supplements/vitamins

_birdie__
_birdie__ Posts: 308 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
what do you use and why?

mostly just curious, i go into GNC to get bars/whey protien and have never bought supplements or vitamins but thinking of adding something to the mix

Replies

  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 18,211 Member
    edited July 2016
    Vitamins are only of use if you have a deficiency. Otherwise, you just pee them out and its a total waste of money.

    I take vitamin D because I have a deficiency, don't get enough sun, and you can't really get it through food.
  • tcunbeliever
    tcunbeliever Posts: 8,219 Member
    Let's see...I sometimes take a B vitamin mix because I don't eat meat and therefore need a B12 supplement...I take MSM and extra B6 for carpal tunnel...I take a calcium + herbal blend as an osteoporosis preventative...
  • cee134
    cee134 Posts: 33,711 Member
    I have a vitamin D deficiency. Also I don't eat dairy, so I take some calcium every day. Do your research and be careful about over doing it. For example: too much of Vitiamin A can be bad,
    Although excess preformed vitamin A can have significant toxicity (known as hypervitaminosis A)... Although hypervitaminosis A can be due to excessive dietary intakes, the condition is usually a result of consuming too much preformed vitamin A from supplements or therapeutic retinoids
    https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminA-HealthProfessional/
  • xvolution
    xvolution Posts: 721 Member
    I take Vitamin D3 due to a deficiency, plus a combination of iron, folic acid and B-12 to help with anemia [iron helps form hemoglobin, which carries oxygen. Folic Acid is used to make new cells, including blood cells. B12 helps the body use folic acid to make new cells].
  • Mom2Frankie
    Mom2Frankie Posts: 23 Member
    The last study I read was done on Swedish nurses. Half had vitamins and the other half did not. The nurses who took vitamins died 7-10 years before everyone who did not take vitamins. Most people do not need vitamins. The only vitamins I have taken was folic acid when I was pregnant.
  • hollygirl101
    hollygirl101 Posts: 93 Member
    Didn't we just have a vitamin debate on here yesterday?
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,208 Member
    Mom2Frankie wrote: »
    The last study I read was done on Swedish nurses. Half had vitamins and the other half did not. The nurses who took vitamins died 7-10 years before everyone who did not take vitamins.

    Maybe they didn't feel as healthy so they took vitamins to feel better? To prove a causal effect, it would have to be a randomized study, preferably placebo-controlled.. not a cohort study. :+1:

    OP - i only take a multivitamin occasionally, on days that my diet doesn't meet my standards.
    It's an unregulated industry, so i buy one that's USP verified.. which i suspect you won't find at GNC.
  • 777dawne
    777dawne Posts: 27 Member
    I Thrive, it has over 300 natural vitamins, design for women my energy went thru the roof. .
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    @777dawne I count only about eighteen essential vitamins and minerals. Does that "Thrive" formulation include also other supplements and ingredients to get to 300? Is there caffeine on that list of 300? How about ephedrine or an analogue of the same? I refuse to honor the thrive site with a "hit".

    https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/list-VitaminsMinerals/

    Nearly everyone in the northern hemisphere is deficient in vitamin D. I advise young women of childbearing age to take Folic Acid to prevent a known birth defect (formed in the few weeks of pregnancy).
  • LokiGrrl
    LokiGrrl Posts: 156 Member
    Due to deficiencies my doc told me to take a multi, D3, magnesium, calcium, and a B complex. I'm religious about the multi, D3, and mag, but I haven't gotten around to the B complex and calcium. I haaaaaaaaate taking pills, especially the giant vitamin pills because they make me gag, so I'm looking into liquids.
  • grinning_chick
    grinning_chick Posts: 765 Member
    edited July 2016
    jgnatca wrote: »
    Nearly everyone in the northern hemisphere is deficient in vitamin D. I advise young women of childbearing age to take Folic Acid to prevent a known birth defect (formed in the few weeks of pregnancy).

    I wasn't deficient in vitamin D when I lived in the southwest/western US and worked in exclusively outdoors based jobs. It wasn't until I both moved northwards and stopped being outside all day, every day, that I developed my D3 deficiency.

    Women who are of childbearing age are told to take folic acid preemptively because by the time they know they are pregnant it is too late to prevent instances where adequate folic acid availability would have otherwise prevented spina bifida from occurring.
  • FunkyTobias
    FunkyTobias Posts: 1,776 Member
    edited July 2016
    Alatariel75 wrote: »
    Vitamins are only of use if you have a deficiency. Otherwise, you just pee them out and its a total waste of money.

    I take vitamin D because I have a deficiency, don't get enough sun, and you can't really get it through food.

    This is the correct answer.

    http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/more-evidence-that-routine-multivitamin-use-should-be-avoided/
  • debrafm
    debrafm Posts: 38 Member
    What about cinnamon, cayenne, and other metabolism boosters?
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  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 18,211 Member
    debrafm wrote: »
    What about cinnamon, cayenne, and other metabolism boosters?

    The amount you would have to consume to make anything approaching a noticeable difference in your metabolism would probably make you very ill.

  • Unknown
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  • Psychgrrl
    Psychgrrl Posts: 3,177 Member
    Iron, Vit D, B Vit, Cal/Mag/Zinc, Glucosamine/Chondroitin/MSM. The first 4 for deficiencies, the last one for my joints.
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 18,211 Member
    Noel_57 wrote: »
    "Alatariel75 wrote: »
    The amount you would have to consume to make anything approaching a noticeable difference in your metabolism would probably make you very ill.
    You mean like this?

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yd_CojcYToM

    I was totally going to post that but couldn't on my phone hahaha!
  • dizzieblondeuk
    dizzieblondeuk Posts: 286 Member
    Psychgrrl wrote: »
    Iron, Vit D, B Vit, Cal/Mag/Zinc, Glucosamine/Chondroitin/MSM. The first 4 for deficiencies, the last one for my joints.
    Glucosamine is one I'd recommend taking - there are very few food sources of this (shellfish excepted, and I don't eat it). It does make a difference to joints, especially for older people. All the other essential vitamins/minerals that are recommended (Vit B complex, Biotin etc) are adequately obtained from a normal, healthy diet. Vitamin D, like others have said, is something that a lot of northern hemisphere people are deficient in. If you have a specific deficiency in it, and/or aren't getting enough from your normal diet (oily fish and eggs are the primary sources), then a supplement will be beneficial.

    Zinc is usually only beneficial if you have a cold, and are looking to shorten the duration of the illness - usually taken along with vitamin C, which scientifically doesn't have any significant impact on colds/flu. BTW, I work for a food supplement manufacturer, and spend my entire day looking at scientific proof of vitamin benefits, and what are 'allowable claims' - which aren't the same as actual scientific evidence, by the way!! ;)
  • displaced1
    displaced1 Posts: 73 Member
    I take vitamin D and iron for deficiencies, a multivitamin, omega, and sometimes calcium and coq10. My energy did increase with a multivitamin and vitamin D.
  • FunkyTobias
    FunkyTobias Posts: 1,776 Member
    dizzieblondeuk wrote: »
    Psychgrrl wrote: »
    Iron, Vit D, B Vit, Cal/Mag/Zinc, Glucosamine/Chondroitin/MSM. The first 4 for deficiencies, the last one for my joints.
    Glucosamine is one I'd recommend taking - there are very few food sources of this (shellfish excepted, and I don't eat it). It does make a difference to joints, especially for older people.

    Except that it really doesn't.



    Glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate have been extensively studied. Despite the availability of the literature, there is essentially no evidence that minimum clinically important outcomes have been achieved compared to placebo, whether evaluated alone or in combination.



    http://www.aaos.org/research/guidelines/OAKSummaryofRecommendations.pdf

  • dizzieblondeuk
    dizzieblondeuk Posts: 286 Member
    edited July 2016
    FunkyTobias wrote: »
    dizzieblondeuk wrote: »
    Psychgrrl wrote: »
    Iron, Vit D, B Vit, Cal/Mag/Zinc, Glucosamine/Chondroitin/MSM. The first 4 for deficiencies, the last one for my joints.
    Glucosamine is one I'd recommend taking - there are very few food sources of this (shellfish excepted, and I don't eat it). It does make a difference to joints, especially for older people.

    Except that it really doesn't.



    Glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate have been extensively studied. Despite the availability of the literature, there is essentially no evidence that minimum clinically important outcomes have been achieved compared to placebo, whether evaluated alone or in combination.



    http://www.aaos.org/research/guidelines/OAKSummaryofRecommendations.pdf
    Except the study you've linked there is about symptomatic osteoarthritis sufferers. Other studies (and reviews of studies) have concluded that there is some benefit to glucosamine, in reducing joint stiffness and improving joint mobility in the general population. Were I to receive a diagnosis of OA, I wouldn't be relying on a mineral supplement but, as someone in their early 40's, I'm focusing on increased weight bearing exercise, combined with a glucosamine supplement to improve my joint functionality. For me, it's working - and (let's face it) 20-odd pounds off my frame is also helping massively!
  • cwgrant67
    cwgrant67 Posts: 33 Member
    Vitamin D- a must prevents cancer and autoimmune. Greatly helps my energy and thyroid. Magnesium- for my high blood pressure, headaches. Vitamin K- for my osteopenia. Omegas and coq10, Vitamin B, Vitamin C as I remember they do help me feel better. The first three were per my doctor to address low levels.
  • Caitlinbc
    Caitlinbc Posts: 1,914 Member
    One a Day Women's Multi-V and NatureWise Vitamin D 5,000 IU.

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