Since many of us have to supplement, I was wondering if someone could pm me which brand they take. I use a UK brand -- starts with S ends with r (dear admins: hope that ‘s okay!) which seems good but it’s expensive !
I take Vitamin C, B complex, Folatin, Selenium. A combo for joint pain. Thinking of Zinc as well. Have been taking iron but don’t know how long I should go on till next test.
Since none of this is reimbursed it all amounts to quite a pretty penny.
Koola
It's OK to mention brand names 
I personally wouldn't use Solgar, I think there are better brands.
First of all, do you need all those, are you taking the correct doses, etc. What are your current test results (include reference ranges) for the following:
Vit D (also include units of measurement)
B12 (also include unit of measurement)
Folate
Ferritin
then we can take it from there
Hi Seaside Suzy,
Vit D3: 46.5 / Range 20 – 100
B12 : 660,0 / Range 160 – 925
Folate: Can’t find it! 
(will check with lab) I was told to take 400 μg every 2 days
Ferritin: 33,1/ Range: 8 – 114
Iron : 76 / Range 45 – 155
All tests done on 19 December.
I take all these (+ magnesium at night and a combo pill for joint pains after meals) hours after Levo & T4.
Only positive improvement – a biggish one but compared to worsening tiredness not major – is that my stools are normal again after months or diarrhea /constipation. I don’t know what it’s due to, but thankful for that!
Units of measurement please for Vit D (nmol/L or ng/ml) and B12 (pg/ml or ng/L or pmol/L).
What doses of supplements are you taking?
Vit D ng/ml and B12 is pg/ml
Well thanks for making me check! I just saw that the Vitamin B Complex , on top of B6 50 mg and B12 50 μg , has Folacin, and Kelp and other things hard to read on screen . I gave the flask to the friend I ordered it with. Could I be overdosing on Folic acid?! OMG, I really have to be more careful!
Vitamin D I was told was okay, since there’s sunshine in Greece and days are getting longer I didn’t supplement.
Vitamin D I was told was okay, since there’s sunshine in Greece and days are getting longer I didn’t supplement.
Vit D3: 46.5ng/ml / Range 20 – 100
The Vit D Council recommends a level of 50ng/ml and the Vit D Society recommends 40-60ng/ml. Your level is OK. I like to keep mine at the upper end of the recommended range. We don't all make Vit D effectively from the sun so it's always worth checking occasionally to see if you maintain your level.
B12 : 660,0pg/ml / Range 160 – 925
According to an extract from the book, "Could it be B12?" by Sally M. Pacholok:
"We believe that the 'normal' serum B12 threshold needs to be raised from 200 pg/ml to at least 450 pg/ml because deficiencies begin to appear in the cerebrospinal fluid below 550".
"For brain and nervous system health and prevention of disease in older adults, serum B12 levels should be maintained near or above 1000 pg/ml."
So your Total B12 level is OK. However, the Active B12 is the better test as this measures the amount of B12 that is free and available to be used by the cells. We can have a good Total B12 but low Active B12.
Ferritin: 33,1/ Range: 8 – 114
Ferritin is recommended to be half way through range so that would be 61 (yours is 23.68% through the range)
Iron : 76 / Range 45 – 155
Serum iron is recommended to be 55-70% through range with the higher end for males. Yours is 28.18% through range.
When supplementing with iron then you should test every 2-3 months. Iron tablets should be taken with Vit C to aid absorption, and should be taken 4 hours away from thyroid meds.
Vitamin B Complex , on top of B6 50 mg and B12 50 μg , has Folacin, and Kelp and other things hard to read on screen .
Exactly which B Complex are you taking, there are so many.
So you are taking 50mg B6 as well as the B6 contained in your B Complex? Long term high dose B6 can cause nerve damage. Regular use dose should be about 10mg.
Kelp is a form of iodine and we Hypos shouldn't take iodine unless tested and found to be deficiency. Iodine used to be used to treat overactive thyroid (not talking about the radioactive iodine currently used) so supplementing with iodine may well make hypothyroidism worse.
Exactly which B Complex are you taking, there are so many. So you are taking 50mg B6 as well as the B6 contained in your B Complex?
I was taking Solgar Vitamin B 50 complex only, since mid January.
Before that I took a simple B1+B6+ B12 called Neurobion (Merck).
I’m wondering if the extra Folacin in B complex plus the 400 μg I was taking every 2 days also made things worse – on top of that kelp!
Should I take Vitamin C with the iron and could you please tell me which brand is better than Solgar?
Koola
This is what I can see as the ingredients of Solgar B50
Thiamin (vitamin b1, as thiamin mononitrate) 50mg,
Vitamin B6 (as pyridoxine HCI) 50mg,
Pantothenic Acid (as D-pantothenate, calcium) 50mg,
Robiflavin (vitamin B2) 50mg,
Inositol 50mg,
Niacin (vitamin B3, as nicotinamide) 50mg NE,
Choline (as bitartrate) 21mg,
Bulking Agents: dicalcium phosphate, microcrystaline cellulose, mannitol,
Anti-caking Agents: vegetable magnesium stearate, silicon dioxide, powdered Plant base (kelp, alfafa, acerola extract, parsley, rose hips, watercress) 3.5mg,
Folic Acid (as pteroylmonoglutamic acid) 400 µg,
vitamin B12 (as cyanocobalamin) 50µg, D-biotin 50µg
Any B Complex that is B50, B100, etc, is unbalanced. We don't need the "same amount" of most of them, as explained about the B6.
The amount of folic acid is 400mcg which is classed as a normal maintenance dose once folate deficiency had been addressed with folic acid. Without seeing your folate result it's not possible to comment on how much might be suitable to take.
The kelp is part of the plant base of the supplement and doesn't say the actual amount of the individual plants used.
Also, it uses B12 as cyanocobalamin which is the wrong form and is best avoided, the better form is methylcobalamin.
Should I take Vitamin C with the iron
Yes, as mentioned in my previous reply and I gave the reason why.
could you please tell me which brand is better than Solgar?
For B complex I like Thorne Basic B. Some members here like Igennus Super B. Both of those brands are better balanced and have the bioavailable forms of active ingredients that doesn't require the body to convert them (eg methylfolate instead of folic acid, methylcobalamin instead of cyanocobalamin).
Thinking of Zinc as well
Best to test zinc level first, plus copper, as they need to be balanced. Zinc should be half way through range.
THANK YOU!
One last question: can you recommend a good brand of Vitamin C + potency? there are so many.
1000mg Vit C with each iron tablet.
I use a Acerola Cherry Vit C powder by Time Health, pure powder, no additives.
Hi Koola , everyone,
I am looking for a multivitamin and mineral brand to start taking Asap.
Could you mention any multivitamin & mineral which does not interfere with / in your experience has not interefered with the levothyroxine (hypothyroidism & Hashimoto)?
Does anyone tried ' high-strength health mega one a day prolonged release' by Healthyaid, with iron?
I am afraid of any side effects.
Thank you for any advice.
soylatte
' high-strength health mega one a day prolonged release' by Healthyaid, with iron?
Don't waste your money, it's a very good example of why not to buy multivitamins.
Multivitamins aren't recommended for many reasons, they tend to contain too little of anything to help low levels of nutrients, often contain the cheapest and wrong form of active ingredients, and they tend to contain things we should be tested for before supplementing and only take if we are deficient.
These are the reasons why this is a poor supplement:
Folic acid - the recommended form is methylfolate.
B12 is cyanocobalamin and the recommended form is methylcobalamin.
Vitamin K is in the form of phytonadione which is K1 and is the blood clotting form of the vitamin. There is no warning that this should not be taken by people on blood thinning medication, eg Warfarin. K2 is the form of this vitamin that should be taken when taking a D3 supplement, this is because D3 aids absorption of calcium from food and K2 directs the calcium to bones and teeth where it is needed and away from arteries and soft tissues where it can be deposited and cause problems like kidney stones and calcification of arteries.
Iodine - 235mcg. This should be tested first and only supplemented if found to be deficient, and then under the guidance of an experienced practioner. The recommended daily amount of iodine is 150mcg which is easily obtained from our diet. Iodine is anti-thyroid and can make hypothyroidism worse.
Calcium should be tested and only supplemented if found to be deficient.
Zinc oxide - this is cheap and poorly absorbed, the form used in nappy creams. It's a good idea to test zinc before supplementing.
Selenium - this is the selenate form which is not recommended. The recommended form is selenium l-selenomethionine or a yeast bound selenium.
Kelp - again this is a form of iodine.
Magnesium - this is the oxide form which is cheap and the least absorbable forms of magnesium, it has laxative properties.
Iron - this should be tested and only supplemented if found to be iron deficient or if you have iron deficiency anaemia. Also, iron needs to be taken 2 hours away from any other supplements because it affects absorption of anything else, which makes taking a multi containing iron pretty useless.
thank you SeasideSusie, x.
Hi Seaside Susie, everyone
RE: calcium test instructions
I have purchased a calcium test which arrived today, it came without instructions and without the GP referral as reads on the website.
I have written to them asking for the instructions but I doubt they will reply as they advertise a 0800 customer service number but I only got through to a recorded message and then the line cuts off immediately afterwards.
Anyway, please
does anyone know whether I have to fast or not for a urine calcium test? - Gosh this is embarrassing-
Thanks for any advice/ info.
PS: also, how do I attach a picture on here?
I don't know of this test. Is it a 24 hour test?
Its the urine calcium test from blue horizon medicals
This one?
bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...
yes, it is! exactly
OK. I have done a couple of 24 hour urine tests before but not a calcium one, but I think the principle is the same. I did my tests with a different company so I can only go by their instructions.
Obviously you can't fast for 24 hours and the timing of the first sample would mean that you wont have had breakfast anyway.
I'm surprised there are no instructions but this is how you normally do a 24 hour test, I'll put day and times in but of course you will choose your own. As you will be collecting all your urine over a 24 hour period you will, of course, have to use a large, clean container that's capable of holding possibly 1.5 to 2 litres of liquid. This will need to be kept in the fridge during the time of collection.
With the 24 hour test I did it was important record the amount of urine collected over the 24 hour period. Do you have a form to fill in that requires this information? It may not be essential for your test so don't worry if they don't require this.
1) Let's say you do your test on a Monday and get up at 8am, so your 24 hours start exactly 8am Monday and finishes at exactly 8am Tuesday. (This was important for my test because they needed the exact amount of urine passed in exactly 24 hours.)
2) At 8am on Monday, go to the loo, empty your bladder, do not collect this urination. This means that your test starts with an empty bladder.
3) Collect every urination during the day (don't forget to store the container in the fridge) and also if you get up during the night.
4) Last urination collected must be at 8am on Tuesday.
5) Fill the small container to be returned with urine from your large container. Refrigerate until ready to send it off.
I don't understand why they haven't included instructions, maybe it is an error and it doesn't look like they're offering a phone service at the moment. I would try using the Contact Us facility shown here:
bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...
and double check that the collection should be done as I have outlined above.
Also ask if the sample should be returned without being frozen (I honestly can't remember if I returned mine frozen or not).
I have looked at the kit shown on BH's page, it doesn't look like you have been provided with a large container, just the small one you return the sample in. I'm puzzled! I hope you have one or two large jugs that you can hygiencally clean before and after use. If you use two jugs you will have to mix the two lots together without spilling any if you have to record the amount of urine collected.
I think there was a pipette with my kit which was used to transfer urine from the large to the small container.
It might be worth asking if you have to avoid certain foods for a period of time before doing the test or on the day (thinking calcium rich foods here).
If you manage to contact them, do let us know what they say.
Oh my God SeasideSusie! a 24 hour test! then I am sure they the omit sending the instructions by mistake....
Thank you so much for all the info & instructions, Seaside Susie.
I contacted them many times through that 'contact form' and only got as well many automatic replies saying that they are ' a small team of medical secretaries, and every communication we answer takes us away from precious time arranging kit dispatch or communicating results to patients......long etc ' and on the subject line of the email they would include the following line:
'Thank you for letting us know of the slow postal service'. - distressing to say the least-
I will open a post so that I can attach a picture of what they have sent out to me -
Oh my God SeasideSusie! a 24 hour test!
Did you not notice under the description of the test on the page where you order it
Calcium urine test kit at home. This private 24-hour urine sample tests for Calcium only and has a turnaround time of 1 working day from when the sample has arrived at the laboratory.
Oh my God! it clearly says '24- hour' test.
You are absolutely correct!.
I would have preferred doing it with medichecks as I did a thyroid blood test with them- my very first one after reading you here- but they are no longer carrying out calcium tests, I think it reads 'discontinued' on their website.
I will open the a new post to attach the picture and stop stressing out.
If you'd rather not do it then you have the right to return it and get a refund (details on that contact page).
I wonder if the Medichecks blood test requires a venous blood draw so they have withdrawn it for the moment, they are only offering fingerprick or "arrange your own blood draw" and their list of available tests is much reduced at the moment.
You can only add one picture and it has to be in the opening post of a thread. You can edit your opening post by clicking on MORE, click EDIT, click ADD A PHOTO, upload your picture then SUBMIT.
Vitamin B12, Supplementation and Vitamin C
Selenium supplements for hypothyroid
B vitamin supplements 
Advice on Vitamin Supplements 
VITAMIN SUPPLEMENTS AND BLOOD TESTING
