Vitamins and Supplements!

Options
mysteryfoxes
mysteryfoxes Posts: 101
in Food and Nutrition
Everyone should (keyword) take a vitamin of some sort everyday while on their weight loss journey. For those that do, what kind/kinds do you take? :)

I recently bought a weekly pill carrier and started carrying it around in my purse. It has in it:

- 1 One A Day Women's Active Mind & Body (to cover most vitamins)
- 2 Glucosamine/Chondroitin pills (Osteo-Biflex is the name brand version; I take it because even at 21 my joints and such get stressed and hurt so terribly. Yes, you can take this even if you're not elderly and have arthritis). :P
- 1 Biotin (it's a B7 vitamin that is necessary for cell growth, the production of fatty acids, and the metabolism of fats and amino acids. It also does wonders for blood sugar levels, and hair and nail growth!) xD

Curious to see what everyone else takes. I should probably start taking fish oil too...

Replies

  • Enigmatica
    Enigmatica Posts: 879 Member
    Options
    I list mine in my food diary, under Supplements =)
  • katapple
    katapple Posts: 1,108 Member
    Options
    I take a Flintstone chewable, Vit D, and iron (I'm iron deficient) I have a column just for my vits too
  • dot23scott
    dot23scott Posts: 29
    Options
    I am a thyroid cancer survivor (for last year), and am fighting weight gain (not very well, I'm afraid) and fatigue issues associated with the thyroid. My Dr. tested me, and I was low in B12, D, and iron - all contributors to energy levels. I now get a B12 shot biweekly, and take D3 and Iron supplements daily. It all helps. I need to find a way to add exercise in to my daily routine as I feel even better after a healthy walk, or some strength training. I also checked my testosterone level as they say low levels in women create energy issues as well - whilce my number is within the ranges quoted for my age/weight, it is low.

    I'm fighting buging the pill carrier - makes me feel old (associated with my elderly parents I guess....).
  • ronda_gettinghealthy
    ronda_gettinghealthy Posts: 777 Member
    Options
    I use USANA- I take the multivitamin- the chelated minerals, the cal-mag, D3, iodine and a proflavanol. During the winter I up the D3 and add a Vit C supplement. PS I hate taking them but I know they are good for me, and you are right everyone dieting should take one but inreality everyone should supplement. The RDA is the minimum, requirements to prevent disease not hte optimum amount for healthy liiving.
  • cgavin77
    cgavin77 Posts: 219
    Options
    Osteo-Biflex and Bioin are daily staples for me as well!

    (i also agree on the fish oil...but I cant bring myself to try it yet...it just SOUNDS like its going to be BAD! :sick: )
  • cmmull67
    cmmull67 Posts: 170 Member
    Options
    Osteo-Biflex and Bioin are daily staples for me as well!

    (i also agree on the fish oil...but I cant bring myself to try it yet...it just SOUNDS like its going to be BAD! :sick: )

    GNC triple strength fish oil cap is an unflavored gelcap. No aftertaste, or fishy smell via sweat. Slightly bigger than a multi, in size.
  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
    Options
    I wrote on this very recently.

    http://banks1850-machinations.blogspot.com/2011/04/vitamin-and-mineral-supplementation.html

    remember, vitamin and mineral supplements should be for exactly that, supplemental. You should be making every effort to receive all your daily vitamins and minerals through the foods you eat as that's how your body is designed to accept them (except in a few cases like Vitamin D which can be acquired via sunlight).

    FYI, I am not deficient in any category, and I haven't taken a vitamin or mineral supplement in over a year now. I do take Whey supplements on days I do resistance or anaerobic work, but that's for a different reason.
  • StormyNoriega
    StormyNoriega Posts: 35
    Options
    I take a Super Multi made by Dymatizze Nutrition - that is where my husband works =)
  • cgavin77
    cgavin77 Posts: 219
    Options
    Osteo-Biflex and Bioin are daily staples for me as well!

    (i also agree on the fish oil...but I cant bring myself to try it yet...it just SOUNDS like its going to be BAD! :sick: )

    GNC triple strength fish oil cap is an unflavored gelcap. No aftertaste, or fishy smell via sweat. Slightly bigger than a multi, in size.

    I'll check that out! thanks!!
  • wendywilliford
    wendywilliford Posts: 10
    Options
    I take the GNC triple strength fish oil and I dont have "fishy" burps. It's the only one I've tried that I don't mind taking.
  • katapple
    katapple Posts: 1,108 Member
    Options
    I wrote on this very recently.

    http://banks1850-machinations.blogspot.com/2011/04/vitamin-and-mineral-supplementation.html

    remember, vitamin and mineral supplements should be for exactly that, supplemental. You should be making every effort to receive all your daily vitamins and minerals through the foods you eat as that's how your body is designed to accept them (except in a few cases like Vitamin D which can be acquired via sunlight).

    FYI, I am not deficient in any category, and I haven't taken a vitamin or mineral supplement in over a year now. I do take Whey supplements on days I do resistance or anaerobic work, but that's for a different reason.

    I was doing this! Even with my daily multivitamin I've been taking for months, I still came back deficient on iron, probably has something to do with having thyroid issues :)
  • Lisalove5777
    Lisalove5777 Posts: 8 Member
    Options
    I take a multi vitamin with caffeine to get me going, Biotin ( great for nails), L-Tyrosine, L-Carnitine, C vit, D3, Chromium Picolonate, Iron (Anemic), Calcium, Fiber Tablet with Green Tea, and B12 and B6. However I am contemplating adding Glucosamine and Chodroitin and a fish oil as well. I just started back on all these, they seemed to really help back when I was a daily gym rat, now that I'm back into working out again and am constantly tired due to underactice thyroid and anemia I figured they'd help again, so far I'm feeling better already, although they upset my tummy so I have to make sure to eat with them all.:smile:
  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
    Options
    I wrote on this very recently.

    http://banks1850-machinations.blogspot.com/2011/04/vitamin-and-mineral-supplementation.html

    remember, vitamin and mineral supplements should be for exactly that, supplemental. You should be making every effort to receive all your daily vitamins and minerals through the foods you eat as that's how your body is designed to accept them (except in a few cases like Vitamin D which can be acquired via sunlight).

    FYI, I am not deficient in any category, and I haven't taken a vitamin or mineral supplement in over a year now. I do take Whey supplements on days I do resistance or anaerobic work, but that's for a different reason.

    I was doing this! Even with my daily multivitamin I've been taking for months, I still came back deficient on iron, probably has something to do with having thyroid issues :)

    there's potentially a lot of reasons why any iron in supplements may not have been taken up by your body correctly. Could be the type of iron in the pill, or it could be other foods you eat blocking the absorption of the iron, or you could have some other condition that you are unaware of. Did the level of iron go up with the vitamin? You said you have thyroid issues, what issues? Do you have hypothyroidism? Hashimoto's? How are your TIBC levels? That could be a reason, often people with hypothyroidism also have low TIBC levels which means you can't absorb as much dietary iron. There are things you can do to fix this though.
  • katapple
    katapple Posts: 1,108 Member
    Options
    I wrote on this very recently.

    http://banks1850-machinations.blogspot.com/2011/04/vitamin-and-mineral-supplementation.html

    remember, vitamin and mineral supplements should be for exactly that, supplemental. You should be making every effort to receive all your daily vitamins and minerals through the foods you eat as that's how your body is designed to accept them (except in a few cases like Vitamin D which can be acquired via sunlight).

    FYI, I am not deficient in any category, and I haven't taken a vitamin or mineral supplement in over a year now. I do take Whey supplements on days I do resistance or anaerobic work, but that's for a different reason.

    I was doing this! Even with my daily multivitamin I've been taking for months, I still came back deficient on iron, probably has something to do with having thyroid issues :)

    there's potentially a lot of reasons why any iron in supplements may not have been taken up by your body correctly. Could be the type of iron in the pill, or it could be other foods you eat blocking the absorption of the iron, or you could have some other condition that you are unaware of. Did the level of iron go up with the vitamin? You said you have thyroid issues, what issues? Do you have hypothyroidism? Hashimoto's? How are your TIBC levels? That could be a reason, often people with hypothyroidism also have low TIBC levels which means you can't absorb as much dietary iron. There are things you can do to fix this though.

    I have Hashimoto's, not sure on the TIBC levels. I was just diagnosed a few weeks ago. I started taking synthroid today, and I am going to make sure I take my iron hours apart. I haven't been retested since I started the extra iron supplement. A nodule on my thyroid was biopsied yesterday. I haven't been quite as tired as I normally am, so I think the iron is starting to work (been taking it for 2 weeks). Or it could be the extra cup or two of green tea that's helping in the afternoon. LOL
  • kent4j
    kent4j Posts: 391 Member
    Options
    I saw on Dr. Oz last week that you should not take calcium supplements with your multi vitamin, thyroid pill etc. It impedes the absorption of the supplement/medication. I had been taking them all at once. He suggested taking it separate and at least 1 hour before/after the others.
  • katapple
    katapple Posts: 1,108 Member
    Options
    Yeah, on my thyroid meds, it specifically says to take them at least 4 hours apart!
  • 123456654321
    123456654321 Posts: 1,311 Member
    Options
    I love Garden of life's Raw Whole Food Vitamins.
  • spritie
    spritie Posts: 167
    Options
    Due to being a vegan, I'm currently taking
    - iron (as my levels recently slightly dropped) mixed with vit C, zinc and b12
    - calcium w/ vit D
    - pro biotic (live and dairy free)
    - zinc (as I've had problems with deficiency in this also)

    If I could afford it I'd also consider taking a supplement made from algae containing Omega-3 fatty acids, which is basically just skipping the fish step and going to the original source of where the omega-3's from fish oil come from, but it is very expensive.

    I do however agree with Banks, if you can meeting your micro-nutrient needs from whole foods is much better, and is more likely to be combined with the relevant substances to aid absorption and uptake.

Categories