Supplements...What Should I Take?

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xcirce
xcirce Posts: 20 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Everything I look up what good vitamins, minerals, and boosts there are, I get bombarded with a million different things. Even looking on the message boards here, so many people take so many different supplements. My question is...which ones are essential? Should I be taking 20 pills a day?
I'm a lacto-ovo vegetarian that generally gets enough calcium, and I'm really only short on iron and potassium. I'm is pretty healthy in general (no conditions or bad genetic stuff). I'm 19 & I'm just trying to prepare my body for the rest of my life. I currently take Centrum A - Zinc, green tea, and ginkgo biloba. If you have any advice, please help if you can!

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  • TheYoungRetiree
    TheYoungRetiree Posts: 84 Member
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    Best advice: Talk to your doctor! They'll know your medical history and be able to tell you best!
  • taso42_DELETED
    taso42_DELETED Posts: 3,394 Member
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    Stick to your multivitamin and call it good. If you think your protein is low, supplement with a little whey.
  • purnurple
    purnurple Posts: 102
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    i take flinestons childrens complete in teh adult amount because it has 23 vitamins in one chewable pill!
  • Lleldiranne
    Lleldiranne Posts: 5,516 Member
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    I just take a women's once daily vitamin. One pill a day, that's it. It's a generic store brand. According to my doc, it's good enough to use in place of a pre-natal vitamin. Since you have trouble with iron, check the iron on whatever you consider. Most have 18mg, which is generally enough (if you still are anemic you may want to talk to your doc about additional supplementation, which requires prescription). Also make sure you are getting enough vitamin D, although the milk should take care of that along with the calcium.
    As long as you eat a well balanced diet with lots of fruits and veggies, a simple once daily vitamin should be enough to fill in any gaps you may have.

    Sorry, I have no info on herbal supplements such as ginko biloba or ginseng. Even the FDA and most docs haven't agreed on what levels are healthy or safe; there just isn't enough clinical research yet.
  • Panda_Jack
    Panda_Jack Posts: 829 Member
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    i take flinestons childrens complete in teh adult amount because it has 23 vitamins in one chewable pill!

    I like the Flintstones Push-Pops... I have no clue of their nutritional value but they sure are delicious!
  • xcirce
    xcirce Posts: 20 Member
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    Thanks everyone. I'll just stick to my simple lil multivitamin =]
  • sarah307
    sarah307 Posts: 1,363 Member
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    I take fish oils for good heart health! and I used to take prenatal vitamins for good source of folic acid and vitamin B12!
  • Jordonnn
    Jordonnn Posts: 9
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    I take one multi-vitamin a morning, and two metabolism boosty tablets a day (:

    The metabolism ones really help to lose weight :D
  • erisians
    erisians Posts: 15 Member
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    If you haven't got one recently it's probably worth getting a blood test to see if you're lacking in anything. Many doctors in western countries are reporting low vitamin D levels in many of their patients. New research has linked low vitamin D with an increased incidence of Diabetes, Alzheimers and Osteoporosis. I generally take a calcium supplement (hydroxyapetite), vitamin D and omega-3. If you have low iron it's probably worth taking an iron supplement and upping your iron intake to help avoid anemia as you get older. But generally it's best to get most of your vitamins and minerals through your diet if possible as the research is mixed about how well oral supplements are absorbed. But if you feel you're not getting enough through your diet a multi-vitamin is better than nothing.
  • purnurple
    purnurple Posts: 102
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    i take flinestons childrens complete in teh adult amount because it has 23 vitamins in one chewable pill!

    I like the Flintstones Push-Pops... I have no clue of their nutritional value but they sure are delicious!

    the push pops have no nutritional value whatso ever.

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