Vitamins and other supplements

JAT74
JAT74 Posts: 1,081 Member
edited November 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
for quite a few years now I've been taking a multivitamin daily as well as omega 3 or cod liver oil and more recently glucosamine.

I am doing the 5:2 diet (intermittent fasting) combined with 16:8 and on my non fast days and for non fast meals I am eating mostly non processed foods with some meat and veg and no more than 100g cabs per day. I also have a small quantity of fruit like half a banana or 3-4 strawberries in a protein shake most days and fats like peanut butter, olive oil, low fat dairy (cottage cheese, Greek yogurt) or natural fats as well as the odd processed treat like ice cream or chocolate once or twice a week in fairly small quantities. In fast days I eat 550 calories with carbs at around 50-60g and protein at about 40g.

My question is that I have read several articles recently saying that most people in the developed world don't need to take vitamins except one or two which may be lacking but I'm now confused about what I need to take and what could be doing me harm if I take it. For example I don't think I need vitamin D vp because I live in a hot climate most of the time but I've read a lot about people lacking magnesium or taking omega 3 or vitamin b12 etc.

Should I ditch the multivitamin and if so is there anything I should be taking?

Replies

  • mch2829
    mch2829 Posts: 70 Member
    You should talk to your doctor about it. Nobody here can answer for you. Your doctor can do blood tests to find out if you're getting enough nutrients in your food or not. Whether or not someone needs a multivitamin or other supplements depends on their diet, activity, genetics, and health problems.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    You would need a blood test to see if you are deficient in anything. Also, living in a hot climate does not mean you can't be vitamin D deficient...I live in New Mexico and we get like 360 days of sunshine per year and I'm always out on my bike...I'm still deficient in vitamin D without supplementation.

    People with crummy diets can be deficient in magnesium, but most people who eat healthfully are not. If you eat a lot of fish it is doubtful you would need omega 3...I eat a ton of fish and I was just telling my wife that I think I'm going to stop with my omega 3 supplement after this bottle is gone. b12 isn't a problem generally if you eat meat; however some people have absorption issues.

    I still take a multi-vitamin just to cover my bases...plus they're gummy and I like gummy.
  • JAT74
    JAT74 Posts: 1,081 Member
    When I had my blood test nothing flagged up as being over or under what it should be and that was with taking the supplements stated above.
  • BramageOMG
    BramageOMG Posts: 319 Member
    Your diet sound hideous! Beyond that, I take D3, Omega 3, CoQ10, Turmeric, C. and A.....
  • mch2829
    mch2829 Posts: 70 Member
    JAT74 wrote: »
    When I had my blood test nothing flagged up as being over or under what it should be and that was with taking the supplements stated above.

    You'd have to stop taking them and have it done again if you want to find out for sure. The dose you take in supplements is usually much less than what would be considered excessive, so the fact that nothing was flagged isn't surprising. You may still be getting enough nutrients from food. Only one way to find out :smile:
  • JAT74
    JAT74 Posts: 1,081 Member
    I don't really like fish and usually only eat smoked salmon and tuna once or twice a month each so I think I probably need omega 3s. Other than that I get knee problems and other joint problems from time to time so that's why I started taking glucosomine. I think I'll proba my stick with those and think about the multivitamin.
  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,626 Member
    i only take a daily multi vitamin (and really, its for the calcium).

    hubby take a multi and additional potassium and fish oil, per his doctors orders.

    Go to your doc, have them run some labs, and see what you need.

    for *most* vitamins and nutrients, your body will eliminate the excess on its own, but thats not true for ALL of them, so always best to consult with your doc.
  • JAT74
    JAT74 Posts: 1,081 Member
    Unfortunately easier said than done. I live in a country where I don't speak the language well so a docs visit requires a translator and also I'm in a small village where the doctors is only open for 3 days a week for an hour and a half each of those days, usually when I'm working so I try not to go unless I'm really sick and need urgent assistance.

    I think I'll continue with what I'm taking now as long as I feel well. The reason I wanted to be sure these things were necessary was because the prices here are really high and I was looking online at different offers and found somewhere to buy vitamins and supplements cheaply but I don't want to buy a large quantity and find I don't need them.

    As I'm doing the 5:2 diet and have a couple of days a week where I don't eat much and I don't always manage to eat a lot of calories maybe it will be better to take the vitamins to make sure I'm getting what I need.
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