Thread: Do you guys take a vitamin supplement?

The real iffy 'beneficial supplements' comes from pseudoscience. People who say take this supplement from this rare unknown plant that came from an unknown jungle it works I read it on a blog once

I agree! This makes me think of Zija.

I think it's most important to be sure that what we're eating is actually being absorbed properly in the gut!

Vitamins A, D, E and K are fat-soluble, so I try to be sure I'm having an appropriate amount of healthy fats with my veggies (ie drizzle them in olive oil). I know many folks who are fat-phobic and strive for very little dietary fat. They suffer from leptin dysregulation as well, but that's another game entirely.

Unfortunately things like nuts & seeds, legumes (including unfermented soy) and "whole grains" - unless sprouted or prepared properly from scratch, which very few commercial WGs are - contain phytates and lectins and anti-nutrients (I know, that sounds like a fake word, but it's a real thing!) that scavenge minerals like zinc, calcium and magnesium and prevent them from being absorbed or utilized by the body. While all plants have similar "defense mechanisms," grains are some of the worst culprits. There's some debate about the levels of phytic acid that contribute to deficiencies, but my personal experience with mild anemia was resolved when I dialed back the grain sources of carb in my diet and replaced them with soluble fiber sources from roots & tubers.

A well balanced diet along with a multi vitamin twice each day, twelve hours apart, works well for me.

How do you know if the supplements you take are working for you or not? Just feel what your body tells you?

I do agree that there are many that simply read what's on wikipedia and think that's the truth. Or rely on "test tube" studies believing that results will translate to human body level.

I can't say all companies that make herbal supplements rely on placebo effect though. Although I can see why many feel this way, there are companies that do make sure the science is there either using ingredients that have been evaluated in a clinical trial setting or actually using their products in a clinical trial setting.

Depending on a country's regulatory requirement, they may ask for clinical efficacy evidence before they to to market. Unfortunately the US is not one of them.

How do you know if the supplements you take are working for you or not? Just feel what your body tells you?

You may notice things over a period of time like increased energy, less sickness, better sleep, etc. You're not likely to notice abrupt changes. When I started taking Biotin for example, months later I could look back and see a difference in my fingernail growth and my skin. I do the sublingual B complex daily, and when I am doing this regularly I notice a decrease in stress and increase in energy. It really depends on what you take.