket potatoes). When they were done - 15 mins - I sprinkled a little bit of grated parmesan, and some lemon zest on top and served. Delicious - spicy and tasty enough for anyone's tastebuds. Give it a go!!

Gee_24

If you're going by the listings on MFP, in my experience, user entered listings tend to be way off in the vitamin department.

Your hair loss could be due to a variety of reasons. Have you ever talked to your doctor about it?

I'm not great about taking my vitamins every day but I do have some here at my desk that I take when I remember. Like right now...LOL!

I think this may be the first post of mine to help another member! I helped someone remember their vitamins! haha

When I had bloods done I was ever so slightly under on Iron. By the Doctors standards, not enough to cause much harm. So he put it down to stress. Unfortunately I have anxiety issues. Not for no reason, when something big happens. I dont live day to day being worried, but I cant handle the big things in life. I found out I owe £5000 ( wont discuss it here ) and it ruined me in Jan 2012. It took 3 months for it to happen, but my hair came out in clumps for about a year until it finally stopped shedding and started growing again by Christmas.I used to pick strands of hair that had fallen onto my arms all day. I even had to buy a pet vaccum to hoover my hair up as the carpets were so bad. I see no hair falling, but it certainly looks thinner thesedays.

Perfectil, it is.

xapril77x

I've heard the same about vitamins but I'm new to the eating veggies thing & am slowly developing a taste for them so I plan on continuing to take them until I can successfully achieve them all with food... I think getting a juicer & adding them in with fruit would be a good idea 4 me...

SoDamnHungry

I take a multivitamin for a condition that I have. Not sure if I would take one except for that. Supposedly getting ones with iron in them are bad for you (unless you have low iron levels, of course), so I always get like brand X Centrum Silver.

MityMax96

I don't.

I try to eat the right foods......

Fair enough! I started out eating right, myself. Eating fish steaks and lots of broccoli, etc. But when I upped my cals to 1400 I found it hard to eat enough of the only healthy foods I can stomach. So in creeped the chips, pizza and chocolate! And because I was still under my macros ( most of the time ) and losing the same amount I thought " Well, why not? "

I am losing weight steadily and that was all I cared about before. But now, I'm caring more each day about my general health. So at least Im heading in the right direction. ^^

On my workout days, I can bang out 3200 - 3800 calories...
None of which is pizza, chip or chocolates.

But if it fits your calories and macros, you should be good.

bcattoes

I do not agree that mutilvitamins are bad. I think it's much better to get your vitamins from food, and certain nutrients aren't as good in pill form, especially if they are lab created instead of naturally sourced.

Here is an article on multivitamins from the Harvard School of Public Health
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/vitamins/

That said, it's unlikely that you really have been getting zero amounts of many vitamins. More likely the entries you've chosen simply didn't list all the nutrients in the foods.

Boogage

I can't take multi vitamins (I can take folic so I don't know about other single vitamin doses) because they make me really ill and cause stomach cramps and stuff but if you can I don't see the harm as long as you stick to the recommended dose.

Most of the foods I've entered into the database didn't have vitamins on the packets so its worth looking into the foods you eat to see if you are really likely to be deficient.

grimendale

I take a multivitamin for a condition that I have. Not sure if I would take one except for that. Supposedly getting ones with iron in them are bad for you (unless you have low iron levels, of course), so I always get like brand X Centrum Silver.

It's not that iron is bad for you, it's that it is fat soluble, so you don't pee out the extra (like you do with Vitamin C). If you accumulate too much, you can get iron poisoning, but that's usually hard to do. I take a multi with iron because, as a vegetarian, I'm often low on iron unless I make a conscious effort to eat a metric crapton of spinach. I find the multi is easier and makes meal planning a little easier. I do try to eat a wide variety of fruits and veggies daily though.

Gee_24

You hate fruit? Your life must be so empty...

I totally agree. I would love nothing more than to snack on a peach or an apple like all the girls do in work. My boss brings in a basket full of different fruits for us all. Every now and then I buy lots of random fruits and try them. But no, I just...cant.

Have you been tested by your doctor? You may want to do that before going on mega doses of anything. I am on mega dose of D due to doctors orders.

I was tested last year. Just slightly low on Iron, everything else was in order. I was given Iron tablets that made my BM just terrible!! I came off them as it was just unpleasant. I then started eating more iron rich cereals and corned beef rolls. ( mmm )

I take a multi, a vit c supp as well. Vitamins bad for you? As opposed to what? A vitamin deficiency? Everything is bad for you according to someone.

I know! Its all so confusing. I read a few articles before I went on ebay and they were all negative and I thought " No, ask your MFP friends " :-)

No, I don't take any supplements.
.
From what I have read you do need to be careful. Some vits and minerals can be a bit dodgy if you have too much, and others next to useless.

I had a quick peek at your diary.

There is one food group missing - vegetables . But you know that.

Veggies don't have to be dull - by cooking them differently you may be surprised and like them.

Have a look at some of the recipes, there are some inventive members on mfp.

I love vegetables, we eat in excess of the 5 a day here But new recipes are always good - to keep it interesting. Tonight with roasted turkey breast I served brooli. But it wasn't boiled to within an inch of its life. I tossed the florets in a tiny bit of oil, with minced garlic, sprinkling of chilli flakes, salt and pepper. Then roasted in the oven (in the same oven dish as the jacket potatoes). When they were done - 15 mins - I sprinkled a little bit of grated parmesan, and some lemon zest on top and served. Delicious - spicy and tasty enough for anyone's tastebuds. Give it a go!!

Thank you so much. I over-boil my broccoli, its terrible. I love it soft, and salty! So its one of the few veggies I eat but I somehow manage to suck all the goodness out of them and also add a tonne of salt! lol

That recipe sounds absolutely delicious. I have bookmarked this and will be reading it in the supermarket tomorrow as I buy in dinner. Thanks!

Its a shame really. My boyfriend cooks himself lovely looking meals. Usually chicken breasts with herbs and veggies in those " Cook in the bag " things. I should let him make me some.

Denjo060

I take a womans multi vitamin for over 50 and a Vitamin D, a fish oil, and a a vitamin B12 everyday

BrainyBurro

i've been taking a multivitamin every day for the better part of three decades and i haven't died even once! think of it as very inexpensive dietary insurance.

the dosage level of the vitamins and minerals in common multivitamins is well below what you would need to harm yourself.

it's those ridiculous megadose supplements from places like GNC you need to worry about, not common multivitamins you'd find at a grocery store.

When in doubt, a daily multivitamin is a safer bet than a cocktail of individual supplements that can exceed the safe upper limits of the recommended intake for any nutrient. Choose a multivitamin that provides 100% or less of the Daily Value (DV) as a backup to plug the small nutrient holes in your diet.

http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-supplements/nutrition-vitamins-11/help-vitamin-supplement

Michelle_dirtracer

I am severely anemic and loose my hair, eyelashes and eyebrows included. It really sucks. I am on an iron pill and my hair loss has slowed. My iron pill has to be prescribed, you need to see your doctor before filling your body with stuff that may hurt you more than help you.

Ang108

I think you are really lucky that only your hair is falling out. I went back through the month of September in your food diary and ....wow....just wow. Do you ever eat any vegetables ? Anything that is not prepared, take away or cookies, cakes and other sweets ?
In order to live healthy if that is what concerns you, you really need to take a good look at what you eat and make at least some changes for the better. Maybe start with the shakes or the broccoli you mention and which I could not find anywhere. I also don't like fruit, but I eat lots and lots of vegetables to make up for it and maintain a balanced diet.
If you were a family member or friend of mine, I would be really worried about your diet and the fact that this kind of eating will lead to malnourishment. You are the perfect example of how a person can be well fed and still be malnourished. Please take better care of yourself.
I should also add that I am very concerned that your goal weight is 6.5 stone / 91 pounds. Unless you are four feet 8 inches or less that is not a healthy weight at all . I am five feet tall and my lowest healthy recommended weight is 105 pounds. It makes me wonder if there is not a whole lot more going on than just the vitamin deficit you complain about.

Gee_24

i've been taking a multivitamin every day for the better part of three decades and i haven't died even once! think of it as very inexpensive dietary insurance.

the dosage level of the vitamins and minerals in common multivitamins is well below what you would need to harm yourself.

it's those ridiculous megadose supplements from places like GNC you need to worry about, not common multivitamins you'd find at a grocery store.

When in doubt, a daily multivitamin is a safer bet than a cocktail of individual supplements that can exceed the safe upper limits of the recommended intake for any nutrient. Choose a multivitamin that provides 100% or less of the Daily Value (DV) as a backup to plug the small nutrient holes in your diet.

http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-supplements/nutrition-vitamins-11/help-vitamin-supplement

Haha not even died a LITTLE bit?

Well I think Perfectil looks good to me. When I was on it my hair would grow an inch a month and then thicken. The only reason I stopped taking it was sheer laziness. You should have a full stomach when taking them, I would forget after meals and say " Ah I'll start again tomorrow " and never did.

I am severely anemic and loose my hair, eyelashes and eyebrows included. It really sucks. I am on an iron pill and my hair loss has slowed. My iron pill has to be prescribed, you need to see your doctor before filling your body with stuff that may hurt you more than help you.

I agree. The iron tablets prescribed to me were giving me ( Sorry in advance everyone! ) green stool, and the runs. On other days it would be the opposite and give me very difficult to pass BMs so I came off them and went back to tell them I would be trying Perfectil. They were happy with that and said if it didn't suit, use " Biotin " which I think is from the US.

Thanks for the warning. xx

Flab2fitfi

I take them ( well when I can find a brand that is free from all foods I'm allergic too) as I have a restricted medical diet and have to take them under medical supervision.

Gee_24

I think you are really lucky that only your hair is falling out. I went back through the month of September in your food diary and ....wow....just wow. Do you ever eat any vegetables ? Anything that is not prepared, take away or cookies, cakes and other sweets ?
In order to live healthy if that is what concerns you, you really need to take a good look at what you eat and make at least some changes for the better. Maybe start with the shakes you say you put fruit in and which I could not find anywhere. I also don't like fruit, but I eat lots and lots of vegetables to make up for it and maintain a balanced diet.
If you were a family member or friend of mine, I would be really worried about your diet and the fact that this kind of eating will lead to malnourishment. You are the perfect example of how a person can be well fed and still be malnourished. Please take better care of yourself.

I agree. I just find it so easy to stay under cals, stay full, and eat the same as ever. Just less of.

I haven't actually done the smoothie thing yet, I just intend to. We have a smoothie maker but I may even buy Innocent smoothies ( they seem mostly natural? ) on busy days. When I was on 1200, calories from smoothies accounted for too much of my daily allowance, so I swapped them for Zero Cal Pepsi. But now I have up to 1600 and can fit it in easily.

Thank you for your concern, it really is an eye opener.

doctorsookie

I take a multi vitamin. I also take calcium and potassium. I thought my potassium intake was a lot lower than it was die to most entries not including it. However adding these vitamins has given me more energy so they work for me. I would suggest you keep a written list of vitamins you get by looking at the food labels yourself and not relying solely on entries on MFP. You may find that you get more than you think. Also agree with having that hair loss checked by a physician unless it runs in your family and then it just by be a normal process of your life. Good luck and let me know how things work out.

blah2989

If you hair is falling out... from, malnutrition? I would sugest you see a dr that can refer you to a nutritionist. You can get advice from mfp, but I consider hair falling out to be really bad, so I would see the dr, if you are able. You can have chips n choc, everyday if you want, but be sure to add some to your dinner everynighy and lunches and breakfasts when you can/feel like it. If it were ME, id get off the supplements and go to a dr. Yout hair falling out could be due to something else entirely... Sorry dont mean to push but that doesnt sound good...

helenrosemay

According to MFP my iron intake is very low, but I recently got a blood test and my iron levels are fine. If you're adding foods from the MFP database most foods don't even have the iron content filled in, so I wouldn't go by what MFP says. If you're worried go see you're doctor.