Wellness

[LindaSal]

You have to be cautious with Turmeric.  I believe it should only be taken on a temporary basis and not long term.  I used to take it daily and my doctor told me to stop as it can actually cause more harm than good, such as stomach ulcers.  People with liver issues cannot take the supplement as it causes the liver to produce too much bile.  Everything in moderation I guess.  

[Moonlady]

I agree that many doctors don't appear to be educated on vitamins or supplements beyond testing for levels of specific vitamins. I'm my own advocate in that area, and have been for decades. It's true that mega doses of vitamins are contraindicated unless there's a deficiency. Also, as with foods, certain supplements and vitamins can affect certain medications' potency. Some are more effective taken with others the way, for example, black pepper enhances curcumin's absorption.

There's a lot to consider. Thanks to Andrew Lessman, almost all of the v/s I now take are in capsule form, whether their his or not. Of the three solid delivery methods (capsules, tablets, soft gels), I find capsules easier to swallow--head goes down, not back, so that they "float" up for easy swallowing--and can be absorbed easier for those whose digestive juices may be lacking or weak. We've all heard of tablets that just sit in a glass of whatever overnight without breaking down.

I use brands which, for me, are tried and true: Solgar, Nature Made, and Natural Factors (I like their "C Extra+Quercitin), 500mg/250mg. I also take Lessman's Calcium Intensive Care and his Vein/Circulation Support.

BTW, the only v/s I take on a daily basis is vitamin C; I give myself a break on weekends, and it helps stretch the stash lol.

Regarding the three solid forms, I do wish manufacturer's would place an "exact size" pic/illustration on the box or bottle when you can't see through the dark bottle. I know that amber coloring minimizes lighting which can degrade the potency, but I'm interested in size when my usual brands are sold out.

These days, I'm finding more and more gaping holes where my usual vitamin brands should be; thank goodness for Amazon. I had to resort to expensive QNOL for CoQ10 when I couldn't find my usual brand of capsules, or a substitute. The Qnol are soft gels, one-inch long 😳, and I had great difficulty swallowing them. They were "slippery," but I still felt as if they'd go down sideways. Thankfully, they're gone, and I'm now conscientious about being on top of what I need to replenish, and when. Just something else to consider.

[TVLand]

Some time ago my vitamin D levels were too high. My doctor told me to cut back to three a week. My most recent blood test has now put my levels in a normal range....

[tends2dogs]

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@ThinkingOutLoud wrote:

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@ellaphant wrote:

Key word MAY. No medical data that any supplement is beneficial. My doc says

they are unnecessary.

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I'd get a new dr because I'd wonder what else he/she was uninformed about.

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I agree, @ThinkingOutLoud .  My doctor goes through my list at each physical.  It is LONG.  He tweeks it and gives me advice about what should be taken separate from other supplements.  

I have had doctors say that supplements only give you expensive urine.  Ignorant for sure and I never went back to them.  

Sadly, doctors receive little to no education on nutrition and the need for supplementation.  There are doctors out there that are knowledgeable, but they are few and far between.

[Icegoddess]

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@Moonlady wrote:

I agree that many doctors don't appear to be educated on vitamins or supplements beyond testing for levels of specific vitamins. I'm my own advocate in that area, and have been for decades. It's true that mega doses of vitamins are contraindicated unless there's a deficiency. Also, as with foods, certain supplements and vitamins can affect certain medications' potency. Some are more effective taken with others the way, for example, black pepper enhances curcumin's absorption.

There's a lot to consider. Thanks to Andrew Lessman, almost all of the v/s I now take are in capsule form, whether their his or not. Of the three solid delivery methods (capsules, tablets, soft gels), I find capsules easier to swallow--head goes down, not back, so that they "float" up for easy swallowing--and can be absorbed easier for those whose digestive juices may be lacking or weak. We've all heard of tablets that just sit in a glass of whatever overnight without breaking down.

I use brands which, for me, are tried and true: Solgar, Nature Made, and Natural Factors (I like their "C Extra+Quercitin), 500mg/250mg. I also take Lessman's Calcium Intensive Care and his Vein/Circulation Support.

BTW, the only v/s I take on a daily basis is vitamin C; I give myself a break on weekends, and it helps stretch the stash lol.

Regarding the three solid forms, I do wish manufacturer's would place an "exact size" pic/illustration on the box or bottle when you can't see through the dark bottle. I know that amber coloring minimizes lighting which can degrade the potency, but I'm interested in size when my usual brands are sold out.

These days, I'm finding more and more gaping holes where my usual vitamin brands should be; thank goodness for Amazon. I had to resort to expensive QNOL for CoQ10 when I couldn't find my usual brand of capsules, or a substitute. The Qnol are soft gels, one-inch long 😳, and I had great difficulty swallowing them. They were "slippery," but I still felt as if they'd go down sideways. Thankfully, they're gone, and I'm now conscientious about being on top of what I need to replenish, and when. Just something else to consider.

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@Moonlady and I'm the opposite.  I have the most problem swallowing powder filled capsules along with any non-coated pill.  Forget those calicum citrate horse pills.  Gel-caps go down the easiest for me, although due to the size, the Qunol Co Q 10's are a bit difficult, but that's what I take.  

[Icegoddess]

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@LuvSoCal wrote:

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@Icegoddess wrote:

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@SilleeMee wrote:

Balanced diets don't always provide it all. Age and a less efficient gut can effect how much we get out of our food. Sometimes supplementation can help, especially when you consider the quality of food in our markets these days.

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@SilleeMee, Don't forget medications or medical conditions.  

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Yes, this reminds me of taking turmeric for my arthritic right knee. It did wonders for me...I could easily do my walking routine...however, my stomach started to rebel. I looked at the instructions on the bottle (which I had failed to do initially) and it very specifically stated to not use if a gallbladder problem was an issue (which it was). I stopped and my stomach settled down.

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Actually, my point was that certain medical conditions or medications could affect you need for supplementation.  For example, my doctor recommends I take CoQ10 because I now take a statin.  I was already taking CoQ10 beforehand though, and credit it with getting me out of the periodontist's chair. 

Certain medical conditions seem to come with other issues that can be addressed with supplements whether that's due to the condition itself or due to the medication you take for that condition.  

If we're going to act as our own doctors though, we also need to research the supplements we take to make sure they aren't contraindicated for us.  

[Moonlady]

@Icegoddess  That's why I'm happy to see more manufacturers put the size on the labeling. Everyone's different. That's why many even offer varyiing types of pills for the same vitamin/potency. You really have to look. 

Regarding the Qnol, I even tried squeezing out the contents, but it's a thick "paste." They'll tell you, too, CoQ10 formulations should appear that way--opaque. IOW, the gel capsules shouldn't be clear, like fish oil, for example. I was just so happy to be rid of the Qnol. As I mentioned, they were slippery and I detected a bit of vanilla flavoring coating the soft gel. Clearly they tried to make it palatable, too. It's a good-selling brand, but it just didn't work for me.

[ECBG]

I would ask my doctor.

[ellaphant]

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@ThinkingOutLoud wrote:

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@ellaphant wrote:

Key word MAY. No medical data that any supplement is beneficial. My doc says

they are unnecessary.

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I'd get a new dr because I'd wonder what else he/she was uninformed about.l

Seems you are uninformed. Supplements are not endorsed by the FDA and there is zero medical evidence supplements provide any benefits. 

[ThinkingOutLoud]

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@ellaphant wrote:

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@ThinkingOutLoud wrote:

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@ellaphant wrote:

Key word MAY. No medical data that any supplement is beneficial. My doc says

they are unnecessary.

---

I'd get a new dr because I'd wonder what else he/she was uninformed about.l

Seems you are uninformed. Supplements are not endorsed by the FDA and there is zero medical evidence supplements provide any benefits. 

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Ha!! Anyone who thinks the FDA is a reliable organization hasn't been paying attention. As to 'zero medical evidence' - follow the $$. The med field doesn't want evidence of the benefits of supplements.