What supplements and or vitamins and why.

I take a multivitamin on doctors orders and specific vitamins to prevent deficiencies.

Some vitamins and minerals can be overdone. Do you have any deficiency you are hoping to address?

Young women of childbearing age should take Folic Acid.

Anyone in the northern hemisphere is likely low in Vitamin D.

While there are many that I find important but if I was going to be stranded in the middle of nowhere I would want my fish oil (helps with pain and vascular health), Vitamin D3 that initially at 22 ng, Vitamin K1 and K2 (both MK-4 and MK-7) and Magnesium since it is a factor in getting D3 and K2 to be most effective in the body.

I take gelatine for a tendon issue (also makes my hair delightfully strong and healthy).

I take a B12 supplement because I am a longtime vegetarian. People who don't eat a lot of animal products may not get enough B12 in their diet.

Ask your doctor to check you for potential vitamin/mineral deficiencies that you are concerned about.

Multivitamin due to malabsorption
B12 injections as I cannot absorb orally
Vitamin D and calcium as I'm deficient
Iron periodically as I'm deficient
Glucosamine sulphate as I have arthritis

Supplementing should fit your goals and needs. If you can't make your daily RV% of vitamins and minerals from food alone then yes, a multi can help.

I take Omega 3 (I rarely eat fish, not a fishing region). And I also take Chondroitin, MSM and Glucosamine, because I have incipient OA at the matusalemic age of 29.

Apart from that, and recently, BCAA. And sometimes a multi, when I've slacked on my veggie intake.

Where possible we should aim to give our bodies all we need from food. There are health issues which can compromise our ability to absorb vitamins and minerals. Having a tendency to eat mostly processed foods can contribute to poor absorption too.

I watched a programme on British TV last night which was sceptical of vitamin supplement. From this I would suggest taking them for someone who does not have a medical need is possibly unhelpful. As a support method as you work to improve your diet is possibly helpful.

Posters above have given their reasons for the supplements they are using which often reflects their stage in life. jgantica sums up supplement recommendation perfectly. Particularly in that some vitamins are toxic in high amounts.

Unlike Gale, I can't pinpoint things I could not be without on an isolated island. Magnesium would have to be in my list, its involved with many more functions than ones mentioned. When putting together my pots for the week I omitted my combination for thyroid support, after two days I was out for the count. Similarly when I thought my arthritic knees were greatly recovered, I halved my glucosamine sulphate, MSM, and osteoporosis protection capsules only to feel the problem returning. I know without vit C and b's, b12 with intrinsic factor, combined they provide our natural antihistamines, my tendency towards food and smell sensitivities will return.

Vitamin and mineral supplementation can be such a complex need for many of us. I would advise any young wom, rephrase this, any women to consider if Copper Toxicity, could be part of their health problems. Inadequate intake of zinc can permit copper levels get out of comfortable levels. Women can be tilted towards this situation if they use oral contraception and or use copper iud's. Copper above the amount your body is comfortable with reduces your ability to eliminate excess oestrogen which can contribute to histamine intolerance. A vegetarian diet can increase one's exposure because some countries permit copper use in the pesticides or fungicides! Nut and seed consumption can also increase copper levels. I love walnuts, 100 g contains 1 mcg of copper. Avocados in and of themselves contain copper.

The general advice is the body should be able to take 4mg but we are all different, I've seen daily recommendations of 1mcg, our bodies do have uses for it too. Most if not all multivitamin and minerals on the market tend to have 2 mcg of copper in them presuming a deficiency, (I was researching them last night), I have a prescription multi vit and min without. Zinc, one of the minerals which balance copper id freely found in many meats.

My advice is to know what you need and do your own research using medical papers or ones which reference them at the end of their texts. Then never take more than you need.

Vitamin D during winter (I often work night shifts and don’t see the sun for days on end).
Vitamin C if/when I’m getting a cold (even though evidence says it does nothing I believe strongly in the placebo effect 😉)

I have taken a multivitamin and mineral every morning for many years (decades). I have read that taking these is not needed with a balanced diet, which I have. I cook most of my own foods and rarely have fast food, by preference. I have been very fortunate to be healthy, but every time I think about no longer taking it, I just figure it’s good measure. I also take vitamin D because of deficiency, otherwise. At night, I take magnesium to aid sleep.

st johns wort, probiotic, and optivite multivitamin