Do you take any supplements/vitamins?

13

Replies

  • chris1816
    chris1816 Posts: 715 Member
    Yeah it's the big snake oil panacea of late. It's a decent tasting berry, but funny enough in most of the ways it is provided (liquid, pills etc) it loses absurd amounts of it's actual nutritional value. It can apparently cleanse you, make you lose weight, balance your checkbook, find Waldo, give you 3500% of most micronutrients, and make you a dinosaur riding sex god.

    Or so I hear.

    so is fish oil and vitamin D. ;)

    Yeah they get attributed to a lot of things; however the basics are that omega 3 fatty acids are documented and proven to do at minimum the following:

    Reduce inflammation throughout your body

    Keep your blood from clotting excessively

    Maintain the fluidity of your cell membranes

    lower the amount of lipids (fats such as cholesterol and triglycerides) circulating in the bloodstream

    decrease platelet aggregation, preventing excessive blood clotting

    inhibit thickening of the arteries by decreasing endothelial cells' production of a platelet-derived growth factor (the lining of the arteries is composed of endothelial cells)

    increase the activity of another chemical derived from endothelial cells (endothelium-derived nitric oxide), which causes arteries to relax and dilate

    reduce the production of messenger chemicals called cytokines, which are involved in the inflammatory response associated with atherosclerosis

    reduce the risk of becoming obese and improve the body's ability to respond to insulin by stimulating the secretion of leptin, a hormone that helps regulate food intake, body weight and metabolism, and is expressed primarily by adipocytes (fat cells)

    help prevent cancer cell growth


    Vitamin D is something that most folk are deficient in, and ties into a variety of things as well, everything from immune system response, mood, and fast twitch muscle fiber responsiveness.

    If you want I can list sources, can't promise MLA format though =/
  • funkyspunky872
    funkyspunky872 Posts: 866 Member
    So, fish oil is really something to look into? I hear about it on the news, in articles, and in daily life... But it's usually men and women in their late twenties and early thirties that are encouraged. I didn't think it'd be much help to an 18 year old. Penny for your thoughts on age?
  • Silverkittycat
    Silverkittycat Posts: 1,997 Member
    If you want I can list sources, can't promise MLA format though =/

    No need. I can grab them too. :)

    Tell me your thoughts on this? http://raypeat.com/articles/articles/fishoil.shtml
  • My body doesn't absorb certain foods well, so I have to take vitamins.

    I take children's multi-gummies
    B-12
    B-Complex
    C
    D3
    Ginseng
    Flax Oil
    Safflower Oil
    Calcium Chews
    And one called Hair, Skin, and Nails... which HAS made my nails much stronger after a month of use.
  • RuthSweetTooth
    RuthSweetTooth Posts: 461 Member
    This is such an excellent link. I recently stopped taking Vitamin C because I was going over all the time. Now I see I probably don't need Vitamin E either. If MFP would show us how much we get of each vitamin, we would probably realized that we don't need vitamins. I try to get my calcium from food, but most of the time I can't get it high enough. . . At my age, a need 20% more than a younger woman. But I don't like wasting money on supplements especially if it could be hurtful. It's quite the trend to take things we don't need.

    Ruth
    Nope. I get what I need from food.

    http://gettingstronger.org/2011/03/the-case-against-antioxidants/

    Get tested and see if you're lacking in anything, no need to throw $ at something you don't need, plus it's better for your health. ;)
  • chris1816
    chris1816 Posts: 715 Member
    If you want I can list sources, can't promise MLA format though =/

    No need. I can grab them too. :)

    Tell me your thoughts on this? http://raypeat.com/articles/articles/fishoil.shtml

    It's one of those weigh the good with the bad things and try to accurate gauge how vested in a special interest both sides are.

    For example (and yes this is a bit of cherry picking but I was making food so I grabbed onto something readily overplayed in that article).

    Omega 3 fatty acids can cause mitochondrial dysfunction. The article goes into great lengths explaining how this is a high risk factor of high omega 3 fatty acid consumption, that it can disrupt function of the mitochondria specifically in brain cells. The author is very diligent in listing the sources where that argument comes from; however does not delve into excessive detail on the nature of the studies. So an organism that has symbiotically coexisted in most living cells in almost every living thing on earth and served as a key aid in production of ATP can be disrupted at the neurological cellular level by eating too much....fish?

    The author was at least honest enough to clarify that this was all in rat based studies, and in most cases the cells tested were cultured and thus isolated. Rat studies contrary to popular conjecture rarely carry over very well to humans as the metabolic function and response is still far too different in how they will respond to the same stimuli as a human being. Now an overly high amount of fish oil is considered 2-3 grams a day, which is actually around what you get taking a full days dose of your average fish oil pill supplement (mine are 4 grams).

    However, you can eat two servings of tuna, salmon etc and receive the full amount of recommended omega-3 fatty acids for an entire week, which I also eat quite a bit of, along with other vegetable based sources. If a high amount of omega 3 fatty acids can easily disrupt what amounts to the functionality of the entire brain; you would see much of the populations of Japan and The Republic of Korea dropping dead from systemic brain failure. The article itself is a bit too politically charged, despite coming from someone highly accredited in the field of study.
  • Hezzietiger1
    Hezzietiger1 Posts: 1,256 Member
    If you are taking anything more than:

    Multivitamin (with iron if you have a vag)
    Fish Oil
    Vitamin D
    Maaaaaybe Vitamin C
    Creatine or BCAAs if you lift.
    Something Recommended By a Licensed Physician for a specific need/deficiency.

    ..you are wasting money. Most of your nutrition you should be getting from food, and guess what...if you were ACTUALLY deficient your liver will synthesize most of the rest.

    (Disclaimer: I don't really count protein powder as a supplement, just food honestly)

    Folic acid is great for metabolism support you can add wheat germ to your diet (taste like parmesan cheese and it is a great source of folic acid if you don't want the supplements in pill form). That is the only thing I would add to the list. I also take potassium/magnesium b/c I have a lot of muscle cramping.. but that's the only reason. Other than that.. I do a multi pack with added B vitamins for energy, fish oil, and if I'm super bloated/constipated i'll do acai berry for a week or so but its not good to do consistently. Your body needs to bacteria it creates and the acai berry cleanses the bad and the good from your intestinal track.

    Oh boy where to begin.

    Folic acid doesn't really do much for your metabolism though it is great for you, I don't need wheat germ though or need to buy supplements because I already eat plenty of avocados, papaya, potatos, lettuce, whole wheat, eggs, halibut, parsley, tuna, green beans, black beand, cauliflower, bananas, blueberries, broccoli, apples, cabbage, almonds, carrots, ANY CITRUS FRUIT, strawberries, plums, raspberries, spinach, olives, bell peppers, lentils, oats, chickpeas (*kitten* yeah hummus), garlic, squash, sweet potatos, oregano, sage, thyme, soybeans, tofu, flax, beef, honey, salmon, cashews, prunes, chicken, yogurt, brown rice, olive oil (see olives), and quinoa!

    Oh and because I eat all those things I happen to get plenty of everything else you listed, and am never constipated.

    By the way did you know Acai is just a generic berry down in South America that Brazillians (where it mainly comes from) don't give near as much of a *kitten* about as all the people outside the area buying into as a cure all do? Also that cleanses are complete bullsh*t and if you eat generally healthy and have a functioning liver and a kidney or two you don't need to cleanse anything?

    Also supplementing potassium unless advised by a doctor is generally unnecessary and sometimes dangerous.

    U do realize I wasn't only speaking to you, right? Just asking.. cuz I was mainly speaking to the OP... u know, the person who started the topic.
  • chris1816
    chris1816 Posts: 715 Member
    If you are taking anything more than:

    Multivitamin (with iron if you have a vag)
    Fish Oil
    Vitamin D
    Maaaaaybe Vitamin C
    Creatine or BCAAs if you lift.
    Something Recommended By a Licensed Physician for a specific need/deficiency.

    ..you are wasting money. Most of your nutrition you should be getting from food, and guess what...if you were ACTUALLY deficient your liver will synthesize most of the rest.

    (Disclaimer: I don't really count protein powder as a supplement, just food honestly)

    Folic acid is great for metabolism support you can add wheat germ to your diet (taste like parmesan cheese and it is a great source of folic acid if you don't want the supplements in pill form). That is the only thing I would add to the list. I also take potassium/magnesium b/c I have a lot of muscle cramping.. but that's the only reason. Other than that.. I do a multi pack with added B vitamins for energy, fish oil, and if I'm super bloated/constipated i'll do acai berry for a week or so but its not good to do consistently. Your body needs to bacteria it creates and the acai berry cleanses the bad and the good from your intestinal track.

    Oh boy where to begin.

    Folic acid doesn't really do much for your metabolism though it is great for you, I don't need wheat germ though or need to buy supplements because I already eat plenty of avocados, papaya, potatos, lettuce, whole wheat, eggs, halibut, parsley, tuna, green beans, black beand, cauliflower, bananas, blueberries, broccoli, apples, cabbage, almonds, carrots, ANY CITRUS FRUIT, strawberries, plums, raspberries, spinach, olives, bell peppers, lentils, oats, chickpeas (*kitten* yeah hummus), garlic, squash, sweet potatos, oregano, sage, thyme, soybeans, tofu, flax, beef, honey, salmon, cashews, prunes, chicken, yogurt, brown rice, olive oil (see olives), and quinoa!

    Oh and because I eat all those things I happen to get plenty of everything else you listed, and am never constipated.

    By the way did you know Acai is just a generic berry down in South America that Brazillians (where it mainly comes from) don't give near as much of a *kitten* about as all the people outside the area buying into as a cure all do? Also that cleanses are complete bullsh*t and if you eat generally healthy and have a functioning liver and a kidney or two you don't need to cleanse anything?

    Also supplementing potassium unless advised by a doctor is generally unnecessary and sometimes dangerous.

    U do realize I wasn't only speaking to you, right? Just asking.. cuz I was mainly speaking to the OP... u know, the person who started the topic.

    Yes but you do bad/unnecessary things.

    I course corrected.

    OP appreciated it.
  • Hezzietiger1
    Hezzietiger1 Posts: 1,256 Member
    Damn... some people just get going and just don't shut up. I wish these forums had a vote off option. Chris 1816..voted off.
  • chris1816
    chris1816 Posts: 715 Member
    Damn... some people just get going and just don't shut up. I wish these forums had a vote off option. Chris 1816..voted off.

    You'd upset my fans.

    Also the racial balance.

    EDIT: I am genuinely sorry I advised against needlessly wasting money on supplements for ill advised reasons. Really.
  • Silverkittycat
    Silverkittycat Posts: 1,997 Member
    If you want I can list sources, can't promise MLA format though =/

    No need. I can grab them too. :)

    Tell me your thoughts on this? http://raypeat.com/articles/articles/fishoil.shtml
    However, you can eat two servings of tuna, salmon etc and receive the full amount of recommended omega-3 fatty acids for an entire week, which I also eat quite a bit of, along with other vegetable based sources. If a high amount of omega 3 fatty acids can easily disrupt what amounts to the functionality of the entire brain; you would see much of the populations of Japan and The Republic of Korea dropping dead from systemic brain failure. The article itself is a bit too politically charged, despite coming from someone highly accredited in the field of study.

    I would love to discuss this a bit more with you.. I'm sorry, falling in to sleep at the moment. Please forgive. :)
  • chris1816
    chris1816 Posts: 715 Member
    If you want I can list sources, can't promise MLA format though =/

    No need. I can grab them too. :)

    Tell me your thoughts on this? http://raypeat.com/articles/articles/fishoil.shtml
    However, you can eat two servings of tuna, salmon etc and receive the full amount of recommended omega-3 fatty acids for an entire week, which I also eat quite a bit of, along with other vegetable based sources. If a high amount of omega 3 fatty acids can easily disrupt what amounts to the functionality of the entire brain; you would see much of the populations of Japan and The Republic of Korea dropping dead from systemic brain failure. The article itself is a bit too politically charged, despite coming from someone highly accredited in the field of study.

    I would love to discuss this a bit more with you.. I'm sorry, falling in to sleep at the moment. Please forgive. :)


    No problem, I had a long day of work/trolling mfp forums so you've caught me a bit wiped out and tired. I had to read the damn article twice.
  • trink68
    trink68 Posts: 48 Member
    Fish Oil (crill)
    Whole Food Multi Vitamin (Synthetic vitamins are proven not be absorbed nearly as well)
  • Silverkittycat
    Silverkittycat Posts: 1,997 Member
    Damn... some people just get going and just don't shut up. I wish these forums had a vote off option. Chris 1816..voted off.

    You'd upset my fans.

    Also the racial balance.

    EDIT: I am genuinely sorry I advised against needlessly wasting money on supplements for ill advised reasons. Really.

    Don't be sorry. Please.
  • I take Omega-3 pills and a good ol' multi-vitamin with iron.
  • chris1816
    chris1816 Posts: 715 Member
    Damn... some people just get going and just don't shut up. I wish these forums had a vote off option. Chris 1816..voted off.

    You'd upset my fans.

    Also the racial balance.

    EDIT: I am genuinely sorry I advised against needlessly wasting money on supplements for ill advised reasons. Really.

    Don't be sorry. Please.

    Sarcasm doesn't convey well in text, does it? :)
  • Yeah it's the big snake oil panacea of late. It's a decent tasting berry, but funny enough in most of the ways it is provided (liquid, pills etc) it loses absurd amounts of it's actual nutritional value. It can apparently cleanse you, make you lose weight, balance your checkbook, find Waldo, give you 3500% of most micronutrients, and make you a dinosaur riding sex god.

    Or so I hear.

    'find Waldo' - LMAO.
  • HealthFreak1967
    HealthFreak1967 Posts: 116 Member
    i take
    D2
    Iron
    and B12
  • Rockmyskinnyjeans
    Rockmyskinnyjeans Posts: 431 Member
    Protein Powder
    Vitamin D (50,000 I.U.)
    B-12 Injections
    Iron Infusions
    Calcium Citrate chewables
    Multi-vitamin chewables
    B-1
    Biotin
  • Silverkittycat
    Silverkittycat Posts: 1,997 Member
    Damn... some people just get going and just don't shut up. I wish these forums had a vote off option. Chris 1816..voted off.

    You'd upset my fans.

    Also the racial balance.

    EDIT: I am genuinely sorry I advised against needlessly wasting money on supplements for ill advised reasons. Really.

    Don't be sorry. Please.

    Sarcasm doesn't convey well in text, does it? :)

    :P .... sleeping!!!!!
  • JesiDM
    JesiDM Posts: 268 Member
    I take:
    Folic Acid
    Biotin
    Zinc and
    Flaxseed oil
    I don't really take them for weight loss. Just for other benefits I get from each!
  • dfair1967
    dfair1967 Posts: 91
    I just take a multi vitamin.
  • ColleenAtherton
    ColleenAtherton Posts: 230 Member
    I just take a multi vitamin.

    Ditto
  • southpaw211
    southpaw211 Posts: 385 Member
    I take a multi, Vit D3, Vit C, Glutamine and Cod Liver Oil. I probably don't need the C, but I had a big bottle and am using them up. I also have a protein shake daily, either one of my meal replacement shakes (Met-RX) or a regular protein shake (Pure Protein Vanilla) and whole wheat toast with some PB2 or an egg after my workout if it's a weight training day, lunch if it isn't. Lunch usually because a shake is quick & convenient and beats subway or some other poor choice while out & about.

    I have to say, on days that I don't take my supplements, I don't feel as good. The biggest indicator of that is that I get wicked debilitating cramps every, oh, 28 days. The kind that keep you awake in the fetal position all night. This month (the first month of regularly taking my supplements) I had just the slightest twinge. After a little research, I think I can attribute that positive effect to the Cod Liver Oil. So that one alone is totally worth it to me. Even if it does produce a couple of nasty fishy burps a couple of hours later. Blech.

    I was looking at Greens supplements at Trader Joe's a few weeks ago and keep meaning to read up on it. I don't get enough vegetables in my diet, try as I might. I wondered if something like that might help. Summer is easier for veggies for me, but I am not a fan of eating salad, nor do I feel like making them to go with dinner every night.
  • I take BSN Syntha-6 Meal Replacement, Oxy-Elite Pro Thermogenic Supplement, and Vitamin Code Raw For Men.
  • RuthSweetTooth
    RuthSweetTooth Posts: 461 Member
    Chris,

    I am really digging your posts and I'm going to add you as a friend ! You are a font of knowledge!
    My doctor told me to try to keep my vitamin D supplementation to 2000 IU per day or so. In my Diet and Nutrition textbook, it does mention that 2000 IU is the upper limit for toxicity. Can you give me a link for your study because I would like to show it to my doctor. She did allow me to go a little over if I wanted to take a Calcium plus D on occasion, which only need to do every now and then.

    Ruth

    Vitamin D is one of the only ones I would recommend you still take as it is simply involved in so much and most people are deficient. Contrary to what people say there isn't really a toxicity level either unless you are taking hundreds of thousands of IUs day after day, month upon month.

    I'd say a 5000iu Vitamin D capsule a day is ideal along with a multi just to be sure, but generally you can and should be getting most of your nutrition from food.

    Also, never cleanse, please.
  • Yup.

    -Men's One A Day 1
    -Boost Complete Nutrition 8oz a day
    - Omega 3 pill 2x a day
  • chris1816
    chris1816 Posts: 715 Member
    Chris,

    I am really digging your posts and I'm going to add you as a friend ! You are a font of knowledge!
    My doctor told me to try to keep my vitamin D supplementation to 2000 IU per day or so. In my Diet and Nutrition textbook, it does mention that 2000 IU is the upper limit for toxicity. Can you give me a link for your study because I would like to show it to my doctor. She did allow me to go a little over if I wanted to take a Calcium plus D on occasion, which only need to do every now and then.

    Here ya go:

    http://www.cmaj.ca/content/166/12/1541.full

    Now, if you are taking a supplement with calcium and vitamin d; make sure it is composed of cholecalciferol (Vitamin D3), and always with some fat cot containing food. Ergocalciferol is a common substitute, most commonly known as Vitamin D2 not actually found or synthesized in any form by the body. I believe they make it from mushrooms.
  • funkyspunky872
    funkyspunky872 Posts: 866 Member
    My doctor originally prescribed me vitamin D tablets that you take once a week -- 50,000 IU. Whew, potent enough? :) I was on the side of the vampires though, I guess. It did the trick.
  • I take a walmart brand mens multivitamin and kirkland brand fish oil.