Something missing? (Vitamins & Minerals)

Hard to do detailed blood lab work over the internet
I recommend you have your real life doctor do it

I started taking additional vitamins and minerals because of my skin (Moderate Adult Acne) but since taking them I have noticed my energy level being a bit better and sickness seems to not cling to me as much but I do wonder if there is a vitamin or mineral that I may be missing as a balance to what I am taking.

My current daily vitamin & mineral intake is below:

- Centrum One-A-Day Women (x1)
- Zinc Citrate 50mg (x1)
- B-Complex Vitamin (Time Release) 100mg (x1)
- Vitamin D 1000IU (x6)

I do take such a large amount of D vitamin because I am severly deficient, it appears that I do not absorb that vitamin well. I was actually recommended but not directed to take 14,000 IU a day but I honestly think that is way too much.

So... opinions? I am not one who did more than a multivitamin my whole life until now.

Did a doctor tell you to take Vitamin D? If not I would suggest having blood tests done before taking it. You can over dose on vitamin D and it will cause heart palps etc.

I would suggest you take fish oil if you don't eat a lot of fish in your diet

I started taking additional vitamins and minerals because of my skin (Moderate Adult Acne) but since taking them I have noticed my energy level being a bit better and sickness seems to not cling to me as much but I do wonder if there is a vitamin or mineral that I may be missing as a balance to what I am taking.

My current daily vitamin & mineral intake is below:

- Centrum One-A-Day Women (x1)
- Zinc Citrate 50mg (x1)
- B-Complex Vitamin (Time Release) 100mg (x1)
- Vitamin D 1000IU (x6)

I do take such a large amount of D vitamin because I am severly deficient, it appears that I do not absorb that vitamin well. I was actually recommended but not directed to take 14,000 IU a day but I honestly think that is way too much.

So... opinions? I am not one who did more than a multivitamin my whole life until now.

Did a doctor tell you to take Vitamin D? If not I would suggest having blood tests done before taking it. You can over dose on vitamin D and it will cause heart palps etc.

I would suggest you take fish oil if you don't eat a lot of fish in your diet

I would second the vitamin d suggestion...that seems like quite a bit. I had bloodwork done a few years back and turned out I had quite the vitamin d deficiency. The doctor prescribed me higher dose supplements of 5000IU per WEEK and you're currently taking more than that per DAY. If a doctor recommended it by all means keep on keepin on as they would know better than us, but if that was your own decision I would double check with a medical professional so you don't overdo it.

Just something to try: get advil liquigels from the store, break one open and apply on your bigger zits. It supposedly brings down inflammation and is used by some Hollywood make up artists. I got rid of my acne with Accutane, but that's been discontinued.

I am taking the multi-vitamin and zinc for my acne off advice from those that suffer from it like I do and I do try to eat healthy whenever possible. And your right I don't think I eat enough oily fish, I eat fish about 1-2 times a month.

When it comes to my diet I don't eat a lot of meat and if I do it is usually chicken or turkey and rarely is it beef or fish. Protein is usually 1/4 of my plate, and I eat a whole boat load of vegetables. Usually greens like spinach, romaine, asparagus, peas and do include many other vegetables seasonally. Vegtables are 1/2 my plate and the last quarter is combination of dairy and grain although I sometimes leave it out though I usually have multigrain or whole wheat bread.

And yes I have seen a number of specialists for health issues, they instructed me to take vitamin D 6,000 to 14,000 IU daily as well as a B-complex Daily. 4,000 IU of Vitamin D daily is recommended to anyone living where I live as we get far less sunshine during the winter, at least that is what the doctor told me when I asked

Thanks for your input, definitely helpful!

You are being poorly advised with the zinc IMO, speak with your doctor or dermatologist instead of random unqualified people on forums. Was the B complex recommended ON TOP OF the multi you already take?

You could alter that diet to make it better for skin health/ acne - firstly oily fish several times a week ideally daily, omega-3s are powerful anti inflammatories and immune modulators, and acne is an inflammatory condition with a clear immune response to the bacteria. Fish body oils can be supplemented but you then miss out on vitamins and minerals that oily fish supply, chicken is not overly nutritious. Oftentimes supplements are blanket recommended in certain areas because medics accept people don't eat a balanced diet including things like oily fish, and some will end up deficient not because we actually all need it. Not to say don't take the vitamin D given your bloods, just work towards rebalancing your diet.

Why so many green vegetables, what about blue/ purple, red, orange/ yellow? The body needs the full complement of nutrients and antioxidants for optimum health, green is not better than other bright/ dark produce. You don't mention nuts, seeds, beans, lentils and appear to limit or sometimes avoid wholegrains, these are all mineral rich foods - whilst it's great for skin and inflammatory conditions to go low glycaemic index you do need a balance of the food groups and nutrients. If you want to eliminate one you must eat more from groups that supply the same nutrients. Try not to overeat processed wheat, have a balance of different whole carbs. I'm also not clear what your sources of healthy fats are? Certain fatty acids are incorporated into cell membranes including those of the skin, and help bolster its barrier function (keeps water in, bacteria out).

There is a decent commercial book by dermatologist Jessica Wu called 'Feed Your Face' that covers acne. You might also find current thinking on the skin's barrier function (corneobiology, corneotherapy) interesting, I started researching that and realised what I'd been doing wrong all these years, being too harsh on my skin and its flora, disrupting the natural protective mechanisms.

What the owner of this store doesn't know about natural skincare from a scientific perspective, including acne and ageing, is probably not worth knowing http://stores.skinessentialactives.com/StoreFront.bok
Some of her tried and tested recipes here, the KinNiaNag serum is lovely stuff raved about on many skincare forums/ blogs http://skinessentialactives.blogspot.co.uk/
She posts here as username DragoN http://skincare.boards.net/

and doctors will only prescribe drugs for your acne. you can do this without them. i appreciate most of the advice firefox gave, but don't just blindly accept a doctor or dermatologists recommendation. Accutane literally killed people.

D3 only, not D2, which is synthetic. D3 is more bio-available. I started with 2000 and am up to 5000, and continue to have my blood monitored. I live in a northern state and the winter sunshine is not strong enough to provide adequate D. There's a website where you can type in your address, and it will determine which parts of the year you get adequate and inadequate Vit D. I couldn't find it this time. Maybe you'll have better luck.


As noted, K2 (180-200mcg/day for every 1000iu of D3) and magnesium (available in Himilayan (sp?) salt) is required for healthy bones. OR Fermented veggies is a good source of K2.

Best wishes to you