MFP, I'm taking too many pills at once... HELP!

kait_fitzpatrick
kait_fitzpatrick Posts: 8
in Food and Nutrition
So I have a lot of vitamins I like to take daily bit I'm not sure what the best time of day/combinations are. I'm tired of taking most of them in the morning and ending up with a stomach ache. I'll run you down the list. Please help with how to break these up!

Niacin
Sam-e
5HTP
Cinnamon
L-Cartinine
L-Glutamine
Caffeine
Fiber
B12
Fish OIl
Magnesium
CLA
Multivitamin
Vitamin C
Calcium


Any help is appreciated.
«13

Replies

  • beachgod
    beachgod Posts: 567 Member
    I'd imagine a multi would already have Niacin, B12, Magnesium, Calcium and C in it, so there's five you could probably dump. I used to take a handful of pills, too. I started feeling much better once I stopped taking everything, including multivitamins. A side effect was my wallet gained weight after quitting.
  • martyqueen52
    martyqueen52 Posts: 1,120 Member
    First of all.....

    WHY are you taking so many?
  • impyimpyaj
    impyimpyaj Posts: 1,073 Member
    Why are you taking Sam-E and 5-HTP at the same time? I'm pretty sure you're not supposed to take both of those. I could be wrong.

    And why are you taking a caffeine pill?

    You could take a sublingual B complex drop in place of the B 12. It would be better absorbed, and won't upset your stomach so much.

    Cinnamon is a spice, so you could just eat more cinnamon, or put it in tea or something instead of taking it in pill form.
  • toddis
    toddis Posts: 941 Member
    Cinnamon supposedly helps weight loss some how I can't recall, probably why she is taking it?

    I'd suggest maybe eating fortified foods instead? Do you know you are deficient in something?

    I personally logged my food, saw what vitamins I appeared to be deficient in, and modified my
    diet to include them. Now I just take Vitamin D and Fish Oil.
  • shazbox1
    shazbox1 Posts: 175 Member
    Caffeine before workout, glutamine after workout, magnesium before bed. The rest... *shrug*
  • greginnd
    greginnd Posts: 26 Member
    http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-supplements/news/20131216/experts-dont-waste-your-money-on-multivitamins
  • thevoice1973
    thevoice1973 Posts: 55 Member
    That's quite a list. You might want to consider that most multivitamins contain more than enough of the minerals required daily, which could let you skip on the magnesium. The B12 and niacin (both water soluble vitamins) are also in appropriate amounts in that multivitamin, and any excess you take is simply being p----d away every time you go to the washroom!

    I used to take a lot of supplements, and like fishing lures, a lot of them are designed to be purchased but not necessarily to be effective! The sad truth is that most of these supplements have positives and negatives and you can find literature that proves that for most of them.

    You might want to try the following experiment: Try to limit yourself to a good protein powder, a multivitamin and the fish oil and challenge yourself to use your diet to provide the balance of what your body needs. Once you've done that for a couple weeks, try to re-introduce one supplement at a time, take it for a couple weeks and note if it's making a difference or not. If it works, great, but if not, you now know that it serves little purpose for you.

    Like @beachgod pointed out, a nice side effect is the weight gain on your wallet.
  • daveymac1
    daveymac1 Posts: 784 Member
    Quit watching Dr.Oz
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    First of all.....

    WHY are you taking so many?

    this...
  • SherryTeach
    SherryTeach Posts: 2,836 Member
    I would dump them all. I take calcium + vitamin D, but only because I have osteopenia. There is no solid medical evidence that any of that stuff really does anything for you. Just get plenty of healthy nutrients from your food.
  • Anonycatgirl
    Anonycatgirl Posts: 502 Member
    I'm curious--what are cinnamon supplements supposed to do? I've heard cinnamon can lower BP, but also that just incorporating a little more into your diet, sprinkled on oatmeal or someplace you can actually enjoy the flavor, will do the trick.
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
    Oh good god just eat some ****ing food
  • leilaphoenix
    leilaphoenix Posts: 839 Member
    I'm amazed that a doctor would recommend so many pills. You must have a lot of diagnosed medical conditions?
  • Oldtimer_65
    Oldtimer_65 Posts: 89
    So I have a lot of vitamins I like to take daily bit I'm not sure what the best time of day/combinations are. I'm tired of taking most of them in the morning and ending up with a stomach ache. I'll run you down the list. Please help with how to break these up!

    Niacin
    Sam-e
    5HTP
    Cinnamon
    L-Cartinine
    L-Glutamine
    Caffeine
    Fiber
    B12
    Fish OIl
    Magnesium
    CLA
    Multivitamin
    Vitamin C
    Calcium


    Any help is appreciated.

    Blend them into a smoothie with some vodka and almond milk.
  • toddis
    toddis Posts: 941 Member
    I'm curious--what are cinnamon supplements supposed to do? I've heard cinnamon can lower BP, but also that just incorporating a little more into your diet, sprinkled on oatmeal or someplace you can actually enjoy the flavor, will do the trick.
    http://examine.com/supplements/Cinnamon/
  • glenmchale
    glenmchale Posts: 1,307 Member
    Oh good god just eat some ****ing food

    ^this
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
    Be careful when telling someone to stop taking supplements...find out why they take them first.
    I'm thinking OP is just taking hers because she's heard good things about them since she says she 'likes' taking them.

    That being said, I take a multitude of pills a day, several of which are supplements, physician-ordered for health conditions, so ask before telling someone to just 'stop' taking something. Could be detrimental to her healht.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    So I have a lot of vitamins I like to take daily bit I'm not sure what the best time of day/combinations are. I'm tired of taking most of them in the morning and ending up with a stomach ache. I'll run you down the list. Please help with how to break these up!

    Niacin
    Sam-e
    5HTP
    Cinnamon
    L-Cartinine
    L-Glutamine
    Caffeine
    Fiber
    B12
    Fish OIl
    Magnesium
    CLA
    Multivitamin
    Vitamin C
    Calcium


    Any help is appreciated.

    Step 1: Throw all those pills away.
    Step 2: There is no step 2.

    Seriously. There is absolutely no need in the world for any of those, and you are suffering ill health effects from them. These are clearly not good for you. Stop taking them. You don't need any of them.
  • impyimpyaj
    impyimpyaj Posts: 1,073 Member
    So I have a lot of vitamins I like to take daily bit I'm not sure what the best time of day/combinations are. I'm tired of taking most of them in the morning and ending up with a stomach ache. I'll run you down the list. Please help with how to break these up!

    Niacin
    Sam-e
    5HTP
    Cinnamon
    L-Cartinine
    L-Glutamine
    Caffeine
    Fiber
    B12
    Fish OIl
    Magnesium
    CLA
    Multivitamin
    Vitamin C
    Calcium


    Any help is appreciated.

    Step 1: Throw all those pills away.
    Step 2: There is no step 2.

    Seriously. There is absolutely no need in the world for any of those, and you are suffering ill health effects from them. These are clearly not good for you. Stop taking them. You don't need any of them.

    For some of us, there is a strong need for several of them, actually. I take a lot of the ones on her list to help with my depression, and they work. Don't write something off just because you personally don't need it.
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
    So I have a lot of vitamins I like to take daily bit I'm not sure what the best time of day/combinations are. I'm tired of taking most of them in the morning and ending up with a stomach ache. I'll run you down the list. Please help with how to break these up!

    Niacin
    Sam-e
    5HTP
    Cinnamon
    L-Cartinine
    L-Glutamine
    Caffeine
    Fiber
    B12
    Fish OIl
    Magnesium
    CLA
    Multivitamin
    Vitamin C
    Calcium


    Any help is appreciated.

    Step 1: Throw all those pills away.
    Step 2: There is no step 2.

    Seriously. There is absolutely no need in the world for any of those, and you are suffering ill health effects from them. These are clearly not good for you. Stop taking them. You don't need any of them.

    For some of us, there is a strong need for several of them, actually. I take a lot of the ones on her list to help with my depression, and they work. Don't write something off just because you personally don't need it.

    I also take several of them, under direction of my physician, for medical conditions.
  • martyqueen52
    martyqueen52 Posts: 1,120 Member
    Be careful when telling someone to stop taking supplements...find out why they take them first.
    I'm thinking OP is just taking hers because she's heard good things about them since she says she 'likes' taking them.

    That being said, I take a multitude of pills a day, several of which are supplements, physician-ordered for health conditions, so ask before telling someone to just 'stop' taking something. Could be detrimental to her healht.

    And this is why people end up with eating disorders, mental issues, along with other conditions. There's absolutely NO REASON why she is taking cinnamon, CLA, caffeine, and L-Glutamine for one. You can get all of this from a normal diet without the unknown crap loaded into pills.

    You load all this **** into your body and wonder why things start to happen......


    And secondly.... if all of this crap was prescribed to her, she wouldn't be on MFP forums asking for help instead of asking a doctor, unless she's mentally incapable of thinking rationally.
  • naariel
    naariel Posts: 37
    You take multivitamin + individual vitamins? Why? Take a better multivitamin if yours is ineffective.

    Caffeine and L-carnitine, I'm guessing that's for weight loss? Keep your diet clean and you won't need it.

    Fiber? Veggies.

    Fish oil is great to help with poor western omega ratio. 5HTP too if you have anxiety, insomnia or depression issues. I take 5HTP and NAC in my treatment of OCD, better alternative than prozac. I wouldn't throw all in the bin but, overall, most of you list is useless unless you have a very poor diet or malabsorption of a good diet.

    If you have a very poor diet: fix it. You're on MFP for that purpose right?
    If you have malabsorption, talk with your GP to obtain good supplements that cover all or most of your deficiencies. I saw very sick old people taking less pills than you, seriously.
  • MiloBloom83
    MiloBloom83 Posts: 2,724 Member
    ...
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
    Be careful when telling someone to stop taking supplements...find out why they take them first.
    I'm thinking OP is just taking hers because she's heard good things about them since she says she 'likes' taking them.

    That being said, I take a multitude of pills a day, several of which are supplements, physician-ordered for health conditions, so ask before telling someone to just 'stop' taking something. Could be detrimental to her healht.

    And this is why people end up with eating disorders, mental issues, along with other conditions. There's absolutely NO REASON why she is taking cinnamon, CLA, caffeine, and L-Glutamine for one. You can get all of this from a normal diet without the unknown crap loaded into pills.

    You load all this **** into your body and wonder why things start to happen......


    And secondly.... if all of this crap was prescribed to her, she wouldn't be on MFP forums asking for help instead of asking a doctor, unless she's mentally incapable of thinking rationally[b/].

    I've seen plenty of people who had things prescribed to them by a doctor on the forums,asking questions about if they should stop taking meds or taking something else with them. Just because they do see a doctor doesn't mean they listen to that doctor or think rationally, sadly.
    Caffeine and the other things you mention are unneccessary. The magnesium, B12, D, and Calcium she mentioned are not, unneccessary for everyone. I take them as well as B2 and B6, along with my prescription medications.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    So I have a lot of vitamins I like to take daily bit I'm not sure what the best time of day/combinations are. I'm tired of taking most of them in the morning and ending up with a stomach ache. I'll run you down the list. Please help with how to break these up!

    Niacin
    Sam-e
    5HTP
    Cinnamon
    L-Cartinine
    L-Glutamine
    Caffeine
    Fiber
    B12
    Fish OIl
    Magnesium
    CLA
    Multivitamin
    Vitamin C
    Calcium


    Any help is appreciated.

    Step 1: Throw all those pills away.
    Step 2: There is no step 2.

    Seriously. There is absolutely no need in the world for any of those, and you are suffering ill health effects from them. These are clearly not good for you. Stop taking them. You don't need any of them.

    For some of us, there is a strong need for several of them, actually. I take a lot of the ones on her list to help with my depression, and they work. Don't write something off just because you personally don't need it.

    No one in the world needs to take all of those.

    I take some supplements. Because I need them. If she has some serious need for one or two of them then by all means. But there is no way she needs all of those.

    Especially the carnitine and glutamine. Those are common amino acids. No one in the world needs to supplement with common amino acids.

    And no one needs 5-HTP either. It's another amino acid sold as an appetite suppressant.

    And cinnamon? Who has a medical need for a cinnamon supplement?

    OP is clearly not taking these for medical reasons. She's just taking a boatload of supplements.
  • VBnotbitter
    VBnotbitter Posts: 820 Member
    I would dump them all. I take calcium + vitamin D, but only because I have osteopenia. There is no solid medical evidence that any of that stuff really does anything for you. Just get plenty of healthy nutrients from your food.
    This
  • VBnotbitter
    VBnotbitter Posts: 820 Member
    Oh good god just eat some ****ing food
    And even better, this
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
    So I have a lot of vitamins I like to take daily bit I'm not sure what the best time of day/combinations are. I'm tired of taking most of them in the morning and ending up with a stomach ache. I'll run you down the list. Please help with how to break these up!

    Niacin
    Sam-e
    5HTP
    Cinnamon
    L-Cartinine
    L-Glutamine
    Caffeine
    Fiber
    B12
    Fish OIl
    Magnesium
    CLA
    Multivitamin
    Vitamin C
    Calcium


    Any help is appreciated.

    Step 1: Throw all those pills away.
    Step 2: There is no step 2.

    Seriously. There is absolutely no need in the world for any of those, and you are suffering ill health effects from them. These are clearly not good for you. Stop taking them. You don't need any of them.

    For some of us, there is a strong need for several of them, actually. I take a lot of the ones on her list to help with my depression, and they work. Don't write something off just because you personally don't need it.

    No one in the world needs to take all of those.

    I take some supplements. Because I need them. If she has some serious need for one or two of them then by all means. But there is no way she needs all of those.

    Especially the carnitine and glutamine. Those are common amino acids. No one in the world needs to supplement with common amino acids.

    And no one needs 5-HTP either. It's another amino acid sold as an appetite suppressant.

    And cinnamon? Who has a medical need for a cinnamon supplement?

    OP is clearly not taking these for medical reasons. She's just taking a boatload of supplements.


    This I would agree with. Why take a cinnamon supplement? Just eat some damn cinnamon. It tastes good.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    So I have a lot of vitamins I like to take daily bit I'm not sure what the best time of day/combinations are. I'm tired of taking most of them in the morning and ending up with a stomach ache. I'll run you down the list. Please help with how to break these up!

    Any help is appreciated.
    Cinnamon -- Just add some real cinnamon to something you eat during the day.
    Caffeine -- WHY????
    Fiber -- Eat some berries every day (raspberries, blackberries, blueberries)
    B12 -- Are you a vegetarian? If not, this is likely not necessary.
    Vitamin C -- The berries and a raw tomato in a salad will cover more of this than your body can process.
    Calcium -- Do you eat dairy? If so, likely you don't need this, either.
  • Weezabella
    Weezabella Posts: 11 Member
    Multivitamin. Fish Oil. Ditch the rest.

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