Recommend a Good Multi-Vitamin

[greatcook]

Can anyone recommend a good multi-vitamin, preferably one that isn't hard on the stomach? I thought Vitamin Waters might be a good option, but then realized I was drinking a whole lot of sugar with my vitamins, which I definitely don't need!

Any suggestions?

[ChristineVA]

I have stomach issues with vitamins as well and have tried many.

I can't use Centrum or Viactiv at all.

The worst part is that I am iron deficient and iron is hard on the stomach.

So, I tried Flintstone Chewables and I didn't have any stomach issues with them and they must be working because my iron is replenishing.

[Robyn1007]

I use a Whole Foods brand multi-vitamin that works fine for me although I haven't had actual blood levels measured except for b12 and iron. My b12 was low but that may be a problem with me an not the vitamin itself.

[cumulus]

I've heard good things about the Whole Foods Multi, but haven't tried it myself. My sensitive stomach holds up to the plain ol' generic Target Brand women's multi.

Previously, I had been on a few others (can't remember all the names off hand) that irritated my stomach and turned my urine all different colors. Fun? Yes. But my stomach wasn't happy, and I realized I was probably peeing out a lot of the vitamins I was taking in (and didn't need).

[TKay]

I wish I could find a good multi in liquid form--like EmergenC. Have you tried those? I'd love it if they made a multi. I have the same problems with stomach upset. I take my kids' vitamins and a chewable calcium/D supplement. But I'm not convinced I'm really getting all I need. I'll be interested to see what other responses you get.

[ChristineVA]

I wish I could find a good multi in liquid form--like EmergenC. Have you tried those? I'd love it if they made a multi. I have the same problems with stomach upset. I take my kids' vitamins and a chewable calcium/D supplement. But I'm not convinced I'm really getting all I need. I'll be interested to see what other responses you get.

There actually isn't much difference in a children's multi-vitamin than in an adult. In fact, I think the children's vitamin might even be higher in some instances. For the most part, they are VERY similar.

[wallycat]

I use the Nature Made ---they offer it in various formulas..
multi, 50+ without iron and one with iron for women, for men....blah, blah.

[Varaile]

I also use Nature Made - just the regular multi vitamin.

I read a couple years ago one of the important things about vitamins was making sure there was an expiration date and that it was USP tested. And for women that it contained the B vitamins/folate and iron.

I've thought about switching to the Whole Foods brand, but it seems a bit $$.

[GingerPow]

I've been taking vitamins for 30 years now, and it has primarily been the "Solgar" brand. The ingredients are naturally derived, easily assimilated and well tolerated.

The supermarket brands tend to be artificial and they have caused skin breakouts and stomach upsets, I learned the hard way years ago. I do like the "Emergen-C" - good stuff.

I take Solgar's Dessicated Liver for the iron. Many iron supplements are ferrous sulfate which will deplete Vitamin E in the body. I started taking the dessicated liver tablets during my pregnancies, and my blood count levels were always great. My OB-GYN was fine when I showed him the list of the supplements I would be taking instead of the prescription supplements the doc prescribed after I explained the ferrous sulfate/Vitamin E situation. (What a great doc he was). My blood tests levels always came back great, during pregnancy and after the C-sections.

Perimenopause :rolleyes: brings some interesting cycle changes, and I noticed I was feeling lethargic and looking blah. It dawned on me one day that my iron levels must be depleted so I started taking the dessicated liver again. Literally within a couple of days, I looked and felt better.

[ChristineVA]

I've been taking vitamins for 30 years now, and it has primarily been the "Solgar" brand. The ingredients are naturally derived, easily assimilated and well tolerated.

The supermarket brands tend to be artificial and they have caused skin breakouts and stomach upsets, I learned the hard way years ago. I do like the "Emergen-C" - good stuff.

I take Solgar's Dessicated Liver for the iron. Many iron supplements are ferrous sulfate which will deplete Vitamin E in the body. I started taking the dessicated liver tablets during my pregnancies, and my blood count levels were always great. My OB-GYN was fine when I showed him the list of the supplements I would be taking instead of the prescription supplements the doc prescribed after I explained the ferrous sulfate/Vitamin E situation. (What a great doc he was). My blood tests levels always came back great, during pregnancy and after the C-sections.

Perimenopause :rolleyes: brings some interesting cycle changes, and I noticed I was feeling lethargic and looking blah. It dawned on me one day that my iron levels must be depleted so I started taking the dessicated liver again. Literally within a couple of days, I looked and felt better.

Can you tell me how you found this out? I am having to take iron supplementation and I don't want to make things worse. Also, what is the source of the dessicated liver (hopefully not bovine???).

[HejazSunKat]

I've been using this one:

http://www.one-a-day.com/products/womens.shtml

I have a really hard time with vitamins too - just about everything I've tried has made me nauseous (even when taken with food) except this one.

I have DH on their Men's Health formula.

[Robyn1007]

Linda, that's kind of funny because that vitamin did bother my stomach! Go figure, it's hard to predict what's gonna affect one person and not another.

[KAnn]

[QUOTE=wallycat;1235627]I use the Nature Made ---they offer it in various formulas..
multi, 50+ without iron.....QUOTE]

This is what I buy and I only buy it on sale...usually 50% off at Safeway or King Soopers. I am not a believer in expensive supplements.

[GingerPow]

Can you tell me how you found this out? I am having to take iron supplementation and I don't want to make things worse. Also, what is the source of the dessicated liver (hopefully not bovine???).
I read Adele Davis and Jane Brody books years ago, and dessicated liver is also recommended in the "Prescriptions for Nutritional Healing" books.
Sorry Christine - the source is "Dessicated and defatted Argentine beef liver."

[ChristineVA]

I read Adele Davis and Jane Brody books years ago, and dessicated liver is also recommended in the "Prescriptions for Nutritional Healing" books.
Sorry Christine - the source is "Dessicated and defatted Argentine beef liver."

Too bad. I'm a little leary of using dessicated cow products. My doctor told me to avoid them for possible "mad cow" issues and that he thinks the manufacturing process on dessicated animal products may not be under strict control. But I'm sure tempted.

[Max Sutton]

I take Centrum Silver every morning.

[BucknellAlum]

Wow, I never knew so many people had issues with vitamins! I have tried to start taking the one a day women's formula, and every time I take it I have. . .err. gastrointestinal issues. And I usually have an iron stomach!

I guess I should try another brand, but I am kind of relieved to hear it was not just me or all in my head that the vitamin disagreed with me. I never had problems taking my prenatals when I was pregnant, but I suppose I could have written off nausea then as a pregnancy symptom.

[TKay]

Perimenopause :rolleyes: brings some interesting cycle changes, and I noticed I was feeling lethargic and looking blah. It dawned on me one day that my iron levels must be depleted so I started taking the dessicated liver again. Literally within a couple of days, I looked and felt better.

That's particualarly interesting to me. I have wondered if I'm in perimenopause yet or not. I HAVE been low on energy for sure. I've attributed it to trying to lose a few pounds and having two boys--five and seven years old. I keep telling dh, "It has GOT to be my age. I can barely keep up with these boys!" The other (younger) moms seem to be able to go, go, go. I'm always thinking TWO activities in one day? How will I manage? Never occured to me my iron levels could be low. Thanks for the tip. I don't take vitamins with added iron because of the stomach issues. I just had blood work done at my doc's. I'll be curious to see if I'm anemic at all.
Thanks for the heads up!

[Robyn1007]

Tkay, you might also ask your doc to run your b12 levels. I was severely deficient and have been taking 1000-2000 mcg a day for a month and feel much better. I still get knocked down hard if I'm sick or allergies are bothering me but day to day is better. For a few months I was going to bed at 8, couldn't drag myself out of bed at 5:30 when I needed to and nearly falling asleep during my commute and AT WORK!! :eek: The RDA of b12 is 6mcg I believe but it is nearly impossible to overdose on it and some bodies just don't absorb it from natural sources (meat, eggs) very well.

[GingerPow]

Too bad. I'm a little leary of using dessicated cow products. My doctor told me to avoid them for possible "mad cow" issues and that he thinks the manufacturing process on dessicated animal products may not be under strict control. But I'm sure tempted.
Very understandable. I've wondered about that scary possibility too.

Good tip about the B12, Robyn. There are sublinguals available, which is the most effect way to take them, short of an I.V. Do you take the sublinguals?

The B Complex vitamins are important in general for the nervous system and energy. I take a B-complex 50 mg. every day. During times of extreme stress, I'll take 2 to 3 throughout the day. It's a water soluble vitamin, like Vitamin C so it will not build up in your system if you take it at intervals.

TKay, keeping up with two boys is tiring! Sometimes I think back on everything I was doing with my 3 children in the course of one day, and I wonder how I did it.

Some years ago, my energy was waaaay off - I was sleepy enough at noon to take a nap, which was weird for me. No matter what vitamins I took, what time I went to bed, what I ate or didn't eat my energy was shot and I was gaining weight. Figured out I had low thyroid. (Runs in the family).

My blood tests came back "normal" but thank goodness, my doc takes the patient's symptoms and awareness of their own body into account and he started me on Synthroid. That made a huge difference. I'm seeing an endocrinologist and am on Armour Thyroid now.

Just mentioning that to suggest you think of all possibilities if the vitamins or any other changes don't help. But I hope they do!

[greatcook]

I wish I could find a good multi in liquid form--like EmergenC. Have you tried those? I'd love it if they made a multi. I have the same problems with stomach upset. I take my kids' vitamins and a chewable calcium/D supplement. But I'm not convinced I'm really getting all I need. I'll be interested to see what other responses you get.

That's exactly what I'm looking for! I have tried EmergenC, but like you, wish they made it in a multi-vitamin because I prefer to mix it in water and drink it- that's what I liked about Vitamin water initially- I'd love to find something similar, but without all the sugar!

[Robyn1007]

Ginger, I'm taking a chewable version of the vitamin now and it seems to be working pretty well. I may give the liquid sublingual a try when I need to buy more.

[TKay]

Interesting discussion. Thanks for the tips on the b12 levels, Robyn. I'm on the hunt for a good multi now. Dh just recently found out he was suffering from thyroid issues. He's down 22 pounds and feeling more like himself. I was teasing him that I was going to pilfer his meds and see if it helps me. The testing I'm having done (blood work among other things) is being done by the same doc that found his problem. So I have faith that if I'm defficient in anything, she'll find it.
I'm going to look into EmergenC and see if they do offer any multis.
ETA: Look at this. EmergenC DOES offer a multi. Who knew?
http://www.alacer.com/cgi-bin/dbsearch.exe?mdb=/products.mdb,tbl=products,DB_code=107,DBCOMP=ABS,t emplate=/products/returntitle.htm

[Robyn1007]

Tkay, a good multi may not give you enough b12 to really help you. I was taking a good multi daily prior to the diagnosis that had a full rda of b12 in it. B12 is very inexpensive so it may be worthwhile for you to add one more to your regimen.