How do I know which vitamins are ‘good quality’?

[Flecmac]

I really struggle knowing which vitamins are ‘good quality’ and where is best to buy them from, it’s a mine field!!! Also buying them all separately is also very costly. I have Hashimoto’s. Thanks 😊

[AGGIE75]

Hardy Nutritionals is my go to, their “Daily Essential Nutrients”.

[fibrolinda in reply to AGGIE75]

A multi vit and mineral! We don't like them on here. Usually not enough or/ and wrong kind in them plus things you don't need and can even be bad for you... Like iodine for one in these. Used to be used to treat hyperthyroidism so big bad for hypothyroidism sufferers.

[AGGIE75 in reply to fibrolinda]

Oh ok. So no iodine for hypothyroid? I have no idea, I used to take the True Hope ones and then switched to Hardy. I liked them as they seemed to boost my immune system.

[fibrolinda in reply to AGGIE75]

Plus iron pretty much blocks absorption of all the rest😐. I used to take a multi vit and mineral thinking it was a good thing to do😯 Best to test and only take what you need. Some are deficient in iodine but need to test first, then supplement, but only with help of someone with experience.

[AGGIE75 in reply to fibrolinda]

Yeah, that’s why I was chuckling when I was pregnant they automatically gave me iron. Without checking. I normally try to get all my vitamins from food generally, but when my diet was subpar, I found that taking Hardy helped with cravings and got me into better habits somehow. In terms of quality I found their products of high quality.

[LuckyKat in reply to fibrolinda]

Iodine was used to treat both hypo and hyper - it's about reaching sufficiency

[AGGIE75 in reply to LuckyKat]

I thought it was radioactive iodine that was used to treat hyper, but iodine itself is a necessary nutrient, no?

[helvella Administrator in reply to AGGIE75]

Yes, radioactive iodine is used in the treatment of hyperthyroidism - as in radioactive iodine ablation. But that was not the point being made.

Iodine in the treatment of hyperthyroidism

Author: Douglas S Ross, MD

Section Editor: David S Cooper, MD

Deputy Editor: Jean E Mulder, MD

INTRODUCTION

Iodine solutions, such as saturated solutions of potassium iodide (SSKI) or potassium iodide-iodine (Lugol's solution), replaced burnt sponge extract in the 19th century as treatment for endemic goiter. By extension, they were sometimes used to treat Graves' disease, but by the end of the century, they were considered to be a dangerous form of therapy. They returned to favor in the 1920s as preoperative treatment for hyperthyroidism and were used in the 1930s as the sole therapy for mild hyperthyroidism prior to the introduction of the thionamides. Today, iodine continues to have a minor role in the treatment of hyperthyroidism.

uptodate.com/contents/iodin...

[Marz]

Which ones have you tested for and which ones are low ? SeasideSusie makes good suggestions on her regular Replies. Click onto Members at the Top of this page - then type in her username - then Click Replies .. scroll through ! What are you currently taking ?

[Flecmac in reply to Marz]

Tested for iron which is always ok, vitamin D which I supplement with D and K2 spray, B 12 is ok and using Magnesium spray which I make myself. Looking at b complex and maybe vitamin c. Thought about Ashwaganda too. Thanks Marz 😊

[Marz in reply to Flecmac]

Lots of members here take Thorne Research B Complex or Igennus - I think it's called. I take Thorne. I vary the VitC ! Taking it in powder form currently as I'm stoking up for winter !!

Ashwaghanda is not something that I know lots about. Check out an organic source perhaps ?

[Flecmac in reply to Marz]

Thanks Marz 😊

[mikey_is_alive]

its not science. but it has helped.. your body only needs a certain amount of vitamins a day. the rest excretes out as urine unused. so the vitamins in big doses or huge capsules are usually only that size because they couldnt refine/purify it into small usable amounts. so their hope is by giving you too much of random stuff there might be enough of the good stuff in it that can get used.

so if some company is selling megadose amounts. be a bit wary. they obviously have not done the science to know what a body actually need/uses. and are just bulk selling

[Cooper27]

I was literally just wondering this! I want to try a new type of magnesium, but I can't find the type in a brand I know, so I have no idea how to tell the good from the bad. My sister was also looking for recommendations for a few things too, but again, I just don't know how to tell.

I'm aware of solgar, better you and allergy research for "good" brands.

[Flecmac in reply to Cooper27]

I make my own magnesium spray, magnesium flakes and water, look online how to make, very easy. 😊

[Cooper27 in reply to Flecmac]

I've seen suggestions for that before, but I'm looking for a specific type of chelated magnesium that only seems to come in tablet form (to support cognitive function).

[asidist]

i think it’s very difficult to know and unfortunately always a gamble.

i personally do a ton of research including checking results from third party independent testers Labdoor and ConsumerLab (both of which have shortcomings however), and read relevant posts on here to try to keep up on the latest knowledge, but it still seems like there’s always something new to learn and be cautious of. i’ve found the recommendations on this board are generally good, with only minor or perhaps inadvertent contradiction with research i’ve read (for instance to not take high doses of vitamin d and k2 at the same time as they compete for absorption and to not take high doses of d in the evening as it can interfere with melatonin production).

i’m in the US and for us supplements whose labels list cGMP indicate they have been found compliant with Good Manufacturing Practices. The USP label is another indicator of manufacturing quality. However neither of those indicate anything about the quality of the form of different vitamins (most absorbable by the body, etc). I also write to manufacturers to ask questions and am wary if I get back answers lacking transparency (note Solgar is one of those!). In the end it’s all still a crapshoot and I hope someone figures out how hypos can better absorb nutrients so we can just reduce the number of supplements we need!

sorry for the book all to not offer much help, i guess avoiding other stressful things in my life at the moment

[Flecmac in reply to asidist]

Thank you 😊

[Wired123]

I would say see a good private nutritionist, especially if you have blood tests handy. Doctors only deal with medications as they are the only ones who can prescribe, they don’t worry about supplements.

This is where a good nutritionist can help in terms of optimising your diet and any supplements you need. Just don’t make the mistake of seeing a dietitian which is similar but a lot less helpful!

If you need a recommendation then feel free to DM me and I can recommend the person my partner and I see. She’s brilliant and really thinks outside the box as well as holistically.

[Flecmac in reply to Wired123]

Thank you. Depends where you are? I am in Nottingham.

[Wired123 in reply to Flecmac]

She’s in London but all our consults have been by video call which makes it really easy. You can email recent blood test results in advance of the appt and she will have recommendations for what you need.

[Wired123]

Also a nutritionist will be able to recommend the best brand for each type of supplement you require. The overriding rule is never to use high street brands that are sold in Boots or Holland & Barrett as they are inferior products as you are paying for the overheads of the shop.