Good Multi-vitamin

[miller514]

Does anyone have any recommendations for a good woman's multi-vitamin for over 50?

 

[Birdie Num Nums]

I've been told that whatever you get, the pill should dissolve in a 50/50 mixture of water and white vinegar. Apparently a One-A-Day, Centrum and similar brand will not so dissolve. The Costco Kirkland brand "Mature Multi" will, however.

 

[Bestwifeever]

When I was a kid the One-A-Day multivitamins were these little red pills that bled a delightful orange all over your mouth. Now they are huge chalky things and I can't even swallow them, so I don't take them. I predict the vitamin marketers will soon be bringing out little vitamins again.

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

Does anyone have any recommendations for a good woman's multi-vitamin for over 50?

It would be helpful to know what your goals are for wanting to take a multivitamin. Except for a few very uncommon situations, there is virtually no evidence of benefit from daily multivitamins for those with a reasonably balanced North American diet.

True, there is an equal lack of evidence that they do any harm used as directed.

I recommend them empirically when there is poor or imbalanced diet, hypermetabolic states like hyperthyroidism or serious infection, poor intestinal absorption, heavy alcohol use, and a host of other conditions. If there is evidence of a low vitamin level, those conditions need to be worked up and treated accordingly.

Just saying ...

 

[DblDoc]

It would be helpful to know what your goals are for wanting to take a multivitamin. Except for a few very uncommon situations, there is virtually no evidence of benefit from daily multivitamins for those with a reasonably balanced North American diet.

True, there is an equal lack of evidence that they do any harm used as directed.

I recommend them empirically when there is poor or imbalanced diet, hypermetabolic states like hyperthyroidism or serious infection, poor intestinal absorption, heavy alcohol use, and a host of other conditions. If there is evidence of a low vitamin level, those conditions need to be worked up and treated accordingly.

Just saying ...

Rich are you saying we shouldn't be spending $16b annually on vitamins minerals and suppliments? Medical Nutrition and Disease: A ... - Google Books

Heresy!!!

DD

 

[RonBoyd]

My understanding of this is in line with RIT. You should research this much further before asking a group of faceless strangers what you should put into your body.

 

[HFWR]

I'm no doctor, though I try to play doctor whenever I can...

My reading suggests that vitamins are generally a waste of money, or, rather, they make your pee really expensive. The latest, greatest vitamin is vitamin D. There might actually be some value to supplementing D, but as usual, I'm skeptical...

 

[TromboneAl]

2007 thread on this:

http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f38/vitamins-25994.html

 

[noelm]

I would go for either of the brands listed here

 

[Orchidflower]

Consumers Report lists two brands as being the most uniform. I forgot the name of one, but the other is easily purchased all over NatureMade. There are other Nature-somethings, but they have to be NatureMade.
Also, go to their website, sign up for their buying bonus' and get yourself some free stuff. Don't throw those bottles out before you record the numbers they have on the side as that's the way you verify you purchased NatureMade products.
There's a thread on this topic on this site somewhere.
If you watch Walgreens and CVS sales, they often have a buy one/get one free sale on many of the NatureMade vitamins, too.

RichinTampa is most likely right: I probably have the most expensive pee in the Midwest...but I'm healthy.

 

[JOHNNIE36]

It would be helpful to know what your goals are for wanting to take a multivitamin. Except for a few very uncommon situations, there is virtually no evidence of benefit from daily multivitamins for those with a reasonably balanced North American diet.

Rich: Therein lies the rub. Most people do not practice a "reasonably balanced diet". I take Costco's Kirkland brand multivitamin that for men, has no iron included. What harm can this vitamin cause?

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

Rich: Therein lies the rub. Most people do not practice a "reasonably balanced diet". I take Costco's Kirkland brand multivitamin that for men, has no iron included. What harm can this vitamin cause?

Probably little evidence of harm, but inadequately studied.

I'd have to know more about "Most people do not practice a "reasonably balanced diet," If it is true, it is because they are consuming too many calories and carbs, not because of inadequate nutrients IMHO (again excluding the true dietary situations (malabsorption, alcoholism, etc.).

The usual explanation for vitamins is as "insurance" but I think a better choice is to change the diversity of your diet (e.g. more fruits and veggies, generally). We are omnivores, after all.

 

[stargazer08]

For the past 3-4 years, I have had moderate to severe muscle/ligament pain if I did anything out of the ordinary. I didn't think that much pain was normal for someone only 47 years old. I went to the doctor and all my blood work came back fine. A friend suggested I try vitamin D supplements. I started taking D3 and a B complex vitamin. I'm 80-90% better now. I have no idea why this has worked. In the past, taking a multi-vitamin, Mg, vitamin E and MSM did not work.

I'm afraid to eliminate the B or D (to figure out if it's one or the other that is doing the trick) in fear of suffering from the pain. I can now ride my horse 7+hours and not be a cripple for days afterwards. To say I am thrilled is an understatement. I used to think taking vitamins was a waste of money but sometimes it can help. At my next doctor visit I'm going to let him know what has worked and see if he has any thoughts at to why I'm having such good results.

 

[REWahoo]

I can now ride my horse 7+hours and not be a cripple for days afterwards.

Sure hope you're sharing your v'mins with your horse...

 

[stargazer08]

ReWa, I sure do. He eats better than I do. He even wears more bling than I do.

 

[TromboneAl]

And you guys seem to enjoy skinny dipping together.

 

[stargazer08]

That is my contribution to living below my means. Taking baths in the pond.

 

[braumeister]

Many people have heard of Ken Cooper, an Air Force doctor who started the whole aerobics thing back in the 60s. He went on to found (and still runs) the Cooper Clinic in Texas.

Friends in the professional athletics world swear by him, and highly recommend his nutritional supplements.

Personally, I think they are way overpriced and overhyped, but you can read what they have to say about each one and get some good ideas about what might be useful for you.

Here's a link to Cooper Aerobics.

 

[miller514]

Thanks to everyone for all the good advice and insights. I appreciate it.

 

[DeborahB]

I think one of the issues with getting enough vitamins in your food is that we don't eat enough food - or rather, because we are not exercising a lot, we don't eat an amount of food that allows us to get enough vitamins. Now, someone who is over-eating a lot probably could get enough vitamins. A woman eating 1700 calories probably can't.

I remember my mother feeling tired all the time - I suggested she try a general multivitamin with minerals and she said it helped. It's not exactly a large study but what the heck.

I take the Kirkland (Costco) senior multivitamin, plus some other stuff. Anything to stay healthy - I've had a lot of serious asthmatic bronchitis over the past few years and it all seems to help.

 

[braumeister]

FWIW, I did a lot of research on this issue last year, and I decided that the product that offered the most appropriate amounts of the most desirable nutrients was Centrum Ultra [Men's/Women's] tablets.

Centrum has a pretty good website that gives enough detail on what's in their [-]snake oil[/-] tablets that you can actually make good comparisons with other brands.

Since I've never found any information seriously questioning the purity of Centrum products, and since the price is reasonable, we're comfortable using them.

Disclaimer: I'm also one of those wackos who take additional supplemental Vitamin C, so my advice is worth exactly what you paid for it.

 

[george76]

For the past 3-4 years, I have had moderate to severe muscle/ligament pain if I did anything out of the ordinary. I didn't think that much pain was normal for someone only 47 years old. I went to the doctor and all my blood work came back fine. A friend suggested I try vitamin D supplements. I started taking D3 and a B complex vitamin. I'm 80-90% better now.

Stargazer, your posting is very interesting. May I ask how much much D vitamin and B complex you take each day? Sounds like it would be worth trying.

 

[stargazer08]

I get my vitamins at Walmart. They are Spring Valley brand.
I take 5000 IU of D3
1 Super B-Complex which has Vitamin C, B-1, B-2, B-3, B-6, B-12, Folic Acid, Biotin along with some other stuff.
Since Vitamin D is fat soluble (excess is stored in fat verses eliminated via urine), there is a possibility of taking too much. There is much discussion of how much is too much. The dosage I'm taking is working for me with no adverse side affects.

 

[ScottFromUtah]

I take vitamins (Costco) and fish oil, and benefit greatly from them, but only because of the placebo effect.

 

[george76]

I get my vitamins at Walmart. They are Spring Valley brand.
I take 5000 IU of D3
1 Super B-Complex which has Vitamin C, B-1, B-2, B-3, B-6, B-12, Folic Acid, Biotin along with some other stuff.
Since Vitamin D is fat soluble (excess is stored in fat verses eliminated via urine), there is a possibility of taking too much. There is much discussion of how much is too much. The dosage I'm taking is working for me with no adverse side affects.

Thanks Stargazer!

How did you arrive at 5000? Trial and error?