Supplements---What do you take?

Have you studied this? Because all vitamins are NOT created equal by any means. Buying a good brand is very important. I researched before I chose. I didn't choose the best for financial reasons but GNC is a good one. Most drug store brands were worthless.

There's something I always look for on multi-vitamins to see if they pass my tests.
- The Vitamin B12 should be methylcobalamin, not cyanocobalamin
- The Vitamin B6 should be P5P (or a mix of P5P and something else), not pyridoxine hydrochloride
- The Magnesium should be citrate, not oxide
- The Calcium should be citrate

Guess what? Your multi failed all of them thus making it a low-quality multi-vitamin. There's other stuff to look for but yours failed those, so we can assume the other ingredients are most likely lacklustre.

And you can recommend a $6 drug store brand that passes your test? Please share the info.

Wellman (1-a-day multivitamin/minerals) and an extra Vitamin D supplement (5000 IU). Don't get enough sun here. USN 100% Whey Protein any day I'm going to be otherwise short of 180g of protein.

medicine has gotten better over the years, nothing to do with supplements. I do not believe clean food is the cure all but again the people fighting against clean food are the ones that refuse to change their lifestyles in order to never be overweight again. Fine by me but when you ask for advice, and you get defensive over the answer than that just says to me that there is something that is striking a nerve within you (maybe a little splash of truth?!!) that maybe you should look at. I am a stranger offering an very reasonable opinion, if you get upset about an opinion then maybe you should look a little deeper as to why you are getting upset. Maybe you know fruits and veggies are good for you but do not want to take the step to give your body what it needs? Maybe you don't have insurance and a blood test is expensive, maybe you do not want to change the way you eat and want to believe that the synthetic vitamins are just as good for you but deep down you know they are not, maybe you are just stubborn and know this is the right advice but you do not want to admit it to yourself. I don't know. All I know is that changing what food I crave has changed my life in a very positive way. I also no longer gain weight and aside from the 2 vitamins I cannot absorb naturally, my blood pressure, cholesterol and everything else having to do with my health is perfect. That is what eating clean will do for you, it takes out most processed things and leaves you feeling fantastic. If you are getting defensive over people telling you to eat better food please look inside and ask yourself what is it that is making you so defensive.

Pretty sure this thread was created to ask people what supplements people are eating and not hear you preach about how people can every thing they need from healthy eating. I eat very clean but for what I am going for it is easier to supplement more protein with a shake then eat a big steak. Get off your soap box already.

and for the record I guarentee you that most people taking vitamins here have not done their research. If you get offended by the word silly, then you are silly.

Ain't nuttin' wrong wid takin' a multi. I've done my research and I take one and many other smart, scientifically-driven individuals such as Alan Aragon, Lyle McDonald, Anthony Colpo, and Ian McCarthy take multi-vitamins.

I have seen some research that bags on multi-vitamins but the problem comes from people mega-dosing nutrients. A low-dose multi-vitamin is usually good enough whereas some athletic brands quadruple the RDA intake.

And you can recommend a $6 drug store brand that passes your test? Please share the info.

No, those are equally as awful but there are good, affordable multis out there. Source Naturals Life Force is one that's worth investing in. No one needs to go crazy and get mega-dosed vitamins and minerals such as Animal Pak (which is overrated and a waste of money). I also believe NOW makes a women's version of what I take, which I presume is called NOW Eve.

One A Day - Energy Blend multivit
Cinnamon Capsules - 2 a day (for blood sugar)
Kelp tablets - 1 a week
Ab Cuts midsection blend (Sunflower, Fish, Borage, Flax, Sesame Seed oil, Vit E 807mg per) 3 x a day

Just remember what your body doesn't need, it gets rid of. No sense in doubling up on vitamins unless you have money to burn. As you get the nutritional aspects through everyday foods.

I take a whey protien, multivitamin, cla, bcaa, efa's, at the moment

No, those are equally as awful but there are good, affordable multis out there. Source Naturals Life Force is one that's worth investing in. No one needs to go crazy and get mega-dosed vitamins and minerals such as Animal Pak (which is overrated and a waste of money). I also believe NOW makes a women's version of what I take, which I presume is called NOW Eve.

Thanks for the info. I use NOW for Vitamin D and I know its a good brand. I'll take a look at Eve and also Source Naturals.

[/quote]

You're kidding, right? The FDA is the biggest scam out there! Studies have proven that aspirin reduces your cancer risk but the FDA will not allow the makers of aspirin to make that claim any more and if they do then aspirin will be regulated and you will need a prescription to get it! They want to regulate ALL vitamins and force you to get them by prescription only. They claim that vitamins are harmful because they give them to their lab rats in doses that no one would ever be able to process.

They're a money hungry government funded operation that needs to be shut down period!
[/quote]

Really? I have my issues with FDA also but are you in favor of getting rid of all oversight of medications? The drug companies (and supplement manufacturers) would love to be able to do away with all of those expensive clinical trials to evaluate safety and efficacy but then we'd be at the mercy of the manufacturers. The reality is that supplements are already exempt from FDA oversight unless they are going to be marketed as a medication. I think this is pretty reasonable.

I do agree that the disconnect is that the process to get the FDA stamp of approval has become so expensive that there is no financial motive to investigate treatments without profit. Also more and more of the research funding comes from Pharma due to the cost of large trials and shrinking financial support from the NIH. There are likely "natural" treatments that could be beneficial and we may never be able to evaluate them in the present system.

So the system is far from perfect bit still serves a purpose. There were thousands of thalidomide victims in Europe who wish an agency like the FDA had been keeping watch there.

Ummm top 2 paragraphs should be a quote but I screwed it up somehow...

You're kidding, right? The FDA is the biggest scam out there! Studies have proven that aspirin reduces your cancer risk but the FDA will not allow the makers of aspirin to make that claim any more and if they do then aspirin will be regulated and you will need a prescription to get it! They want to regulate ALL vitamins and force you to get them by prescription only. They claim that vitamins are harmful because they give them to their lab rats in doses that no one would ever be able to process.

They're a money hungry government funded operation that needs to be shut down period!
[/quote]

Really? I have my issues with FDA also but are you in favor of getting rid of all oversight of medications? The drug companies (and supplement manufacturers) would love to be able to do away with all of those expensive clinical trials to evaluate safety and efficacy but then we'd be at the mercy of the manufacturers. The reality is that supplements are already exempt from FDA oversight unless they are going to be marketed as a medication. I think this is pretty reasonable.

I do agree that the disconnect is that the process to get the FDA stamp of approval has become so expensive that there is no financial motive to investigate treatments without profit. Also more and more of the research funding comes from Pharma due to the cost of large trials and shrinking financial support from the NIH. There are likely "natural" treatments that could be beneficial and we may never be able to evaluate them in the present system.

So the system is far from perfect bit still serves a purpose. There were thousands of thalidomide victims in Europe who wish an agency like the FDA had been keeping watch there.

Ummm top 2 paragraphs should be a quote but I screwed it up somehow...
[/quote]

So you'd rather pay 1,000 times what you pay now for a prescription which if you were to get your supplements would have to be prescribed by Big Pharma which, oh by the way OWNS the FDA?! I'm not!

Why should my omega 3's or my coq10 be FDA regulated?

Have you not listened to the ads for the meds that that the FDA has deemed "acceptable" where one of the side effects is a "fatal event"? Or you might have to call your doctor if an "involuntary spasm occurs because this might become permanent". Really? Sorry but if the FDA is passing drugs like this and they're deemed "safe" then I will take my chances with my unregulated supplements.

Be careful with carb blockers. I have IBS so asked my gastro Dr. These blockers work in the colon and can cause lots of upset. I do not eat the veggies or much fiber either. vitamains help with nutrients. Another option is the diet shakes. They have the nutrients and fiber. I like the equate brand from wamart. Affordable but not yucky lol.

.

You can find a study that will support just about any point of view you want to take. I can quote numerous studies that show that supplements protect against cancer. And some of those studies that show increased cancer risk are flawed or spun to make them seem more dramatic. Taking vitamin E is supposed to increase your risk for prostate cancer. Yet the same study showed that taking vitamin E with selenium (which is normal in a multivitamin) does not increase your risk. They never seem to mention that last part.

I agree that getting your vitamins from food is best. But if that isn't possible, then I believe that vitamins are a good alternative and the benefits far outweigh any risk.

Just my opinion and something that everyone needs to decide for themselves.

dont bother. it doesnt matter what your background is. these people love being slaves to big pharma.

Don't talk about people like second-class citizens. It makes you look like an *kitten*.

even if you are eating all the healthy foods, you still should be taking supplements. Atleast a multivitamen, fishoil etc