Vitamins and supplements - what doses should I be taking?

[W3ndy2159]

Good morning all hope you are all well today and had a good nights sleep?

Recently started on course of vitamins and supplements and was wondering what dose should I be taking for optimal benefits? I don't want to overdose but do want maximum effect!

Below is a list with strengths and what I currently take but would appreciate everyone's valued opinion on whether I'm taking too much or too little thanks

Ferrous fumarate 210mg..............3x daily..........doctors prescription due to low iron

Vit B12.................1000ug.............3x daily...........low end of normal range (396ng/l (211-911)

SeaKelp-iodine.....15mg...............3x daily...........not been tested so maybe taking too much!

Vit D3....................25ug................1x daily...........not been tested

Magnesium...........250mg.............1x daily...........read that vit D can reduce mag levels

L/tyrosine..............500mg.............1x daily...........not sure why I chose this!!!(depression??)

Betaine HCL..........???.................1 x daily..........multi digestive enzyme-(to aid absorption I think - Coeliac screening came back 0.2u/ml (0.0-10.0) borderline coeliac. Had a positive blood test previously but biopsy came back negative!!!)

My levo has been reduced from 200mcg to 150mcg due to test results suggesting being over medicated!

I've gone 'cold turkey' and stopped taking 20mcg citrolopram x1 daily.

Been on them for 5 years after tragic family bereavement - which effected me badly . (Silly me maybe! I may regret this!! But time will tell.) I take B12, Magnesium, D3, and L/tyrosine to help depression and mental well being. Should I take selenium too? If so what strength and how often?

I am hoping

Vit B12, ferrous fumarate, and magnesium will help with tiredness and fatigue.

Vit D3, and SeaKelp will helpThyroid function.

Magnesium, SeaKelp, and B12 for metabolism-hope it helps me lose weight!!!!!!

I started this regime 2 weeks ago and the difference I feel is amazing. I have seen an improvement in :-

Nails............................fast growing and less brittle and breakage.

Hair.............................less coarse and more shine and growing.

Tiredness ...................more energy and not falling asleep the moment I sit down.

Digestive system.........less bloating,no IBS symptoms, feel slimmer, less appetite, no cravings for wrong foods.

Mental clarity/concentration...............less brain fog.

Eyesight.............................................clearer and crisper.

Hearing...............................................less dull and sharper.

Sleep.....................................better quality and less waking up (several times a night before.)

Muscle aches and pains-......................Virtually none.

Palpitations and irregular heart beat.....none

Blood pressure.............reduced from ??/94 to ??/74 (apparently its the bottom number to watch!!)

Moods and depression...........finding everything funny or amusing now:-), my emotions seem to be heightened ....as I laugh a lot and cried at the tv the other night (can't remember the last time I did that) which to me is a better than just being on a level plane of indifference!

It seems to me that every cell and nerve in my body has come to life

The only down side to this is.....now every movement.....no matter how small....is like a little firework or explosion in my body sending tingling sensations everywhere all at once! When this 1st started it was lovely/funny/exciting to feel such alive, but now....it is literally getting on my nerves!!!

I'm a bit worried about this.

Thanks in advance for advice and thoughts and patients if you've persevered and read this far! Wendy x

(PS:- maybe this should have been a blog not a question??) ha! Ha! LOL

(PPS:- I started this at 6.45am. It's now 8.10pm!!! I have been to work and usual housewife chores in between!!! )

[shezz]

Well I was told by my practise nurse when I asked her about vamins ahe said to get all in one which I fid

[W3ndy2159 in reply to shezz]

Hi Shezz

Which 'all in one' brand do you take?

How much do you pay and for how many?

How often do you take them?

Where did you get them from?

Coming to the end of the separate vitamin and minerals bottles I bought recently. I've had a concentrated blast as an initial boost, to bring any deficiencies up to strength, but would now like to just supplement with smaller doses and all round multi vits to keep on top of things. Also hoping it will be cheaper!

Thanks

Wendy

[shaws Administrator]

This is also information at the top of the page on nutrition/supplements from Dr Lowe and I am glad your regime is helping you.

web.archive.org/web/2010103...

[W3ndy2159 in reply to shaws]

Thanks Shaw I'll check it out

[W3ndy2159]

The problem with that is you get too much of some if you want a particular amount of another and whatever else the multi-vit contains which you may not want. thanks Shezz

[Hidden]

Good for you that it is helping, even 'tho Levo reduced - perhaps no Ad's makes you feel better too!

It could be one or a combination really - difficult to pinpoint, but vitamins/minerals tend to be low with low Thyroid function (& low stomach absorption too) btw HCL is stomach acid (+ enzyme). Yes things work together like Vit D needs magnesium. Not sure about the tingly feelings (B12?) or kelp either (doesn't Levo contains iodine?)- but no worries if you're feeling better!

(PS Vit D helped me - but at higher dose than 25ug/1000iu, with a Mg spray). Jane

[W3ndy2159 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Jane

Haven't had Vit D tested so didn't want to overdo it! Are you deficient, is that why you take higher dose? How much do you take and where do you get mg spray from? Is it better to spray than tablet? How do you know how much to spray or is it 1xspray =1xtab/dose?

How much mg should you take in relation to Vit D strength?

Am I taking too much B12 and Iodine - perhaps overdosing on those? Hence super sensitivity? Or maybe because stopped anti-D's my nerves/cells etc are no longer suppressed and have sprung back into life? Such a strange feeling - funny (yeah just like the sensation when you knock your funny bone )ha ha.

Wendy

[Hidden in reply to W3ndy2159]

Oh I'm sorry Wendy - I didn't mean to worry you! (mum on phone so couldn't reply sooner!) I'm not an expert.

There's not really a lot of guidance for vitamins and minerals - sadly docs don't tend to monitor these or think them important (or test either). But your regime does include the ones folks usually recommend with low Thyroid function (I don't really know about coeliac I'm sorry, except for obvious absorption issues - are you avoiding bread etc? - there's a HU forum for more info).

* Iron - you've been prescribed by doc - so who am I to say - folks recommend 'spatone'? doc should monitor levels, but ferritin should be over 90 ug/L.

* B12 - It has been reported that low B12 can be a cause of tingling perhaps? I believe you should aim for a level of over 500, def one to watch with stomach probs. (some say other B vits/complex help too). then again could be, as you say, feelings kicking back in - who knows? do you eat meat?

* Vit D3 - GP wouldn't test so I went here (NHS lab £25 home pinprick test)

vitamindtest.org.uk/

I was inadequate & daughter deficient - we take 'bio-emulsion' drops 4000iu at the mo (def helped my joint aches/muscle pain & we're happier too!) 125 nmol/L is optimal (but sunshine better!) It takes a LOT to overdose on Vit D. (have a look at Dr Myhill's site for info). Some recommend a calcium check first.

I have a 3-4 magnesium spays and Epsom salts in bath - no actual amounts sorry! (e.g. from bodykind).

I am inclined to think, and have read somewhere, that when you 'boost' up related vitamins then the Levo will work better? It is such a jigsaw and everyone is different (I am not on Levo or Thyroid meds so I have no experience - yet!). but make sure you take the iron away from Levo, vit C helps iron, I take Vit D with milk and a few brazil nuts for selenium (just in case).

As for kelp/iodine - there's a bit of a debate, so I don't know. Maybe an iodine deficiency caused all this in the first place? - but if Hashis it's tricky.

We are told that vitamins/minerals are not needed if on a healthy diet - well even a healthy diet can't solve digestion and Thyroid issues, but it helps.

Best wishes Jane

[Heloise]

If you have time to watch the second video on vitamin D, it is vitally important and a large population is deficient. thyroiduk.healthunlocked.co...