vitamin supplement

[daryn]

i just read zeejustin's blog and said to myself "hmm maybe i should start taking a vitamin supplement".

any recommendations?

edit: wow, there's a huge thread on this. i planned on making this post first, then saw gigantic thread

[diebitter]

multivitamin/mineral with rdas for B+C vitamins in the 100's or 1000's. Chelated minerals (better absorbed), and preferably timed release.

You'll feel more energetic in days - especially if you're exercising.


PS. If your pissing bright yellow after you start, that's good. It's the B vitamins, and you're getting plenty!

[AngryCola]

Someone should let me know if there is a reason the book I'm about to recommend sucks. Because if it does, I really need to know.

"Earl Mindell's Vitamin Bible" is a fairly comprehensive source for information about supplements. I've found it very useful over the last few years. As far as I know, this is the latest edition.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v431/AngryCola/mindell2.jpg
Link (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0446614092/qid=1133454136/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/103-8736358-1060654?s=books&v=glance&n=283155)

[vexvelour]

Go to Whole Foods and get what is called a "whole food suppliment". It's not Whole Foods brand, but rather crams the nutrition of tons of veggies, fish, and other important foods into these pills, hence a 'whole food' suppliment.

I have bought 2 different kinds, but my favorite is EarthSource Multi Nutrient. When you see how much great stuff they pack in there I promise you won't want anything else.

[AngryCola]

[ QUOTE ]
Go to Whole Foods and get what is called a "whole food suppliment". It's not Whole Foods brand, but rather crams the nutrition of tons of veggies, fish, and other important foods into these pills, hence a 'whole food' suppliment.

I have bought 2 different kinds, but my favorite is EarthSource Multi Nutrient. When you see how much great stuff they pack in there I promise you won't want anything else.

[/ QUOTE ]

First of all, Whole Foods is always overpriced. Secondly, big multis often aren't the way to go. They usually contain a few things that you don't want. It's tough to find multis that have everything you are looking for.

[vexvelour]

Multi-Nutrient, not Multi-Vitamin.

[diebitter]

I used to take ones called KWEST or similar, they were fantastic, and fit all the criteria. I dunno if they are available in the US, or even if they are around any more. Big-ass white plastic pill-jars, no box, if that helps.

They honk like yeast when you open them.

[AngryCola]

[ QUOTE ]
Multi-Nutrient, not Multi-Vitamin.

[/ QUOTE ]

I stand by what I said. Multis in either form are often not the best way to go. Sometimes you can get lucky and find a good one, but I have yet to find a solid multi at Whole Foods.

[diebitter]

[ QUOTE ]
Multis in either form are often not the best way to go.

[/ QUOTE ]

Why not? Much cheaper and more convenient than separate ones, and usually created to not inhibit digestion of each other etc.

Seriously, why not? Never heard a reason they were not the best way to go before. (PS. I wouldn't mix vitamins/minerals with extras like ginseng or whatever though - in a single pill I mean - best keep the 'alternative' stuff separate IMHO).

[craig r]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Go to Whole Foods and get what is called a "whole food suppliment". It's not Whole Foods brand, but rather crams the nutrition of tons of veggies, fish, and other important foods into these pills, hence a 'whole food' suppliment.

I have bought 2 different kinds, but my favorite is EarthSource Multi Nutrient. When you see how much great stuff they pack in there I promise you won't want anything else.

[/ QUOTE ]

First of all, Whole Foods is always overpriced. Secondly, big multis often aren't the way to go. They usually contain a few things that you don't want. It's tough to find multis that have everything you are looking for.

[/ QUOTE ]

It is very tough to find the right multi. Especially since man vitamins are water soluble (B and C), you need to make sure you get them throughout the entire day, because your body will piss out what you don't need. I am vegan (well actually for personally reasons that I don't want to get into here, I have had to add a little dairy), but I take a multi that is taken twice a day, vitamin b, and spirulina (pills). The B (especially 6 and 12) are very tought to get from non meat sources and since it is tough to take too much since it is water soluble. The thing to be wary about is Iron and A. You can get too much of those. It is best to buy vitamins (especially males) with low amounts of them and then get them from food sources. I also take Flax Seed Oil, because of the Omega 3s, which are almost impossible to get on a vegan diet.

Other than the health benefits of B-12 and Omega3's, there is the mental benefits as well. Some people take B-12 shots for depression and Omega3's are used among people with bipolar disorder (mainly BP 2, since it is not as severe).

craig

[diebitter]

I think my first advice is still spot on, but I'd like to stress some points to accomodate the issues excellently raised by Craig - you can have too much Vitamin A (too much kills you!) and Iron, and you need through the day supply of B and C.

However, the timed release handles the through the day thing, and a single multivitamin/mineral would I'm sure take good care not to overdo the A and Iron, and may in fact be better to self-regulate this than single supplements!

[AngryCola]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Multis in either form are often not the best way to go.

[/ QUOTE ]

Why not? Much cheaper and more convenient than separate ones, and usually created to not inhibit digestion of each other etc.

Seriously, why not? Never heard a reason they were not the best way to go before.

[/ QUOTE ]

If you can find good ones, multis are fine. The problem I've run into the most is many of them won't have the right amounts of certain types of things. It's also important for things to be in the right forms. For instance, most vitamin C in multis is not derived from a good source Also, finding good multis with chelated minerals can be tough, too.

Usually the whole list will look good until I get to one or two things that completely ruin the multi for me. It's pretty difficult to reach into a pill and yank out the few things you don't want.

If you want to know more about the different sources for various vitamins, I highly recommend Mindell's book. It's cheap and packed with a lot of information.

[raisins]

I would stay away from most multi-whatevers that you buy in stores. Stay away from GNC as well.

I am opening myself up to the same flaming ZeeJustin got in his thread but here we go. Some of the best information on supplements is on the Immortality Institute forums. I think the project of the Immortality Institute, "conquering the blight of involuntaray death", is sensationalist and a bit silly. That being said the people who are involved are passionate and science oriented. Their forums, I only read the ones under the Health subsection, are full of good information and many times arguments are backed up with scientific studies. Don't rule out this resource because you think immortality is a pipe dream.

Here are some specific recommendations. RelentlessImprovement.com is in my opinion the best supplier of quality dietary supplements. They are expensive. Advanced OrthoMolecular Research is the best producer, go to their web page and read their magazine. It talks about several of their products and how they compare to what else is on the market. Ortho-Core is widely recognized by life extensionists as the best multi-vitamin. I'm not going to make their case for them, any of the sources I gave will provide it. If you think it is possible to live to around 100 through proper self care, and I do, then one of the most important issues is brain health. To that end I suggest some CoQ10, around 30-50mg. As has been mentioned Omega 3 fats are very improtant for brain and all around health. Don't skimp on this, get it from a quality supplier, free from PCBs and heavy metals, one of the best is Nordic Naturals. I would also take more Vitamin C than what they give you in Ortho-Core. There's always more you can take if you want to get deeper into it but I think the above has a lot of benefit. And of course even more important than the above is your diet. All the usual warnings about white flour, white sugar, bread, fried foods, alcohol etc. blah blah blah go here.

regards,

raisins

P.S. Mason mentioned in a thread a month or so ago that he takes 100 pills a day. It would be interesting to get his thoughts.

[Ulysses]

daryn,

Perhaps it has been linked to somewhere else, but The Mason recently posted a link to his vitamin life extension program or whatever, where he takes like 100 vitamins a day or something.

Yours in health,
El Diablo

[kitaristi0]

Some studies actually indicate that taking excessive amounts of vitamins can be bad for you, e.g. excess Vitamin A increases the risk of osteoporosis and bone fractures.

[jthegreat]

Centrum Silver has no iron. It's good for men, especially meat-eating men. Just take two a day. It's fine.

[scott8]

All,

I think my life would be easier if people would just list the vitamins one should take.

Nutritionally,

Caldarooni

[craig r]

[ QUOTE ]
Some studies actually indicate that taking excessive amounts of vitamins can be bad for you, e.g. excess Vitamin A increases the risk of osteoporosis and bone fractures.

[/ QUOTE ]

All fat soluble vitamins have this risk. Because your body actually will store more than it needs. But, like with C, you can take too much, but it really takes ALOT. Your body will piss out what it doesn't need.

craig

[diebitter]

Here's what I take (when I remember) (http://www.questvitamins.co.uk/xcart/customer/product.php?productid=2963&cat=14&page=1)

I'm sure it's probably all wrong, but certainly helps keep up energy etc. However this is a UK product, so sorry everywhere else!