~ Taking Supplements ~

Are supplements a good thing??? (In your opinion)

Hell-yeahh!	45.8%	[ 11 ]
I wouldn't know :/	16.7%	[ 4 ]
Guess they're okay.	20.8%	[ 5 ]
They're a bit dodgy.	12.5%	[ 3 ]
WTF THEY SUCKK.	4.2%	[ 1 ]
Total Votes:			[ 24 ]

[xSlyLeafx]

So, do you take any kind of vitamin supplement? If so, what do you take and how often, etc. And how is it going for you?

What kind of supplements would you recommend?
What kinds would you not recommend?

If you've taken them before but don't now, same questions & why did you stop?

And if you don't take them, why not or if you'd like to, what kinds?

& Last thing: If you know about any bad things about supplements, like side effects or anything like that (For example, I've heard some can have a bad effect on your immunity) please share them as well whee

[Wolfdude87]

I supplement regularly in my workout cycle. I take Animal M-Stak, an energy/anabolic (not a steroid or a hormone thing though), while bulking and plan to try out Animal Cuts (a thermogenic/metabolic complex) during my next fat cutting phase. I also take calcium and creatine. Occasionally I'll take omega 3s, Vitamin C, and multivitamins. I don't supplement protein but I get plenty in my diet by eating 3 eggs for breakfast, fatty meats for lunch, lean meats for 2nd lunch, and a small protein rich dinner.

I used to go all natural, but the results using supplements have been pretty amazing. This past winter I tore back into fitness like a beast.

Negatives: Anytime you mess with your body chemistry you're taking a risk. Research your supplements before you take them. Also, many vitamins have horrible absorption rates making them largely a waste of money.

[freelance lover]

I take a mutli vitamin and a b-vitamin supplement daily. The multi is just to cover any gaps that might happen in my diet, and the B is for energy. I've tried others, but these two are tried and true for me.

The key is to make sure you get your supplements from a respectable brand, since supplements don't have to pass the testing through the FDA like regular drugs.

[Viking Josh]

I take protien, thats bout it. I used to do creatine but it always my my stomach hurt. I took NO for a while, and it gives me great focus, but the one I was taking stopped being carried at the store I got it. I need to find a new one.

[lollipopsy]

Supplements aren't evil, but they certainly shouldn't be considered a normal thing unless you have outstanding circumstances. Otherwise they're just draining your pockets when you could be absorbing more from eating a balanced diet -- the actual source is usually far better and easier to absordb.

I was on Vit D supps for a couple of months to help improve mood, while I was getting more in the habit of going in the sun (I live in Australia, you wouldn't think it would be an issue). I was also on iron supps for a period (again, while I was changing habits) but honestly? They can give you indigestion. Not fun.

I live in a medical family and I've never heard anything about decreasing your immunity. Certainly you should always consult your GP or a dietition, unless you want to be literally pissing money away. They'll probably send you to check your stores/levels with a blood test and recommend the actions you could take to increase them.

[Elsiane]

iron, cus baby took everything. literally - stores were at 3 on one blood test (normal is 20-170?) and I must have hit 0 a few days later when I couldn't stay awake for ore than an hour or two at a time.

if I wasn't pregnant, nothing, I generally try to get everything in my diet.

[xSlyLeafx]

Wow, thanks everyone for your replies! I'm still a tad uncertain about it, but I'm thinking about either Omega 3 or Vit C, if only to see if it makes a difference. Of course I'll be researching it and seeing my GP if I decide to go on one, as some of you guys suggested. Thanks again for all your advice!! heart

[Wilder Wein MCMXCII]

I take a B-vitamin supplement, because I don't eat a lot of meat and that is one of the main sources B-vitamins can be found in.

[Demitrius Maximoff II]

I use a multivitamin/multimineral/multiphotnutrient. Simply put it has EVERYTHING. Made from plant based concentrates it has no chemicals, no preservatives. PM for more details.

[iPYGG]

xSlyLeafx

Wow, thanks everyone for your replies! I'm still a tad uncertain about it, but I'm thinking about either Omega 3 or Vit C, if only to see if it makes a difference. Of course I'll be researching it and seeing my GP if I decide to go on one, as some of you guys suggested. Thanks again for all your advice!! heart

Omega 3 is pretty harmless (aka there's no problem being on it).
Vitamin C isn't bad, but I would make sure to take <1g (1000mg) of it per day. They Vit C I have comes in 500mg tablets. Plus it can easily be included in your diet.

[MedicAudino]

I have Celiac Disease (it was untreated for a long time, too) and I just got diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis (I now get to take chemo pills) so I take a few supplements.

I've always done a very low dose multi-vitamin, but I now need to take iron, vitamins D and C, and folic acid. I can't go in the sun to get my vitamin D because of the chemo and the Celiac wiped my ability to absorb iron and vitamin C and the folic is to help combat the side-effects of the chemo.

I take pretty high doses as my doctor told me to. The only negative thing I've encountered is that iron makes you pretty constipated, so I eat more natural fiber and take a few fiber pills each day.

[Ophrysia]

I take a multivitamin, a B supplement, a fish oil supplement, and a
cranberry supplement every day.

I very possibly have IBS (having that checked out next Friday), so add a Phillip's
caplet and, depending on the day, 2-6 ginger supplements to that. =P
And 2 melatonin supplements every night, to calm me down so that my
digestive system might calm down too... ? It was my parents' idea; I
thought it was worth a shot.

I feel like a walking GNC...

[MegaTurkey]

lollipopsy

Supplements aren't evil, but they certainly shouldn't be considered a normal thing unless you have outstanding circumstances. Otherwise they're just draining your pockets when you could be absorbing more from eating a balanced diet -- the actual source is usually far better and easier to absordb.

I was on Vit D supps for a couple of months to help improve mood, while I was getting more in the habit of going in the sun (I live in Australia, you wouldn't think it would be an issue). I was also on iron supps for a period (again, while I was changing habits) but honestly? They can give you indigestion. Not fun.

I live in a medical family and I've never heard anything about decreasing your immunity. Certainly you should always consult your GP or a dietition, unless you want to be literally pissing money away. They'll probably send you to check your stores/levels with a blood test and recommend the actions you could take to increase them.

I can tell you come from a "medical family" - that's spot on! biggrin Probably THE MOST sensible post I've ever had the pleasure of reading on the LD/HF forums on Gaia.

I try to give advice myself, but I often find that I'm undermined by others with completely nonsensical "advice" built upon opinions /awful marketing ploys that they've encountered during a quick google search. And quite often this "advice" is the exact opposite of what I have been learning in medical school.

I guess people just have to learn to go to doctors for advice the hard way.

Still, bravo on your part!

EDIT: Tipped for your efforts.

[MegaTurkey]

Ophrysia

I take a multivitamin, a B supplement, a fish oil supplement, and a
cranberry supplement every day.

I very possibly have IBS (having that checked out next Friday), so add a Phillip's
caplet and, depending on the day, 2-6 ginger supplements to that. =P
And 2 melatonin supplements every night, to calm me down so that my
digestive system might calm down too... ? It was my parents' idea; I
thought it was worth a shot.

I feel like a walking GNC...

Are your parents doctors? If not, I'd consider bringing up the melatonin at your appointment next Friday. I know they were trying to help, but you should only be taking tablets of that nature when they are prescribed or when you can be entirely confident that they are safe for you - it's not licensed to be sold over the counter here in the UK.

Now that doesn't mean that it's toxic or it has harmed you, but it's always best to be careful when considering your health. They might be beneficial, they might be no more effective to you than a placebo, but it wouldn't harm you to check with your doctor anyway.

I wish you all the best for Friday.

[Absolute Virtue]

MegaTurkey

. And quite often this "advice" is the exact opposite of what I have been learning in medical school.

To be fair, at least in America, a lot of the things about nutrition and the such that you learn in medical school are outdated and not necessarily true. There's a big financial and political push to teach some things and to keep doing dead-end research to keep bad hypotheses afloat.

A lot of the issues in this forum have to deal with just that, and sad to say, most doctors are hardly more qualified to give any real advice on nutrition than the guy going to the gym all day. There's a reason why doctors are dumbfounded when their patients go on things like high fat diets but come back with much better cholesterol and BP levels than before. That's exactly the opposite of what all your books say should happen, but in reality, it does.

Your books can be wrong, that's the great thing about any kind of science.