What Multi-vitamins, dietary supplements do you take and why?

[manila]

Just that.

based on your lifestyle, age and history what do you find is helpful to your wellbeing.

I am looking to garner opinions as to the relative benefits of supplements specifically where your lifestyle, or condition does not guarantee you can eat a balanced diet where supplements may not be required. Also where a balanced diet may not give you adequate nutrition for tasks your body is to under take.

As a starter, it is accepted medical concensus that older mothers need a pre course of folic acid to help a pregnancy produce a healthy fetus.

[MichaelEmouse]

I take vitamin D drops because I am as pale and get as much sun as a vampire. Haven't seen much of an impact.

[manila]

MichaelEmouse what do you hope to gain from Vitamin D? Isn't calcium deemed an essential to facilitate Vit D absorption? Or is it the otherway round?( Sorry, this is only just what I have heard I have no knowledge on vitamin D)

[Vihaga]

I take a prenatal vitamin because I'm breastfeeding, and I take an iron supplement because I am chronically anemic.


Pre-baby, I took a multi-vitamin sporadically but didn't notice a big difference in how I felt. I notice a HUGE difference if I slack on taking the iron supplements, though.

[manila]

Vihaga Congratulations on your new "mouth to feed" You are supplying him/her witha great start in life.

What exactly is the huge difference you feel if you don't take your iron? How is your anemia demonstrated ?

[MichaelEmouse]

Originally Posted by manila

MichaelEmouse what do you hope to gain from Vitamin D? Isn't calcium deemed an essential to facilitate Vit D absorption? Or is it the otherway round?( Sorry, this is only just what I have heard I have no knowledge on vitamin D)

Somepony told me it improved her mood and made her feel better generally and, short of mania, that's always good.

I do eat cheese once in a while.

[not what you'd expect]

None. I don't put a lot of stock in supplements.

[kayaker]

I tend to get muscle cramps more often if I do not take potassium. I think.

(and vitamin D facilitates calcium absorption, manila)

[manila]

Originally Posted by not what you'd expect

None. I don't put a lot of stock in supplements.

I do tend to go along with this train of thought.

But my OP posited the scenario where your diet was restricted in some way, or the demands of your body were out of your normal routine.

In pursuit of my ridiculous high salary I normally find myself in conditions where the food is inedible, or poor quality, or working conditions are such that when you take off your coveralls you notice that they are always encrusted in dried salty sweat marks. That salty deposit must mean my body is losing minerals and It seems obvious that they need to be replenished.

okay full disclosure

On my last job in Africa the food was inedible or cooked to the level that along with destroying the bacteria, the essential nutrients also were destroyed.

I tried a low calorie diet. Essentially, I ate nothing but fresh fruit (mango, apple, orange and pineapple) twice a week I ate meat and fat of allegedly ovine origin but I reckon it was goat. No alcohol in the jungle and kept well hydrated. I was hungry 24/7 but never succumbed to snacking except for eating another slice of orange. 2weeks I lost 2 kilo!!! wtf!

When I got back home I received an email from my prospective employer that following the results of my medical test, and notwithstanding they had previously accepted me, had now, decided on the basis of me only having one kidney, wanted a kidney sufficiency test looking at Creatinine Urea, Nitrogen and electrolytes.

Dammit! But really I wasn't too surprised as normally new employers want a cat scan to see if the cancer bitch has returned home. A blood test is easy.

My test results for kidney sufficiency were normal. Albeit in the nominally high side of normal. No big deal.

But I took the opportunity to actually get a full chemical 23 analysis of my blood. (hell they were going to pay for the test so why not.)

I sent off my kidney sufficiency results and was medically accepted, am soon off to my next assignment.

But other results came back that need addressing I THINK.

My lipid profile is crap! cholesterol 205 Triglycerides 301 HDL cholesterol 51 Aldl 117

This is a typical range for me for years. Even though I am mainly vegetarian. ( I will eat meat if I cant find anything decent veggie)

I take statins for the cholesterol. but cant get it below 200.

My uric acid was high again. 8.4 as opposed to 7.0 accepted normal max.

My mainstay of eating when I am home is lentil soup, curried lentils, mongo bean stew, and similar stuff if I am just cooking for myself. My alcohol consumption is higher than average. ( brit syndrome)

If you have read this long thank you.

I blame my diet. I am likely to face another such post in the future so was trying to gauge people's experience through a variety of non-normal living conditions what I need to consider as supplements.

sorry its long

[WhyNot]

I take a few things, mostly because I'm trying to lose weight and fix my cholesterol/lipid numbers.

Red Yeast Rice - I take 2 capsules 3 times a day
Psyllium Fiber - 1 heaping teaspoonful in water 2 or 3 times a day (I think that's about 12g insoluble fiber, but I'm too lazy to go check)
Inulin (chicory based, I think) Fiber gummies - 2 gummies, once a day (I think that translates to 4g soluble fiber)
Gymnema leaf - not extract, but the dried ground leaf compressed into a pill - 2 pills, 3 times a day
Cinnamon - again, not extract, just cinnamon in a capsule - 2 caps 3 times a day
Caffeine - 400-800mg per day, depending on how I feel, in pill form. I wish I could get into the habit of coffee instead, but it's just not my thing.
Fizzy Vitamin-C and other Stuff (generic Emergen-C) - 1 packet in the morning
Calcium/Vitamin D chew - 500 mg calcium, not sure how much D - 1 chew at night, as far away from all that fiber as possible.

Along with a very low calorie (~800 calories a day) diet, this has helped me lose 18 pounds since the beginning of May without going insane from hunger. Now I've plateaued, but I'm trying not to panic.

I'll get my next lipid panel at the end of the summer and see if it's working or if I need to start a pharmaceutical statin.

ETA: The red yeast rice and psyllium are the primary cholesterol related ones, if you want to talk to your doctor about supplements for cholesterol lowerin'.

[The wind of my soul]

Jack3d before my workouts, protein shakes after. A multivitamin (well, really two because the serving size is two) in the evening.

I've been doing recreational bodybuilding for a few years, so I've dabbled in (legal) supplementation, but found that an awful lot of supplements make no appreciable difference in my health. Some supplementation I've used in the past that didn't make much difference: CLA, iron, thermogenics, appetite suppressants, glutamine.

[Athena]

I only take two, and that's only because the doc told me to.

Vitamin B-12, because I've got an autoimmune issue that causes me not to process Vitamin B-12 very well.

Vitamin D, because my doc tested me for it and found I was slightly low, so I take these big-ass green gel caps once a week for 3 months to see if it fixes it.

[manila]

[b][/whynotB] good luck with your diet, 18 pounds? that's what about 8 kilo? that's in my ball park figure too. BMI tables suggest I should lose 15 kilo but the last time I was that weight I was ill and I looked just gaunt.


What's the Gymnema for? and the cinnamon?

As an aside I don't drink sodas I hate plain water so I just pop a flavoured fizzy vitamin C tablet into water if I want a thirst quencher

[Fuzzy Dunlop]

Every time I find an article on vitamins/supplements that I feel good about being reliable, they only recommend a multi-vitamin (I use one formualted for men) and Fish Oil. I take 1 vitamin and 1000 MG of whatever that positive oil is in Fish Oil.

There isn`t any single source I base that on. I read it a few different places I consider reputable which is why I feel secure I'm not missing out on anything that would actually benefit me.

[Sattua]

Prenatal vitamin: because we're working on having a #2 kid
Fish oil: because it's good for the same thing, I guess, I read somewhere on the internet...
B12: because I had a deficiency, and the supplement is correcting that
C: every time my daughter brings home a new bug from daycare I start taking this every day

[Moonlitherial]

I take a multi vitamin formulated for women every day + additional iron. This is in addition to eating red meat and spinach regularly and potatoes occasionally. I've had significant iron issues due to fibroids in the past and I'm still a little paranoid every time I find myself tired with no immediate explaination.

[manila]

Moonlitherial An ex of mine had/has fibroids to the extent that giving birth was a case of now or possibly never. We decided to split only because I don't want kids and she was a much younger woman and wanted a family. She has a cool as fuk baby boy now. How do fibroids impact iron bases (or vice versa)

[Vihaga]

Originally Posted by manila

What exactly is the huge difference you feel if you don't take your iron? How is your anemia demonstrated ?

Well, it's demonstrated by testing low on hemoglobin unless I take supplements religiously. How can I tell day-to-day? I have severe, unrelenting fatigue and my pulse rate increases.

[Moonlitherial]

Originally Posted by manila

Moonlitherial An ex of mine had/has fibroids to the extent that giving birth was a case of now or possibly never. We decided to split only because I don't want kids and she was a much younger woman and wanted a family. She has a cool as fuk baby boy now. How do fibroids impact iron bases (or vice versa)

Mine were large enough to cause excessive bleeding. Unfortunately the bleeding escalated gradually enough that I didn't even consider it a symptom just how things were and that extended the time to diagnosis and surgery. By the time we figured it out I had a stored iron level of almost zero and my blood iron level was extremely low as well. I was able to stop the prescription level iron supplements a few months after surgery but my levels are still a little on the low side so I continue with the highest OTC levels I can find.

[MeanOldLady]

None. I just try to eat healthy in general.

[Shodan]

One generic multi-vitamin and -mineral supplement, and calcium/vitamin D. Just for insurance.

I also take creatine, and use protein powder when I want to gain weight (like now). Male, 56, very active physically.

Regards,
Shodan

[Anne Neville]

Originally Posted by manila

As a starter, it is accepted medical concensus that older mothers need a pre course of folic acid to help a pregnancy produce a healthy fetus.

In the US, I think they recommend that all pregnant women or women trying to get pregnant take a folic acid supplement.

I've been taking prenatal vitamins since I started trying to conceive, which is pretty standard advice. I also take calcium, iron, and a B complex vitamin. I started taking the iron when I had anemia a few years back, and that made it go away.

I take a proton pump inhibitor for acid reflux, and I've heard that proton pump inhibitors can also inhibit absorption of iron, calcium, and vitamin B12. I also don't eat a lot of meat, particularly not a lot of red meat, so I'm probably not getting as much iron or B12 as a lot of people.

[Arabella Flynn]

I take a daily multivitamin. The main improvement I have seen is that it makes people stop fussing at me to take a daily multivitamin. It doesn't seem to be doing any damage, and they're cheap, so I keep at it. I don't buy anything fancy, just a bottle of horse pills that contain generic 'nutrients for humans'.

Caffeine, on the other hand, I cannot live without. I tried going off it completely once, in an effort to lower my stress levels, and discovered after three or four months that it was making me worse -- my natural sleep schedule doesn't mesh well with business hours, and I felt like I was stumbling around freaking out and unable to handle anything, all the time. I don't like coffee and I can only drink so much cola, so I generally just keep a bottle of tablets around.

[manila]

Anne Neville good luck and best wishes with your trying to become a mama!

Your point about Proton Pump Inhibitors is interesting to me. When my kidney was removed, the tumour was so large ( but thankfully contained all within the kidney capsule) that it had to be removed from the front of my abdomen and the resulting damage to my abdominal muscles caused by the surgery means that the relevant muscles never now fully close off my gullet. Leaves me prone to acid reflux. I take omeprazole for the last 12 years. I didn't know and wasn't advised that such drugs ( and especially for a long time) may impact mineral and vitamin absorption.

ignorance fought. something I will research more thank you

[Jackmannii]

No vitamins or supplements currently. I eat a lot of salads.

But I took the opportunity to actually get a full chemical 23 analysis of my blood. (hell they were going to pay for the test so why not.)

Cautionary note here: the more blood tests you get, the higher the odds that one or more values will be abnormal but not medically significant, leading to more tests (that may or may not be accurate) and possibly unnecessary drugs or procedures*.

Mrs. J. once had liver function tests that were grossly out of whack, leading to much angst until they were repeated and magically were normal.

Shotgun approaches to lab testing make me .

*more than you probably want to know about matters such as sensitivity and specificity of lab tests and likelihood of errors here.

[cormac262]

I take a number of supplements each day:
I have a history of 1) catching a lot of colds, and 2) when getting sick, getting really laid out (3 weeks is not uncommon). So a lot of what I take is to help bolster my immune system to try to battle cold viruses more effectively:
- Trader Joe's (time release) multi-vitamin (also because my diet has been pretty bad)
- Vitamin Shop "From the Earth"
- Zinc

My doctor measured my low (possible side-effect of my cholestral meds), so I take Potassium supplements per recommendation.

Because I'm an old fart:
- fish oil to prevent heart attack
- low dose aspirin for heart attack
- Glucosamine to help arthritis/joint issues

Of all the supplements I take, I think the multi-vitamins and the "From the Earth" have been the most noticeable. The "sampling" is still a bit light, but it seems the "From the Earth" has helped with avoiding some colds, and lessenning the impact of colds (but only 2 so far).
The multi-vitamins seem to do "something" more because when I run out (on a trip or something), I notice a difference in energy level.

[Lionne]

I take a daily multivitamin geared towards vegans...it has 100% RDA of B12, something my diet lacks.
Daily biotin supplement, cause I like having long hair and nails.

[Anne Neville]

Originally Posted by manila

Your point about Proton Pump Inhibitors is interesting to me. When my kidney was removed, the tumour was so large ( but thankfully contained all within the kidney capsule) that it had to be removed from the front of my abdomen and the resulting damage to my abdominal muscles caused by the surgery means that the relevant muscles never now fully close off my gullet. Leaves me prone to acid reflux. I take omeprazole for the last 12 years. I didn't know and wasn't advised that such drugs ( and especially for a long time) may impact mineral and vitamin absorption.

ignorance fought. something I will research more thank you

Effect of proton pump inhibitors on iron and B12 absorption

There's a link between taking proton pump inhibitors and bone fractures in older women, which might be because they inhibit calcium absorption.

Might be worth getting checked for anemia, if you haven't been checked and you've felt tired.

[Anne Neville]

Originally Posted by manila

Anne Neville good luck and best wishes with your trying to become a mama!

Thanks! I'm due to have our baby girl 8/13.

[Machine Elf]

Despite eating a varied and relatively healthy diet, I was diagnosed a couple of years ago as vitamin D deficient. After browsing for a vitamin D supplement that didn't have a goddam megadose per pill, I settled on a multivitamin that gives something like 100% of the RDA.

My deficiency appears to be familial. My niece is deficient, and so is my dad. My sister was diagnosed with MS four years ago, and vitamin D deficiency is currently suspected to be a risk factor for that disease.

[Qadgop the Mercotan]

Vitamin D is all I take. If I spent more time in the sun or lived in lower latitudes, even that wouldn't be necessary.

As a physician, I've kept up with the scientific medical literature, and have concluded that unless there are specific diseases or deficiencies or really odd diets involved (or certain situations like pregnancy or trying-to-get-pregnant), supplementation with other vitamins is rarely necessary.

[DSeid]

Each day I take a turmeric pill and a fish oil capsule (although recent research is making me less enthusiastic about the benefits of the latter) and in winter take Vitamin D3 supplement haphazardly.

[Lsura]

I take a daily multivitamin (well, 4-5 days a week).
Vitamin D I take daily - I think it's 1000 iu
Daily fiber supplement. I try really hard to get what I need through my diet, but this was recommended to me. Specifically, I use the metamucil powder that fully dissolves in liquid so I don't notice it.
Cranberry pills - I have a history of UTIs, and these seem to help me.

[ZipperJJ]

I take a multivitamin "for women" with iron. Since I don't eat much red meat or leafy greens, I just go for the extra iron.

I also take fish oil since I never ever eat fish, and try to work in 2 tbs of flax meal daily. The never-ending quest to try to straighten up my cholesterol.

I started taking a daily PPI and the one that made my stomach feel best (Protonix) made my heart race and my body tired. I read that magnesium depletion was a side-effect of the drug and the symptoms were similar. My doctor said it's a rare side effect and taking magnesium wasn't going to help me...but I wanted to stay on the drug so I got me some 500mg magnesium and yadda yadda I feel better than I have in months!

[Khadaji]

I take a variety - because my stomach was removed and I don't absorb many of them. Over the years we've found me deficient in B12, potassium, iron and D (probably related to life style and not going out in the sun enough.) (I'm forgetting one, I'm sure of it.)

My doc told me that many other have the same or similar absorption mechanisms and so I take two children's chewables. We test my blood 4 times a year.

I use 5 hour energy for the B vitamins and no longer need to go to a doc for a needle.

I also take SAM-E because some studies have found it helps with muscle pain and gives energy. I believe it has given me some relief on both, although if someone were to claim the relief is due to placebo effect, I wouldn't care enough either way to argue the point.

[Antigen]

Originally Posted by Sattua

Prenatal vitamin: because we're working on having a #2 kid

Good luck!

I'm taking a prenatal vitamin also, since we're still working on making a first kid happen.
My doctor told me to take a vitamin D supplement, so I'll be starting on that shortly.

[purplehorseshoe]

Multivitamin, biotin, and glucosamine. Sporadically, though - maybe 2-4 x week.

Multi: "just in case" (usually on days when I know I've been eating crap).
Biotin: made a noticeable difference in my splitting, peeling nails.
Glucosamine: chronic joint problems seem less noticeable when I've been taking them diligently.

[fifty-six]

I often take a probiotic and a simple A-C-D vitamin.

Occasionally a fiber supplement.

Not for any particular need. I just like them.

[WhyNot]

Originally Posted by manila

[b][/whynotB] good luck with your diet, 18 pounds? that's what about 8 kilo? that's in my ball park figure too. BMI tables suggest I should lose 15 kilo but the last time I was that weight I was ill and I looked just gaunt.

Yep, about 8 kilo. My goal is to lose another 10 kilo or so (22 pounds), although my doctor would be much happier if I lost another 40 kilo. I'm pretty happy with how I feel when I'm 200 pounds (90kilo), though, even though it still puts me at obese on the BMI. At that weight, I can run a mile, climb 2 flights of stairs without getting out of breath, my knees don't hurt and my blood pressure is good. But I still have the squishy bits and curvy curves my SO loves. We'll see. I wouldn't be averse to going down to 180 (81kilo) if it doesn't take too long and leave me feeling depleted.

What's the Gymnema for?

Traditionally, it's used to lesson cravings for sugar/sweets and aid in weight loss. Animal studies show promise for using it to reduce weight and keep it off, as well as some effect on some (but not all) lipids.

and the cinnamon?

Possibly it helps level out blood sugar, and it may even have good effects on cholesterol, too. Here's one study where it showed some pretty nice results in Type II diabetics. I'm not diabetic, but I had an A1C uncomfortably close to the diabetic range recently, so....

They're cheap and have no side effects which concern me, and either they or the placebo effect they give me do make me less interested in food in general and sweets in particular. I'm a great fan of using the placebo effect in my favor.

[Siam Sam]

The wife and I both take a Centrum-brand multivitamin once a day. Just seems like a good thing to do.

[Student Driver]

Centrum Energy multivitamin. I'm vegetarian, and have an incredibly poor "eat on the run" diet, so I take it more as a precaution than anything. (And I know multivitamins typically contain animal-derived products of some sort. I'm vegetarian for culinary reasons, not ethical/moral/religious reasons, so there's no real conflict of interest.)

High-fiber cereal bars. Again, compensating for my poor diet. These fit into my schedule and guarantee I'm getting *some* dietary fiber, something not likely to happen on days when I only have time for one meal, and it's limited to whatever I can eat in five minutes as I run between classes or drive between jobs.

[kjbrasda]

Prenatal because I'm breastfeeding, and an Iron because my son's pediatrician said I looked pale and recommended it. I have noticed a difference in my energy level since starting the iron pills.
My baby takes a vitamin D drop, prescribed by pediatrician. I guess all infants are recommended to take vitamin D for the first few months anyway.

[kayaker]

Originally Posted by Siam Sam

The wife and I both take a Centrum-brand multivitamin once a day. Just seems like a good thing to do.

Simple enough statement, but their homepage is 25% footnotes!

[Broomstick]

Originally Posted by manila

based on your lifestyle, age and history what do you find is helpful to your wellbeing.

I am looking to garner opinions as to the relative benefits of supplements specifically where your lifestyle, or condition does not guarantee you can eat a balanced diet where supplements may not be required. Also where a balanced diet may not give you adequate nutrition for tasks your body is to under take.

I try to get at least 15-20 minutes of direct sunlight without using sunscreen for the vitamin D. As I have the complexion of a vampire that's probably sufficient and I use sunscreen if I'm out in seething, deadly solar radiation sunlight more than about 30 minutes, though. In winter when I'm bundled up and its dark a lot I'll supplement with vitamin D. Based on an analysis by a professional nutritionist I paid for awhile back I am getting plenty of calcium with my normal eating habits but if you don't get sufficient D your body won't efficiently utilize calcium.

Also based on professional analysis I get LOTS of vitamin A in my normal diet, and plenty of B and E as well.

I will take extra vitamin C when I don't have a lot of fresh fruit/veg on hand. This is sort of rare, between having a large garden and working next door to a grocery store that sells individual fruit portions I can eat at lunch time, but being allergic and somewhat prone to cold sores I find adequate vitamin C intake helps both. Note I said “adequate”, not “megadose”, because too much of anything is not a good thing. One time it does happen is during certain periods of the year when plants I'm allergic to are pollinating, triggering oral allergy syndrome, when I stop eating fresh fruit (keep up with the vegees, though, although usually cooked) for a couple weeks. I probably have enough C to tide myself over those spots but why? Vitamin C tablets are common and cheap.

Due to tested high potassium levels I do not take any sort of potassium supplement or multivitamin that contains potassium (which is pretty much all of them) under doctor's orders. We don't know why I have had repeatedly tested on the borderline of normal/too high on potassium levels the past few years, the kidneys, heart, etc. all check out fine, but any additional potassium would be a Bad Thing. One hypothesis is that I am eating so many fresh vegees from my garden, and so much fresh fruit, that I'm naturally getting high levels of potassium but there isn't any way to be certain of that.

I also refuse to take anything that “boosts” the immune system, as my allergy problem stems in large part from an already overactive immune system that gets hysterical over innocuous particles. Boosting my hypersensitive immune system even further just doesn't strike me as a good idea.

Other than that, I've found that as I've aged I really, really need to keep up the fiber intake to, um, keep things moving along.

So, right now:
1) intermittent Vitamin C
2) intermittent Vitamin D

Hypothetical bad diet situation:
1) Vitamin C
2) Vitamin D
3) Calcium supplement
4) Fiber supplement

As a starter, it is accepted medical concensus that older mothers need a pre course of folic acid to help a pregnancy produce a healthy fetus.

Actually, the recommendation is all women of childbearing years because, after all, not every pregnancy is planned. That's why folic acid is added to many foods as well. If a woman is planning pregnancy she might be advised to supplement above that.

Originally Posted by manila

My lipid profile is crap! cholesterol 205 Triglycerides 301 HDL cholesterol 51 Aldl 117

This is a typical range for me for years. Even though I am mainly vegetarian. ( I will eat meat if I cant find anything decent veggie)

I take statins for the cholesterol. but cant get it below 200.

Genetics plays a role here. My mother, for example, suffered from a bad gene that leads to amazingly high cholesterol counts – the lowest she ever had, on full statins and a non-cholesterol diet, while underweight, was in the high 300's. Her body just didn't process cholesterol properly. You don't sound that bad off, but there are various genes that lead to better or worse handling of cholesterol. If you happen to have one of lesser efficiency then you may simply not be able to reduce your cholesterol below current levels. Don't beat yourself up over it if that is the case. Instead, do everything else you can to maximize your health – don't smoke, keep your weight under control, keep your blood pressure under control, eat healthy, exercise, etc. Mom's problem can easily kill in the mid-40's (and in her family, it being hereditary, about half her relatives did, indeed, die in their mid-40's) but she made it to 77, a normal lifespan. Her doctors attributed that in no small part to her being otherwise quite healthy outside of her genetic problem.

It's not just supplements you need to consider, but exercise, mental health, and sufficient rest. Do you get enough sleep on a nightly basis? How is your blood pressure and resting pulse rate? Do you wash your hands frequently? (That being the easiest/cheapest way to avoid common illnesses) Do you keep up with your vaccinations? You clearly seem to be monitoring your healthy, which is good as along as it doesn't become obsessive. You may or may not want to consult with a nutritionist – because I have some dietary restrictions I did so to find out where I might be lacking and find alternative sources of some things I couldn't use the normal source to obtain (for example: lycopene. I absolutely can not consume tomatoes in any form, and from the hype you'd think they were the sole source of that. They aren't. Fortunately for me, watermelon also has lycopene and it's a favorite of mine.) I found it worth the money and the hassle of keeping a food diary for a bit, but as always your mileage may vary.

[Bridget Burke]

My optometrist & the retina specialist she sent me to recommend a supplement containing Lutein & Zeaxanthin. (And they told me to add more dark berries, fish & green, leafy vegetables to my diet.)

They also said a basic vitamin/mineral supplement every day wouldn't hurt...

[congodwarf]

I take a B complete supplement because my neurologist told me to take 50mg of B-2 every day and I couldn't find it alone. I don't remember why he told me to take it but it doesn't appear to be hurting me so I just keep doing it.

[kmshrader]

Iron, B-Complex, Cranberry Extract, C.

For awful diet, energy, and UTI prevention.

[Tastes of Chocolate]

A calcium/vitamin D and K chew.
My mom has a mild osteoporosis case, and I'm mildly lactose intolerant. Since I can't comfortabely drink milk any more, a calcium suppliment seems the safe way to go.

[rhubarbarin]

Zinc because it's hard to get enough through food even with all the red meat I eat, and it helped my skin immensely (10 years of acne, finally gone). And vitamin D drops in the winter and early spring - I take care to get plenty of sun in the warmer months, and my levels usually stay above 40 into November. I eat a lot of animal products and vegetables, it's fairly easy for me to get adequate amounts of everything else daily.

I also eat protein bars (Clif Builder usually) and sometimes drink shakes with whey protein.

[kayaker]

Originally Posted by rhubarbarin

? . . sometimes drink shakes with whey protein.

no. . ., whey?