Vitamins...

chevy88grl

I know that I should be taking a multivitamin everyday, but every single ones I've tried make me break out horribly (and I mean HORRIBLY!). Within a few days of starting them, my face begins to breakout then within a week of starting them it's my face AND my chest -- then if I continue taking them longer, it'll be my face, my chest, my back and my stomach. It will clear up within 2-3 days after I stop taking them.

I've tried everything from cheapy Wal Mart vitamins to expensive GNC "natural" vitamins (they were supposed to have less additives which we THOUGHT was the problem).

I was trying to take Vitamin C tablets in the winter months to help ward off colds/flus and everytime I took them -- I broke out, stopped and it cleared up.

I do drink protein shakes with vitamins in it, eat protein bars with vitamins, etc. So, is it possible I'm getting enough through my diet? Or does anyone have any ideas that I can try? I, obviously, have a sensitive body.

amymrls

I broke out for the first 2 weeks I took them too but kept with it and it cleared up. Interesting, I do take the GNC Be Wholesome vitamins. I don't break out from them anymore. I would like to hear what other have to say about this too.

chevy88grl

I took the Be Wholesome for almost 6 weeks and it never cleared up - until I stopped taking them. The rest I gave up on them around the 1 month mark because I couldn't stand my skin anymore.

I did Google this and it said that it's possible I'm overloading my body with vitamins and it is getting rid of the excess through blemishes, but... I don't know.

dragonbug300

Do NOT take extra vitamin C. It's a myth that Vit. C supplements will help--read the labels. Taking a pill that contains 1000% of your daily value (or any other number over 100%) will harm you more than help.

If you take too much Vit. C regularly, your body will adjust to flushing out the extra. Then when you stop taking those pills, you'll be at a severe deficit because your body is still flushing out the same amount of Vitamen C and you could get scurvy symptoms.

Same with other vitamins. Many have low amounts of helpful things (like calcium) and extremely high amounts of harmful things (like selenium... which is good in small doses but can easily cause blood poisoning in repeated high doses).

It sounds like you have a well-balanced diet. As long as you're getting the nutrients through food, you don't really need supplements. Calcium with vitamin D is the only one I can think of that might be helpful to pretty much everyone (most women have a deficiency in both without realizing it). You could try taking a half-pill each day and see how it works for you.

bmontgomery87

Never had that happen.
It could be one of the extra ingredients that is in the capsules or something.


I'd look for a higher quality multivitamin maybe.
controlled labs orange triad
Or universal Animal pack.

chevy88grl

Do NOT take extra vitamin C. It's a myth that Vit. C supplements will help--read the labels. Taking a pill that contains 1000% of your daily value (or any other number over 100%) will harm you more than help.

If you take too much Vit. C regularly, your body will adjust to flushing out the extra. Then when you stop taking those pills, you'll be at a severe deficit because your body is still flushing out the same amount of Vitamen C and you could get scurvy symptoms.

Same with other vitamins. Many have low amounts of helpful things (like calcium) and extremely high amounts of harmful things (like selenium... which is good in small doses but can easily cause blood poisoning in repeated high doses).

It sounds like you have a well-balanced diet. As long as you're getting the nutrients through food, you don't really need supplements. Calcium with vitamin D is the only one I can think of that might be helpful to pretty much everyone (most women have a deficiency in both without realizing it). You could try taking a half-pill each day and see how it works for you.

I stopped taking the Vit C. I went back to drinking orange juice for my vitamin C. It gives me my daily allowance of it and I like orange juice, so we are good. I do believe that making sure I had enough Vit C helped me to not have one single cold this entire winter. I think the OJ helped.

stinastudios

I would check with your doctor, sounds like you might have an allergy to whatever the manufacturers use to bind up the vitamins into pills. Just out of curiosity have you tried both solid pills and the capsules?

Cnava01

Try taking a kids multi vitamin with only half the recommended dose for adults and then try to get the rest through your food. Personally, we don't need as much as a full multi vitamin pill everyday anyhow if we eat right. Your body just excretes what it doesn't absorb.

I am taking a kids chewable that I got at Whole Foods but you can find it online too. It is called Rainbow Light, Kids One, Multi Star chewable multi vitamin and mineral. Or you can try to just cut your adult multi vitamin in half. However, I would proceed with an allergy test to see if there is something you are unaware of being allergic to.

Hope it works out for you.

chevy88grl

I would check with your doctor, sounds like you might have an allergy to whatever the manufacturers use to bind up the vitamins into pills. Just out of curiosity have you tried both solid pills and the capsules?

Yes. I tried everything and all of them made me break out. I have a TON (and I do mean a TON) of allergies - from freshly cut grass to scented laundry detergent. So, I think I may be allergic to whatever is in the vitamins.

chevy88grl

Try taking a kids multi vitamin with only half the recommended dose for adults and then try to get the rest through your food. Personally, we don't need as much as a full multi vitamin pill everyday anyhow if we eat right. Your body just excretes what it doesn't absorb.

I am taking a kids chewable that I got at Whole Foods but you can find it online too. It is called Rainbow Light, Kids One, Multi Star chewable multi vitamin and mineral. Or you can try to just cut your adult multi vitamin in half. However, I would proceed with an allergy test to see if there is something you are unaware of being allergic to.

Hope it works out for you.

I went through allergy tests many years ago. I'm amazed at the stuff I'm allergic to.. I think I might be allergic to myself even. lol. Maybe I will try a kids vitamin.

chevy88grl

I should mention that I take garlic, chromium and melatonin and don't have issues with any of those. Which is odd, I think. If it were something in the manufacturing process, you'd think it would be anything like that. Not just vitamins.

stinastudios

Are the vitamins you've tried all been multivitamins, or some by themselves? We can figure this out, dammit!

chevy88grl

Are the vitamins you've tried all been multivitamins, or some by themselves? We can figure this out, dammit!

Both. First I tried multivitamins. Then when those didn't work, I tried breaking it down - I've struggled with being anemic all my adult life, so I tried iron. Also, calcium with vit d is important so I don't have issues with the fusion in my spine.

Tried both alone - broke out. But I can do garlic, chromium and melatonin (which are supplements and processed!) just fine.

It is frustrating as heck.

cupotee

Not every1 will agree with me on this, but try to get vitamins from natural sources. There are no real substantial studies that demonstrate the effectiveness of vitamin supplement, much less mass cocktail dosages in the form of multivitamins. Plus, you save some $$$. It's a cultural thing- Americans consume soo much more supplements than any other nation. Really, you'll be fine unless you're on a strict diet of coke and potatoes.

rakelros

I used to take several different kinds of vitamins.
After I started keeping track of what I was eating, I noticed which vitamins were missing, and started eating foods more in that category.
Today I don´t take any vitamins exept "lysi" (A and D vitamins - fish oil) and Floradix formula for the iron.

Never felt better