Which do you recommend, if any at all, and how do you know if they are/are not tested on animals? Are the best places to buy things like this online or in local stores? Are supplements even necessary if you have a balanced diet?

I take B12 off and on cause I eat a vegan diet. That's it. I buy 'em at the co-op.

I'm of the opinion that you don't need them if you eat a balanced diet.

I might take the occasional iron supplement when I'm feeling a bit run down since I think my iron levels naturally run a little low but that's it. I used to take loads but decided they were a waste of money if you're eating a healthy, balanced diet. x

I take Veg1 because of the B 12 and Iodine.

I've already mentioned what I take in the other supplement thread

Same. I take mine 4-5x a week.

I take a prenatal vitamin and a DHA supplement.

I take a vegetarian multi-vitamin. If you are vegan, most experts recommend that you take a B12 supplement.

Umm... there is no option for 'other pill supplement.' There really ought to be. It's not just multivitamins that come in pill form.



I take calcium and vitamin D. There is a lot of osteoporosis in my family. Even my dad has it!

Are you ready?



Vitamin B-12

Vitamin D

Omega 3 DHA (vegan version of course)

Vitamin C

Multivitamin +Iron

Calcium



Yup, I take 7 vitamin pills every day.



You can buy decent vitamins online at places like veganstore.com, and from chain stores like Vitamin World.

Oh yeah, I also take a B-12 supplement. Little dots that I dissolve under my tongue.

I generally agree with this.



Except for vegans or vegetarians who eat very little milk/eggs who of course should take B12. Thats the only thing I take.

I drink fortified soy milk that's high in B12, omega-3, and all the other stuff veg*ns sometimes lack. Other than that, I do take a multi-vitamin a couple of times per week, when I think about it. I figure I eat healthy enough not to really need it daily.



--Fromper

I take tons of supplements, but not regularly. I just finished 2 years of working at a health-food store and got lots of free stuff, so I have this giant shelf crammed full of them. The only ones I take daily (when I remember) are omega-3 (DHA)s, iron/vitamin C, and indole-3 carbinol. I take CoQ10, ALA and evening primrose oil semi-regularly. Depending on how I'm feeling I take others (oil of oregano when I think I might be getting a cold, magnesium when I'm crampy, holy basil when I'm feeling blue, etc.) and I have a whole-food based multi, but I prefer to eat a varied diet than rely on it.



My contacts at the store talk to reps and have access to lots of product information and make sure to only give/recommend vegan stuff to me.



Edit: And I also take Vega protein powder in my smoothie every morning!

I take a B-12 supplement. I should start taking a calcium/vitamin D supplement as well. Osteoporosis is prevailent on my mother's side, as is a vitamin D defficieny. I use to take one, but the pills are so big it's hard for me to swallow them without gagging, and I often can't even get them down. I also should take a iron supplement... I haven't been able to find a vegan one at my local store. There is a natural health store at the mall. I think they carry them. I should pay them a visit and pick up some...



I eat a healthy varied diet most days, so I don't feel I need a multi-vitamin. Some days I'm like screw it though, but even my "junk" food is healthy. Hummus is my one and only vice

Sisu makes a liquid cal-mag that you can drink in a glass of water or from a teaspoon, FYI. It's vegan.

Yay! I'll keep an eye out for that! Thank you I dread even trying to take mine in the mornings because of my past experiences. My mother will be pleased(she's convinced I'm going to develop brittle bone syndrome )



Is it flavored? Or one of those things that has a slight taste, but just because of the ingrediants? If it has a strange taste, that's one of those things that makes my throut close up when I try to swallow :/

It comes in vanilla, strawberry, and mint, but I'm not sure if it will have an aftertaste or "vitaminny" taste. Here's a link.



Ask at the store if you can return the product if you don't like or can't take it. At my store we allowed returns of vitamins that people couldn't tolerate for one reason or another, and customers were very grateful!

vit d, b12, flax seed and an epa/dha combo

I take a B-Complex (a combo of all the Bs) when I remember. Which is never.

It's actually maybe once or twice per week, which is fine 'cause I'm getting enough from fortified foods to make up for the days I forget.

I'm going to retract my earlier statement and start taking B12 as I'm having some problems and my doc (who doesn't no I'm veggie) has suggested I might be B12 deficient. I'm having bloods done but whatever the result it's made me think.

I just take a general multivitamin.

I think it's best to cover all the bases but I'm not sure if they're veg*n suitable. I'm about 90% positive that they are.

I've found that almost all of the major brands have gelatin in their supplements. I have to go to Whole Foods to get a veg*n multi.



--Fromper

I take a vegan multivitamin with B-12 and DHA/EPA (Omega-3) supplements.



Sometimes I take calcium supplements, but I'm not consistent about it.

There's a difference though between having a specific deficiency which needs some kind of short term supplement and say, taking a daily multivitamin which seems to be largely unnecessary if you eat a balanced diet. Besides, B12 is clearly something people who don't eat m/any animals products should be careful about. x

B12 is the only one I take. Everything else, I get from food.

When I remember I take Iron, Calcium/Magnesium, B-complex or just a multi. It depends on the mood. :P

I don't take them. I've tried it but it has no effect on my health whatsoever.



My mum tries to feed me fish-oil tablets though. D:

I have bought Holland&Barrett's "Vegan Multi-Vitamin & Mineral" and I suppose I will follow the instructions and take it daily. I'm doing it for the B12 mainly.



Blegh I hate the smell! :L