What vitamins are folk taking?

[Phat01]

I'm taking magnesium, zinc, and iron (I don't eat red meat), omega 3, and b complex. These are vits I've heard are good for the brain. I guess they must be doing something!

[iforget]

I don't take any additional vitamins. My doc says that unless a deficiency has been noted they are unnecessary in anyone eating a balanced diet and at best go straight through and at worst can make a person unwell.

I guess its a matter of personal circumstances and personal choice...if it works for you, why not...

[sospan]

I tried taking a cocktail of various vitamins and omega 3 for around 18 months didn't see any notice during or since I have stopped taking them.

On the Neurotalk website there are lot of advocates for supplements whom suggest they help the repair process - but many have been taking them for years and still have symptoms

For some people they may work or maybe its a placebo effect ?

[sange in reply to sospan]

please might i have the link to the neurotalk website

[Phat01 in reply to sange]

There you go. neurotalk.psychcentral.com/...

[Hidden]

I'm on Spirulina and it was at the 5 week mark that there was enough in the system to see what difference it made. Overall it has helped. More energy, mind clearer and generally helps. It is an algae and a food source.

[sange in reply to Hidden]

never tried this ..how is it taken and how does it taste please ?

[spartan300]

I take multi vitamins , magnesium zinc , cod liver oil. what have I to lose ,

[Kirk5w7]

I take a multivitamin and Co, Q10 also if I feel a bit of a cold coming on or my son or partner has one I take a large dose vitC and zinc. Plus at the start of the winter I take a good quality liquid vitamin D3. These are supplements my niece takes, she has multiple sclerosis which is a neurological disorder and she has been advised to take them, plus magnesium. What have I too lose, the vitamin c has helped this winter, no colds so far.

I have one daughter who has to have vitB injections because she doesn't absorb it from her food and one daughter with coeliac disease, I'm supposedly ok but take the vitamins anyway, I'm just careful not to overdo them.

[Hidden]

MULTIVITAMINS & IRON.I AM VEGGIE WHO EATS LOADS OF PULSES, DON'T KNOW IF THEY HELP, JUST A TOP UP. IF ANYONE HAS ALTERNATIVE SUGGESTIONS I'D LIKETO HEAR.

[charlies_nan]

Morning. Just to add my two penny's worth, I have always been told that as long as you eat a good well-balanced diet vitamins are unnecessary. However, in the early stages of my son's injury I did read that some studies advocated the use of different foods/vitamins to aid recovery. Unfortunately the theory couldn't be tested as he was in rehab and they wouldn't allow it.

Recently though I did hear of a fantastic new study conducted by the Brain Centre in Oxford which used a pill called TrioBe Plus that slowed down the onset of dementia (memory problems). It consists of massive doses of three types of vitamin B and was shown to work. But, and here's the rub, it was stated that the doses taken were much higher than could be purchased over the counter. So, I would say that vitamins can work, but like everything in life, without all the specific knowledge (and maybe a chemistry degree), for the ordinary layperson it's a matter of trial and error and whatever works for you.

Have a good day folks x

[Ladyberd70]

Hi, I started giving my son pharmacy grade fish oils (90% pure) as soon as the hospital stopped his blood thinning injections and he has progressed massively since taking them. I can never know for sure whether it was the fish oils that helped, but I believe they did.

He has a terrible diet, won't touch anything green, so I give him multibionta multi vits & minerals with probiotics and magnesium tablets. As his memory is still very bad I'm going to start him on choline and vitamin b5 as well soon and see if they help. What have you got to lose?

[Negeen]

I take b12 and 5htp

[B_S_A]

I take these vitabiotics pills, they're great! I also stuff loads of berries/nuts down my throat and that seems to help.

[Negeen in reply to B_S_A]

I eat a lot of berries and nuts too.

[Phat01]

I take 5-htp too, before bed. I'm going to review my vit intake at the end if the month, definitely keep the iron and magnesium.

[SAMBS]

I'VE JUST V RECENTLY BEEN GIVEN A DIETARY SHEET (I HATE THE WORD ' DIET ') BY THE NUTRITIONIST AT HOSPITAL HERE IN FRANCE. SHE SAID IT NEEDS TO BE A BALANCED DIET - PROTEIN, CALCIUM, CARBS, MINERALS AS WELL AS VITAMINS. ALL OF WHICH CAN BE DERIVED FROM NATURAL SOURCES WITHOUT RESORTING TO LIVING OFF PILLS. FRUIT AND VEG, DAIRY PRODUCTS, PULSES, PASTA, RICE ALL HELP. SUGAR COMES AS A NATURAL SOURCE FROM FRUIT, AS DOES POTASSIUM. FRESH VEGETABLES ARE ALSO A GOOD SOURCE OF FIBRE.

WHICH DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN EATING MEAT RED OR OTHERWISE. NUTS PROVIDE PROTEIN AS DO OTHER FOODS. THE BLOOD CELLS NEED TO CARRY OXYGEN TO THE BRAIN - EXCERCISE GETS THE CIRCULATION GOING TO TAKE THE BLOOD CELLS TO THE BRAIN WITH THE OXYGEN! jUST A DAILY WALK WILL HELP WITH INCREASING CIRCULATION AND THE INTAKE OF OXYGEN.

SHE RECOMMENDS EATING LITTLE AND OFTEN - AND HAS GIVEN SUGGESTED MENUS WHICH ADDS US TO 5 X A DAY. WHEN I SAY LITTLE - I MEAN LITTLE - NOT A STANDARD PILE AS HIGH AS YOU CAN UK PLATEFUL. WHICH IS SO OFTEN SERVED IF EATING OUT WE NEED PULSES, STARCHES, CARBS, FATS AS WELL - ALL IN MODERATION OF COURSE.

WE ALL KNOW THE FRENCH HAVE A REPUTATION FOR A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE MOSTLY NOT O?WEIGHT AND LONGEVITY OF LIFE . THE NUTRITION SHEETS I WAS GIVEN ARE EASY TO FOLLOW. I'M ALSO LOOKING AT A READERS DIGEST BOOK I BOUGHT DONKEYS YEARS AGO, 'PUBLISHED IN 2000, IRONICALLY PRINTED IN FRANCE AND IT BASICALLY SAYS SAME AS THE FRENCH NUTRITIONISTS SHEETS. I HAVE SCANNED THE 6 PAGES AND PUT THEM INTO A PDF. IF ANYONE WANTS A COPY PM ME WITH YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS.OR GET A COPY OF R.D GUIDE TO VITAMINS, MINERALS & SUPPLEMENTS. THERE IS A WEALTH OF EXPLANATORY INFO IN IT.WHAT PEOPLE SPEND WEEKLY ON THINGS LIKE W W AND OTHER DIETARY CLASSES + THE OTHER ACCESSORIES SOLD ON WEIGHING IN DAYS, PUTS MONEY IN THEIR POCKETS WHEN YOU COULD BE COULD BE BUYING FRESH & NATURAL FRUIT,VEG, I KNOW ON DAYS I FOLLOW IT I DO FEEL BETTER, LESS STRESSED AND TIRED AND HAVE MORE ENERGY.. (ALL IN CAPS FOR ZEBLET)

[gr33nmind]

If your not eating meat, you might be missing a much more important supplement, that is absolutely necessary for brain health. Methylcobalamin B12 is a powerful antioxidant that helps clean the brain out of any poisons promoting clearer thinking. The only foods that contain it are meat, insects, and seaweed. If your eating strictly vegan, unless you get a good amount of seaweed (which is not really a plant, but instead a kind of algae, that uses chlorophyll), or eat bugs, I would highly suggest taking a Methylcobalamin B12 supplement. Early man's brain probably developed a need for it, when we used to eat fruit, containing the occasional worm I take 5000 mcg Methylcobalamin B12 three times a day and let it dissolve under my tongue. It gives me a boost of energy, and makes my thinking clearer. You may need less or more then 3X a day, but a person won't know until they try it. It is almost impossible to take to much, because it is water soluble, and you'll just pee out any extra. I started to notice an sudden alertness within two days. Some people have noticed changes, after taking only one dose. I will also occasionally take fish oil, and Ginko Biloba. I've also noticed changes when I've taken Ginko Biloba. It works by increasing blood flow to the brain, but is slower acting, and tends to give me headaches, when I take it for several days. Fish oil may also work, but I've never taken it regularly & long enough to notice, any changes.

[Flumptious]

I try and have a reasonable amount of fruit and vegetables, and that's it, for me.

Not eating meat: I was vegetarian, for over a decade. At university, I met and fell in love with a long-haired hippy, who was vegetarian, too. I lived for a year and a half in France, but I steadfastly maintained my vegetarianism. (Is that a word?) My lovely hippy got a job in Johannesburg, and I followed himdown there. In Jo'burg, we met the braai - the South African version of a BBQ. I am afraid that our veggie-ness couldn't stand up to the boerewors. Blush, blush, blush.

(That long haired hippy is now balding and has a skinhead haircut, but I don't care - he is a wonderful father to our girls!)