<p>I want to enter to the world of Vitamins - Experiences Only!!!
I’m sure many of you have experience in this subject…so feel free to share them.</p>
<p>My only experience is with Vitamin B6 & B12; Caltrate (calcium +Plus) and vitamin C & E.</p>
<p>B6 & B12: My experience with VB6 & 12: I was taking approximate 1000mcg. I ran out for a month and then I feel I needed them. I bought them back and the first day, this time 250mcg of B6, I felt wonderful. I changed from 1000mcg to 250…because probably that was too much “mcg”, but that’s my hunch, just guessing. So I plan to take them alternate days; One day 250mcg of B6, the next day 250 mcg of B12.</p>
<p>A question: Not sure if the amount of mcg is the correct one, the label said “% daily Value=4167%”. What do you think…and no the doctor have not recommended me any vitamins except calcium +vitamin “D”. It is me checking the effect of vitamins after reading the benefits in them…and not waiting for illnesses to happen for them Doctors to recommend them, blah, blah, blah…Still I’m concern about the amount of “mcg”. No, I will not going for test to check the amount needed. So, please share your experiences and the amount you are taking of mcg.</p>
<p>Caltrate: This is good for people with bone problems and deficiency of “Vitamin D”. There are a lot of people with this kind of deficiency which causes a lot of health problems. SO for this I will recommend all people 50 or more to test their levels!!! </p>
<p>Vitamin C & E: I used to have a cold every year, a bad, horrible one, lasting for 1-2 months! Two things that helped me a lot to be free for the last two years is VC & E- these vitamins are ugly and huge…but it work! Then change the “filter” at home more often.</p>
<p>Moderators: can you transfer this threat to the Parent’s Cafe forum? Thanks!</p>
<p>Re: VB6 & B12 - After you stopped I am curious to know how you “felt you needed them”.
If you are not eating any processed carbohydrates (bread from the store) then perhaps supplements would be wise. If you eat a lot of fortified foods make sure you are adding in these amounts to what you are taking.</p>
<p>All women (probably men too) should be taking calcium plus Vit D - IMO.</p>
<p>For those who take a mulit-vitamin - there is some suggestion that older folks are getting “too much” folic acid now and it is linked to colon cancer. This was added to many foods and vitamins about 20 years ago to reduce neural tube birth defects. </p>
<p>As for me - I never really felt “better” when on vitamins nor “worse” when not taking vitamins.
I do take a multi-vitamin now (Centrum Cardio) as well as fish oil since I am on high blood pressure meds.
anyone with less than perfect cholesterol, triglycerides, high blood pressure or any precursors or symptoms of heart disease should take fish oil (or other omega-3) as well as a vitamin with stanols and sterols. Metamucil helps lower cholesterol as well.</p>
<p>When taking Vitamin D, be sure it is D3, not D2. The D3 form is absorbed much better.</p>
<p>Thanks justamomof4: “Metamucil helps lower cholesterol as well.”
Nice… The following site has nice drink recipes such as “Easy milk shakes”; Banana-Orange Frosty" Ummm</p>
<p>[Metamucil:</a> Mixers—Fiber Recipes and Ideas for Mixing Fiber Drinks](<a href=“http://www.metamucil.com/metamucil-mixers.php#9]Metamucil:”>http://www.metamucil.com/metamucil-mixers.php#9)</p>
<p>Yeah - back in the day I would “live to eat”. Now that I have reached the mid-century mark and watched my mother die of heart disease; I have decided to “eat to live” and embrace it.</p>
<p>I guy the Orange flavored sugar-free and just mix with water and drink. Not so bad once you get used to it.
Thanks for the smoothie recipies though, I just might try them.</p>
<p>BTW - my LDL went down over 30 pts in 6 months. ;)</p>
<p>“For those who take a mulit-vitamin - there is some suggestion that older folks are getting “too much” folic acid now and it is linked to colon cancer. This was added to many foods and vitamins about 20 years ago to reduce neural tube birth defects.”</p>
<p>In the US, all breads are made from flour fortified with folic acid. Here is an (simplified) explanation of the current thinking that excess folic acid in one’s diet may be a bad thing. From Wikipedia: “Folic acid is itself not biologically active, but its biological importance is due to tetrahydrofolate and other derivatives after its conversion to dihydrofolic acid in the liver” True. So to be active, folic acid has to make it from the stomach to the liver, which means first it has to get into the bloodstream. While traveling through your body to the liver in its inactive form, folic acid may encounter the so-called folate receptors (FR) that are designed to bind the *active *forms of folic acid. However, the inactive form (that you get with your bread) still has some affinity for these receptors, and excess of it competes off the active acids and gets inside the cells. Since it has not been in the liver, it does not have the right function inside the cell, and it prevents the “good” folic acid from getting inside those cells. This can lead to unintended consequences, such as cancer.</p>
<p>Recent studies are showing most vitimin supplements to be a waste of time in terms of effectiveness and that there is a link to increased incidence of cancer on the part of several. Getting necessary vitimins through food is clearly the way to go. Vitimin D and fish oil supplements are 2 exceptions.</p>
<p>BTW - my LDL went down over 30 pts in 6 months.
Thanks again JustAMomof 4: What amount of Metamucil do you take per day? </p>
<p>Anyone else? What other vitamins are you taking, dosage and for what reason? Did it work?</p>
<p>I think you’ll find studies that say some are a “waste of time” and others that will say they have great value. I think everyone’s system and needs are different, based on your individual biology and your lifestyle. Unfortunately, most of us don’t or can’t get the ideal amount or balance of foods on a daily basis to cover the everything. And if you eat processed food, it’s very likely you have deficiencies. I think it’s wise to take a good hard look at our diets at this age and supplement where we feel we are lacking. It only makes sense to me.<br>
I take a whole food multivitamin, extra calcium, magnesium and D3, and C, CoQ10, as well as a special formula for bone health. I spread the dosages throughout the day with my three main meals. No one can tell me they don’t help, because I feel much better (no achey joints, no fatigue) when I take them. I also eat very well, which of course is the main pillar of a healthy program. If you do take supplements, be sure that they are one of the better brands from your health food or vitamin store- not the cheaper drug store generics. Talk to someone knowledgeable to find out the trusted brands, as they don’t all have the potency they advertise.</p>
<p>I won’t go into all the dosages, but my total for D3 is around 5000 ius, and my Calcium is around 1400 and Magnesium is around 550. My B12 dose is 150mcg. I don’t worry about to much folic acid because I don’t eat bread.</p>
<p>Thanks moonchild: special formula for bone health. What kind of formula for the bone health?</p>
<p>It’s made by New Chapter, called “Bone Strength.” Has the usual D3, calc and magnesium, but also vitamin K1 and K2, Silica, Vanadium and Strontium.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.newchapter.com/products/bone-strength-take-care[/url]”>http://www.newchapter.com/products/bone-strength-take-care</a></p>
<p>Greenery - YMMV of course but I take just 1 tsp of Metamucil a day. I was taking it twice but it was too much fiber for me.
The goal is to increase the Soluble fiber. Soluble fiber is found in Oatmeal - hence the lower cholesterol claims. I cook (not instant) and eat oatmeal every day too. Add a little dried fruit (blueberries or cranberries) and some walnuts or pecans which also contain phytosterols.<br>
Fish oil - I take 1200 mg of enteric coated twice a day. No fishy burps or breath.
RE: Vit D3 - both Caltrate and Viactiv contain Vit D3. </p>
<p>here is an interesting link on phytosterols:
[Sterols</a> & Stanols](<a href=“http://my.clevelandclinic.org/heart/women/sterolstanol.aspx]Sterols”>Plant Sterols: How They Help Manage Cholesterol)</p>
<p>My doctor recommended getting a bottle of the chewable calcium (I think it’s Caltrate) for the home and the office. It is easy to take if you forget it before work.</p>
<p>I take medical grade fish oil capsules (omegabrite.com) every day and swear by them. I am also taking vitamin D and a Theratears flax oil capsule for dry eyes. When I run out of the Theratears, I will switch to regular flaxseed oil or flaxseeds. I take a multivitamin sometimes. I should be taking calcium, but ran out months ago and keep forgetting to get more.</p>
<p>If I were taking all the supplements that I “should” be taking, I’d be downing 20 pills/day! For example, my eye doctor tells me that I should be taking lutein supplements. I have taken a mineral supplement (Total Mins?) in the past and found that my fingernails were much stronger and healthier.</p>
<p>Multivitamins sometimes make me feel sick, and occasionally I even vomit from them. This is the reason that I don’t take them every day. I always take them after food (otherwise, I’d vomit for sure), but still have problems sometimes. Does anyone know of a brand that is easier to tolerate? (I actually posted a thread on this a while ago, but didn’t get many responses.)</p>
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<p>And what affects your nails often affects your bones as well. 
I think minerals are what many of us miss in our diets. We seem to get plenty of some, but miss out entirely on others, depending on how varied our diet is.</p>
<p>Multivitamins sometimes make me feel sick, and occasionally I even vomit from them. This is the reason that I don’t take them every day. I always take them after food (otherwise, I’d vomit for sure)</p>
<p>Probably the B vitamins.I find that capsules are easier to digest than tablets, and I take my iron separately with orange juice from other minerals and vitamins.</p>
<p>( but we also like the adult gummy vitamins from Costco- although it is all I can do to remind my husband they aren’t candy gummies)</p>
<p>If you eat a balanced diet, you likely need only Vitamin D and Calcium added. Few people get enough D because we’re covered up and indoors much of the time and in the North you don’t get enough for much of the year anyway. Women need iron but men need to watch how much iron they ingest because men don’t bleed. If a man takes a multi-vitamin, he should consider one without iron unless he doesn’t eat meat or get iron otherwise in diet.</p>
<p>I doubt most claims of vitamins or supplements working but the placebo effect is real so if you think it works then great.</p>
<p>I love your comments: Thanks for all the ideas! </p>
<p>Please posters with experience share your comments; positive or negative about the vitamins or minerals you have taken in the past or present.</p>
<p>I have read that unless you eat a very healthy diet- organic produce etc. you still need supplements because not only does the current monoculture style of farming deplete the soil of nutrients but the increased chemicals in our air and water supply put additional stress on our body systems.</p>