Daily Supplements?

MaxPower0102
MaxPower0102 Posts: 2,654 Member
edited November 8 in Food and Nutrition
With Metabolic Syndrome, everything is elevated. Blood Pressure, Lipids, etc (except Good Cholesterol is low). These should gravitate to normal with my weight loss and exercise. But sticking to a low carb diet, I am concerned I am not getting the vitamins and nutrients that I need. MFP only tracks so much of this.

I take a Fish Oil pill 2-3x a day. Thinking of adding Policasanol and Phytosterols to help Cholesterol numbers. Thoughts? Recommendations?

Replies

  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    They are probably not going to hurt. When I try something new I add one thing at a time so if something is working or not working or has side effects, I know which one it is.
    Good cholesterol goes up with exercise my doc says.
    High triglycerides are brought down, as you know, by cutting out carbs.
    If you want to vary your diet, try a new vegetable each week or two.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    I think you should check with your doctor before starting new pills.
  • trekkie_bbs
    trekkie_bbs Posts: 64 Member
    Kalikel wrote: »
    I think you should check with your doctor before starting new pills.

    I can't agree more. As a CPhT you would be surprised how many different vitamins can react with meds. Even Orange juice can mess with many meds.

    With that said show the doctor all the ingredients in the vitamins you want to take because many people waste money on vitamins they overdose on. Some vitamins can become dangerously toxic if you overdose on them as well so as Kalikel said check with your Doctor.
  • FatFreeFrolicking
    FatFreeFrolicking Posts: 4,252 Member
    I'm assuming you take medication for your high BP, high cholesterol, etc. so you need to speak with your doctor before starting new medication… even if it's a supplement. There can still be serious drug interactions.
  • hardenedheartx
    hardenedheartx Posts: 42 Member
    If you eat a healthy diet, vitamin supplementation is NOT NECESSARY!
  • Tim_Simons
    Tim_Simons Posts: 64 Member
    edited November 2014
    The purpose of taking a supplement is to supply what has been loss in your body. It strike the right balance of your body. You can take natural health supplements because they play a great supporting role to a healthy lifestyle. I recommend taking deer antler supplements.
  • goddessofawesome
    goddessofawesome Posts: 563 Member
    hardenedheartx wrote: »
    If you eat a healthy diet, vitamin supplementation is NOT NECESSARY!

    Sorry but I beg to disagree with this statement. The US RDA for the nutrients that your body actually needs is so pitifully low that it is nearly impossible to get all your nutrients through food alone hence the term "supplementation".

    Keep in mind that not everyone eats fish so where are they going to get their recommended allowance of Omega-3 with DHA & EPA if they don't supplement? If you live in an area where it's cold for 6-7 months out of the year where is someone going to get enough vitamin D for their body? Sure you could eat food but soy milk has 7 IU's in a cup, 172 IU's in a cup of orange juice, 759 IU's in cooked trout. The upper limit of vitamin D is 4,000 IU's PER DAY so again, unless you can be in the sun the majority of the time you need to supplement (I get about 7,000 IU's a day and per my blood work it's still not nearly enough). The amount of vitamin C one should take is 500 mg (for the low side. 2,000 for the upper limit). An orange has a whopping 51 mg of vitamin C. Grapefruit has 38 mg of vitamin C. You'll have to eat an awful lot of each every day to get what your body actually needs.

    So yes, you can get your vitamins through your food but you won't get nearly what your body needs without supplementation. And you should always get your blood work done to see where you are deficient before you randomly begin taking pills. I get my blood work done twice a year and adjust as needed.

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