Where do you get your vitamins?

neverendingnights
neverendingnights Posts: 10
edited December 2024 in Food and Nutrition
Anyone know a good, reliable, cheap place online to get vitamins/supplements?

My psychiatrist today, after I asked him if he suggested any supplements, prescribed Animi-3 With Vitamin D for me and l-methylfolate. The l-methylfolate is because I'm jewish and he said every jew he's ever had tested have a gene mutation that doesn't allow them to metabolize folic acid correctly. Or something like that. The test is expensive and it can't hurt me to take it.

Well, my insurance company won't cover them, and they're like $400. So instead I want to get these OTC:

l-methylfolate
omega 3
Folic Acid
Vitamin B6 and B12 (or just a B complex)
Vitamin D3

Thanks.

Replies

  • cjmas
    cjmas Posts: 63
    I get my vitamins at Costco. You get a lot of bang for your buck, and their store-brand stuff is always high quality.
  • jasonp_ritzert
    jasonp_ritzert Posts: 357 Member
    Never heard of the first one you mention, but any omega-3 pill should suffice, I get NOW because they are affordable and can be ordered easisly online. The folic acid, b vitamins, and D3 can all be had in basically any multi-vitamin. I use GNC vitamin packs (I get them at Sams because they are cheaper there) because I like them best, but any basic multi-vitamin should suffice, just read the back to make sure you are getting the amounts you want and they hit your price point.
  • neverendingnights
    neverendingnights Posts: 10
    ok thanks guys. that first one is the active form of folic acid, because it is likely i lack the enzymes necessary to break down folic acid correctly. from wikipedia:

    Levomefolic acid (INN) (also known as 5-MTHF and l-methylfolate and sold under the brand names Metafolin and Deplin)[1] is the natural, active form of folic acid used at the cellular level for DNA reproduction, the cysteine cycle and the regulation of homocysteine among other functions. The un-methylated form, folic acid (vitamin B9), is a synthetic form of folate found in nutritional supplements. Synthetic folic acid is metabolized in the body into levomefolic acid. Approximately 10% of the general population (homozygous TT) lack the enzymes needed to receive any benefit from folic acid.[citation needed] Another 40% of the population (heterozygous CT) appear to convert only a limited amount of folic acid into levomefolic acid. They cannot fully process supplemental folic acid at RDA or higher dose levels.[citation needed] The remaining population do not have a known MTHFR polymorphism and can therefore metabolize folic acid more efficiently.

    like i said, my doc said he's had about 40-50 jewish patients tested since he started practicing and they ALL had the mutation. so he's stopped even ordering the test unless someone wants to pay the $1000 for it, cause according to him most insurance plans won't pay for it either.

    i appreciate the suggestions. there's some buy one get one free nature made stuff at CVS this week and there are also coupons for it on the nature made site. the CVS brand vitamins are also bogo. also publix has nature made items 2 for $6 starting tomorrow. just FYI if anyone wants cheap supplements. i think publix is going to come out cheaper for me but i don't think they are in every state.
  • JeanCrowl
    JeanCrowl Posts: 1
    I strongly suggest checking out mthfr.net for the specifics on this gene mutation. Depression is not the only concern. There are others such as clotting issues, digestive issues, certain types of cancer and problems with carrying babies to term as well as certain birth defects. Good luck and make sure you get the right kind of folic acid as the kind in most vitamins do not work for those wtih this genetic problem.
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