Multivitamins--any suggestions?

I’m taking enough pills already, heaven knows, but I’m not taking a multivitamin.

I have hair loss from my medications/lupus flares, my skin and nails are a mess (from same), and was wondering if there were any multivitamins/supplements you guys would recommend for diet support/hair & nails.

Thanks! :-)

If you are getting a varied diet, that is if you are eating different fruits vegetables in a lot of colors and multiple protein sources, then you really don’t need a multivitamin. You are getting what you need from your food, and that is ALWAYS better than from a pill. (studies have shown that the absorbtion rate from multivitamins is inferior to the rate from whole foods). If youa ren’t eating a variety of food sources, now is the time to start.

That said, there are a few deficiencies that can cause or worsen weak nails and hair. Both are made from the same protein. If you are concerned, you can ask your doctor to be tested for some of the more common ones. Then you can add foods to your diet that address your deficiency.

I will agree with dianebl that it is possible to get all the vitamins & minerals from natural sources but I would say that the vast majority of the population doesn’t. I will also agree that most of the multi-vitamin is flushed away the next day.

But in my case, I want to make SURE I am getting enough even if I have a poor day eating. For this reason I take a multi-vitamin 5 days a week (weekdays) and then on the weekends I allow my body to detoxify of any I have overdosed on over the week. (I heard that overdoing some vitamins is just as bad as getting to few in some cases).

I am NOT an expert, I am just relaying what works for me.

I take MegaMan Multi-Vitamins from GNC (but only take 1/2 the recommended dose per day)

Good Luck IceQueen

-Chad

I agree with both dianebl and ChadMan, and I also have concerns that recent nutritional research has shown many of the fruits and vegetables we consume today are not nearly as nutrient dense as they once were. An excellent example is with tomatoes typically purchased at any large grocery store. Tomatoes, unless locally produced and vine ripened, are prepacked while unriped and shipped sealed with a gas similar to ethylene in order to ripen by the time it reaches market … this greatly reduces its nutrient value.

As with ChadMan I take a multivitamin as a prophylactic measure – the brand I prefer is Quest. Quest was started in the 1950’s by a vegetarian weightlifter who was passionate in leading the industry by providing quality products with great formulations. “Quality without Question” was then created and followed throughout the years. Quest continues to provide innovative products using a “back-to-basics” philosophy, creating a balance of body, mind and spirit. They are proven and well regarded. Another excellent Brand is Jamieson but I believe they are a Canadian only brand – they’ve been around since 1922 and are very highly regarded for having a natural, organic based line of products.

For your specific needs – please see a doctor as I agree with dianebl in that some basic testing can better isolate your nutritional deficiencies…

As an update, I did have a work up done with my lupus blood work, and I have a severe vitamin D deficiency (which they have me on a supplement for) and am borderline B12 deficient.

Not sure if the Vitamin D would affect hair and nails.

I am trying to vary my foods tho. :-) just wanted some suggestions to kind of “supplement” my diet, like some of you are. Thanks

After seeing Food Inc., I’m planning to grow a garden in my basement. I have heard that fruits/vegetables aren’t as nutritionally dense as they once were. Then I saw Food Inc. and and understood. I have a big basement. It’s going to be a big garden.

I agree that ‘real food’ is the best way to get vitamins and minerals my body needs. But I’m restricting my calories so I’m not eating really all my body would want.

I take a children’s mutivitamin a couple times a week. But I also take a calcium and an iron supplement, each one a couple times a week.

You can see I view it pretty casually. I figure any extra should help a shortfall due to eating less, but I eat really well for those few calories!

The only area where I know there is something off is where I was borderline anemic one time last year when I went to give blood. I try to take 2 iron supplements a week and eat more iron rich foods in general. I don’t eat beef though, so that leaves veggies and supplements.

Nothing beat " real food" is the best way to get vitamins. But then again not all “real food” can be eaten especially if you are on a major and strict diet.

I take [url=http://www.maxalife.com]MX Womens Multi-vitamins[/url] once a day just to make sure that I get the proper nutrients for my body. Also to prevent those deadly diseases that woman are afraid like heart disease, breast cancer and Osteoporosis. Also it has an anti aging formula. It’s all about looking and feeling good.

I take a mulit vitamin just as insurance. I do shift work in a hospital so my meal pattern is varied. No recommendation, just what works ofr me.

I highly recommend reading the china study (http://www.thechinastudy.com/) For my own training I’m eating a lot of chicken and beef, but I have done the vegetarian thing before. The author of this book recommends B-Vitamin supplements and maybe vitaminD depending on your environment. He suggests that most everything else is in good supply as long as you’re not limiting yourself to the highly processed foods of american culture.

It’s good to have a multivitamin even if you are eating well as it helps make sure you have everything you need covered.

I take one tablet of Kirkland everyday.

GNC has great multi vitamins for both men and women
im very happy with them

I like the “Country Life” brand, which can be found in your local health food stores. They have numerous types of vitamins and minerals but I don’t know if they have one for hair and nails.

I work with a doctor (honest to goodness MD) who recommends a multivitamin to all her clients. Between less than optimal food choices and studies on deminishing nutrition (such as the USDA recommendation that all adult Americans should be on a multi-vitamin because there is not enough nutritiion left in the American food chain to give peple what they need)

Many posters have correctly identified that pills have a poor absorbtion rate in the body. I would focus on supplements that absorb more easily, such as isotonics.

DISCLAIMER: I am a distributor (along with thousands of other poeple) of an isotonic line of supplements called Isotonix, or distributed by physicians as NutriMetrix.

Check out the science. It makes a differend.