Supplements

shanyin

This is a broad scientific topic but I'm wondering if anyone has any opinion/view on vitamins, minerals, fatty acids/amino acids in the form of supplements.

You can be specific. I'm interested in Vitamin D, Omega 3's and multivitamins right now.

Can they improve wellness, health, or prevent disease? Yay or nay?

kokoro

If you are deficient, maybe, and how do you know if you're deficient? It's one of those things where you don't know if what you read as research is correct or not as it depends on who paid for the research.
I take fish oil caps as well as glucosamine, a surgeon said to me that the money spent on Glucosamine is better spent on health insurance so who do you believe, it's the same as cannabis oil as a cure for some cancers (a whole other story).

BhikkhuJayasara

I take some vegan vitamin, d, b12, and E... but all only because of having weight loss surgery. Otherwise prior to that I only ever took a multivitamin.

I get bloodwork with my doc every 4 months or so that tells me my vitamin levels, so that might be a suggestion.

shanyin

I heard b12 is important for vegans.

karasti

It very much depends on your diet and the state of your body, which you don't know that well unless you get various levels tested. Most people are deficient in vitamin D. Even people who live in sunny areas tend to be because they often use sunscreen.
Multivitamins have been shown to really do nothing to prevent or cure any sort of cancers or other diseases. Most of the things within them are obtained via diet as long as your diet is remotely decent. The vitamin D in a multivitamin is very, very lacking. Even our 5 year old takes 1000IU, and the daily allowance is 400IU. The 1000IU has barely brought his level within the normal range.

Be careful about vitamin E, however. It is one that can be overdosed on, and you have to be cautious if it is contained in several supplements along with your diet. If you are getting it via diet, fish oil/omega, and multivitamin you might be getting too much.

If you are vegan or vegetarian there is a good chance you need a B complex or at least B12 supplement, as most sources of B12 are animal products.

I personally take vitamin D (2-3000IU a day depending on the time of year). I take an omega supplement with krill oil, about 4 grams a day (I think that is the right measurement) and I take a vitamin B complex for part of the month because it helps immensely with my homicidal PMS.

I did take glucosamie/Chondroitin for about a year or so after my knee surgery, as it was suggested (but not really recommended) by my surgeon. However, after going off it for several months had no noticeable effect, I stopped taking it. It got expensive considering for me, it did nothing. Others swear by it.

There has been much literature and study on the benefits of supplementing vitamin D (which is highly important for immune system function and many other things) and omega fats as well. They are actually experimenting with high dose omega fats to repair brain damage from injuries, and have had decent results. But it isn't something you want to go above the recommended amount without talking to a doctor. Because it thins the blood (which is the point of taking it, mostly) if you drink alcohol, or take aspirin or eat a lot of vitamin K (Leafy dark greens) it can be too much.

lobster

Get them from food if possible.
The vitamins prescribed on occasion by doctors tend to be higher dose than provided by the health food industry.

Omega 3 is in fatty fish, yum [forgive me Great Cod for my Lobsterian tendencies] and I believe in certain foods.
http://plenteousveg.com/vegan-sources-omega-3/

Spend your efforts on increasing your intake of fresh fruits and vegetables. Study after study shows this increases health and well being.

shanyin

What good answers IMO. I havn't been to a doctor in a couple years at least so I'm going to go there and ask him about it as well. I have been eating more fruits and veggies, and more healthy in general.

My number one priority should be quitting smoking.

karasti

The omega fats need a particular balance. it is best, of course as lobster said to get them from foods when possible. However, all fish has mercury in it and too much of it can lead to problems (if you happen to eat it at all). Also, if you research the omega supplements you can find an ideal balance of the fats, as opposed to having to figure out what foods to eat in what amounts to get the ideal balance. Raw walnuts are an excellent source of omega 3 fats, but make sure they aren't roasted/salted/candied. The roasting damages the protein properties and the salt and sugar cause more problems than the omegas can solve. I know that there are eggs that are fortified now (chickens are fed omega fats in their food) as well. I don't know much about them though. Flax seeds, chia seeds (I believe in addition to the excellent whole protein in them have the correct balance of omegas) and hemp seeds are also great additions and easy to throw on a salad or in a smoothie.

shanyin

I have a bottle of Jamieson Salmon and Fish Oils it has 180 mcg EPA and 120 mcg of DHA

BhikkhuJayasara

shanyin said:

I heard b12 is important for vegans.

and those who've had gastric sleeve since the stomach doesn't have the enzymes it use to. I'm not a vegan or a vegetarian but the uber multivitamin I take helps me.

Nele

I have been taking fish oil for about 5 years. When I first moved to this dry climate, my skin showed the effects - bumpy and flaky. Since taking the fish oil (at a doc's recommendation) that has gone away. My doc did recommend to make sure the EPA / DHA ratio is 3 to 2, so your bottle of 180/120 fits that, Shanyin.

Jeffrey

@shanyin said:
This is a broad scientific topic but I'm wondering if anyone has any opinion/view on vitamins, minerals, fatty acids/amino acids in the form of supplements.

You can be specific. I'm interested in Vitamin D, Omega 3's and multivitamins right now.

Can they improve wellness, health, or prevent disease? Yay or nay?

Hi those are the three I take: vit D , multivitamin, and Fish Oil.. I always forget to take them though. I was D deficient and took a prescription strength for about 5 times over 2 months. Then I went to the over the counter vitamin D.

There is research for fish oil and my mental illness. Vitamin D is good for the immune system and that is good because some of my drugs decrease my immune system. Finally multi-vitamin is good if you are like me and don't eat tons of vegetables. My multi-vitamin has lutein in it because my grandfather had bad eye problems.

shanyin

I take Niacin, N.A.C. and Vitamin C for my mental ill health

Steve_B

I think the best way for me to get the benefit of vitamins is to eat healthy foods that contain them. I don't take supplements, I eat very very little meat, don't smoke, and drink very little alcohol. What I really need more of, though, is good regular aerobic exercise.

Citta

I take zinc and magnesium supps.
A few years ago a certain Professor Derek Bryce- Smith became convinced that the western diet led to deficiencies in those trace elements.
He thought that chemical fertilisers and other modern farming methods were stripping the soil, and subsequently the things grown in it, of essential nutritional factors.

He was laughed at.

The idea is now mainstream.

Incidentally he was the first to demonstrate the toxic nature of lead in petrol..he was initially ridiculed for that too. Now universally accepted.

He was a hero.

anataman

I think Vegan's should consider Iron, B!2 and omega 3's to be taken as a supplement. As mentioned above, depending on how broad your diet is you may be getting enough. These are the 3 I give to my children a couple of times a week as they are vegetarian (well ovo-lacto-vegetarian), and you can get vegan sources of these.