Hey Ladies--what mulitvitamin do you use? Those froofy women ones?

[tjdee]

I have to start taking vitamins I think--any recommendations for a multivitamin? Do you notice a difference when you take it?

Also--since companies have gone "gee, women buy most of the things for the family", and have come to making even cereal for "women's needs", I'm curious if the women vitamins are marketing ploys or legit.

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

1. I take the Walmart version of Centrum.

[Left Is Write]

2. Right now I use the Apex Fit multivitamin. It's not gender specific.

Women's vitamins probably contain more folate.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

3. I take a store brand muti plus Iron

I'm curious about some of the other foo foo womens ones out there, too. Are they better or are they hype?

[msgadget]

54. Ditto

Along with calcium.

[roguevalley]

4. centrum. old people vitamins have everything you need and then

some.

[Beausoir]

7. Righto.

I tried those froofy ones, particularly the Oil Of Olay ones. The packaging was unbelievably wasteful. I was smitten by the "madison avenue" look of the whole thing.

I consulted my doc..and he set me straight and now I just take good ol' Centrum.

BTW roguevalley...is that Gil-galad in your avatar? Drool.

[cookies7]

5. What's "froofy" mean? n/t

:think:

[tjdee]

6. Oh I don't know. I just thought of flowers and all the silly things they

adorn "women's" things with. I was picturing a vitamin bottle with pink letters and flowers growing everywhere...kind of silly, I know.

[cookies7]

12. That's good. I thought I was the one who didn't understand your

word. And I find out you just made it up. that's a good one though. I take UltraMega Vitamins from the GNC. I hate taking pills but they go down pretty east. I also like Dr. Taub. He sells a good vitamin on QVC that's excellent. They say you don't know how good your vitamin is until you quit taking it. Try it and see.:)

[tjdee]

21. That's the truth--I see that with my own kid.

I give her a vitamin everyday (at doc's suggestion) and I swear every time I let them run out and miss a day or two she gets a cold.

Are the Dr. Taub's different than the UltraMega? What's the difference? Do you switch up or use both?

[cookies7]

31. He sells some for women

and some for men. They come in a packet for each day. 2 multi-vitamin and minerals, 2 calcium/Vit D, E, Ginkgo Biloba and natural Magnesium. Dr.Edward A. TAub, MD. With Lutein and Lycopene. I can't take them all at once so I split them to get used to them. Easy to swallow, No art flavors, no sugar no preservatives and iron free because I'm over the age of 50. It has 1000mg of Vit C and it's just made specially. Check it out at QVC

[SarahB]

8. Just a standard one.

I suspect the "ladies" ones just have a little extra folic acid and iron maybe.

[CatBoreal]

9. One a Day Weight Smart...

...has Green Tea extract in it which is "supposed" to speed up your metabolism.

I also take 4 B12, 4 Vit. D tablets and 3 Omega 3 Fatty Acid caplets every day trying to stave off S.A.D.

[cookies7]

13. I had to quit taking that vitamin

Had something to do with that older woman thing. Couldn't handle the green tea.

[tjdee]

24. I stopped taking the Omega 3s...I just

asked another poster, you take them all every day?

Do you feel a benefit from that, (obviously I guess?) is there a marked difference when you don't? How do you know the One a Day isn't giving you enough B12 (I know it says it on the bottle, but how did you know you needed more than that? The doc?)?

[CatBoreal]

37. Simply by how I feel....

...I stopped taking them over Christmas while I was away and started to feel more snippy and overwhelmed. Since I've started back on the regimen I've been feeling a little more in control and able to cope.

Let me say as well that I get hit by Seasonal Affective Disorder every winter. It's like a sack of bricks to the guts and ANYTHING that improves it, even by a microscopic amount is more than welcome.

[cookies7]

39. Hey that reminds me

I bought a box of cherry flavored B Complex sub-something that you put under your tongue. Man I forgot about them too. Thanks for reminding me. Now where did I put them?

[Undercover Owl]

10. women need more calcium

Calcium pills help alleviate menstrual cramps.

I have a few different multivitamin brands, and I alternate from day to day. And yes, I think women need more of certain things (B6, folic acid...) and less of other nutrients, compared to men.

I definitely vouch for calcium pills every day, and take extra when you get your period.

[SarahB]

11. With calcium though...

It's good to take separately from stuff with iron. Supposedly, they interfere with the absorption of one another.

[cookies7]

14. LEt's see

I think they say to take potassium with calcium pills.

[Undercover Owl]

16. it's not that complicated..

I swear by calcium pills to keep cramps away! It works!

[Left Is Write]

22. It is often recommended to take Vitamin D with calcium.

Vitamin D is necessary for the absorption of calcium.

[cookies7]

26. There ya go.

I knew it was something you take together.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

40. Many calcium supplements even have added Vitamin D now.

I think mine has added D and A in it.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

38. No. You're supposed to take magnesium.

Look for some sort of cal-mag supplement. Mostly it's due to calcium having a constipation effect and magnesium having a laxative effect. They balance each other out to no effect.

[BuddhaGirl]

49. magnesium is essential for calcium absorption, actually

as well as vitamin D.

Most calcium/magnesium supplements consist of a 2-1 ratio...the latest research shows that most americans are magnesium deficient and that a higher ratio of magnesium is actually better.

I take a cal/mag supplement with a 6-5 ratio of magnesium to calcium.

As for a multi, I take one made by Supernutrition, called "Perfect Blend." It is high potency and contains green foods and herbs.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

50. This is why...

I'm in charge of the grocery dept. at work and not the supplement dept. I knew it wasn't potassium though... :-)

[Lone_Star_Dem]

18. Thanks for mentioning.

I didn't know about that. I've been taking my chewy calcium at the same time as my multi with iron.

[cookies7]

20. Oh you take

that chewy caramel or milk chocolate Vita Calcium thing. Yes I have that too. It's sitting in my cupboard and I don't know if it is still good.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

29. I take the chocolate Viactiv.

They are pretty good. Check and see if it has an expiration date on it, I'm not sure how long they last. If it's good give it a try. Women need normally added calcium and iron.

[cookies7]

34. Good idea

I wish they'd come out with one that is made with dark chocolate. Then I'd take them!

[Lone_Star_Dem]

42. No dark chocolate yet

But, they do have 5 flavor now. They should make a dark chocolate one, I'd buy it!

Milk Chocolate
Strawberry Cream
Chocolate Mint
Caramel
Orange Cream

They also have added Vitamins A & D. :)

[cookies7]

43. I've tried the milk choc, and caramel

the mint sounds good. We should write them a letter recommending they make Dark Choc...(filled with mallo-cup marshmallow cream). See what I mean, I definitely have a problem....:spank:

[Lone_Star_Dem]

46. The mint one is what I plan on trying next...

Your idea sounds much better, though. Only problem I could see then would be eating too many! :9

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

28. Eat a couple Tums every day for calcium supplement.

[Skittles]

15. chewable Centrum

nt

[Kathy in Cambridge]

17. Twin Labs Daily One Caps Without Iron

I have more than enough iron in my diet. I prefer capsules because regular vitamins turn my stomach. I end up burping them all day.

I also take Vitamin E, a B Complex, Calcium, and Quercetin with Vitamin C.

[tjdee]

23. Every day?

I'm slightly reluctant (but can be talked into it) to take more than one vitamin... how do you know you're not overdoing it (I'm not saying you are, I'm saying I know I wouldn't know how much I could take)?

[cookies7]

27. Check out the internet

Just google it. I did earlier and learned tonight how to knit. Now I'm going to make a scarf. The internet can tell you all you need to know about how much to take.

[tjdee]

30. Ah, the internets....

I'm completely paranoid about side effects of vitamins/drugs/etc.

I took a chromium the other day and was hypersensitive for about 2 hours. I can be very ridiculous.

There is so much info on the internets, so I wanted to get a DU lady filter before going further.

You learned to knit online? Wow. I know how to knit, but I can't imagine explaining it clearly enough through words to teach someone else!

[cookies7]

33. Yes but it had pictures

to illustrate. I used to knit when I was a teenager but forgot. And I am just like you about meds. I get all crazy when I take anything. I'm a big baby. One pill at a time and I have to know exactly what is in it and how it will affect me. I think that's good though.

[Kathy in Cambridge]

35. Minerals are tricky-they aren't water soluble

so you can't excrete them. You should consult a physician before taking chromium. Many have had adverse reactions to chromium.

[tjdee]

48. Yeah, I only took the one.

I'm going to see a doc in the next few weeks--but I'm looking for a new one, as this doc seems to think that how I'm feeling is fine (it's not).

[tjdee]

55. Thanks everybody!

Too lazy to get in a personal note to everyone, but I appreciate it!

[Kathy in Cambridge]

32. With the exception of Vitamin E, all above are water soluble

so you pee out the excess. Most multis have very little Vitamin E, which is also difficult to get in large quantities from food. According to my docor, an extra 400iu in addition to the piddly amount in a multi should be fine.

Quercetin is a bioflavanoid that helps the immune system and allergy response. I take it for allergies-I think it helps.

[Dastard Stepchild]

19. Freedavite...

excellent multivitamin - also have calcium supplements. very digestible.

[IronLionZion]

25. I'm male, but look at the back to see what is in them

the generic ones usually have the same stuff as the brand-name but get the ones with the stuff your doctor tells you to get. Often the men's and women's ones have like only 1 ingredient difference and it won't hurt you to take the non-gender one.

Me loves the ladies! :P

cheers
ILZ

[Bertha Venation]

36. Generic "centrum silver" (no iron), B complex, calcium, and E.

I don't notice a difference, but my doc says that doesn't matter; they make a difference. No froofy chick vitamins here. They just try to sell more by labeling them "for women."

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

41. New Chapter Every Woman

They're crazy expensive, but they are the BEST on the market. If you look at the numbers they contain less than most vitamins, but they are probiotic food-based so they are 100% absorbable. You can take them on an empty stomach no problem because your body recognizes it as food. They recently also became certified organic, becoming the only certified organic supplement.

They're the only multivitamins I can and will take. Most make me feel really weird and jittery. These don't do that. I recommend their entire line of supplements.

BTW, I don't work for them or anything, but I do work at a natural foods store. The stuff you buy in drugstores/supermarkets is filled with well, fillers & crap. A lot of crap that you won't find in any supplement we carry.

[cookies7]

44. Where can they be bought and how much $$

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

47. New Chapter info

New Chapter's website can give you a list of places that carry them. You can also read up on their stuff there.

I think a bottle of their Every Woman is around $70 retail. You take 3 a day. They also have a one-a-day that is cheaper. Where I work they go on a line drive sale every 3 months where they're 25-40% off (we're having one now). Most New Chapter devotees stock up during this time.

The other products I use by them are their Host Defense (immune system) and Tamanu Oil (skin cure-all). Occaisionally, I'll take their Rhodiola or Holy Basil if I'm feeling edgy. That's just something I bum off the vitamin dept. manager though.

Host Defense I first bought while I was sick with the flu (or severe cold from hell) and had a flight to London the next day. I was double-dosing on that & oscillocosium and when I left, I basically went from death to stuffed up. Tamanu oil I first bought to heal a tattoo with. Now I use it on bug bites, cuts, poison ivy, everything. It's around $20 for a little bottle but it lasts FOREVER. Gave a bottle to my friend when she got her first tattoo and she uses it for everything now.

[BuddhaGirl]

51. I think New Chapter makes great supplements, but they can

be very pricey. I take Supernutrition multis which are food-based also. I LOVE New Chapter's Holy Basil...it really helps me deal with stress!

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

52. My friend takes them for stress and loves them too...

I remember when she came into the store looking for something that helps with stress. Sue (vitamin manager) recommended Holy Basil, then realized the girl was my friend and said, "hmm...for stress, you might want to drop Jackie as a friend." We had a good laugh over that.

I tend to be one of those people that depending on the day I can be one of the best/worst friends you've ever had.

[Cadence]

45. I take multigenics it's a great multivitamin.

[LordshipLadyship]

53. Centrum

with lycopene & lutein

Expensive, but sometimes you can get "buy one get one free" deals, or like I bought and take, one that has 20 extra tablets. (along with some other supplements that suit my illnesses ) I also take OsCal calcium supplement with D. My rhuematologist said it's the best :)

[Nikia]

56. I take Flinstones multivitamin

For some reason, adult vitamins make me sick after a few days. I have tried several times taking adult vitamins so I know that it isn't just a coincidence. I think that I must be sensitive to large doses of one of the mega vitamins or minerals that are several times the RDA that they contain. I have had good results on Flinstones as I did when I was younger. They have helped immensely since I started taking them again after having digestive problems and not being able to eat as much as usual.

[Phentex]

57. Generic Centrum

[LeftyMom]

58. I use my health food store's brand

a veg*n multi and a veg*n B complex. If I find a prenatal for vegans I might switch to that because as a woman of childbearing age I try to keep my body in good enough shape to carry a baby in case I were to have a birth control oops.

[Chovexani]

59. One a Day for Women

I'm anemic and I definitely notice a difference if I'm a bad kitty and don't take my vitamin on a particular day. One a Day works well for me.

[Stepup2]

60. I take a ninety proof

multiple that makes my tummy flip if I take them without food. They are a stress formula with C, E, Omega 3 and some minerals.

I think they make a big difference in energy levels. It is hard for me to eat "well" during the week, so I tell myself these help me fill the gaps.

[liontamer]

61. i just take centrum

but I know what you mean. But worse than vitamin ads are the ads for birth control pills. One is so ridiculous that every time I see it I think, "gee I want to take the pill that will turn me into a skinny artsy ballerina in delicately dyed silk." :eyes: