Do you take any supplements/vitamins?

My body doesn't absorb certain foods well, so I have to take vitamins.

I take children's multi-gummies
B-12
B-Complex
C
D3
Ginseng
Flax Oil
Safflower Oil
Calcium Chews
And one called Hair, Skin, and Nails... which HAS made my nails much stronger after a month of use.

If you want I can list sources, can't promise MLA format though =/

No need. I can grab them too.

Tell me your thoughts on this? http://raypeat.com/articles/articles/fishoil.shtml

It's one of those weigh the good with the bad things and try to accurate gauge how vested in a special interest both sides are.

For example (and yes this is a bit of cherry picking but I was making food so I grabbed onto something readily overplayed in that article).

Omega 3 fatty acids can cause mitochondrial dysfunction. The article goes into great lengths explaining how this is a high risk factor of high omega 3 fatty acid consumption, that it can disrupt function of the mitochondria specifically in brain cells. The author is very diligent in listing the sources where that argument comes from; however does not delve into excessive detail on the nature of the studies. So an organism that has symbiotically coexisted in most living cells in almost every living thing on earth and served as a key aid in production of ATP can be disrupted at the neurological cellular level by eating too much....fish?

The author was at least honest enough to clarify that this was all in rat based studies, and in most cases the cells tested were cultured and thus isolated. Rat studies contrary to popular conjecture rarely carry over very well to humans as the metabolic function and response is still far too different in how they will respond to the same stimuli as a human being. Now an overly high amount of fish oil is considered 2-3 grams a day, which is actually around what you get taking a full days dose of your average fish oil pill supplement (mine are 4 grams).

However, you can eat two servings of tuna, salmon etc and receive the full amount of recommended omega-3 fatty acids for an entire week, which I also eat quite a bit of, along with other vegetable based sources. If a high amount of omega 3 fatty acids can easily disrupt what amounts to the functionality of the entire brain; you would see much of the populations of Japan and The Republic of Korea dropping dead from systemic brain failure. The article itself is a bit too politically charged, despite coming from someone highly accredited in the field of study.

If you are taking anything more than:

Multivitamin (with iron if you have a vag)
Fish Oil
Vitamin D
Maaaaaybe Vitamin C
Creatine or BCAAs if you lift.
Something Recommended By a Licensed Physician for a specific need/deficiency.

..you are wasting money. Most of your nutrition you should be getting from food, and guess what...if you were ACTUALLY deficient your liver will synthesize most of the rest.

(Disclaimer: I don't really count protein powder as a supplement, just food honestly)

Folic acid is great for metabolism support you can add wheat germ to your diet (taste like parmesan cheese and it is a great source of folic acid if you don't want the supplements in pill form). That is the only thing I would add to the list. I also take potassium/magnesium b/c I have a lot of muscle cramping.. but that's the only reason. Other than that.. I do a multi pack with added B vitamins for energy, fish oil, and if I'm super bloated/constipated i'll do acai berry for a week or so but its not good to do consistently. Your body needs to bacteria it creates and the acai berry cleanses the bad and the good from your intestinal track.

Oh boy where to begin.

Folic acid doesn't really do much for your metabolism though it is great for you, I don't need wheat germ though or need to buy supplements because I already eat plenty of avocados, papaya, potatos, lettuce, whole wheat, eggs, halibut, parsley, tuna, green beans, black beand, cauliflower, bananas, blueberries, broccoli, apples, cabbage, almonds, carrots, ANY CITRUS FRUIT, strawberries, plums, raspberries, spinach, olives, bell peppers, lentils, oats, chickpeas (*kitten* yeah hummus), garlic, squash, sweet potatos, oregano, sage, thyme, soybeans, tofu, flax, beef, honey, salmon, cashews, prunes, chicken, yogurt, brown rice, olive oil (see olives), and quinoa!

Oh and because I eat all those things I happen to get plenty of everything else you listed, and am never constipated.

By the way did you know Acai is just a generic berry down in South America that Brazillians (where it mainly comes from) don't give near as much of a *kitten* about as all the people outside the area buying into as a cure all do? Also that cleanses are complete bullsh*t and if you eat generally healthy and have a functioning liver and a kidney or two you don't need to cleanse anything?

Also supplementing potassium unless advised by a doctor is generally unnecessary and sometimes dangerous.

U do realize I wasn't only speaking to you, right? Just asking.. cuz I was mainly speaking to the OP... u know, the person who started the topic.

Yes but you do bad/unnecessary things.

I course corrected.

OP appreciated it.

Damn... some people just get going and just don't shut up. I wish these forums had a vote off option. Chris 1816..voted off.

You'd upset my fans.

Also the racial balance.

EDIT: I am genuinely sorry I advised against needlessly wasting money on supplements for ill advised reasons. Really.

If you want I can list sources, can't promise MLA format though =/

No need. I can grab them too.

Tell me your thoughts on this? http://raypeat.com/articles/articles/fishoil.shtml

However, you can eat two servings of tuna, salmon etc and receive the full amount of recommended omega-3 fatty acids for an entire week, which I also eat quite a bit of, along with other vegetable based sources. If a high amount of omega 3 fatty acids can easily disrupt what amounts to the functionality of the entire brain; you would see much of the populations of Japan and The Republic of Korea dropping dead from systemic brain failure. The article itself is a bit too politically charged, despite coming from someone highly accredited in the field of study.

I would love to discuss this a bit more with you.. I'm sorry, falling in to sleep at the moment. Please forgive.

No problem, I had a long day of work/trolling mfp forums so you've caught me a bit wiped out and tired. I had to read the damn article twice.

Damn... some people just get going and just don't shut up. I wish these forums had a vote off option. Chris 1816..voted off.

You'd upset my fans.

Also the racial balance.

EDIT: I am genuinely sorry I advised against needlessly wasting money on supplements for ill advised reasons. Really.

Don't be sorry. Please.

Damn... some people just get going and just don't shut up. I wish these forums had a vote off option. Chris 1816..voted off.

You'd upset my fans.

Also the racial balance.

EDIT: I am genuinely sorry I advised against needlessly wasting money on supplements for ill advised reasons. Really.

Don't be sorry. Please.

Sarcasm doesn't convey well in text, does it?

i take
D2
Iron
and B12

Damn... some people just get going and just don't shut up. I wish these forums had a vote off option. Chris 1816..voted off.

You'd upset my fans.

Also the racial balance.

EDIT: I am genuinely sorry I advised against needlessly wasting money on supplements for ill advised reasons. Really.

Don't be sorry. Please.

Sarcasm doesn't convey well in text, does it?

:P .... sleeping!!!!!

I just take a multi vitamin.

I take a multi, Vit D3, Vit C, Glutamine and Cod Liver Oil. I probably don't need the C, but I had a big bottle and am using them up. I also have a protein shake daily, either one of my meal replacement shakes (Met-RX) or a regular protein shake (Pure Protein Vanilla) and whole wheat toast with some PB2 or an egg after my workout if it's a weight training day, lunch if it isn't. Lunch usually because a shake is quick & convenient and beats subway or some other poor choice while out & about.

I have to say, on days that I don't take my supplements, I don't feel as good. The biggest indicator of that is that I get wicked debilitating cramps every, oh, 28 days. The kind that keep you awake in the fetal position all night. This month (the first month of regularly taking my supplements) I had just the slightest twinge. After a little research, I think I can attribute that positive effect to the Cod Liver Oil. So that one alone is totally worth it to me. Even if it does produce a couple of nasty fishy burps a couple of hours later. Blech.

I was looking at Greens supplements at Trader Joe's a few weeks ago and keep meaning to read up on it. I don't get enough vegetables in my diet, try as I might. I wondered if something like that might help. Summer is easier for veggies for me, but I am not a fan of eating salad, nor do I feel like making them to go with dinner every night.

Chris,

I am really digging your posts and I'm going to add you as a friend ! You are a font of knowledge!
My doctor told me to try to keep my vitamin D supplementation to 2000 IU per day or so. In my Diet and Nutrition textbook, it does mention that 2000 IU is the upper limit for toxicity. Can you give me a link for your study because I would like to show it to my doctor. She did allow me to go a little over if I wanted to take a Calcium plus D on occasion, which only need to do every now and then.

Ruth

Vitamin D is one of the only ones I would recommend you still take as it is simply involved in so much and most people are deficient. Contrary to what people say there isn't really a toxicity level either unless you are taking hundreds of thousands of IUs day after day, month upon month.

I'd say a 5000iu Vitamin D capsule a day is ideal along with a multi just to be sure, but generally you can and should be getting most of your nutrition from food.

Also, never cleanse, please.

Chris,

I am really digging your posts and I'm going to add you as a friend ! You are a font of knowledge!
My doctor told me to try to keep my vitamin D supplementation to 2000 IU per day or so. In my Diet and Nutrition textbook, it does mention that 2000 IU is the upper limit for toxicity. Can you give me a link for your study because I would like to show it to my doctor. She did allow me to go a little over if I wanted to take a Calcium plus D on occasion, which only need to do every now and then.

Here ya go:

http://www.cmaj.ca/content/166/12/1541.full

Now, if you are taking a supplement with calcium and vitamin d; make sure it is composed of cholecalciferol (Vitamin D3), and always with some fat cot containing food. Ergocalciferol is a common substitute, most commonly known as Vitamin D2 not actually found or synthesized in any form by the body. I believe they make it from mushrooms.

I take a walmart brand mens multivitamin and kirkland brand fish oil.