amerpie

In April 2002 I weighed 283 lbs. I started taking supplements and following a low carb diet. I lost 50 lbs in 90 days. Then I bought a bike, albeit a $100 special from a chain sporting goods store. I continued the supplents and low carb diet for another 90 days and lost an additional 20 lbs. Then I bought a road bike, upped the carbs but continued the supplements. I lost another 10 lbs and leveled off at 200 lbs.

Currently I continue to take

• Natrol's "My Favorite Multiple w/ Iron"
• 1500 mg of Vitamin C
• Lecithin
• EFA (Essential Fatty Acid / Omega3)
• Coenzyme Q10
• MSM
• Zinc
• B50 (x3 a day)
• Melatonin
• Chromium
• Vitamin E
• Selenium

RWTD

Overall sounds like a pretty good supplement plan and congratulations on the weight loss.

Maelstrom 

First off - congratulations. Secondly...wow thats an expensive habit to live on in Canada

RWTD

Around here I can pick up a good quality source of all of those for 99 cents/month or less except for the EFA which would be more like $2/mo. and a comparable multi more like$3-4/mo.In fact a while back I bought a 6month supply of that very multi for 99cents /bottle from the online Natrol Club semiannual 99cent sale.Im especially pleased with my purchase today of 44lbs. of whey protein concentrate for $2/lb. considering retail brands such as Atkins or Next go for as much as $16 /lb. or more and have nasty added sweetners and flavorings .So if you are careful supplements don't have to be expensive though if not your right they can cost an arm and a leg.I view most of the supplements of this type I take being more for energy and wellbeing though than specifically for weight loss though I guess if you have more energy you do more exercise.

DanFromDetroit

Congratulations on the weight loss.

I prefer to get my nutrients in real food, instead of tablets or powders. I do take a B-Complex and C supplement in the winter months though.

Strange as it sounds, I think it might be easier to supplement that to find unprocessed or minimally processed foods. Almost everything in the local grocery is adulterated with corn syrup, MSG, extra salt or boiled to death and then canned.

I try to shop at farmer's markets and the Whole Foods supermarket.

regards
Dan

RacerX

Isn't melatonin for sleeping?
As for getting all your vitamins from real food-- you should realize that it doesn't have the nutrients it once did even 10 years ago. Supplements are a good idea, especially for cyclists or other strenuous activities.
Calcium is very important and often ignored.

Maelstrom 

A lot of people have issues with sunlight and darkness. A few years ago my body had no idea when it was bedtime so I took Melatonin to trick it into believing the sun was gone and it put me to sleep. So yes is helps sleeping

Sleeping = good body wellness for some

Guest

Another idea that goes beyond the supplements mentioned here- if you're having problems getting to sleep, instead of paying lots of money for melatonin, you can also use epsom salts. If you soak in the tub with it before bedtime, it will help to put you to sleep, since it is a mild muscle relaxant.

I am going to take the time to list out supplementing stuff I learned about at the last seminar I went to someday that's geared mainly towards women. Unfortunately, I am limited on time these days... but stay tuned!

Koffee

RWTD

I think Dan and RacerX both make good points .I try to eat an unprocessed balanced whole food diet for nutrition superior to any tablet but add a multi and a few others to meet my needs more as insurance against nutrient depleted soils ,depletion/increased utilization through intense exercise,and possibility I might not be properly optimizing every nutrient in my diet .I found when I increased my distances last fall tightening my diet and supplement program made a real difference in my energy/endurance.

killerasp

jesus, its like you have a drug lab in your house. all i take is centrum 1x a day. would a most people need to intake that much drugs?

RWTD

First these are essential nutrients and don't have drug like effects though some may be in synthetic form. But to answer your question everyone needs vitimins and minerals but in varying degrees depending on activity level,age,metabolic rate etc.Whole unrefined foods can provide all those nutrients but most people do not eat a well balanced diet for one reason or another.For example egg yokes are high in lecithin,sulphur,zinc and E,nuts are high in EFA's,zinc ,selenium and E ,fatty fish are high in other EFA's,and Coenzyme Q-10,whole grains are high in B complex and selenium,meat is high in B-12,Coenzyme Q-10 ,sulphur and chromium ,fruits and vegis are high in C and other antioxidents but many people avoid these foods entirely for various reasons even when trying to eat a healthy diet.Another factor with modern agricultural techniques are depleting mineral levels in the soil leaving some doubt in the levels actually in your foods. lMelatonin is a hormone which after age 40 or so may be helpful to supplement as natural production goes down.So to answer your question active people need higher levels of many of these vitimins and minerals and they can be gotten through a properly balanced diet or supplements if not provided by your diet.A quality multi is a good way to start as its got the nutrients in proper proportion which is important and from there it really depends on your diet,activity level etc.

Guest

Very true-

The more active you are, the more essential vitamins and minerals you need to take. There was a time when I was waaaaaaaaay active, and I'd be lifting in the morning and doing a long ride after, working full time, teaching noon indoor cycling classes, then either teaching an evening class or doing another long ride. I was pooped.

One day, I went to a lecture given by a pharmacist, and at the end of the lecture, I went up to her and told her I was exhausted- physically and mentally. She listened to me as I described my symptoms, then gave me a list of supplements, vitamins, and minerals to take to boost up my energy. She also recommended I cut back. I did all those things, and I cut back, and before long, I was feeling somewhat normal.

What you should do, if you decide to take supplements, is go to someone who has knowlege about how supplements will react with other medications, perscriptions or whatever else you're taking. I had no idea that chromium picolinate rendered birth control pills inactive, and if I'd been taking the chromium picolinate at a time when I was.... well.... um... "with someone", I might have ended up in serious trouble.... and I'm not for having kids. That's just one thing I learned from talking to knowledgeable people who really know their supplements well, and also can work with you if you are currently taking other medications.

As an update to my earlier post, I used epsom salt in a bath a few nights ago after a strenuous day of exercise and physical activity. I got in the bath and was so relaxed that I fell asleep... for two hours. When I woke up, I had to laugh- I looked like I was auditioning for the Psycho movie shower scene- I was sloped over the edge of the tub with my arms drooping down on the floor.... if someone had come in and seen me, they probably would have screamed and called the police! I wholeheartedly recommend epsom salts for soothing muscle aches and as a mild muscle relaxant, but just be sure to not fall asleep in the tub.

Koffee

amerpie

A few comments -

One important supplement that I ommitted from my original list is L-carnitine, don't leave home without it!

Maelstrom - My plan isn't exactly cheap but it's affordable; around $100US per month. I buy most of my stuff from two different web sites:

1)https://www.vitacost.com/Store/StoreFront/index.cfm
2)https://www.health-pages.com/

RWTD - If you can tell me where I can get CO-Q10 for $2 a month, please do! I take 90 mg a day and it runs me around $17.

RacerX - Melatonin is also an antioxidant. I've had chronic insomnia for years and the melatonin (at twice the recommended dose) helps me get to sleep earlier than ever before.

KillerASP - I know that it seems mind boggling but I can't argue with the results.

RWTD

Funny I don't supplement CoQ-10 but I just threw out an expired Vitimin World coupon this morning for 30 mg 50size for$2.99 regular price $13.90.In the store they had all the sale priced items in a seperate bin and didn't even require a coupon.Also they had a coupon in that same ad for a half price special on any store brand item(I used it for a multi)which when combined with 30% off for their club members(I qualified free that day with a $10 purchase)would provide a lot of savings(check their website they may have similar offers from time to time and you can stock up.Also I've seen it in the 99cent stores around here and there are other local nutrition discounters around here like Nutrition Depot (which I believe has web sales)where you can find bargains from time to time.So just shop around I suggest do a web search to come up with a variety of online retailers and you will probably find some bargains.Edit With a quick check of my bookmarks I found a 1mo. supply of CoQ-10 runs about $8 at Swansons and better yet a one month supply of CoQ-10 plus Ginkgo for$8.50 making the CoQ effectively $4.50.The Vit.World coupons I mentioned are the type that I always seem to recieve unsolicited in the mail but have not been saving the mass mail coupons lately you may try signing up for their online mailinglist(I just signed up lol)or perhaps email them asking if any of the massmail deep discount coupons are currently available. .For Swansons check https://www.swansonvitamins.com/shopI...AKH8LW3Q3QE0BB and https://www.swansonvitamins.com/shopI...AKH8LW3Q3QE0BB and https://www.swansonvitamins.com/shopI...AKH8LW3Q3QE0BB The first link also has some specials on other supplements you mentioned while the 3rd link has no CoQ-10 but blowouts on other supplements you mentioned.And here is the link to Vit.World though I noticed no real bargains online at this time. https://www.vitaminworld.com/scripts2...ource=overture

Ge|atinousFury

try

DPS Nutrition

For supplements, I have yet to find a retailer (web or otherwise) that beats their prices. Fast and cheap shipping also. Might wanna give it a look!

RiPHRaPH

Currently I continue to take

• Natrol's "My Favorite Multiple w/ Iron"
• 1500 mg of Vitamin C
• Lecithin
• EFA (Essential Fatty Acid / Omega3)
• Coenzyme Q10
• MSM
• Zinc
• B50 (x3 a day)
• Melatonin
• Chromium
• Vitamin E
• Selenium

[/B][/QUOTE]

if i can jump in here: Vitamin C, E, selenium and zinc are wonderful 'core' antioxidants. these compounds that are essential and even more important in hard-core exercise have been studied and studied and are wonderful. multiple vitamins are great for rounding out your overall health picture.....lecithin and any of the vitamin B's are wonderful for synapse conduction and nerve health. MSM can help older people and their 'repair' system that allows you to eliminate the waste buildup from joints, etc.....melatonin is a hormone that lessens as we age. this works hand-in-hand with serotonin to regulate sleep patterns....chromium has been very controversial. chromium's studies have largely been done on diabetics and weight lifters. these people have been known to overindulge in sugars or in foods that ultimately transport sugars.... chromium is of use only in people taking in excessive amts of sugars. once you have lost your main 'bulk' it is of limited use.

coenzyme Q10 is the only supplement that i feel is not warranted. most cardiologists will tell you that CoQ10, found in the muscle of the heart, is available in doses that are subtherapeutic. many cardiac patients take up to 90 per day in divided doses. moreover,,,,,these doses and this compound is only indicated in people who have had previous episodes where heart muscle has been compromised.


****important to understand that the FDA does not legislate or regulate vitamin content or claims of efficacy****
most all of these compounds, even if they are synthetic, are naturally occuring compounds in the human body and is a part of who we are. i have always felt that synthetic vitamins that are found in our body is better than 'natural' compounds like herbs. we are not herbs......hey that's a bumber sticker.

Pete Clark

I congratulate you on the weight loss, but I am glad you got on the bike.

You may have lost 50 lbs. in 90 days, but these diets only work because your body goes into ketosis, which is very hard on your kidneys. In addition, most mainstream medical authorities oppose such diets as unhealthful and ineffective in the long term.
Losing weight is not the goal, since water and muscle both weigh quite a bit and are both lost during low-carb diets, unless exercise is added -- and exercise needs carbs. Most people who go on low-carb diets gain their weight back because they didn't learn how to adopt a healthy lifestyle.

Your body needs carbs to function properly. Your brain is fueled almost entirely by glucose from carbs. When you don't get carbs, the glucose in your liver is used up quickly. Your brain signals your body to release more glucose, pronto, since without glucose, your brain will die. So, your body begins breaking down
muscle tissue to extract glucose from it. That's why these diets recommend you eat as much protein as you want, because without protein to extract the glucose, you would lose all your muscle and start to look like a Dachau refugee -- skin and bones.

The main source of positive support for low-carb diets comes from those who make money from selling products as part of these diets. Medical authorities have been warning people for about 30 years about the dangers of low-carb diets.

webist

Actually, your body begins to cool down a couple hours after a warm soak. Since the same happens when you tired, your body is sort of tricked into sleep by a warm bath. Never tried the salts though. Maybe they help too.

RWTD

Yes lecithin is very good for you.It is a fatty like substance that protects cell membranes keeping them from hardening,protects the brain and enhances its function,emulsifies fats and cholosterol(ie keeps them soluble thus not able to be deposited on artery walls),aids in energy production,aids in fat metabolism(thus the weight loss effect),contains essential fatty acids and acts as an antioxident.Good dietary sources include egg yokes and soybeans and the body can produce it if needed it it has adequate levels of choline and insotol two B vitimins.
AS to the Natrol it as well as others similar just have higher levels of B vitimins,antioxidents etc. But unless you find a bargain it will cost more than Centrum which basically I believe just has the RDA's which should be viewed more as the minimums a typical person needs to avoid deficientcies rather than the amounts an active person needs for optimal health/recovery etc.Also the better ones usually have the v&m's in more easily utilizable form such as chelated or whole food sources versus synthetic or less readily available forms.

late

Hi,
I'd add a calcium. Get mixed antioxidant
to replace the CoQ10. If you take the E with the Multi, the iron in the Multi will kill the E. I take a Multi with no iron. The E I use is GNC E Complete 200. The 400 size is something like 15 times the MDR, there was one study that stopped early because the participants (who already had health problems) experienced a small increase in their mortality rate. IMHO, 400 is too much.

Bobsled

Lecithin messed up my sinuses. I had to stop taking it. You should have seen the stuff coming out of my nose.

RWTD

Keep in mind if something is good for you that does not mean that more is necessarily better.V&M's as all things in life need to be in proper balance for maximum effectiveness.Having said that one of lecithin's functions is to detoxify the liver eliminating poisons and drugs from your system.Sounds to me what may have been happening in your case.I don't know what drugs you may be taking or other foreign toxins may have accumulated in your body but in a controlled fashion what was happening may not have been bad or abnormal.Kind of like most people view colds with accompanying sinus problems as bad but periodically and in a controlled manner they are actually helpful to the body in detoxifing and even fighting off invasive cancers.

late

Hi,
I wish I had a better answer for you than what i am going to say. There is a lot we don't know. Here is where you can see a blurb about iron killing E. https://foodsupplements.homestead.com/IRON.html If your multi has ferrous sulfate, just take E at a different meal. Get a natural E with all the isomers (aplpha, beta and gamma). An E with tocotrienols is even better. GNC E Complete is what I take in the 200 size. I take a multivitamin once a week, or after I have done a ****load of exercise. Winds up being a couple times a week that I take it. That way your body doesn't get totally addicted to the multi. I have a guess that doing it that way is actually better for you. But it's a guess. In the morning I take this calcium/zinc/magnesium/Vit C pill. My fruit shakes are lacking in calcium and zinc. When you get middle aged, you can add glucosamine sulfate to that list. This is the multi I take. https://www.vitacost.com/store/produc...r=033674149317 It's not terribly expensive, has no iron (most American males have too much iron in them already. A few will even get iron toxicity symptoms) and it has a tiny bit of antioxidants in it. Wish I knew of a great vitamin to reccomend to you. I'd get for myself as well. They all have too much of the cheap vitamins, and not enough of the expensive ones. You can get custom vitamins, but between the lab work to find out what is acutally in your body(and what it needs) and the pharmacy charges.....it's a crazy idea.
But yeah, I did consider it.

RWTD

The multi I am currently using is "Green Source " by Vitamin World(it appears somewhat similar to the one late mentioned) https://www.vitaminworld.com/pages/fi...C&PID=260&np=0
I paid $18.69 at the store for the 312 tab size or less than $6/mo.(due to a slight dent in the container) but at $26.17 online it still works out to about $8/mo.(based on 3/day).It does have higher levels of Bvits and C but they are water soluble so leave your body every time you pee so having high doses split over three tabs spread out during the day insures having adequate amounts at all times.It also includes higher quality whole food sources and chelated forms ,the iron is in organic form so won't destroy the E which includes mixed toc's(or you can simply get the iron free version if you feel you get enough iron from other sources).
Having said all that similar to late I don't use it on an everyday full strength basis but maybe one tab a day and not everyday at that unless in a recovery mode from a workout where I may use 3/day.Maybe I'm just cheap but when I think of supplementing I look up which foods are high in a particular vit or min.I have found many foods to be very nutrient dense and try to include as many of these "whole" foods in my diet thus making my multi supplement seem to last forever.

late

Hi,
you can use it as a starting point. You will need a E, and you will need to take it at a meal that does not contain ferrous sulfate. That rules out enriched bread, either multi you mentioned, and a few other things that are 'enriched'. The pill will also be weak in antioxidants of various kinds. If you want to save money, get the 1,000 mg glucosamine sulfate at Walmart. It is much cheaper than what you were talking about. Works fine.