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What are the best multivitamins to take? Right now I am just taking Centrum. I also take a B12, Selenium, zinc, C, E, and fish oil. Just got back to working out full time. Feels great! I really need to build up. I would appreciate your help.
Thanks,
George

Centrum is expensive piss dye. It is such a horrible vitamin. I would recommend using a food-tracking program like cron-o-meter to keep track of the nutrients you get from your diet. Chances are, you don't really need to take all those vitamins.

Fish oil is a grand supplement, so keep on taking that if you are liking it.

But for a multi I recommend Nature's Way brand Alive. I think it is the perfect balance of quality and affordability. There is enough B12, selenium, zinc, and C in those you will just have to take the one vitamin. Unless you have some medical condition which is making you supplement like this.

Hey Thanks,
I take all the vitamins because I don't eat well. Unfortunately I am very picky. I don't like a lot of vegetables or fruit. I am a meet and potatoes guy. I don't eat potatoes often. I have a bad sweet tooth.

Well, supplements are fine and all but you can't beat actual food. You know what would be much more inexpensive than pills? Take a cooking class. Rediscover veggies and fruits as the delicious things they are. If you are a meat and potatoes kind of guy there is a lot more to worry about than vitamin deficiency.

I take Centrum Silver (one a day), but need to watch how many vitamins I take in case they interact with the 10 or so prescription drugs I take. I will keep my eye out for "Alive", I assume you can find it in a typical drug store?

You might want to take a look at what is in it. I can't imagine what your medication is like, but there are some herbs which are a little scarry if you are concerned about interactions.

Here is the website for it.

What is everyone’s thought on protein powders and creatine? Is there anything else you would recommend? I want to build up and trim down. I am going to get the Nature's Way Alive. It sounds good. Thanks!

MunchingZombie saidYou might want to take a look at what is in it. I can't imagine what your medication is like, but there are some herbs which are a little scarry if you are concerned about interactions.

Here is the website for it.

Thanks MZ, I checked the website and it looks fine. I already consume fruit and vegetables every day as well as drinking water, V8 and herbal teas, but I add one multi-vitamin just to be on the safe side.

I don't take herbal medicines, on one of my HIV meds there are warnings against some of them (St. John's Worts I think).

St. John's Wort is horrible to take with HIV meds.
There are better supps for us to take other than Centrum (which is crap). Centrum doesn't completely dissolve in the stomach, so you don't get your money's worth.

There are lots of reasons why certain supplements are contraindicated for those of us with HIV, but don't let that keep you from searching for alternatives that will work with your meds and GI tract. I see a naturopath as well as an allopathic (standard medicine) doctor so that I can make sure that supplements that are taken don't cause negative side effects with the meds I'm on; such as keeping the meds from working.

One good trick to tell if your supplements will work is to put a tablet, capsule, or whatever in a cup of apple vinegar. The chemicals in the vinegar similates the acidity of the stomach juices and should dissolve the tablet in about 15 - 20 minutes or less. If the tablet(s) don't completely dissolve, the supplement is crap.

Thanks Auryn for the tip about the apple vinegar, it makes sense. Good to know about Centrum as well, I will stop using it once my supply is finished (that will be soon).

I will also check the Body.com website to find out more about vitamins. My health is good but I figure a little bit of extra boost does not hurt.

MunchingZombie saidCentrum is expensive piss dye. It is such a horrible vitamin.

What does this mean? Exactly what's wrong with Centrum?

I take a Whole Food Supplement. Its a multivitamin derived from real foods. Your body utilizes organic vitamins better than the synthetic ones that are in regular multivitamins.

CLA would be a great choice for those wanting to drop body fat and add muscle. I don't recommend many supplements, but this one has good solid scientific evidence behind it. Be careful with the creatine, as some can be loaded with sugar, some sugar is okay, but a lot of formulas are just loaded with it, so be careful of that if trying to lean out.

Whey protein, and protein mix powders can be a great help in controlling appetite and building muscle. Optimum Nutrition makes a product called Optimum Nutrition Pro Complex. This formula rocks for several reasons, 1.) Excellent amino acid profile, 2.) A great mix of fast, medium and long acting proteins that provides a sort of continuous protein release for an 8 hour period. 3.) The stuff actually tastes better then anything else I have tried. 4.) You can actually shake this stuff enough to dissolve it nicely so there is no chalky chunks. 5.) As long as you don't buy it at GNC, its pretty reasonable - at a local store I think I paid 28 bucks for a couple pounds. 6.) Its not loaded up with lots of sugar and fats. 7.) Optimum is one of very few supplement companies I trust at all. You should give it a try bro.

By the way, I have absolutely no relationship with any supplement manufacturer or retailer, and I do not personally sell anyone's product. My recommendations are simply based on personal experience, the experiences of people I've trained, and the latest in scientific research.

SuperNutrition OptiPacks---hands down the best vitamins on the market.

obscenewish said
What does this mean? Exactly what's wrong with Centrum?

The way it is processed it is very difficult to digest. Try breaking that pill apart with your hand. That sucker isn't cracking. Like food that isn't well chewed, it doesn't get absorbed very well.

But my big problem is that it is a one-a-day. The body gets an excess of a nutrient, and it treats it like waste. Hence all those lovely B-vitamins turning your pee that particular shade of yellow.

It should be noted though that I have not read much scientific literature on the subject recently and am not the most informed person on the topic.

Hey Guys,
Thank you so much for all of your input. You have been very helpful!

Im taking Nutrilite Double X. is the world’s leading brand of vitamin, mineral, and dietary supplements. And it is the only global vitamin and mineral brand to grow, harvest, and process plants on its own certified organic farms.Double X includes 12 vitamins, 10 minerals,and 20 plan concentrates. No other multi come close.If you need more info just ask me. Good luck guys :-)

www.michaelmooney.net

is the best website for nutrition, and he has HIV info as well.

any food base vitamin will be better than centrum. dirt in a bottle is what i call it.

i use super nutrition. just go to a good health food store and ask for a food base vitamin. plus eat your fruits and veggies!

good luck.

your best and safest bet is just to do the Mens One a Day multivitamin with Lycopene, a Citracal calcium vitamin, omega 3 fish oil, and maybe vitamin E. this is based on what i personally take, which is based on what my parents have dictated- my mom being a nurse practitioner and my dad being a neutrasutical salesman/health nut.

czarodziej saidyour best and safest bet is just to do the Mens One a Day multivitamin with Lycopene, a Citracal calcium vitamin, omega 3 fish oil, and maybe vitamin E. this is based on what i personally take, which is based on what my parents have dictated- my mom being a nurse practitioner and my dad being a neutrasutical salesman/health nut.

This is great advice - and all I add to it personally is vitamin C and Selenium. I take a ton of C as was advocated by Nobel prize winner Linus Pauling at Stanford years ago - although his teachings were controversial, to say the least!

Aren't you supposed to be careful about taking too much Selenium? I know it's good for skin health but seem to recall reading somewhere that excess selenium can be quite bad.

*off to search the med journals online*

I take extra calcium and extra vitamin C along with a multivitamin. An adult should get about a gram or 1,000mg of calcium a day that should be broken up in smaller doses throughout the day. Calcium citrate is more easily absorbed for adults.
Vitamin C is also good to be taken throughout the day because your body can't store it like other nutrients. I believe a person should get about 2g or 2,000mg a day of Vitamin C for healthy people with no health issues and people with an illness might benefit from taking more, such as twice that amount.

I also read that taking more than 300mg of Vitamin C at one time is a waste since your body can't utilize more than that at one time. So I take small doses throughout the day in powder form. Just take a zip of water with it and mix the powder in it. I notice I feel really good throughout the day and I have more energy.

Don't take it too close to bedtime as it can prevent you from falling fast asleep.

RunintheCity saidAren't you supposed to be careful about taking too much Selenium? I know it's good for skin health but seem to recall reading somewhere that excess selenium can be quite bad.

*off to search the med journals online*

You are correct. Too little is bad; too much can be fatal. When in doubt seek the advice of a Nutritionist.

Getting enough vitamin D?

Susan Randolph, M.S., R.D.

When the sun’s ultraviolet rays hit your skin, your body produces vitamin D, which is why it’s known as the “sunshine vitamin.” Vitamin D is essential for your bone health, at any age.

But if you slather on the sunscreen when your family goes outdoors – and you should – you also block up to 95% of vitamin D production.

So, wearing sunscreen, living in the Northern Hemisphere, being over 50, or having dark skin, can all lower your stores of vitamin D.

Why does it matter? Not only is vitamin D critical for good bone health, few foods have enough vitamin D in them. And if that weren’t enough, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) will publish their latest recommendations this September, and are likely to recommend higher levels.

What you can do
If you’re not sure you’re getting enough vitamin D, supplements are a reliable and safe source. Check your multivitamin – most multivitamins provide 400 IU. Many calcium supplements also contain vitamin D. Stay tuned for continuing research that may set the levels even higher.

Daily “Adequate Intake” for adults:
Under 50 200 IU
51–70 400 IU
71 and older 600 IU

I have been taking amino acid supplements purchased at GNC; generally, I've been pleased with the results--improved health, mental attitude, etc. I'm curious about the dosing amounts for amino acids: L-Carnitine, Alpha Lipoleic Acid, Arginine, and Tonalin CLA (whatever the abbrevation might be). I have taken rather high doses of them--a 1000 mg., or more, daily. Are there any side effects that I should be mindful of? What are the side effects?

Regarding Tonalin: I have lost 15 lbs., in approximately three months and, while the initial result is effective, even exciting, I wonder if there is an actual limit for Tonalin--recommended dosing is two capsules/dy; I usually take from (3) to (6) capsules per day.

So..., I'm interested to hear from anyone with the expertise and/or his or her knowledge from experience, the little, ideosyncratic side effects (if any) from the high doseage of each vitamin. I have consulted numerous websites, too; however, I think actual experience will prove more effective.

"Yes, the vitamin! that venerable little pill!

I anticipate hearing from you!

-Best,

Healthy eating gives you all you need so eat up your green veggies! And fruit!

TurkishDelight saidHealthy eating gives you all you need so eat up your green veggies! And fruit!

Yes and no. It's not always best to try and drink cow's milk to get all the calcium that an adult needs.

Also trying to get water soluble vitamins like vitamin C is probably best from synthetic sources. This is because sources found in nature to be high in vitamin C degrade rapidly. If you were to keep orange juice in the refrigerator it loses its vitamin C drastically everyday to the point of having no vitamin C in just a little over 7 days. So all you're consuming is sugar.

The same with eating solid fruits. Even once you break the skin barrier of an orange, for example, it starts to degrade quickly.

Then again, it's better to eat an orange that may be losing it's nutrition compared to some junk food.

But this is why it's a good idea to supplement.

I agree with muchmorethanmuscle. :-)

See the pounds drop with "C"
The "C" stands for citrus and vitamin C. It's what you reach for when you get the sniffles. But to burn fat? Well....

Researchers at Arizona State University found a connection between vitamin C and fat oxidation ... the lower your vitamin C levels, the harder it is to burn fat. In fact, in a study of 20 obese people, those on a low-fat, low-vitamin C diet experienced an 11 percent drop in fat oxidation.

How does vitamin C help? It plays a pivotal role in the creation of carnitine, the shuttle that gets fat molecules to the burn site.

To make sure you're getting enough vitamin C (researchers found 500 mg to be most effective for fat burning), eat lots of fruits and veggies and consider taking a multivitamin or supplement. Lead researcher Carol Johnston estimates as many as 15 percent of American adults are deficient in vitamin C. Processed foods are a part of the problem, so keep your fruits and veggies fresh.

And don't forget to spread the word to all your dieting friends.

You know I stop eating vitamins like I used to... Every morning I always drink Emergen-C and it is a super energy booster. It come with vitamin C.

I really don't understand this obsession with vitamin C (and most other supplements too). NO significant (beneficial) effect of large doses of ascorbate (vit C) has ever been shown. If you have insufficient intake then yes, there are problems (scurvy being the extreme case). However, taking any more vit C than your body needs (definitely < 500 mg/day) can only hurt (I mentioned elsewhere how toxic vitamin C can be to cells).

A common misunderstanding of many people without scientific education goes like this: Fat people with a diet lacking in vit C break down fat more slowly (BTW 11% is negligible), ergo if I eat more vit C I will burn more fat! What a load of bollocks!