[SugarBlue27]

Is it better to take a multivitamin or individual vitamins. I know I'm supposed to be taking the b vitamins, C, and magnesium...but in the multi's I've looked at they dont have very much of these vitamins. THey have more of others that I dont necessarily need as much.

What do all of you take? and why?

 

[Thalia]

I try to take individual ones because some work better when taken with another vitamin while other will not be absorbed as readily if taken with certain other things.

For example, I take my B-Complex by itself with food. I try to take my minerals together at night (i found a nice mix that has a 59% ratio of magnesium to calcium, the recommended amount, with zinc and vitamin D). I partly do this because calcium might help with sleep.

If your doctor recommends iron (and only if an MD recommends it), take it with C, or with a vitamin C rich food. In fact, don't ever take iron on an empty stomach or you will get sick. Some foods have chemicals that bind with vitamins- like spinach will prevent calcium absorbption.

I take selenium and vitamin E together and separately from other vitamins but I forget why!

I hope this doesn't confuse you!

 

[Ayrlin]

Ditto on what Thakia said, personaly I never took them before until about a week ago when anemia and lack of complex B's in my diet caught up to me.

Nothing like a spinach ban to make you relize how much you depend on it for certain nutrients.

That said I just take a mix of B's and iron and nothing else.

 

[Groovy chick]

As I have very little calcium in my diet, I choose to take a calcium and vitamin D supplement as I have found that the multi-vitamins only contain about 25 of your RDA which isn't really enough for me.

I also take a vitamin B complex.

 

[GhostUser]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thalia

I try to take individual ones because some work better when taken with another vitamin while other will not be absorbed as readily if taken with certain other things.

For example, I take my B-Complex by itself with food. I try to take my minerals together at night (i found a nice mix that has a 59% ratio of magnesium to calcium, the recommended amount, with zinc and vitamin D). I partly do this because calcium might help with sleep.

If your doctor recommends iron (and only if an MD recommends it), take it with C, or with a vitamin C rich food. In fact, don't ever take iron on an empty stomach or you will get sick. Some foods have chemicals that bind with vitamins- like spinach will prevent calcium absorbption.

I take selenium and vitamin E together and separately from other vitamins but I forget why!

I hope this doesn't confuse you!

Do you mind telling me what Mg/Ca supplement you take? I am looking for something similar. Also, is it okay to take that one at night without any food? Is that what you do?

re: iron. I am on iron supplements, and I have taken it on an empty stomach before and haven't gotten sick. But maybe I'm just weird.

 

[ReginaCeltarum]

Does anyone know where to find affordable vegetarian or vegan vitamins? I usually take a multi-vitamin, a B12 supp and an E supp. And it is really hard to find any with out gelatin or soemthing. Whole Foods has a vegan line and a few lines that have vegetarian pills, but they are expensive. Also, the vegan multi has no iron. Shouldn't there be iron in a multi-vitamin?

And is taking a B-complex better than just a B12?

 

[organica]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thalia

I take selenium and vitamin E together and separately from other vitamins but I forget why!

!

I seem to recall zinc & vitamin E compete for absorbtion, so separate is better.

 

[organica]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ReginaCeltarum

Does anyone know where to find affordable vegetarian or vegan vitamins? I usually take a multi-vitamin, a B12 supp and an E supp. And it is really hard to find any with out gelatin or soemthing. Whole Foods has a vegan line and a few lines that have vegetarian pills, but they are expensive. Also, the vegan multi has no iron. Shouldn't there be iron in a multi-vitamin?

And is taking a B-complex better than just a B12?

Drink Spiru-tein- it's an affordable vegan protein shake with the full RDA of most vitamins & minerals.

B12 should be consumed sublingually for best absorbtion, which means separate from your tablet/capsule of B complex.

I take an iron-containing multi, & cook with a cast-iron skillet, because I'm 99.9% vegan & a menstruating female. An iron-free multi is for non-menstruating women & men.

 

[ReginaCeltarum]

Ok thanks for the info. I cook with an iron skillet somtimes too. I will remember that about the B12 for when I run out of the ones I have. Can't waste them. I didn't know that about the Iron either. Why is that though? it is interesting.

 

[organica]

Menstruating women need iron because we shed blood, which takes a lot of our iron out of our bodies.

You can boost your iron absorbtion by taking vitamin C with it, whether in supplement or food form.

The other thing about B12 is that your body stores it, so even vegans don't need to take it continuously. I took a bottle maybe 6 months ago, & my levels in blood are fine right now, although I'm no longer taking it.

 

[GooGoo]

I take multi-vitamins, but if you need a special one, then you should also take it, with a multi.

 

[ReginaCeltarum]

Quote:

Originally Posted by organica

Menstruating women need iron because we shed blood, which takes a lot of our iron out of our bodies.

You can boost your iron absorbtion by taking vitamin C with it, whether in supplement or food form.

The other thing about B12 is that your body stores it, so even vegans don't need to take it continuously. I took a bottle maybe 6 months ago, & my levels in blood are fine right now, although I'm no longer taking it.

Yea, I heard the body stores it. I take it every few days or so. That should be ok right?