I have to say I have never really felt the need to use vitamins as part of my daily routine. I eat 3 veg and 3 fruits each day 99/100 days, I enjoy leafy green veg and even if I don’t really like a couple of items I will eat them because they are good for me. However, I do not eat a lot of dairy and I have done some reading about women of childbearing age and folic acid/vitamin D. Currently I take a folic acid supplement that has 100% of my needs for calcium and vitamin D as well. Only I’m also doing loads of other things to stay fit for the winter including exercising every day, listening to my body, drinking lots of water and getting enough rest. I’ve suddenly thought more about supplements.
So I thought I’d come to the knowledgeable community here and ask if you use a vitamin and why? Have you found it has had good health benefits? If you ate all the recommended fruit and veg a day, do you still think supplements are needed?
I’m not exactly the picture of health – but I rarely get ill. I have only ever taken calcium supplements when breastfeeding (like you I hate diary and I knew I needed to do something for this).
I begrudge spending the money as these supplements can be super expensive and for me its hard to see tangible benefits. I think if you have a varied diet there really is no need.
My children have never had supplements either. I guess I just don’t believe in them.
By: Anna on December 1, 2009
at 3:25 am
I personally believe if you have access and consume a healthy diet as you do, you do not need supplemented vitamins. most of it tends to be excreted from the system so quickly when we introduce vitamins.
They are also costly but in saying that I do give my children fish oil capsules for brain development as it has been medically proven
By: Rain on December 1, 2009
at 6:19 am
I take flaxseed oil supplements (which I think have similar benefits as codliver but taste less horrid). It’s not really a health thing but I find it helps my skin.
Vitamins I’ve dabbled in on and off over the years, I haven’t really noticed any difference when I AM taking them so…
x
By: Kat on December 1, 2009
at 6:21 am
I take fermented cold liver oil (Green Pasture Brand) and that’s it. I do this because we live in the north and the vitamin D keeps me sleeping soundly all winter long (used to have issues with that in winter).
I figure I get enough by eating a varied diet. We drink raw milk and eat a wide variety of fruits & veggies, so I don’t worry too much about it. I think we may worry about it too much in our day and age, makes for good business though for the vitamin companies.
By: Chiot's Run on December 1, 2009
at 7:22 am
I take a multivitamin every day. Can’t say I feel any difference, but I do think our soil does not contain the nutrients it once did do to current farming practices that I figure it can’t hurt to supplement my healthy diet with a vitamin.
By: JenNYC on December 1, 2009
at 7:39 am
I use a slow release multi vitamin by Blackmores. I don’t know what my deficiency is but I cannot go more than two weeks without taking these tablets before I fall in a hole of weakness. I know I don’t eat properly now but I used to and still needed these. I have found the slow release are the only ones that really work for me so I guess I must use up or leach out something quite fast. I still live with extreme tiredness but these make it possible to carry on. Cherrie
By: cherrie on December 1, 2009
at 7:40 am
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at 8:55 am
I personally don’t take vitamins every day (except when I am pregnant, because I cannot eat for several months, literally). I think that if you are eating a great variety of foods, you are getting enough. Also, I’ve heard that the nutrients from vitamins are not as readily absorbed as the vitamins as food.
By: Jennifer on December 1, 2009
at 10:06 am
I’m moderate on supplements. Probiotics have been really helpful for me in the past, when fermented foods weren’t doing the job. But I don’t take them regularly, except for B-12. I actually think everyone should be taking B-12 regardless of their diet, because we’re all so dysbiotic and our diet is too clean as a general rule. But other than B-12 I never make general recommendations for supplements for anyone.
Vitamin D is a good idea if you live in a northern climate. I herd my kids outside every time there’s sunshine and we rarely use sunblock. We all have good levels, but we’re light-skinned and we live in a sunny area.
I think multi-vitamins are a complete waste of money. Some of those nutrients cancel each other out if taken at the same time and they tend to not contain many minerals, which is the real concern for most people.
If I get sick, I double up on vitamin C and zinc, but more important than that, I focus on garlic, greens, fermented foods, and fruit. I prefer to have whole foods instead of isolated nutrients.
I have given my daughter borage oil because she has a skin condition – it helped a lot. And when I’m really stressed, I’ll take a multi-B stress complex, along with some herbs. I’ve seen definite benefit using a B complex for short periods. So I’m not anti-supplement, but I don’t think there’s much use for them continuously, long-term, for most people. I will take herbs before I’ll take nutrients. We should be getting nutrients from foods and using plants as medicines when necessary, for most self-limiting illness – that’s my opinion.
I used to work in the holistic health department at Whole Foods and after a while I really felt like a pusher. I used to get this one regular customer who would bring in a bag of empty bottles and have me replace them. He’d spend over $300 a month on those pills and he absolutely reeked of cigarette smoke. Somehow he’d become convinced those supplements were going to save him from himself. That was sobering.
By: Chandelle on December 1, 2009
at 10:10 am
I’ve only recently started taking Greens + Multi vitamin with glow
And it seems to have improved my skin significantly
Very few pimples/acne (when I get them I know exactly why and where I did)
And it’s just a good supplement, in my opinion.
By: FB @ FabulouslyBroke.com on December 1, 2009
at 10:24 am
I’ve never been much of a vitamin-taker, but I do find that supplements can really help when they target a specific problem. For example, I have arthritis in my jaw and it can lock up once or twice a year. The first time it happened, I could barely eat anything for days. DH did some research and found out that B6 was good for lubing joints. I bought a bottle and within 2 days could fully open my jaw again. I don’t take B6 all the time, but now I take it when I feel a little stiffness during the colder months.
By: thisthriftedlife on December 1, 2009
at 2:12 pm
I tend to think that you should be able to get everything you need from a good diet. That said, I don’t think it hurts to take some vitamins when your immune system is low or if you find a particular supplement makes you feel better. I’ve taken them on and off but don’t as a regular thing. Since I found out I was pregnant I’ve been taking a supplement because I want lots of extra goodies in my system and also because I can’t always eat a large meal (or anything sometimes but that’s a whole other subject..!). I know you’ve mentioned being struck down by various lurgies over the past few months so, if you find something works for you, I think you might as well help your body along through these winter months in any way you can
By: Shoestring on December 1, 2009
at 3:15 pm
I only take supplements from the place I have told you about in the past. They are put together by a company backed by a long time nutrition researcher. In fact, he doesn’t even call them supplements, but food concentrates. I take the multi one because he formulates them so that they all work together and do not do anything like cancel each other out, but they all support the others to give the best benefits. I also take probiotics, and a high quality fish oil. I also take extra B complex at times. I do believe that even with a great diet, this is beneficial. I have started drinking green smoothies daily, but even with doing that, I still find it hard to get the amount of servings of fruits and vegetables in that are recommended, so high quality food concentrates are something I firmly believe in!
By: Michelle on December 2, 2009
at 1:38 am
I just recently starting taking vitamins. I have fibromyalgia and other autoimmune problems. I can tell a big difference in myself since I added the comlex B vitamins, vitamin C and E. I take these along with a multi-vitamin and supplements geared toward the relief of inflamation in my joints. I still have my “off” days, but no where near as many and I am not slammed so much or hard with fatigue.
By: Kim on December 2, 2009
at 7:53 pm
Kim, I also have fibromyalgia and I have found some supplements to be helpful at staving off or easing flares. One that has made a difference is magnesium malate – malate specifically because of the malic acid. Magnesium deficiency is extremely common in FMS patients and so I increased my intake of the nutrient (greens, nuts, etc.). But I also took high doses of mag.mal. for a while, because people with FMS also tend to have digestion/absorbancy issues. I only gave it up because I hate taking pills. If I ever find a liquid version I’ll be all over it. It definitely made a difference.
I’ve also used omega-3 oils therapeutically (I’m vegetarian so I used hemp and flax w/DHA), and they also seemed to help with fluidity.
Another product I’ve tried is 5-HTP. One theory holds that FMS is essentially the side effect of a sleep disorder, and I feel that to be true for me. I tried the 5-HTP and did feel that it helped me A LOT, and also with some postpartum depression. Unfortunately, I tried it again a while ago and didn’t feel that it had the same effect.
Oh, and B vitamins, definitely, and several herbs are helpful as well.
Okay, went on about that a bit.
Being a chronic illness with no cure, FMS is a good candidate for alternative treatments, and I’ve had some luck with them, so I thought I’d share that. Good luck.
By: Chandelle on December 3, 2009
at 9:39 am
I’ll be commenting via email…
By: Lazy Susie on December 3, 2009
at 5:50 pm