Supplements & Vitamins

[KAMAY11]

I am thinking of taking some multi-vitamins and supplements, but I want to get the opinions of others as to which brand is the best?

 

One a Day for Women? Centrum for Women? or is it better to spend the money and get something that isn't so mass produced?

 

I would also like to get preggers one day, so is there anything that I should be focusing on consuming? (folic acid etc)

[Married_In_Maui]

I have been taking Centrum for Women for a little over 6 years now. I really like it; no yucky vitamin taste that other brands leave in your mouth or worse, come back up later. As far as things to possibly be taking to prepare for pregnancy, I have read somewhere recently that you should begin taking folic acid for about a year before conceiving so that you get it's full effects. Hope that helps; good luck!!

[NaM]

I take a daily multi-vitamin but I take gummies for kids haha.

Regular women's vitmains always make me sick and give me nausea so I stick to the chewables.

[Jess]

Not sure - I've heard that Centrum and what not just go through your system and you don't really absorb them - so they are a waste. I've heard you need to spend a little bit more on good vitamins...I don't know of any good ones personally

[RaychelRae]

YAAY! I'm so excited for this thread! I am in pharmacy school so I love talking about DRUGS! (The legal ones of course!)

 

All vitamins have somewhat different amounts of active ingredients in them and, unless you are someone who needs more of a certain vitamin (ie: you have a deficiency of some sort), any typical daily vitamin should do fine. (I prefer the ones based around women's health).

 

Jess makes a good point as far as some of the "hard tablet" forms of vitamins don't get as readily absorbed as say a capsule would. I won't get into the hairy details, but it is true that a soft capsule with powder in it, or even a liquid form, would get more of the active ingredients into your system...thus be "more worth your money". Not to say that the hard tablets don't work, you do get some of the "good stuff" from them.

[autjo]

I take a Costco multi vitamin pack. Whatever you decide just make sure to take them on a full stomach. I was taking the Centrum energy for a while and on an empty stomach it made me feel terrible.

[Meyer2010]

I started taking pre-natal vitamins in July of this year. I was told by my doctor they have a great balance of vitamins and folic acid. Folic acid is a must if you plan to conceive within a year or so. I don't have a problem taking them in the morning but I know some women have nausea issues but the best thing to do is take them at night before bedtime and then you won't have to worry about feeling sick! Not to mention they are pretty cheap compared to the "name brand" vitamins.

 

Also, some stores offer them for free if you have a doctors prescription!

 

They give me great energy and my hair/nails are growing super fast!

 

Good Luck girls!

 

~ Erica

[sjmacphe]

Hey Ladies,

I don't currently take a multivitamin, but I don't see any harm in it. If you live anywhere in the North, you may also want to take an extra Vitamin D pill - a lot of ppl at deficient, especially if you don't drink a lot of milk or go out in the sun a lot (also not a lot in multivitamins). I also take Folic Acid, it does have other benefits - such as boosting your immune response (may not be a huge effect but studies have shown folate deficiency is associated with a variety of infections). I don't plan on getting preggo anytime soon, but it is not a bad idea for any woman. I also eat tums - mostly b/c I like the taste/texture (is that weird?) but you just have to watch that you're not overdoing it on these vitamins. (ie too much calcium can cause kidney stones, unlikely but possible if you eat tums like candy haha). I don't know if there is much evidence that branding really makes a difference in efficacy, but the type of pill I'm sure matters.

Although I don't take it myself - I know there's a good amount of research that echinacea can boost your immune response too, it's hard to tell how much of an effect it actually has, but it does seem to make people more resistant to viral infections etc. If anyone knows a good brand of this - I would be interested, I know it does make a difference which part of the plant is used...

[jennaLynn544]

If you plan to conceive within the next year, I would suggest taking a pre-natal vitamin..should have the folic acid and all the the goodies to help you be your healthiest--but still shouldn't skip on eating right and getting at least minimal exercise

 

I am a first time Mom, so haven't gone through the whole experience more than my 1st and only time-- for now --but I didn't even use a pre-natal vitamin, I just stuck to my original supplement because my Mom told me about how sick pre-natal vitamins made her due to the amount of iron (we are both iron anemic and iron pills can be hard on the stomach, & she mentioned how *that* nausea mixed with the nausea that can be associated w/ pregnancy isn't the funnest combo). I just took her word for it & stuck to "Women's One-a-Day". That is what I have been taking since high school. I have never felt sick from them or experienced any adverse effects (even during my pregnancy), so that would be my best recommendation.

 

I don't eat meat (not that I have sworn it off, but I very rarely eat it because it grosses me out so much), besides fish, and I probably don't get as much vitamin D as I should be (since I live up north, where it is hard to get "natural D" from direct sunlight)...I try making the healthiest choices w/ food, but I am not perfect and since I am deficient in iron, vit. D, and most of the time vit. B I take the supplement just to be sure. I used to always get sick growing up, especially this time of the year, and I very rarely get very sick anymore. Supplements, I have found, also help in your overall appearance. I feel like my hair is healthier, my skin, and I have more energy...they just help if you don't constantly concern yourself with having well-balanced meals. And, for me, I ensure that my baby eats well-balanced meals but for myself I skip meals and throw things together in a hurry because I don't have as much time to myself (and I am a SAHM, imagine that?!)

[maudy mac]

I take a multi-vitamin and also fish oils and selenium!