# Supplement question

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supplement-question/999540>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [March 29, 2024, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supplement-question/999540 "2024-03-29T01:48:34Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2024, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supplement-question/999540/21 "2024-03-29T23:14:17Z")

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Gelatin, mostly; some are made from cellulose. Plastic wouldn’t work well since it is less likely to dissolve.

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**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supplement-question/999540/22 "2024-03-30T00:46:39Z")

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Oh, good. Now I don’t feel like a fish in polluted waters.

I like the fish too. 🥚

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**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supplement-question/999540/23 "2024-03-30T00:55:31Z")

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For vegans or other people who don’t want to eat animal products for ethical, religious or medical reasons, there are capsules made from cellulose. Cellulose capsules are more expensive so gelatin ones are more common.

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**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supplement-question/999540/24 "2024-03-30T01:02:37Z")

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To supplement (heh) the above answers, I take a B12 pill that is methylcobalamin. As I understand it, that is usually considered a less effective form of B12 than cyanocobalamin. The latter is what you’d be more likely to get if your doctor ordered B12 supplements for you.

However, this form was prescribed by my ophthalmologist to promote retinal health. I don’t know the science behind it, but apparently the form I take is better if you are fighting retinal degeneration.

My point being, I guess it might matter why you are taking the vitamin D, and one form might be better at addressing a specific health issue than the other.

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**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supplement-question/999540/25 "2024-03-30T02:03:30Z")

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I figure the doctor and nutritionist have discussed my needs. And what I should be taking.  
I really trust this doctor he’s saved my life s few times.

I had an event just recently where my therapist decided I needed this strong anxiety drug because I was showing signs of nervous tics and my speech was more difficult.  
I didn’t have her check with the doctor. Well, I didn’t think it was necessary.  
Turns out it was. When he found out what it is was doing to me he called the neurologist. He said get her off it immediately.  
I’m happy everyone was on board. And thanks to Ivy for being my mouthpiece. Again.

And the Beck lives a bit longer.😊

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**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supplement-question/999540/26 "2024-03-30T02:05:36Z")

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> [@Beckdawrek](#):
>
> So I figured it will change when the prescription runs out.

You have a prescription for vitamin D? It’s available over the counter, quite cheaply.

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**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supplement-question/999540/27 "2024-03-30T02:09:38Z")

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That was my question. Apparently d2 and d3 are not the same.

(With my insurance the script is free,tho’)

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**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supplement-question/999540/28 "2024-03-30T12:02:58Z")

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> [@Mama\_Zappa](#):
>
> Yep. As we age, and are on more and more meds, some way of organizing them and ensuring compliance gets trickier and trickier.

My late mother had the good fortune to be married to a professional pharmacist who organized her pills in a meticulous fashion. Probably contributed to her longevity, surviving to 77 with medical conditions that a generation earlier would have ended her life in her 40’s.

Me, I’m trying very hard to put off the medication years as long as possible. So far so good. I’m to the point that when I go to the doctor’s and they ask for my medication list and I say “none” I’m greeted with disbelief. No, really, none. So far.

Well, OK, I had eye surgery 2 weeks ago for a macular hole and that was a gajillion eye drops every day (and I have _terrible_ aim with those, I think half the drops wound up in the sink or on the floor) so I’ve had to juggle multiple meds at different times through a day on a temporary basis. I figure it’s training for what will eventually happen if I live long enough.

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**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supplement-question/999540/29 "2024-03-30T14:29:19Z")

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> [@Dewey\_Finn](#):
>
> You have a prescription for vitamin D? It’s available over the counter, quite cheaply.

High doses of Vitamin D2 (commonly prescribed as a weekly dose for short periods of time for people with severe deficiencies) require a prescription, largely to prevent overdosing.

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**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supplement-question/999540/30 "2024-03-30T14:48:25Z")

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I have prescriptions for Esomeprazole and ibuprofin, both of which can be purchased otc. They are for higher doses than the OTC formulation. (Or in the case of Esomeprazole, for more doses. It’s cheaper to buy 180 capsules at a time than to buy lots of little bottles, but you need a prescription to do it.)

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**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supplement-question/999540/31 "2024-03-30T15:02:26Z")

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> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#):
>
> > [@Dewey\_Finn](#):
> >
> > You have a prescription for vitamin D? It’s available over the counter, quite cheaply.
> 
> High doses of Vitamin D2 (commonly prescribed as a weekly dose for short periods of time for people with severe deficiencies) require a prescription, largely to prevent overdosing.

The webpage linked upthread says that D3 is more effective at raising levels of vitamin D so why would D2 be prescribed?

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**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supplement-question/999540/32 "2024-03-30T15:36:07Z")

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I have tried just about every pill organizer out thre, and I’ve settled on the ones made by SAGELY.

> **[Daily Pill Organizers and Pill Reminder App | Sagely](https://www.livesagely.com/)**
>
> Never again forget to take your pills with the Sagely App and Sagely weekly pill organizers that come in a variety of colors.

Note: they **are** expensive. But in my experience, the extra cost is worth it. Mr VOW and I take a hideous amount of pills, and I’m the one in charge of the Poison Parade. Anything that makes my job easier I heartedly endorse.

~VOW

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**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supplement-question/999540/33 "2024-03-30T15:56:10Z")

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I’m going to stick to the cheapo CVS thing for now, which completely nets my needs. But i am impressed with the thoughtful design that went into those.

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**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supplement-question/999540/34 "2024-03-30T16:11:20Z")

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@puzzlegal

If you are okay with the cheaper caddies, good for you. Just make sure they are the LOCKING kind. You might have to shop around but it will be worth your while. The locks are nothing fancy (no key or combination, LOL), but once you drop a “regular” caddy on the floor and a gazillion pills go dancing everywhere, you will know what I mean.

On one of our trips to AZ, somehow we overlooked the box that had our medications. There were two months’ worth of caddies, containing several shitloads of pills. Our daughter mailed us the box immediately. Upon opening it, my jaw dropped: every single caddy compartment had opened, and the bottom of the box was blanketed with a rainbow of pills.

It took a couple of hours of playing “Pill Solitaire” before everything was straightened out.

~VOW

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**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supplement-question/999540/35 "2024-03-30T16:43:10Z")

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> [@Dewey\_Finn](#):
>
> The webpage linked upthread says that D3 is more effective at raising levels of vitamin D so why would D2 be prescribed?

Profoundly low serum levels of vitamin D (\< 12ng/ml) need high doses (25K IU to 50K IU per week for 8 to 12 weeks) to replenish the deficit, before dropping down to daily maintenance levels (which are around 800 IU/day and up, depending on clinical scenario). Prescription only doses of D2 are available in strengths of 50,000 units. Since this is only available by prescription (in the US anyway) the medication must meet higher standards than OTC vitamins and it must actually contain 50K IU. OTC vitamins and supplements are commonly found to vary widely in how much they actually contain.

Meanwhile Vitamin D3 does not need a prescription at any dosage level. While high dose capsules are available (50,000 IU are out there) they may be harder to find and also the scrutiny any strength of OTC D3 doses receive as to purity may well be less. And even if you do have a good D3 source it’ll often be in the form of 800-2000 IU per capsule, and that can be a big pill burden.

And while some studies show that D3 **may** work faster, current medical opinion on this is as follows: _Trial data suggest faster normalization of vitamin D levels with vitamin D3 over that seen with vitamin D2; however, the magnitude of this effect is likely not clinically significant for most patients._

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**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supplement-question/999540/36 "2024-03-30T16:44:15Z")

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Thank you for that.

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**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supplement-question/999540/37 "2024-03-30T17:39:52Z")

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You’re welcome.

I should also add that **rapid** replenishing of extremely low vitamin D levels via high doses is desired in order to prevent or treat osteomalacia, or ‘bone softening disease’. This occurs due to severe deficit of vitamin D, calcium, and phosphorus.

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**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supplement-question/999540/38 "2024-03-30T17:44:33Z")

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> [@Broomstick](#):
>
> a gajillion eye drops every day (and I have _terrible_ aim with those, I think half the drops wound up in the sink or on the floor)

I’ve been using eye drops every day for many years to treat high intraocular pressure. I’ve found the best way to do it is lying on my back in bed. Look straight up at the ceiling and position the bottle so it’s directly in your line of sight. If necessary, hold the eyelid open with the other hand.

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**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supplement-question/999540/39 "2024-03-30T17:59:04Z")

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Yes, I thank you too, Doc.

I’m sure it was explained to me at the time the prescription was made.  
But I’m not always listening carefully. Reading it makes it easier for me.

Just what I was asking for.

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**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supplement-question/999540/40 "2024-03-30T18:28:57Z")

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> [@markn\_1](#):
>
> I’ve been using eye drops every day for many years to treat high intraocular pressure. I’ve found the best way to do it is lying on my back in bed. **Look straight up at the ceiling and position the bottle so it’s directly in your line of sight**. If necessary, hold the eyelid open with the other hand.

Yes, well, one consequence of both the surgery and my inherent myopia is that the eye that was operated on **could not see the eyedropper**. Being temporarily monocular really trashed my depth perception so trying to line everything up by sight was nigh impossible.

The good news is that the surgery was successful and sight is returning to my operated on eye on schedule.

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