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Vitamins


yogini

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I'm about to run out of my multivitamin and was wondering if there is something better that I could be taking. I think my current vitamin is Centrum for Seniors :P because it had all of the vitamins I wanted. But I wonder whether more expensive vitamins from GNC or a health food store would help me to feel better and give me more energy? I have heard mixed opinions about whether they're worth it, and wanted to get your thoughts.

Also, the choices are a bit overwhelming. Are there certain brands or combinations of vitamins that any of you have found helpful? I need something without iron, so it doesn't upset my stomach.

And sorry if this has already been discussed - I did a couple of searches and didn't find anything.

Thanks,

Rita

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rita,

my POTS doctor recommended the Freeda brand of vitamins...mostly i i think because they are dairy-free, wheat-free, etc. free of everything in terms of dyes, possible allergens etc.

they are the first vitamin that i have been able to tolerate and digest without an upset stomach...and guess what???? they are pretty cheap! like 6 bucks or something for 100. i can't remember.

the site is freedavitamins.com and they have a lot of choices and all sorts of options...so i would think you could find something. i, too, was overwhelmed b/c you never know what you are getting for your money or the quality of the vitamin...but, i feel good about these...

you may be able to find thme in a store, but none carried them here locally. i found it so muhc easier to just order them and not search endlessly for a vitamin...it's so overwhelming!

hope this helps!

emily

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I get my multi-vitamins from Trader Joe's. I like them because they have CoQ10 in them and you can get a 3 month supply for $15. They have a couple different kinds, I think the one I buy is called Super Crusade. I believe they do carry one without iron.

good luck,

Pam

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Hello all,

I am presently taking a multi from Progressive Nutrional out of Toronto Canada. The quality is very high - not many fillrs & lots of natural products , enzymes , greens etc. Its one of the best that I have come across here. There are lots of good multi's on the market nowadays though so we are lucky. My advise is that you usually get what you pay for. Look long & hard at the contents ask questions of the sales staff - if they don't know buy else where. I buy mine at Nutrition House in Canada ( Ernie , don't know if they are in Quebec , if you are lucky they have a store in old Montreal , can' t think of a better place to spend the day buying supplements !!). O ther things to look for are essential fatty acids ie. Prim Rose Oil , Borage Oil , Flax Oil etc. ( SISU out of BC Canada is a good product).

I have had luck with probiotics , which you can get just from Yogurt , but also from pill form. There are several supplementation s available but nothing is as effective as a balanced diet of Fresh grown Live foods - these will provide the vitamins , minerals , fibres we all need to balance our bodies systems ; then from there any supplementation will be exceedingly more effective

good shopping Kite 7

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I buy my vitamins (NSI Women's mulit-vitamin, version 4) from vitacost.com online. They have a complete spectrum of high quality vitamin and minerals, plus some adaptogenic herbs, alpha lipoic acid, coq10, priobiotics, antioxidants like lutein, lycopene, grape seed extract and much more.

There is usually a big difference in vitamins. A lot of the cheaper ones, (not all of them) are chemically processed and made with unnatural binders, fillers, etc. and the vitamins are not very bioavailable (not absorbed well, usually due to the form of vitamin or mineral that is used).

My mom and brother take "Natures Plus Source of Life" Vitamins. These are great because they're made from whole foods, not extracts, are readily absorbed by your body and give you an almost instant boost of energy. However, I cannot take these because they do contain small amounts of gluten from wheat, oats, barley etc., since they're made from whole foods. If you want energy and are not worried about food allergies, then I highly recommend these.

I agree with Kite about the best form of vitamins comes from eating a balanced diet of fresh foods. We have to give our bodies a good foundation with the proper foods first. I also take fish oil and/or flax seed oil, as these are good sources of essential fatty acids (omega oils).

Hope you find the vitamin brand that works best for you. Sometimes it's just trial and error. :o

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i just wanted to add, that although the freeda vits. are NOT expensive...they are not made with the fillers, binders, dyes, etc. that some of the others are. they sound similar to what some of the rest of you are using. i agree that sometimes price is a reflection of quality...but not always...like GNC is probably making a lot of money just on their name! sorry, cynic here...

emily

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I take MegaFoods Women's One Daily. It's a whole food vitamin, meaning the vitamins actually come from food. It breaks down much more easily than the vitamins sold in drugstores.

I also have had good luck with Garden of Life vitamins, as well as Golden NeoLife Dyamite Formula IV, which is a supplement but is a great source of B vitamins. It's also gluten- and dairy-free, and comes in iron-free too.

A good place to buy vitamins is a store like Whole Foods. They can be expensive, but it's best to give stuff a try for 3 months. So plan to make at least a financial commitment before even trying them.

Beware of vitamins with megadoses of vit. E -- you should get no more than 400 IUs, or 800 may be OK for some. Same goes for vit. A. These are not water-soluble and don't break down like the B vitamins and other water-soluble vits. do.

Amy

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Thanks everyone for your wonderful suggestions and advice. I have printed out the thread and will bring it with me to the stores. I'll definitely stop by Whole Foods, which just opened up near me, and the Freeda store, which, coincidentally, is just a couple of blocks from my office...

Have a great weekend,

Rita

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Hi All

After reading the posts , Ihave to make an adendum to mine and AGREE to an extent with Emily. Price is not the only reflection of quality , but if you are unable to speak with experts or quality info/ advise it is " Generally" agood indicator to quality. However , you can find equivalant product at reduced price if you are an educated consumer. That is the benefit of a forum like this - research is your friend - not just for the shear economics but for your health too. Emily , one of the best Multi's I have ever used was a brand called NRG from a company in Vancouver BC - great price point. Sadly , it is no longer available. So don't be cynical as I believe you are right !!

Kite 7

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