# What vitamins/supplements do you take often? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 29, 2020, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-vitamins-supplements-do-you-take-often/916724 "2020-07-29T15:51:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2020, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-vitamins-supplements-do-you-take-often/916724/21 "2020-07-30T13:01:58Z")
Vitamin D since even though I’m in Florida and exercise for several hours a week outside it apparently is still not enough. The only time I didn’t read a tad low was just after a summer vacation out west where I got even more exposure per day. Vitamin B, that and Vitamin D run in my family. Fish oil, all of these are on the advice of my doctor. I take a multivitamin as well but not on anyone’s particular advice. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2020, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-vitamins-supplements-do-you-take-often/916724/22 "2020-07-30T13:07:19Z")
I take a fiber supplement, a pair of Tums for the calcium, and a multi-vitamin gummy every day (I have difficulty with pills), primarily just for the vitamin D. While everything I’ve read suggests I’m mostly just creating expensive urine, I take them anyways. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2020, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-vitamins-supplements-do-you-take-often/916724/23 "2020-07-30T16:25:10Z")
Iron. I kept being under the level required for giving blood at the Red Cross, so I started Iron and haven’t had a problem since. I don’t take anything else that is a vitamin/mineral. Doctor hasn’t suggested anything. Odd because I eat like shit and while I do walk the dogs once a day I don’t feel like I get enough sun. Maybe the doc is sparing me even MORE pills. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2020, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-vitamins-supplements-do-you-take-often/916724/24 "2020-07-31T16:27:03Z")
I’m not sure I will ever understand why people take bunches of individual vitamins rather than a much cheaper multivitamin. I get it if you take one or two specific things since you think they are helpful. I get it if you want a different dose for some specific reason. There are gummy vitamins which taste delicious but hardly have any vitamin in them. I take a multivitamin occasionally which has all the vitamin D I’d want. I’m not sure of the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in Northern climes, but they add it to milk and it is synergistic with calcium. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2020, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-vitamins-supplements-do-you-take-often/916724/25 "2020-07-31T16:40:19Z")
I’ve lived to be 62 and yet I’ve never taken any vitamins/supplements. Years ago (statute of limitations has expired) I _purchased_ a big bottle of fish oil gelcaps, but I never swallowed any. I used the bottle and capsules to transport cannabis. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2020, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-vitamins-supplements-do-you-take-often/916724/26 "2020-08-01T00:52:35Z")
> [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > I’m not sure I will ever understand why people take bunches of individual vitamins rather than a much cheaper multivitamin. Vitamin D and B for example are sold individually in much stronger doses than you can get with a multivitamin. I take several of these, stronger, pills, a week, and still score low on my vitamin D. Multivitamins would provide a surfeit of other vitamins but too little D and B. For Vitamin B, there are people who have weak absorption, but not no absorption, so they need up to, but not always, %100,000 RDA doses which definitely are not found in a multivitamin, because they absorb only part of the dose. ---
**Author:** ![Die\_Capacitrix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/die_capacitrix/32/9_2.png) [@Die\_Capacitrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Die_Capacitrix)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2020, 10:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-vitamins-supplements-do-you-take-often/916724/27 "2020-08-01T10:24:47Z")
D3. My dad was having muscle aches and got prescribed vitamin D, so the next time I did a general check up, I asked to be tested, as it’s not normally checked. Also low, so I take D3 drops on a weekly basis. Everything else came back as normal. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2020, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-vitamins-supplements-do-you-take-often/916724/28 "2020-08-04T01:30:37Z")
For muscle aches, calcium and magnesium would be more likely to be low than one of the forms of vitamin D. Can’t say I’ve checked those levels often. Perhaps missing something; they say they are often low. ---
**Author:** ![Nightfall1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@Nightfall1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nightfall1)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2020, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-vitamins-supplements-do-you-take-often/916724/29 "2020-08-04T01:44:26Z")
I used to take a multi vid/min daily pill just to be sure. Someone here said “you consider yourself a rational person, check out some medical and scientific sites” I did and I stopped taking the pill. All the sites say if you are eating decent food you’re just duplicating what your eating. I do take a D pill under doctors orders. ---
**Author:** ![BippityBoppityBoo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bippityboppityboo/32/5745_2.png) [@BippityBoppityBoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BippityBoppityBoo)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2020, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-vitamins-supplements-do-you-take-often/916724/30 "2020-08-04T02:12:10Z")
Chocolate Caffeine Alcohol when I detect my system is running low L-methyfolate Calcium Vitamin A Last 3~physicians determined I need them. Lab test or genetic test. First 3~my doctors would prefer I wouldn’t take them. A little rebellion is good. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2020, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-vitamins-supplements-do-you-take-often/916724/31 "2020-08-06T00:20:45Z")
Why would your doctor be over concerned because you eat chocolate? The multivitamin I sometimes take has 800 units of vitamin D. I don’t know how much you’d need. But I don’t need to hear about individual circumstances. I’m surprised stand-bys like glucosamine, chondritin sulphate, primrose oil or saw palmetto don’t seem as popular as they once were. (Although some studies say their efficacy is limited). ---
**Author:** ![Kimera757](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kimera757/32/3765_2.png) [@Kimera757](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimera757)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2022, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-vitamins-supplements-do-you-take-often/916724/34 "2022-02-20T16:07:41Z")
Vitamin D. When you live in cold, dark Canada, you don’t get enough UV light. Recommended by my doctor. Vitamin B12. I had a deficiency. I get tested every year for it. I haven’t taken it in several years since my doctor told me to stop (my B12 levels have been healthy for over five years now). Omega-3 oil capsules. I used to eat a lot of fish at restaurants, but the smell means cooking it at home or taking it to work is just not going to work. I actually stopped going to the restaurant pre-COVID. That’s it. Generally I won’t take a vitamin without a doctor’s recommendation. I don’t take the multivitamins my mother keeps trying to make me take. (She takes so many vitamins!) ---
**Author:** ![Kropotkin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kropotkin/32/18045_2.png) [@Kropotkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kropotkin)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2022, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-vitamins-supplements-do-you-take-often/916724/35 "2022-02-20T23:07:50Z")
Vitamin D and calcium to prevent osteoporosis made more likely by hormone therapy for prostate cancer ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2022, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-vitamins-supplements-do-you-take-often/916724/36 "2022-02-20T23:30:32Z")
Vitamin D3 and Magnesium Malate. This winter I actually added a multivitamin, but that’s not my usual thing to do. I was just not eating right and wanted a quick fix. I’m doing a bit better. But when the high temp for the day is 1F, my arthritis does not want me to go out in search of fruit and colorful veggies. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2022, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-vitamins-supplements-do-you-take-often/916724/37 "2022-02-21T02:17:01Z")
Multivitamins Preservision to prevent macular degeneration Potassium Vitamin D ---
**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:** [February 21, 2022, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-vitamins-supplements-do-you-take-often/916724/38 "2022-02-21T04:02:04Z")
Vitamin D because I’m not outside enough. Vitamins A and E because I’m superstitious A fiber supplement from time to time, including now. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2022, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-vitamins-supplements-do-you-take-often/916724/39 "2022-02-21T05:04:04Z")
I don’t really take any vitamins or supplements “often”, but every once in a while when I happen to think of it I’ll take a Centrum multivitamin “for men over 50”. My main justification is that I’m not a big veggie eater so I’m probably deficient in some vitamins or minerals. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2022, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-vitamins-supplements-do-you-take-often/916724/40 "2022-02-21T07:12:49Z")
Like many here, I take vitamin D, 1000 IU, at the recommendation of my doctor. There were lab tests. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2022, 9:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-vitamins-supplements-do-you-take-often/916724/41 "2022-02-21T09:01:24Z")
> [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > I am an avid weightlifter and see value in taking niacin, fish oil and creatinine. Don’t you mean the supplement _creatine_? Creatinine is filtered out of the blood by the kidneys and is a measure of kidney function. * * * My oncologist recommended D3. Vitamin C magnesium A milk thistle product that has brought my liver numbers back into range. Berberine - incredible for blood sugar control. I told my doctor that I had gotten great results with it and she said, “Oh yeah, some of my patients have told me about it.” Right. 🙄 Brought my a1c down to 6-something from over 8. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2022, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-vitamins-supplements-do-you-take-often/916724/42 "2022-02-21T22:53:09Z")
I forgot to add that I take dandelion root capsules. This allows me to not have a prescription for a water pill, which usually leave me parched and in pain. The doc doesn’t like it but she agrees that I am not carrying excess water any more. The added bonus for me is the fiber it adds counters the effect of the simvastatin that is prescribed. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-vitamins-supplements-do-you-take-often/916724.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-vitamins-supplements-do-you-take-often/916724.md?page=3)