Training & Nutrition - Multi-vitamins

Okay, pretty simple one...do you take one and which is it? I use the One-A-Day mens health formula. Gives me energy all damn day

I to use the One-A-Day mens formula and I think it works very well.

i use that one a day high performance or whateve the crap it's called.

I take Centrum Forte on the days I don't feel that my dinner has been rich in veggies.

I take the Target version of the One-a-day Performance. Used to take the Target version of One-a-day Men's health. The generic works just as well for me.

Same here. Target mens one a day and 1000 - 2000 mg Vitamin C. I don't know that I notice the difference, but it can't hurt. Oh and I have not been sick since I started taking them. Of course now that I said that I will.

AS a matter of fact, i do notice a difference. One day, i forgot to take it with breakfast, and it turned out that i was groggy up until i took the vitamin. I never thought it affected me as much as it does.

hilarious....vitamins are not pep pills. if you are getting a psychological effect, fine. go for it. MV's are the bare minimum of vitamins and minerals your body needs per day. the USRDA guidelines haven't been updated in over 50 years before twinkies were vitamin fortified, etc. they aren't going to invent more vitamins our body needs --> our body is a machine designed to function on these chemicals.

that said: i consider MV's enzymes that help to pull the nutrients out of your foods more efficiently <maybe that is where the energy spike comes from> our bodies have a limited amount of time to pull certain nutrients from the foods we eat as it is propelled through the digestive tract, so being fully enriched helps you eat more efficiently.

**there will never be a time in the future when we can just get our nutrition from a tablet ala the jetsons. we need fiber, and there is no substitute for food**

i feel that for most high demanding sports, one needs extra anti-oxidants to fully thwart the decaying effects of pollutants, physical stress, lack of rest that we put our bodies through.

The best MV's are the ones you take each and every day. but i supplement with

1000mg time release vitamin C twice daily.
400units to 800units of vitamin E daily
Vitamin B complex <all the B's>
also selenium, magnesium w/ zinc, potassium and magnesium rounds out my daily regimen.

i am essentially mirroring the MV supplements, but tayloring it to effective dosages.

BTW the Spring Valley brands that are the house brands of Wal-Mart are very highly rated, and their MV's are better absorbed than some branded names (specifically Theregran)

MV's are just insurance so 20-30 years down the road they don't say 'oh, if you only had the minumum amounts of these vitamins you'd be ok'

bottom line? MV's are not pep pills but provide healthy minimum nutritional measures.

but i supplement with

1000mg time release vitamin C twice daily.
400units to 800units of vitamin E daily
Vitamin B complex <all the B's>
also selenium, magnesium w/ zinc, potassium and magnesium rounds out my daily regimen.

i am essentially mirroring the MV supplements, but tayloring it to effective dosages.


This is almost the same as my routine. I get slightly less C and I do take a MV with minerals (Brand-X from the grocery store).

BTW: if you take 50mg or more of Zinc for an extended period of time, you also need to supplement with least 2mg of copper per day as well. I am told that the long term Zinc supplementation interferes with absorption of copper.

Dan

is health smart from target any good?

Hi,
I take this a couple times a week... http://store.yahoo.com/hono/nawayalwhfoe3.html
In regards to the other posts, my reading lead me to think 400iu E or larger is too much. I take a 200iu pill that has alpha/beta/gamma and totoctrienols. I take this one daily as well.. http://www.anrminerals.com/html/TR_prod_calmgzinc.html
It is unusually good for a cyclist. We need a little extra cal, the zinc and C are good for healing. I take it with a fruit shake which is my breakfast.

Glucosamine/Chondroitin
Calcium/Vitamin D
Vit E
Vit C

I take Solgar Vegicaps. They have impressed me as a brand, and it's good to know that they aren't animal derived. I agree with riphraph that MV's are really just insurance for unknown vitamin needs. But they surely aren't the only health supplement that deserves consideration. As an herbavore, for example, I also make sure to get a daily dose of B12 beyond what the MV offers. Dan from Detroit also brought up a good point that certain vitamins and minerals have to be used in a specific conjunction with others, and a lot of the mulitple vitamins out there don't get the propper combinations right. Same concept with individual supplements: After I broke my leg 1.5 years ago, I learned that calcium in a lot of supplements comes as calcium carbonate, which isn't very absorbable comparitively. There are other forms that are more beneficial, such as calcium citrate. On top of that, calcium won't be properly absorbed unless you are also getting some magnesium and vitamin D. Another issue to take into consideration is that consuming certain foods for vitamin health can often be much more beneficial than relying on a pill. For example, arrugula has a ton of calcium, in a form that is very absorbable... More so than milk, which is greatly misunderstood, IMO.

Sometimes I wonder how some of us, such as my mother, is living a full life at 93, healthy, alert and active, and has never taken a supplement, except CA for osteo. Sort of makes one wonder.

I take the generic one, RiteAid Whole Source:
Vitamin A 7500IU
Vitamin C 120mg
Vitamin D 400IU
Vitamin E 60IU
Vitamin K 80mcg
Vitamin B-1 4.5mg
Vitamin B-2 5.1mg
Niacin 40mg
Vitamin B-6 6mg
Folic Acid 400mcg
Vitamin B-12 18mcg
Iron 18mg
Magnesium 100mg
Selenium 200mcg (good for fighting giant amoeba like aliens and gettin it on with juilanne moore)
Zinc 15mg
Potassium 80mg
along with a bunch of other things like ginko biloba, if i'm gonna be exerting myself a lot, i also take separate vitamin C, A, D, and calcium tablets.
Most importantly, it's cheap :)

I take the generic one, RiteAid Whole Source:
Vitamin A 7500IU
Vitamin C 120mg
Vitamin D 400IU
Vitamin E 60IU
Vitamin K 80mcg
Vitamin B-1 4.5mg
Vitamin B-2 5.1mg
Niacin 40mg
Vitamin B-6 6mg
Folic Acid 400mcg
Vitamin B-12 18mcg
Iron 18mg
Magnesium 100mg
Selenium 200mcg (good for fighting giant amoeba like aliens and gettin it on with juilanne moore)
Zinc 15mg
Potassium 80mg
along with a bunch of other things like ginko biloba, if i'm gonna be exerting myself a lot, i also take separate vitamin C, A, D, and calcium tablets.
Most importantly, it's cheap :)

Bl*%$y Hell. If I took that lot, I wouldn't stop rattling for a week. If you can't get all your vitamins from a normal diet, then change your diet.

It sure seems a lot doesn't it, but it's basically the same exact thing in almost every multi-vitamin you buy nowadays. I take em as a supplement, not a source.
Then again, maybe it's a good thing on the bike if I don't stop rattling for a week. ;)

People who load up on protein, creatine, now that stuff's scary.

Animal Pack

i chew flinstone vitamins..i like the purple ones ;)

animal pack?

Since I work for the VitaminShoppe, a retail health and supplement chain in the US, I have chosen to take Garden of Life's MV for men. I do this at the advice of the on staff nutricionist that explained to me that most MV are syntheticly produced and the body only absorbs a small amount of synthecticly produced nurtiants. So there are a couple of MV's that are made from a whole food matrix which is better absorbed by the body.

Thanks,
Scott

Since I work for the VitaminShoppe, a retail health and supplement chain in the US, I have chosen to take Garden of Life's MV for men. I do this at the advice of the on staff nutricionist that explained to me that most MV are syntheticly produced and the body only absorbs a small amount of synthecticly produced nurtiants. So there are a couple of MV's that are made from a whole food matrix which is better absorbed by the body.

Thanks,
Scott

that stuff is $50 a month! :eek:

that stuff is $50 a month! :eek:

Heh my cell phone bill's $150 a month. Such is life and the price.

Well the benefit of being an employee is the 40% off ;)

Well the benefit of being an employee is the 40% off ;)

Any chance you can hook us up? ;)

Okay, pretty simple one...do you take one and which is it? I use the One-A-Day mens health formula. Gives me energy all damn day

Vitamins do not supply any energy at all.

Would be tough to hook up the whole message board ;) plus we are limited on the amount we can purchase per month and I suppose it is for that reason... but I agree it is expensive and I would not do it if it weren't for the discount.

Richard the b complex vitamins do support energy, though it is true they alone are not a energy source they do support the body and improve energy levels. I am no expert but I have good resources here which I deal with regualrly to get my advice which is why I only take a few select supplements to reach my goals.

Scott da' Newbie

Quote from our dietician. "IF you think you need a vitamin pill, you need to look at your diet. The biggest problem with vitamins are that people think they can take the place of good nutrition/balanced diet."

To simplify this she points out sure you can get many vitamins in a tablet, but you don't get the other benefits provided by fruits and vegetables, and all the vitamins in the world won't do anything compared to the benefits provided by some fiber in your diet. She preaches a food pyramid may change from year to year, but it still points out the importance of well balanced diet.

With that said, with the exception of the mega vitamins that give you more than your body can process anyway, a vitamin SUPPLEMENT should be just that, a supplement to a well balanced diet, and should never be considered a replacement.

Find a dietitian at a local University or many hospitals have free programs where you can get great ideas for balancing a diet. I have managed to get some excellent recipes to help towards that end, and would add that even if you have to pay a dietician for some advice, it's still less expensive than some of those vitamin supplements.

What she is saying is fine and dandy for a sedentary person, not so fine for an athlete. If you aren't taking vitamins get tested and see exactly where you stand. You may be surprised.

Would be tough to hook up the whole message board ;) plus we are limited on the amount we can purchase per month and I suppose it is for that reason... but I agree it is expensive and I would not do it if it weren't for the discount.

Richard the b complex vitamins do support energy, though it is true they alone are not a energy source they do support the body and improve energy levels. I am no expert but I have good resources here which I deal with regualrly to get my advice which is why I only take a few select supplements to reach my goals.

Scott da' Newbie

My girlfriend gets a significant discount at victorias secret, I can hook up your misses ;)

I also don't think that vitamins support you in terms of giving you energy as in pure calories but I know it does help me stay more alert instead of groggy all day.

why does mine say to take it no more than 3 months with a 2 week break?

that stuff is $50 a month! :eek:

Yeah, so is the MegaMen MV I get from GNC. However, if you take the cheaper type with synthetic binders then you're flushing your money down the toilet ...literally.

I've read the same thing Scott had said...


...most MV are syntheticly produced and the body only absorbs a small amount of synthecticly produced nutriants.

I've begun taking New Chapter One Daily vitamins, which are 100% whole food probiotic nutrients, 100% vegan. They are pre-cultured, so are extremely easy to digest and provide naturally occurring phytonutrients. I'm pretty sure I already get what I need from my diet in the way of whole food nutrients, but I don't think it hurts to make sure.

I've begun taking New Chapter One Daily vitamins, which are 100% whole food probiotic nutrients, 100% vegan. They are pre-cultured, so are extremely easy to digest and provide naturally occurring phytonutrients. I'm pretty sure I already get what I need from my diet in the way of whole food nutrients, but I don't think it hurts to make sure.

Correct me... I thought probiotics were meant to restore the proper balance of flora and fauna in the GI system. I used to take that type of powder in the morning first thing. It is marketed by Brain Garden.

are there any cheap non synthetic ones?

are there any cheap non synthetic ones?

This is prolly the most economical way to go...



BTW the Spring Valley brands that are the house brands of Wal-Mart are very highly rated, and their MV's are better absorbed than some branded names (specifically Theregran)


...sometimes the adage "you get what you pay for" applies. Sometimes not.

GNC has a member program where in the first week of every month members save 20%. I hate those member deals as a practice and I suspect that the 20% savings brings the cost down to a more reputable retail markup. I joined because my GF can get me the hook-up and the owner agrees to it as long as I pay the $15.00 yearly fee. Merton, sounds like you need a hook-up. Summit County is glued together with the "good guy" hook-up.

I take a centrum, the table for the centrum is below. I also take a super B complex, a minuim of 1-3 grams of fish oil, 2 grams of flaxseed oil, 400 units of vitamen E, a vitamen c tab that gives 2000% of the rda, a calcium tab that gives me 35% of the rda and thats all I can remember the moment. Remember to take all of these with lots of water :)

Supplement Facts
Serving Size: 1 Tablet
Servings Per Container:
Amount per Serving % Daily Value
Vitamin A (29% as Beta Carotene) 3500 IU 100%
Vitamin C 60 mg 100%
Vitamin D 400 IU 100%
Vitamin E 30 IU 100%
Vitamin K 25 mcg 31%
Thiamin (B1) 1.5 mg 100%
Riboflavin (B2) 1.7 mg 100%
Niacin (B3) 20 mg 100%
Vitamin B6 2 mg 100%
Folate,Folic Acid,Folacin 400 mcg 100%
Vitamin B12 6 mcg 100%
Biotin 30 mcg 10%
Pantothenic acid 10 mg 100%
Calcium 162 mg 16%
Iron 18 mg 100%
Phosphorus 109 mg 11%
Iodine 150 mcg 100%
Magnesium 100 mg 25%
Zinc 15 mg 100%
Selenium 20 mcg 29%
Copper 2 mg 100%
Manganese 2 mg 100%
Chromium 120 mcg 100%
Molybdenum 75 mcg 100%
Chloride 72 mg 2%
Potassium 80 mg 2%
Nickel 5 mcg *
Tin 10 mcg *
Silicon 2 mg *
Vanadium 10 mcg *
Boron 150 mcg *
Lutein 250 mcg*
Lycopene 300 mcg*

where can i get the spring valley vitamins online? i can't find them on walmart.com

is it better to take vitamins at night, before sleep, or in the a.m. as your day is beginning?

Multi vitamins have a high chance of having something on the banned drug list by the way.