I’ve never taken vitamins (except maybe vitamin C tablets when I get sick), but a friend said I should start taking some for my general health. My diet isn’t very healthy, which I’m working to change. In the meantime, what will give me more energy (as I tend to get sleepy in the afternoons and fairly early at night) or any other health benefits? Which vitamins should I incorporate into my daily intake?
Vitamin D and calcium are pretty important. You could try B vitamins for more energy. Anything else and you’re probably wasting your money.
Whenever people want more energy I always think they should save their money and get more sleep. Not that vitamin D is a bad idea but I don’t think you’ll get any energy boost from it. I only take fish oil myself.
Fix your diet and you won’t need any vitamin supplements.
Maybe go to the doctor and see if you are lacking anything?
Fixing your diet won’t necessarily fix a vitamin deficiency. I have a fairly healthy diet, but for some reason I am always very, very low on vitamin D when they run blood tests. I take extra vit D and try to get out in the sun, but it’s still always low.
First, talk to your doctor. He/she may say you shouldn’t take any vitamins, or like most doctors, he/she may say take a general multivitamin. There are dozens out there, and most are fairly inexpensive and cover all the basics.
Depending on your age or gender you can take specialized multivitamins, but your doctor may say they’re overkill in your case.
If you can’t afford to see, or don’t want to bother, your doctor you can try a one-a-day multivitamin and see if it makes any difference.
The ones found in the good food you feed yourself. No need for “in the meantime”. You can start eating better just as quickly as you can start popping multivitamins.
“You’re just making expensive pee!”
– Big Bang Theory (I think)
If you feel tired a lot, you should see a doctor to rule out a true deficiency such as iron deficiency anemia (fairly common in menstruating women).
Often it is recommended for women of childbearing age to take folic acid as insurance in the event of pregnancy. Folic acid during the first few weeks of pregnancy has been shown to help in reducing severe birth defects related to neural tube development (spina bifida, anencephaly). By the time you realize you’re pregnant the window of opportunity for folic acid to help is closed, so the idea is to take it all the time “just in case”.
However, with that being said, there has recently been some questioning in the medical community about if taking vitamin supplements without a specific known deficiency might actually do more harm than good.
This, with the possible addition of iron if you’re possibly anaemic, though be wary of iron as it can cause constipation. I wouldn’t bother getting tested for levels of anything apart from possibly haemoglobin.
As for getting tired in the afternoons, more sleep if you aren’t getting enough and consider reviewing your lunch to see that it is giving you enough energy but isn’t too heavy, but it may just be the way your body clock works.
Check with your doctor.
Back when I bled every month, I was slightly anemic; iron supplements were recommended. Now my retina specialist recommends ocular vitamins & one general multi-vitamin/mineral per day.
Most excess vitamins will just be peed away but some OD’s could cause problems. Guys, check out thesestudy results from JAMA.
If your problem is lack of energy–again, check with your doctor. But a healthy diet is important–supplemented or not. Plus enough sleep & exercise. Exercise, if you’re “too tired”? Yup…
Supplemental vitamins for the most part are pure quackery, most people do not need to take them if they have a normal caloric intake.
There is little or no evidence that supplements improve mortality and some that suggests that it actually harms heath.
http://articles.latimes.com/2011/oct/10/health/la-he-vitamins-death-20111011
I would talk to a doctor but one of the most effective treatments for fatigue is moderate exercise.