What Vitamins are you taking

[AlyssaJ]

There are a lot of discussions about Vitamins that I found through searching but no real "What is everyone taking" thread that I could find. I'm posting this on the HRT board instead of the Nutrition board because I specifically am hoping to get the perspectives of those who are on HRT and may have to make considerations about the interactions or effects of combining certain vitamin supplements with HRT meds.

I just went out last night and bought my first bottle of multi-vitamins in a long time. I had seen suggested in a number of places that it is a particularly good idea to take a multi-vitamin throughout transition.  I ended up having to search quite a bit because I wanted to find one that did not contain potassium since I am on Sprio.  My doctor warned me that Sprio will cause my body to retain more potassium.

So after some searching I settled on One-A-Day Women's Formula. I had looked at their active and weight loss versions but both contained caffeine.  With hair removal and just wanting better skin, I've pretty well cut caffeine out of my diet (anyone want the small hoard of Dt. Mt. Dew and Monster I have left in my fridge?).  Centrum and another generic brand I looked at both had potassium so they were out.  In the end I just kept it simple, but I'm curious what others are taking.

[Deborah]

Iron
Magnesium
Zinc
Biotin
Calcium
Vitamin E
Occuvite Eye Vitamin

The rest of my vitamins I get from my food and from the sun.


Conform and be dull. —James Frank Dobie, The Voice of the Coyote

[Laurie]

I take

  AREDS2 - Age Related EYE Disease Supplement for my macular degeneration
  Calcium
  Vitamin D3
  Fish Oil
  Multi-vitamin mature formula
 
  plus 9 other prescription meds and over the counter

[mako9802]

Fish Oil pills.  Vitamin D3, COQ10,  Theaninine....that stuff works well believe it or not for bllod pressure and anxiety.

[Devlyn]

One-A-Day women's multivitamin, fish oil, biotin, and glucosamine/chondroiton.

[staciM]

I don't think a woman's version of a multi would be necessary or is even a good idea, unless it's a low/no iron version, we don't need it.

[Laurie]

I don't think a woman's version of a multi would be necessary or is even a good idea, unless it's a low/no iron version, we don't need it.

   Psychologically it could be a plus...

Hugs,
   Laurie

[staciM]

   Psychologically it could be a plus...

Hugs,
   Laurie

Excessive Iron may ruin your day though.....whatever gets you by

[KayXo]

I doubt vitamins can make a real difference in how you do on HRT BUT...

if you are deficient, it can OR
I read several studies suggesting birth control pills can in many women, when taken orally, cause a deficiency in Vitamin B6, rarely folic acid (as well) so that would be something worthwhile to check perhaps. I should check myself.

I personally take some Vitamin D, 1000 IU, from time to time. Not sure if it's really necessary.

[Devlyn]

One-A-Day makes women's, men's, kid's, and pregnancy versions. Women's seems like the sound choice to me.

Hugs, Devlyn

[Barb99]

I discussed vitamins and my diet with my doctor. She said anything more than a woman's One-A-Day would be wasting my money and even that probably was not needed.
I went ahead and stayed with the One-A-Day. Can't say that I feel any better or different. All of my blood works come back normal, I feel fine and I don't get sick. But then that was all the same before the vitamins, so who knows? It won't hurt anything to take it and the multi is not very expensive.

[staciM]

One-A-Day makes women's, men's, kid's, and pregnancy versions. Women's seems like the sound choice to me.

Hugs, Devlyn

I see your logic but we don't need an iron supplement which is quite common in Woman's multi's, hopefully the reason is obvious . GNC makes a "without iron" woman's version which you may want to consider.

[Devlyn]

One-A-Day makes women's, men's, kid's, and pregnancy versions. Women's seems like the sound choice to me.

Hugs, Devlyn

I see your logic but we don't need an iron supplement which is quite common in Woman's multi's, hopefully the reason is obvious . GNC makes a "without iron" woman's version which you may want to consider.

LMAO! You don't have to explain, someone at work just connected the dots for me! I'm blonde for a reason! 

Hugs, Devlyn

[Laurie]

I personally take some Vitamin D, 1000 IU, from time to time. Not sure if it's really necessary.

My calcium and vitamin D3 were prescribed for me by my oncologist based on a deficiency in my labs. Don't remember just what it was. It is not unusual to be vitamin D deficient up here in the Pacific Northwest too.

  Hugs,
   Laurie

[Deborah]

I'm deliberately taking iron, magnesium, and zinc because last December I was borderline anemic from too many blood donations too close together last year.  I told my Dr what I was doing and she said to continue.  If everything is back to normal this summer I'll probably stop the iron.


Conform and be dull. —James Frank Dobie, The Voice of the Coyote

[KayXo]

My calcium and vitamin D3 were prescribed for me by my oncologist based on a deficiency in my labs. Don't remember just what it was.

The problem with the labs is they measure the inactive form while the active form is in the majority of individuals fine so I wonder whether most of us really need to supplement.

[Laurie]

The problem with the labs is they measure the inactive form while the active form is in the majority of individuals fine so I wonder whether most of us really need to supplement.

  I've put my life in my oncologist's hands and I am comfortable with it there, and she's a doctor.  I think I will continue to put my trust in what she says I need or not.

  Hugs,
    Laurie

[Rambler]

I'm presently taking:
Standard multivitamin
Biotin
Folic acid
D3
Taurine
Cysteine
Lysine
Trace minerals

[AshleyP]

This is an interesting thread and got me to wondering what's different between men's and women's multi-vitamins. I take Equate Men's One Daily Multivitamin/Multimineral Supplement from Walmart. According to the items' web pages, the women's version is higher in vitamin D, thiamine, calcium and iron. Some of the other nutrients are the same dosage; most have a higher dosage in the men's supplement. The ones that are more, are usually a lot more, up to 5X more. Curiously, the website lists potassium in the men's supplement only at 99mg (3% DV). It's not listed on the retail packaging and it's absence is one of the reasons that I bought it.

I've been thinking of taking an additional vitamin C supplement. I took extra C most of my life but got out of the habit after retirement. Here's a blurb from the University of Maryland Medical Center web site on vitamin C and estrogen:

"Oral contraceptives (birth control pills) and hormone replacement therapy (HRT) -- Vitamin C can cause a rise in estrogen levels when taken with these drugs, particularly if you are deficient in vitamin C to begin with and start taking supplements. Oral estrogens can also decrease the effects of vitamin C in the body."

Seems to be worth considering.

All the best,
--AshleyP

[KathyLauren]

I take B12 because I'm vegan and D3 on the recommendation of my HRT doc.  The D3 is less necessary in summer than in winter here in the great white north, but, since I should be limiting sun exposure anyway (I get melasma thanks to HRT, plus all the other reasons to avoid excess sun), it is probably good to have it.

I rely on diet for all the other nutrients, vitamins and minerals.