Hi guys I have recently started to take vitamins to help with my hypo and I'm getting a bit confused as to what I can take togeather I've Googled it but but I'm getting mixed messages if anyone could help I'm taking
Vit c
Selenium
Vit b complex
Cold liver oil
Vit d
Multi mineral
Vitamin e
Co enzyme q 10
And gentle iron
Is that too much ? And what shouldn't I take togeather thanks guys.
That's a strange collection. How did you come to choose those? Did you have your vit D, vit B12, folate and ferritin tested, first?
Hi grey goose Thankyou for your reply, the code liver oil was a suggestion from my opticians for severe dry eyes, I take a multi mineral not a multi vitamin and I tend to take that on its own, on an earlier post about me stopping anti depressants someone suggested I could get adrenal fatigue so that's were the vit E came into it and the others is just what I've picked up from people's posts,too much?
No, it's not that it's too much, it's just too... random. Things don't work on their own, they work in groups.
It's always best to get tested for vitD, vit B12, folate and ferritin before you start supplementing anything, to see if you actually need it, and if so, how much. It's a waste to take stuff you don't need. Then, you add in the other things that work with what you're taking. For example, vit E works with vit D. But vit D should also be balanced with magnesium, zinc and vit A. And if you're taking vit D3, you should also take vit K2.
The thing you're most likely to be deficient in is vit B12, which works together with folate. Vit B12 deficiency is very serious, but yyou won't get enough B12 in a B complex to treat a deficiency. You need to get it tested, but you can't now, because you've been taking the B complex. You would have to stop the B complex for about 4 months before you can test.
It would be dangerous to take vit D and iron if you don't need them. So, l urge you to get tested and see exactly where you are, before you continue.
Apart from that, the rule is that you take minerals seperately, not with each other, as far as l know. And iron should only be taken with vit C, nothing else. Vitamins are best taken with food. And vits D and E are fat soluble, so need to be taken with a fatty meal.
Hi Greygoose, wondered if you know what constitutes separately for minerals - how much time needs to be left between for it to count as separate?
You haven't given the mcgs. and mgs. so it's hard to know but it's a good selection I think. But if the E is synthetic, I wouldn't take it. If it is a natural E with all the gammas, then it's fine.
Be careful of taking a multi vitamin and B complex. Vitamin B complex has all the vitamin Bs in it but so will the the multi vitamin. B12 excess we can get excrete but this is not the case for other vitamin. So check out the contents of both tablets to make sure your not overdosing on the vitamin B's.
The only one you can over-dose on is B6. But mutli-vits are a waste of money and time, anyway.
Not strictly true as taking too much of one b vitamin can cause a deficiency or hide a deficiency in another b vitamin.
For example if you take too much b7, biotin taken for hair, skin and nails , even though you excrete the excess you can end up with a b5 deficiency.
Also if you take too much b9 you can hide a b12 deficiency.
The latter is more likely with b complex tablets aimed at women's general health, while the former is more likely for those taking supplements for better hair and nails.
Well, that's an entirely different point to the point I was making. I did ask the OP if she'd had her B12 tested before embarking on the strange mixture she's taking, but she hasn't replied. I was in no way endorsing her choice. Just adding to a point someone else made.
Hi Grey goose I started taking a vit B complex 2 weeks before my blood test and my results came back with
B12/folate
Normal no action
Note change in B12 reference range from my last test.
I think I've got a bit carried away with the supplements.
Yes, but, as you'd been taking the B complex, the results are likely to be higher than your actual levels. It won't be a good guide.
Besides, in whose opinion are they normal? You need to see the actual numbers. B12 is optimal at 1000. Folate needs to be at least mid range.
You should actually be able to get the actual number and the range. Ask for a full print out at your GP practice.
Thanks Bluebug- I know they work together and personally have never taken a multi vitamin tablet sticking to a good brand of b complex for that reason as they are designed to avoid the problems you describe.
Thanks Greygoose for clarifying whine vitamin B you can overdose on 😊
Hi I've just had a look it is natural, every thing is from Holland and barret so I'm assuming there ok.
No, not everything that comes from Holland and Barret is OK. Be careful.
Holland and Barrett can sell junk e.g. they don't sell magnesium citrate and also aren't allowed to sell certain supplements over the RDA. For example you can't get high doses of vitamin D from them yet some people need more than 1,000IU of vitamin D per day. You can't get high doses of iron as they only sell supplements with a max of 15mg in them.
My dog daisy there are 5 grades of vitamins so different company's use different quality of vitamins to put in the tablets. This is why there is such a range in prices. The lower the grade of the vitamin the less you are able to absorb or maybe none! You might be surprised at how some so called reportable company's use low grade vitamins! The only way you can find out is to contact them.
Does yours look like this: Amount Per Soft Gel % DV
Vitamin E (as d-Alpha Tocopherol) 400 IU 1333%
d-Gamma Tocopherol 100 mg *
d-Beta & d-Delta Tocopherol 40 mg *
Total Tocotrienols 20 mg *
* Daily Value (DV) not established.
To help with my thyroid levels I take
150mgs Levothyroxine
Sea Kelp 2x15mgs (am)
Selenium & Zinc (am) I had read that you need to take these two combined as they help each other absorb
I use to take 3x15mgs of the sea kelp but have reduced it to 2 as now was having slight hyper side effects. (Racing heart mainly) but they have stopped now reduced and my TSH levels are now at the 'lower' end of the range.
I also now take vitB complex but that's not for my thyroid. That's just as a boost following a stroke last year and to help with my energy levels.
Don't know about the rest of your one or what they do
If you are taking 150 mcg levo, you really do not need to take kelp. I'm not surprised you got hyper symptoms, you risk seriously over-dosing on iodine. And becoming hyper is not the only danger, it could trigger Hashi's. And, if you already have Hashi's, it could make it ten times worse. Excess iodine is not a good thing, and unless you are iodine deficient, will do nothing to help your thyroid.
I agree with greygoose on Kelp.
N.B. I've just cut and pasted my comments from below.. as I was mistakenly mistaking your reply for the OP.
You are hypothyroid on Levothyroxine, so I completely understand that you want to optimise T4 to T3 conversion (as I do).
Kelp has ten times more calcium per gram than milk. Given that you also mention having had a stroke this would suggest that you'll have calcification of soft tissues / arteries. Vit D optimizes Calcium absorption so taking Kelp is not the best strategy (it's also very high in Sodium). Taking Co-Q10 is sensible as it'll support arterial health, so would Magnesium.
Also, have you heard of the Calcium Paradox? Not many people have. Basically it is coming to light that calcium is not being directed to the bones and it's being stuck in soft tissue. It has been discovered that a likely reason for this is K2 deficiency due to Western diet (agricultural practices mostly). I'd recommend ditching the Kelp and taking K2 with your D3 supplement. Here's some evidence...
vitamink2.org/?benefit=vita...
Personally I'd just snack on nuts to get my Selenium and Zinc. Like you, I also use a B complex. It took a while to find a good one though that has the most bio-available forms of the B's and it's pretty good.
Hello, I'm also taking kelp for iodine and the dosage I'm taking is 150mcg daily, so I wonder whether even such a low amount would interfere with calcium metabolism???
Could you please share which B Complex you are using? Thank you
I'm not positive Martina but I don't think your supposed to take kelp unless it's changed and you can now but you couldn't years ago, my B complex is B-100 timed release from Holland and barrett.
B complex from Iggenus - their stuff is pretty high end. I therefore try to do what I can with diet.
I eat cranberries for iodine, but not too many 
Thank you HLAB35. I have been using Metabolics B Complex for quite a while and I'm pleased with it, but I'd like to try another brand. I had thought of Thorne Basic B-Complex or Thorne 6-B Complex as I also only want to have the activated B vitamains, no folic acid but 5-MTHF and no cyanocobalamin but only methylcobalamin/adenosylcobalamin. I'm very choosy about the supplements I take.
Oh I didn't know cranberries contain iodine! Thank you for mentioning them to me:-))) I'm going to buy some...
Just to qualify that last comment.. I regularly take one B-complex a day rather than the recommended two a day. I also supplement omegas, D3 and K2 together and magnesium and NAC (amino acid). I'll take soluble Vit C with meals sometimes and soluble mineral mix when I'm run down (dehydrated, stressed, or with a bad cold) and once or twice a week I'll give myself a boost of individual tablets of B12, folate, niacin and P-5-P (taken together for best effect).
Everything else is diet 
Mdd,
Your sups are good and can be taken all together but that would be rather a lot.
Just split into two or three, ensuring to take Vit C with the iron as this will help absorption.
Take your thyroid hormone replacement pill on an empty stomach with a glass of water, 1 hour before food, 2 hours before supplements and 4 hours before calcium, iron or Vit D supplements.
If you are low on Vit B12, you may need to supplement additional to that found in a B complex.
Firstly you should be tested for vitamin D, ferritin, folate and vitamin B12. Why? Vitamin D and ferritin are stored by the body and you can overdose. You may need to take large amounts of folate and vitamin B12 but don't know.
Secondly drop the multi-vitamin and cod liver oil. Why?
Multi-vitamins tend to have vitamins and minerals that interact with each other for example they commonly contain calcium and iron. Calcium limits or stops the body absorbing iron.
Cod liver oil contains 10 to 12,000 times as much vitamin A to vitamin D3.
Both of them separately tend to contain far more vitamin A than you need and together you are likely to be overdosing.
In addition you are duplicating other vitamins. For example you are taking vitamin E but also a multi-vitamin. Multi-vitamins have vitamin E in them. You are taking vitamin D but also a multi-vitamin which will have some vitamin D in it. How do you know how much of a vitamin you are actually taking? And what supplement is working to increase your levels? Some supplements are badly made even though they have great advertising so may not work.
There is research, including epidemiological studies, that indicates taking vitamins A and E increases the risk of some diseases which can shorten lifespan, so it's not a good idea to take loads of them especially as they are both fat soluble vitamins so are stored in the body and most people in the West are not deficient in them.
If you are deficient or know you need to take a maintenance dose then take the vitamin C and iron together. Take it 4 hours away from thyroid meds and 2 hours away from other food, including tea and coffee, and other supplements. That way you minimise the risk of iron interacting with anything.
You can take the rest together though some people prefer to take their vitamins earlier and their minerals in the evening. However it's recommended to take vitamin D with your lunch as some people claim it stops them sleeping if they take it later.
Hi bluebug I threw the codliver oil in because of severe dry eyes the opticians suggested that one and I take a multi mineral not multi vitamin and I tend to take that on it own in the pm I was trying to find something for adrenal fatigue because on an earlier post about me coming off antidepressants so thats were the vit e came into it someone suggested it,Thankyou for your reply.
The optician should have told you about wetting drops not told you to take a combined supplement.
S/he has no idea what your diet is like or clearly what else you are supplementing.
S/he should actually write to your doctor or referred you on themselves - there has already been one optician found guilty of the death of someone - so advising you to take supplements is negligent.
Anyway HLab35has written some useful things below some which is applicable to you.
Oh and the kind of magnesium you want is magnesium citrate.
Hi Bluebug Thankyou for your reply I do have eye drops (quite expensive ones on prescrition) and I also have gel tears which I put in when I go to bed,it's got to that stage now that if they get any drier I won't be able to wear contacts no more or so I've been told, to be honest they really don't feel that bad to me.
When I started wearing contact lenses in my late teens I was always warned if my eyes became too dry or anything else happened I would have to stop wearing them.
Oddly since I sorted everything out I've not been told that my eye are not dry any more.
However in your case you should have your ferritin, folate, vitamin B12 and vitamin D measured then supplement accordingly. This means you need to know the numbers and ranges so you have a guide to what you are trying to do.
This is exactly the same with ensuring you are adequately medicated for your thyroid hormones.
I read that dry eyes may be caused by vitamin A deficiency. Is there enough vitamin A in your cod liver oil?
I noticed your reference to dry severe dry eyes. I have the same problem. Artificial tears only work in the short term....and they can exacerbate the problem, as they are washing away the natural lubrication in your eyes. My optician explained that the problem is not that we don't produce tears...we do... it's that we're not producing the oily film that seals in the tears. He suggested a heat mask for blepharitis which will get the oil flowing more efficiently....you can buy them on ebay. I found my eyes improved significantly since I started using one. In the winter months I also use a humidifier in the living room. Hope this helps.
Oh Thankyou Dodoc I've wrote that down I will have a look at that later.
Hi again Dodoc I've ordered one from eBay Thankyou for that.
Hi Mydogdaisy1!...... I meant to say I started with the masks you place in the microwave, but I absentmindedly put in the time I use to heat my porridge (2 mins instead of 30 seconds!).......the smell was horrendous!! Would you believe I did that on two occasions? So I ended up getting one that you pop into a bowl of freshly boiled water for five minutes - it retains the heat for 10 minutes. You then put the gel mask into a pouch and use it as directed. I find it works well.....and it lasts longer! (If the pouch gets a bit worn or soiled you could probably cover the gel mask with a clean cloth.) It's called EYESOOTHE. Another optician had recommended flaxseed oil as a supplement. You could check that out ... just make sure you are not doubling up on certain vitamins. Hope you get relief.
Hi Dodoc
That sounds like the one I've ordered eye soothe it's coming on Monday,can't wait to give it a try,it's hard to put drops in ten times a day when your in work all day I'm lucky if I do it twice and I'm sure the docs would love me asking for a new prescription every week at fifteen pound a bottle,Thankyou very much for your advice.
Hello there,
You are hypothyroid on Levothyroxine, so I completely understand that you want to optimise T4 to T3 conversion (as I do).
I'm surprised and a little worried though that you've decided to take Kelp which has ten times more calcium per gram than milk. Given that you also mention having had a stroke this would suggest that you'll have calcification of soft tissues / arteries. Vit D optimizes Calcium absorption (no need to supplement Calcium) so taking Kelp is not the best strategy (it's also very high in Sodium). I agree that taking the Co-Q10 is sensible as it'll support arterial health, so would Magnesium.
Also, have you heard of the Calcium Paradox? Not many people have. Basically it is coming to light that calcium is not being directed to the bones and it's being stuck in soft tissue. It has been discovered that a likely reason for this is K2 deficiency due to Western diet (agricultural practices mostly). I'd recommend ditching the Kelp and taking K2 with your D3 supplement. Here's some evidence...
vitamink2.org/?benefit=vita...
Personally I'd just snack on nuts to get my Selenium and Zinc, but testing for deficiencies especially in B12, folate and ferritin is desirable. Like you, I also use a B complex. It took a while to find a good one though that has the most bio-available forms of the B's and it's pretty good; but, I occasionally have a day where I'm run down and fatigued and I'll take a larger dose of B12 along with folate, niacin and B6 to help. It's important to be flexible with the soluble vitamins as they're more fleeting and demands change according to illness, stress etc. The fat soluble ones (A, D and E) and some of the minerals (iron and calcium) are stored in the body so you have to be especially mindful of not overdoing it with them.
Hope you find a selection that works for you.
HLAB53, it's not the OP that is taking kelp, it's someone that replied to her. If you want to address that person, you need to click on the reply button under her post, or she won't see your comments.
There's an excellent product called Juice Plus that is superior (in my experience) to multi vitamins. It's not cheap so I've stopped using it loads of times but always go back to it because of the benefits I feel when I'm on it. It doesn't contain B12 (I self inject b12 anyway) but a good b12 supplement is Ferraglobin. It also contains iron and b6. I can't help other than that sorry, just thinking of how you could combine lots of vitamins into fewer tablets.
Can I suggest you check out the brilliant Dr Andrew Saul on YouTube. He made "that vitamin move" and there's loads of his talks and interviews online. He also has a website in his own name and another called Doctor Yourself.com
Vitamin confusion - advice please!
Another Vitamin D Query
Vitamin D 50,000
