Vitamins

[Just_Me]

What vitamins do you take regularly? Right now, I'm taking a mult-vitamin and I would like to take some others, but there are so many out there I'm not sure what, if any, I should take. I'm interested in Ginko Biloba (?) because it is supposed to give you energy, Vitamin C to ward off colds, Calcium for my bones, Folic Acid for by future babies.... :confused: There are so many vitamins out there and it doesn't seem healthy to load up on everything.

Any thoughts?

[houseblend]

I take a multi-vitaimin from Vitamin World. It has a wide range of vitamins, including small amounts of some herbs. Outside of that, I think it depends on what you want to accomplish or to address any health issues. I take additional supplements of Vitamin B2 and Magnesium to prevent migraines, an additional Vitamin B (all) for my folic acid and I drink OJ every morning to get my Vitamin C. I try to incorporate a lot of other things in my diet rather than taking vitamins. For example, I cook with a lot of ginger and garlic since both are great for the immune system and a variety of other things. I don't think most people really need more than a multivitamin (and that even if you aren't getting enough in your diet), but it depends on what health issues you may have.

[jennylou]

I take a prenatal vitamin.

[sheartm7]

I also get a multi-vitamin from Vitamin World (http://www.vitaminworld.com/pages/Categories.asp?xs=9F12E16934A4427AAEEAA01D3FDAF2FC&CID=72).

Mega Vita Min for Women T/R

• Comprehensive Immune System Support
• Supports Bone Health
• Supports Energy Metabolism

Mega Vita Min for Women takes the guesswork out of essential vitamin and mineral nutrition. With 50 active ingredients, including B vitamins for energy metabolism and Calcium for bone health, plus a specialized blend of traditional herbs, Mega Vita Min for Women gives you the best nutritional factors you need to balance out your busy day. Mega Vita Min for Women is specially formulated to provide a gradual release of essential vitamins and minerals over a prolonged period of time.

[looch]

I take a multivitamin without calcium that I got from CVS. I also take fish oil capsules and calcium gel caps.
I have a hard time swallowing big, chalky pills, so this combo works out well because the multi is small and the other pills are those capsule things. I also take them at night, before bed, because I drink a lot of water during the day and I was afraid of flushing the vitamins out and wasting my money. Not sure if this even matters.

[Just_Me]

Thanks for the great information! I'm definitely going to check out vitamin world's multis. Right now I'm taking One-a-Day for Women.

Houseblend I didn't know B2 and Magnesium helped migraines! Is it for prevention? My drs have tried anti-seizure meds (neurontin & keppra) and high bp meds (enderol) to prevent my migraines, but they haven't worked. They never mentioned vitamins, though. I'm going to try that. I had one last week that lasted Thurs - Sun, and the Imitrex just wasn't cutting it.

Thanks again!

[houseblend]

Just Me - I've been to so many doctors and none of them mentioned vitamins to me, either. I read a great book called "What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Migraines" (hence the name!). In it the author discusses that a lot of migraines are caused by a deficiency in either of these two vitamins. You have to take them for a couple of months for it to start working (it's a preventative), but I am absolutely amazed at how well it has worked for me. I still get occassional migraines, but the severity and length of them has been reduced dramatically. He also recommends taking feverfew (an herb), which I took for awhile but is not good to take if you are TTC. When I was taking feverfew, I had even fewer migraines. The vitamins are definitely worth a try!

[1MegMeg]

I take a prenatal - I am not TTC yet, but prenatals have a higher amount of Folic Acid so if I take a prenatal I don't need to take extra folic acid. I also take calcium and a B-complex sometimes (for stress).

[Just_Me]

I'm ordering that book from Amazon right now, Houseblend. I hope the vitamins help me, too! Thanks again for the information. I noticed there's a migraine thread. I'll have to get over there one day to see if there's any more good information.

[houseblend]

Yes, definitely join us in the migraine thread! I don't post in there as much now that mine have been reduced, but it is a great place for support. Hope you find alleviation for yours as well!

[PinkPanther]

i heard prenatal vitamins are really good for you whether you are trying to conceive or not.

[Whitters20]

Hi there. I take a multivitamin every morning and sometimes an extra calcium supplement if I don't consume a lot of calcium during the day. I take an extra vitamin C if I start to feel a cold or urinary tract infection coming on. Make sure you check with your doctor before you begin taking extra supplements if you have any medical conditions just to be on the safe side. Generally, most people only need a multivitamin. Although it is not common, people can and do "overdose" on vitamins. If I were you, I'd pay attention to exactly what you eat for a week or so and see if your diet is lacking in any particular area and then maybe take an extra supplement for that. Also, keep in mind that your body can only absorb about 500mg of calcium at a time so there is really no point in taking much more than that in one sitting. If you take additional Calcium tablets, take them a few hours apart from your multivitamin and make sure the supplement also has Vitamin D. If you have any questions regarding specific vitamins or minerals, feel free to PM me. I have a current Nutrition textbook from my nursing classes that I can look up info in.

[houseblend]

Speaking of calcium, the book I mentioned before says that calcium and magnesium compete to get in the body. When I started taking calcium supplements, I had the worse migraines of my life (even had to go to the ER). For now, I'm avoiding calcium supplements. The latest research is saying that magnesium may be as important, or even more, in preventing osteoporosis anyway. I can't say whether or not this could be contributing to yours, but just some FYI for you.

[Daisy]

*Multi-vitamin
*B2
*Calcium