What Brand of Vitamins?

[sparrow13]

What kind of vitamins do you guys take? I'm looking for some that aren't loaded with crud and aren't going to be passed right threw my system. I don't know much about vitamins so whatever anyone can offer, groovy.

TIA!

ETA: make that THROUGH my system. Damn. Pushin' forty, the synapses aren't firing as well as they once did.

 

[cakebaker]

GNC

What kind of vitamins do you guys take? I'm looking for some that aren't loaded with crud and aren't going to be passed right threw my system. I don't know much about vitamins so whatever anyone can offer, groovy.

TIA!

Pricey, but good. I take the Women's Ultra Multi Active formula which I get on ebay for cheaper than I'd get them at GNC - $27.00 for a 3 month's supply which includes shipping.

 

[kathryn]

I use Dr. Fuhrman's vitamins. They not only contain what one needs, they don't include questionable nutrients, like vitamin A and beta carotene, which may promote cancer if taken as isolated supplements rather than in foods.

 

[JeanneMarie]

I am very interested to read what everyone has to say. I currently take my calcium with Vit D, plus a Vit C capsule every day. I think I should be taking more, but am not sure exactly what to take. Is a women's multi vitamin enough?

 

[hiitdogs]

I don't take a multi vitamin, I eat a pretty healthy diet and really don't think I need to take it. Too much of a good thing may actually be bad . On the other hand a multi vitamin will not be able to make up for a bad diet. Multis are really not an "insurance policy".

I'd probably get a blood test done to check for vitamin levels and supplement accordingly.

If you think you really need take vitamins, I'd probably buy a vitamin that doesn't contain isolated substances but is based on whole foods , i.e. New Chapter http://www.newchapter.com/products/every-womans-one-daily

 

[nightowl81]

Pricey, but good. I take the Women's Ultra Multi Active formula which I get on ebay for cheaper than I'd get them at GNC - $27.00 for a 3 month's supply which includes shipping.

I'm another one who like GNC's. I also take their Hair, Skin, Nails, fish oil and MSM. Taking the extra vitamins with biotin and silica have made a big difference in my hair, so they must be doing something.

 

[ksg68]

Flintstones Complete

Flinstones Complete is what our family takes. Yep, good ol' Flinstones. My dad first told me that his Mayo doctors said these were the best vitamins on the market. Then, a friend of mine went to Mayo and they, too, were recommended Flinstones. So, we now take Flinstones.

 

[Tfit]

I loooove shaklee vitamins I can tell the day I do not take it and forget....for me it makes a BIG difference. My family takes there vitamins

Here is my link: i joined to sve some $$.

www.shaklee.net/twalker


Tammy)

 

[Katerchen]

If one eats a balanced diet, supplements are not necessary. Eating clean, following the food pyramid, varying different foods is healthier than trying to make up for an inadequate diet by popping pills.

 

[fit44]

I take 6 grams of fish oil from Genuine Health.
I add a greens to my shakes from Earth's Promise
and take Calcium/D3/magnesium supplements from Bone Up.

 

[JeanneMarie]

If one eats a balanced diet, supplements are not necessary. Eating clean, following the food pyramid, varying different foods is healthier than trying to make up for an inadequate diet by popping pills.

I really don't think those of us here are trying to make up for an inadequate diet by "popping pills". We are too smart and educated of a crowd for that to be the case.

I don't see anything wrong with supplementing your health with vitamins. I'm a 52 year old woman. So, it's not good for me to take extra calcium? I think it is.

 

[cockateils]

New Chapter - the best whole foods supplement. I take Zyflamend for my joints (took away my knee pain in less than two weeks it is pure ginger and tumeric and other natural herbs); Host Defense (a mushroom complex for immunity) and for my calcium I take Bone Strength Take Care which is an algae source of calcium which is pure (read about all their supplements on their website). I also take alot of green powders like Emerald balance, Green Magma, Greens Today. And I add bee pollen, camu camu (highest vitamin C - whole food), chlorella powder, aloe vera to my drinks. I also take COQ10, Vitamin E (Carlson's is purest), Whole Food Vitamin B (Nature's Way); Vitamin D, alpha lipoic acid (antioxidant), extra potassium and magnesium. It's a lot of supplements but it's worth it. I am 63, still working out and told I look many years younger. I order through vitacost.com. maryann

 

[hiitdogs]

I really don't think those of us here are trying to make up for an inadequate diet by "popping pills". We are too smart and educated of a crowd for that to be the case.

I don't see anything wrong with supplementing your health with vitamins. I'm a 52 year old woman. So, it's not good for me to take extra calcium? I think it is.

I think opions may vary on what is an adequate diet

That being said, too much of a good thing is not automatically more better . Megadoses of some vitamins which is common in some brands taken over several weeks and months could actually cause damage.

http://carefirst.staywellsolutionsonline.com/RelatedItems/1,2115

You probably will get all the calcium you need from your diet especially since many foods are fortified with calcium these days and if your intake is as low as 2,500 mg from food and supplements combined the calcium can interfere with the absorption of other minerals, iron, zinc, magnesium, and phosphorus, leading to health problems.

That being said Americans have the highest consumption of pasteurized milk and calcium supplement consumption and still have the highest rate of osteoporosis in the world, something does not add up!

Supplementation is really only intended for confirmed deficiencies, insuffiencies or illnesses and usually only for a limited time. Instead of just taking various vitamins and supplements get your blood levels checked and only take what you need because otherwise you will probably cause imbalances which over time can lead to serious health problems.

 

[hiitdogs]

New Chapter - the best whole foods supplement. I take Zyflamend for my joints (took away my knee pain in less than two weeks it is pure ginger and tumeric and other natural herbs); Host Defense (a mushroom complex for immunity)

I swear by Zyflamend!! My doctor gave it to me for a different condition and my shinsplints were gone in a few days.

Actually my dog now takes it for his hip dysplasia

 

[fit44]

Carola,

Why are pre-menopausal women told to take extra calcium?

I don't like milk. I don't drink it. I know most of the calcium we absorb comes from veggies anyway.

 

[Katerchen]

I
That being said Americans have the highest consumption of pasteurized milk and calcium supplement consumption and still have the highest rate of osteoporosis in the world, something does not add up!

Some say it's the Floride in our drinking water.

Also megadoses of B-Vitamins and Vitamin C have shown to accelerate the growth of cancer cells. Most calcium in supplements is not absorbed by the bones, so it is not the same thing as drinking a glass of milk.

If you drink a protein drink, eat cereal every day, chances are these already meet the daily requirements of most nutrients. The Americans are supplementing the most and have the highest rate of chronic diseases.

 

[kathryn]

I don't see anything wrong with supplementing your health with vitamins. I'm a 52 year old woman. So, it's not good for me to take extra calcium? I think it is.

Actually, more studies are showing that vitamin D is more important (and since many of us don't get the sun exposure necessary to make our own, it's good to supplement). Calcium is pretty easy to get from food, if you are eating a whole-foods diet with lots of greens and other foods high in it.

B12 is also a must for vegans (despite what some wishful thinkers claim).

 

[kathryn]

Why are pre-menopausal women told to take extra calcium?

I don't like milk. I don't drink it. I know most of the calcium we absorb comes from veggies anyway.

The RDA's are based on the Standard American Diet (aptly refered to as SAD), which is high in protein. That protein makes less calcium available by the body.

Calcium from foods is more assimilable by the body than inorganic calcium (which is in most supplements, and which comes from rocks).

 

[fit44]

The RDA's are based on the Standard American Diet (aptly refered to as SAD), which is high in protein. That protein makes less calcium available by the body.

Calcium from foods is more assimilable by the body than inorganic calcium (which is in most supplements, and which comes from rocks).

So, what do I do if I'm getting about half the RDA?
I eat broccoli, spinach, yogurt everyday. I eat the same food over and over(I like it that way).
I think I'm getting around 500mg and the RDA is 1000.
Are my supplements useless?

 

[kathryn]

So, what do I do if I'm getting about half the RDA?
I eat broccoli, spinach, yogurt everyday. I eat the same food over and over(I like it that way).
I think I'm getting around 500mg and the RDA is 1000.
Are my supplements useless?

I'd look into the bioavailability of the supplements (how well the body can utilise them), and also make sure to take a calcium supplement with vitamin D instead of just calcium.

The World Health Organization recommends 400 mg per day calcium intake, but that's based on world populations and not our high-protein diets.