Vitamins/Supplements brand recommendations?

MNsara

Age is not kind to my digestive system, and I'm looking to add some supplements/vitamins (like Betaine HCI and L-Glutamine) and see how that goes (as I sit here drinking my glowing green smoothie!).

I'm no stranger to vitamins, but have gotten lazy and buy them at CVS or the grocery store. I realize there could be quality/assimilation differences, but the thought of researching it overwhelms me.

If anyone has brands they trust, I'd love to hear about them . . .

Thanks so much for any input!!!

ETA: I've been eating pretty Paleo this past year, and that helps A LOT, but I still have plenty of room for improving my digestion and everything adversely affected by it.

12 years ago

Off Topic

12 replies

Latest reply was from Kristin L

Kristin L

Veteran

I use the grocery store brand of Women's One a Day vitamins.

I know your paleo, but maybe yogurt would help your system? Also, when my system is out of whack, I'll drink a serving of GoodBelly's juice either every other day or every day.

12 years ago

MNsara

Veteran

Thanks, Kristin! I'll keep the yogurt in mind. I just heard that the yogurt needs to be organic (I think that's what they said) to be sure the probiotic stuff is still alive and kicking.
I'm checking into the GoodBelly juice too. I see it's available around town

12 years ago

Suz

(website)

Veteran

A really good probiotic (as a supplement, vs. only getting it from food) might be a good addition. And also, elimination -- that is, trying to figure out what the culprit might be. So you need to go to a very basic diet first and then build back in. Annoying, but simple and often helpful. You can google elmination diet to see how it works.

Probiotic should be high powered and you might want to start at double dose for a few weeks. You could get some initial bloating and discomfort but it will go away.

12 years ago

annagybe

(website)

Veteran

I love GoodBelly. They make these juice shots that have vitamins too. Favorite flavor is the mango.

12 years ago

MNsara

Veteran

Double dosing for a while . . . good idea, Suz! I think the Betaine HCI is considered a digestive enzyme, so I could still do the probiotic.

Thanks for affirming the GoodBelly, anna! I love mango too

12 years ago

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

I've bought "NOW" brand for years and "Doctor's Best" I think. Nature's Way and Solary are both pretty good in my experience. I've eaten organic and natural foods way before it became popular. I never buy a "multi" vitamin and I rarely buy a pressed tablet except for my magnesium as most do not assimilate well at all. If at all. Capsules for me. I also like Emer-gen-c powders.

Mostly I take minerals via supplement because it's really hard to get minerals from the food supply - but vitamins I rely more on my diet as I eat a LOT of veggies of all different types. Except vit. C which I think I need more of than what I can eat.

And if you are going to take B-12, please take methylcobalamin and not cynocobalamin which is cyanide based.

Stonyfield Farm makes good organic yogurt and Horizon brand organic is good too.

12 years ago

MNsara

Veteran

Dang, my NatureMade B-12 sublingual lozenges are cyanide based! Thanks for the warning, Texstyle!! (plus they contain wheat!)

Capsule better than pressed - noted.
Any thoughts on chelated?
I love Emer-gen-c too -- I usually take it whenever I feel rundown, and I perk right up! Does that mean I probably need more C on a regular basis?

12 years ago

Anonymous

I really like my NOW! Foods EVE multi-vitamin. I have to take it 3x a day, but I prefer this brand over the others I've tried, including "one a day" varieties: http://www.drugstore.com/now-f.....tid=180675

Also, for digestive health, I take Ultimate Flora Critical Care 50 Billion. It's a super-mega probiotic: http://www.drugstore.com/renew.....ules/qxp33

I've also been impressed with products from Enzymedica. I take 2 doses of Virastop daily as an anti-viral. They also have a digestive line: http://www.enzymedica.com/store/Digestive

12 years ago

MNsara

Veteran

Thanks, Anne - I'll be reading up on these too It sounds like I might be late to the probiotic party!!

12 years ago

Krista

Veteran

I take Genestra vitamins. My doctor sells them in his clinic but they are available online as well. I've taken many kinds of vitamins over the years and I like these best. I'm not sure what their availability is in the US?

12 years ago

velvetychocolate

Veteran

I like Country Life vitamins - because they say "no yeast, wheat, soy, gluten, milk, sugar; preservatives or artificial color" on their bottles. I can't find them at regular grocery stores or drugstores, but I find them at Whole Foods, Sunflower Market and local health food stores. The good news is that they seem pretty high quality and are quite reasonably priced for being "health food store vitamins", if you know what I mean.

Tip - try Vitacost dot com if you can't find them where you are. Excellent prices and service.

Also - highly recommend Enzymatica products (as mentioned by Anne). I take their "Gluten Ease" supplement whenever I eat out of the house, because I have a serious intolerance to gluten. This doesn't mean that I eat things with gluten in them, but The GlutenEase supplement seems to help a LOT in terms of any possible 'cross contamination' issues.

I tried the high-powered probiotics too, but could never get past those days where they really seemed to mess up my digestive system and cause stomach pains etc. The one brand that seemed to help a lot without causing the 'upset' is Enzymatic Therapy Acidophilus "pearls" or their Pearls IC (IC stands for intensive care, I think). The probiotic 'pearls' are easy to take (tiny things), travel well and they work for me. I don't take them all the time, just whenever I feel like I need them.

With regard to the makers of Emergen-C (Alacer is the company name), I like their Electro-Mix. It's a sachet of powder that's very faintly lemon-lime flavoured and you add it to water - puts back electrolytes when you need them - no sugar or any fake sweetener in it either. Again, I don't take this all the time, but it sure comes in handy at times - eg. the day we re-built our front porch railing, hauling lumber around etc, and didn't notice it was approaching 100F outside. A quick glass of Electro-Mix helps No carbs, no sugar and it works.

For fish oil - I like Carlson's brand best (though expensive) - you can buy lemon flavoured liquid (you take by the teaspoon/tablespoon) or you can buy capsules.

Meanwhile, a good quick 'fall back' brand is Costco's Kirkland line - very good quality for the price. That's if you're already a Costco shopper and don't have time to look around for other brands.

(geesh, this has gotten long...sorry!).

Congrats on the Paleo-style nutrition - it has made a huge difference for me too.

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12 years ago

Kristin L

Veteran

I just remembered something else. Have you looked into prebiotics? There are some foods or ingredients, like honey, that help feed the good bacteria in your gut. A common one is inulin, but most food companies use chicory root extract in it, which gives a lot of people massive amounts of gas.

12 years ago

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