[wendymeows]

Do you take vitamins along with your diet plan? I started taking centrums cardio vitamin last week. My dh says I should be taking natural vitamins....I've read pros and cons to both. But I want to hear it from you guys, are you taking a vitamin and if so what kind?

[karmuz]

I take a multi every day - I feel that I eat a balanced enough diet to get all of my nutrients in without the vitamin supplement but it still makes me feel better to have a backup (plus it does seem to make me feel a little better - since i've been taking a multi, my hair is shiner, my skin is clearer, i have a little more energy, etc)
I work in a natural foods store, and rarely shop at other stores. We have an extensive supplement section, and I tend to gravitate toward the food based vitamins because I am prone to stomach upsets when I take other multis. I tend to rotate between garden of life's living multi (a six a day) rainbow light's women's nutritional system, new chapter's women's and megafood's women's one a day. I usually just buy what ever is on sale because they are all pretty pricey, and some of them are six a day. when i get a six a day, i take half (3 a day) and i rarely get the one a days but it seems to make little difference in how i feel, as long as i am taking some kind of multi. all of these also have added "green foods", and some herbals formulated specfically for women - i don't notice much of a difference but i am a little less uncomfortable when my TOM rolls around (less cramps, bloating, etc)
In addition to my multi, I also take a daily probiotic (and eat a yogurt, lol) because I am prone to general stomach upsets, gas, and yeast infections. this REALLY helps me.

[fiberlover]

I take a multi from Puritan's Pride every day, plus an extra C, a B complex and a flax seed capsule.

[Lovely]

I take a multi-vitamin almost every day. Just a generic CVS one.

[Merksie]

I take "Women's Ultra Mega" multivitamin from GNC.

[Beverlyjoy]

Hi...yes I take vitamins. The take the CVS brand of Centrum Cardio. My doctor approved highly.

Also, I take Estroven for menopause symptoms and fish oil capsules for good heart health. I eat two T. of ground flax seed everyday, too. All these my doctor has approved too.

[BrandNewJen]

I take a multivitamin every day (ABC plus from Puritan's Pride)... I'm gonna start taking Vitamin K too...

I NEVER took vitamins--- however, I take an Alli pill with dinner (so not the full force 3 a day...) and since Alli blocks some fat absorption, it also interferes with absorption of A,D,E, and K vitamins. So my multivitamin more than covers me if I'm missing them... but it didn't have enough Vitamin K in it (it had SOME... more than most other multi's out there--- but unless I eat broccoli, I rarely get even close to the recommended amount in my diet, and that's even if it's getting absorbed properly)

If you have high triglycerides, I recommend Fish Oil (gross sounding, huh?) My dad had CRAZY high triglycerides... fish oil was the only thing that worked to bring them down.

[RealCdn]

I take the Women's Ultra Mega multivitamin from GNC as well. I also take calcium, since I can't stomach milk/yogurt etc. (too much cheese and ice cream will generally upset me as well, but I can tolerate in smaller amounts). I also take fish oil/flax oil capsules as I don't eat fish.

[wendymeows]

What is the flax oil/seed for? I seen alot of it in the vitamin department but was not sure of the benefit.

[fiberlover]

Fish oil and flax seed oil are taken for Omega fatty acids.

I like the flax because I always get fishy burps from the fish oil capsules - yuck!

[FB]

I take generic Prenatal vitamins, although I'm not pregnant nor plan to be any time soon. My lady parts doc recommended continuing them after birth- he knows it's been 4 years since birth! I also add in ester-c and flaxseed oil capsules.

[ChunkyDunker]

I take a womens' multi, a calcium/mag/vit D, flax oil, fish oil and milk thistle.

[kaplods]

I take a multi-vitamin, niacin, folic acid, calcium, vitamin D, vitamin C, and alpha-lipoic acid, and fish oil.

The multi-vitamin, because my primary care doctor recommended it during dieting, as "insurance."

The niacin was prescribed by my primary care doctor to raise my good cholesterol.

The folic acid, prescribed by my neurologist for the fibromyalgia fatigue.

The calcium because I don't generally eat much dairy.

The vitamin D, was prescribed by an endocrinologist last winter. It was a short-term, prescription course to address a deficiency that was causing fatigue and leg cramps. I was having symptoms again this winter, so I just started the vitamin D on my own. I've been reading that vitamin D deficiency might be linked to autoimmune deficiency, so I'm thinking of continueing it, and will talk to my doctor more about that at my next appointment.

the vitamin C, I generally only take on days that I do not eat fruits and vegetables with high levels of vitamin C (citrus, bell and hot peppers, etc...)

the alpha-lipoic acid was recommended by my doctor to see if it boosted weight loss. I'll give it another month, but so far, I'm not very impressed, and doubt that it's necessary.

The fish oil (for omega 3's) I began after I had to stop using relafen for arthritis (when I discovered it was causing my asthma and other respiratory issues). There's a good deal of research regarding fish oil successfully reducing inflammation and pain for arthritis, and the heart benefits are a nice side benefit.
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I think that it's important, especially if you're on medications, have specific health concerns or aren't very familiar with the potential dangers and side effects of vitamin overdose, to work with your doctor regarding supplements. A daily multi-vitamin is probably safe for nearly everyone, but when you start adding in specific vitamins, or start taking megadoses, especially of the fat-soluble vitamins, you start risking vitamin overdoses, which can be dangerous, even fatal.

[hautbois]

I take a prenatal vitamin and will continue until my child-bearing days are over.

[LindseyLouWho]

I take a Flintstones vitamin, simply because that's what I had lying around and it didn't have any Chromium in it... though when they're gone I'm going to see if I can find one that doesn't have any hydrogenated oils in it (in a vitamin! Sheesh!). Along with that, I take an Omega 3 complex twice a day (fish, flax, and borage oils with lemon oil so it doesn't result in fishy burps... at least not as badly), the Walmart generic Citracal, and a 1000mg of Vitamin C.