What are you on? Supplements, vitamins etc

Life Health & Fitness
1

Going through a healthy phase at the moment. Of course, I’m eating up all my greens, plenty of fruit and all the rest like a good little penguin, but I still think I’m missing out on some vitamins and minerals, especially on those days when it’s not alwasy possible to spend the time and trouble to eat the healthiest food possible. To fill in the inevitable gaps I’m thinking of getting some of those one-a-day multi-vitamins. I know they say it’s a waste of money - you’re just making expensive piss - but I don’t care.

Does anyone have any suggestions for a good brand that you can get cheaply here in Taiwan? Many of the multi-vits I’ve seen here are way, waaaay more expensive, often double the price you’d pay back home.

What other things are you on for general health?. I take fish oil for the omega-3; I have highish cholesterol and an irregular heart beat. (By the way, everyone go and get your cholesterol checked. I was shocked when I found out mine was high. I always thought I ate healthily.)
Isn’t someone here taking some kind of seaweed to boost immunity? Is that just if you are sick or can healthy people take it too?
Of course, I’ll be doing some research on the net before I rush out and buy. Suggestions and comments welcome.

2

started taking glucosamine-chondroitin recently and i’ll say it does seem like oil for the joints so to speak.

anectodally speaking, my dear grandma has been taking vitamins since i can remember, she’s in pretty damn good shape at 85, sharp too, not to mention three of her siblings died with alzheimer’s.

3

If you’re only paying double, you’re getting a bargain. Prices I’ve seen are up to 4X what you’d pay in the US if you get a good store-brand large bottle multivitamin. That said, Costco is the least of a ripoff for vitamins here. I just buy a few big bottles each time I go back to US, usually the Rite-Aid store brand Central-Vite which is usually pretty cheap.

Eating healthy can help lower cholesterol but your overall cholesterol levels have more to do with your genes. Some people are just more inclined towards a high cholesterol level. I’m lucky, I eat like a pig and still have low cholesterol.

4

I take the ‘Centrum’ multivitamins. It’s a good list, and a health professional checked it out for me once. Not too expensive either. I was also taking zinc for a while to (because a friend swore by it), but then I was told not too because there’s enough int he multivitamins and too much can be bad for you, so that’s something to watch out for. Also always take vitamins int he morning, never at night.

Brian

5

Why no vitamins at night?

6

I take Men’s One a Day, or its generic equivalent. I usually stock up in the States or have my parents’ send it. Men don’t need so much iron, and men’s multi-vitamins are usually iron-free. I think the most important thing, though, is just to eat healthy, a pretty tall order sometimes. If you want a good idea of vitamins, go to www.quackwatch.com.

At least in the US you can get washed and precut salad and vegetables. We overlook how oily most of the vegatables are here when they are prepared. If you really want a good immunity boost, stop drinking and smoking so much. I hated quitting smoking–I gained so much weight at first, but now I have a noticeably increased energy level and never get colds like I used to.

7

Whatever vitamin supplements you’re taking be sure it includes vitamin D or your body won’t be able to absorb the other stuff well … a good lesson I remember from AP Biology in high school. :wink:

8

I take a liguid grain supplement fortified with various yeasts quite regularly… seems to keep me in a well-rounded shape…

9

Aside from tigerman’s liquid grain supplement, I feel that unless one is extremely stressed out, in poor health or unable to eat an ordinary healthy diet, most supplements are totally unnecessary and just a waste of money. And, taken in excess they present many potential health risks:

Vitamin A
Vitamin A is one of the most dangerous vitamins in excessive doses, causing a syndrome called hypervitaminosis A, which includes symptoms such as nausea, headache, appetite loss, skin changes and irregular periods. In extreme cases there may be liver damage. Vitamin A is also teratogenic - it can cause abnormalities in the unborn child if taken by a pregnant woman.

Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine)
High doses of vitamin B6 can cause nerve damage, although there is currently some debate at to how much constitutes a dangerous dose. High doses (50-100 mg a day) are said to be helpful in pre-menstrual syndrome but women are best advised to stick to the dose recommended by their pharmacist.

Vitamin C
The dangerous link with high doses of vitamin C (more than I gram a day) is to nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhoea and kidney stones.

Vitamin D
Excessive amounts of Vitamin D can cause chaos with levels of calcium and phosphate in the body, with high blood levels of calcium causing thirst, muscle weakness, stomach upsets, kidney stones and growth problems in children.

Vitamin E
If high doses are continually taken there is a risk of stomach upsets and abdominal pain, and disruption of absorption of other fat soluble vitamins into the body.
bbc.co.uk/health/ask_doctor/ … gers.shtml

Excess Vitamin A . . . can cause osteoporosis. . .Medical experts are raising similar concerns and scenarios with other vitamins and minerals, especially iron and Vitamins E and C. Excess iron has been shown to increase heart disease and excess Vitamin E can increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes. . .
txai.org/news/2003/05160301.htm

The Hidden Dangers of Mega Vitamin C
substance.altmedangel.com/arteries.htm

10

I forget. But I trust the opinion of the woman who told me. She was a UK acredited complementary medicine practitioner.

MT, excessive vitamins can be bad for you, but balanced multivitamins (without taking extras) are a good idea. A lot of us just don’t get all the vitamins we need everyday.

Brian

11

Thanks for your replies. But come on, now - you’re not telling me that’s ALL you guys and gals are taking. There’s more I know it.

I promise not to sinigger at whatever wacky potions you’re taking.

12

[quote=“Spack”]Thanks for your replies. But come on, now - you’re not telling me that’s ALL you guys and gals are taking. There’s more I know it.

I promise not to sinigger at whatever wacky potions you’re taking.[/quote]
The Balvenie Portwood finish, to be taken at regular intervals throughout the evening, with additional yeast-and-hops-based medication for optimum lubrication. Keeps me red-eyed and droopy-jowled.

13

This supplements my day quite nicely.

14

Don’t forget Vitamin V.

[gosh darn it. i dunno know how to put up a nice flashy picture like the guy before me. you know a picture is worth a thousand words. Mao said that. and that makes me and a million others commie bastards. anyways…]

V is for Vodka. You add Vitamin V to the slurpy/slushy of your favorite flavour for the balanced approach.

15

[quote]This supplements my day quite nicely.

[/quote]

No more pornographic images please Soddom :wink:

Brian

16

Ever bought some red wine for its supposed medicinal properties thinking it might last for about a week? :laughing: Yeah, right - they rarely last a single day!! No wonder the French have one of highest rates of liver cancer in the world.

Back to cholesterol. Even though it may be mostly genetically determined that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t have it checked once or twice a year. If it’s way high you can try to control it with diet first (lots of soluble fibre, low fat diet) and take statins. I read that red rice yeast contains the same ‘chemicals’ that are used in some cholesterol-lowering drugs. I may take them if my next reading is still too high. I’ve seen them in some pharmacies in Taichung.

Maybe I’ll wait for the new cholesterol-lowering orange drink from Coca-Cola. :shock: What’s next? Anti-oxidant Pepsi?

17

If you want to track what things you eat for a few days, you can see which essentials you get enough of and which you are deficient in. Just register at www.fitday.com and enter in what you’ve eaten for the day. :bulb:

18

Great websites guys!

I take Centrum, 50-200mg of Vit. C, and a 50mg B complex tablet every morning. I have been warned several times by health officals to be careful about taking too much Vit. A and Vit. D. I can’t remember why exactely, something about the liver being damaged… I forget, so I don’t take any other suppliments other than the multi-vitamin.

Take a look at this article about popping too many pills.

http://content.health.msn.com/content/article/67/79958.htm

19

Spack:

Depends on your age, but there are certain vitamins that you don’t want to take too early. Poping too much vitamins are bad for you.

Miaka here is a female so I take the Centrum multivitamins like Bu La En (it’s good for both females & males), I take vitamin C as well since I don’t eat enough fruit, which I should have in Taiwan. Taiwan have lots of fruits that are rare in states so we should all take an advantage of it. Last, I take grape seeds since I heard it will improve my skin tones and it is good for the girls.

I think 3 vitamins are enough for me, which is the highest number I can count to.

PS. vitamins are quite expensive here if you want to go for brand name like Centrum. So your best bet would be to get them at Costco - Kirkland Brand, def. cheaper !!

20

I’ve heard bad things about Centrum as far as quality control. One pill is not necessarily the same as another; even in the same bottle. I haven’t researched it myself though.

I miss the Flintstones chewables. Wilma was very good, but there was a warning about the brown Barneys.