Do you take dietary supplement?

[thirdman99]

Since a lot of vegetables are out of bounds in the induction period and, I'm thinking about taking dietary supplements to help intake vietamins and minerals. Do you think that's safe?

If you do take supplements, would you recommend all-in-one type ("multivitamin") supplements, or buy each type of minerals one by one? The former would be cheaper and more comprehensive, but the latter seems "safer" due to fewer types of ingredients.

Also, most of vietamin supplements seem to contain corn starch (among dozens of other things). I'm not sure what it's used for, but should I stay away from taking them?

[MrsBrittney]

In the book, Atkins reccomends several things you should take to ensure you're meeting all dietary needs. Off the top of my head, I would definately get a good multi-vitamin (preferably that does not have excess iron as you get plenty from the meat in your diet - they do make these!), a flaxseed oil or a combo of coldpressed Omega 3's and 6's.

I love to order my stuff here: www.puritan.com because theyre affordable, arrive quick and usually have a buy 1 get 348349 sale. LOL.

Here's an Omega 3-6-9 but I dont think coldpressed: http://www.puritan.com/pages/file.as...CID=&CPID=7923

And an iron-free GreenSource is a fave of mine: http://www.puritan.com/pages/file.as...CID=&CPID=1026

[blue996]

There are tons of vegetables allowed on induction! Pretty much everything is on the list except for starchy vegs. Daily I take a chelated multi-vitamin and calcium.

[jimmie 48]

it's not only safe but Dr. Atkins referred to supplements as being part of the "triad".
woe
exericse
supplements.

all work together and as you have stated, induction is the most restrictive phase and it is necessary to get those supplements in. one without iron as stated by brittney.
multivitamins for seniors are a good choice.

we have a vitanutrient forum and with biogeek as our know it all hostess, any specifice questions could be asked in that forum. you might want to look through the topics of that forum and see the things that have already been addressed. bio does a wonderful jog for us in the forum.

[Elizellen]

Here is a link to the Vitamins/nutritient forum Jimmie 48 mentioned.

http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.c...splay.php?f=44

[presidentholmes]

i take fish oil as I hate fish and feel it's imporant that I get Omega 3 oils. I also take a multi-vitamin, garlic and because i jyst cant shift a cold ive had for 6 friggin weeks, some extra vitamin c

[thirdman99]

Thanks. I guess I don't need fishoil pills as I like to eat sardines in a can.

Pretty much all the multi-vitamins I see in drugstores seem to contain significant amount of iron (>50% DV). Is it harmful to take too much iron on the top of bunch of meat I'm eating?

The linke Mrs Brittney suggested above has a brand without iron so I'll try to get that as soon as possible. In the meantime I'm wondering if it's harmful to get too much iron (I hope it's OK...)

[Elizellen]

There are dangers in taking too much iron. A quick google would give you lots of info about this.

I found this comment here http://www.irondisorders.org/Disorders/about.asp

Tolerable upper intake level (UL) = the largest amount of a nutrient that healthy individuals can take each day without being placed at increased risk of adverse health effects or any kind of adverse reaction (negative side effect). The UL for iron is 45 milligrams per day, based on findings of adverse gastrointestinal effects, such as constipation and nausea, that can occur when consuming iron supplements, especially when taken on an empty stomach.

Iron Disorders Institute Scientific Advisory Board recommends that whenever possible iron should be gotten from food and not from supplements, unless a person is determined to be iron deficient by his or her physician.

and

Therefore, unless a person is actually iron deficient-which is determined by certain tests, he or she should not take iron supplements.

How much iron is in the body?

Males of average height have about 4 grams of iron in their body, females about 3.5 grams; children will usually have 3 grams or less. These 3-4 grams are distributed throughout the body in hemoglobin, tissues, muscles, bone marrow, blood proteins, enzymes, ferritin, hemosiderin, and transport in plasma.

About iron image 004: iron distribution

The greatest portion of iron in humans is in hemoglobin. Except in cases of great blood loss, pregnancy, or growth spurts, where larger amounts of iron are required, our bodies only need about 1 to 1.5 milligrams of iron per day to replace what is lost. Normal daily excretion of iron through urine, vaginal fluid, sweat, feces, and tears total about 1-1.5 milligrams, or the equivalent of what most of us require per day, to function normally.

Many of us use something like www.fitday.com to log all our foods which gives a selection of reports including one telling what percentage of the RDA of all vitamins/minerals is in the food we eat.

[Hopeful1]

Originally Posted by Elizellen

There are dangers in taking too much iron. A quick google would give you lots of info about this.

yes! I'm anemic (very much so) or was. So the doctor put me on 3 iron tabs a day plus the multi I was taking. She did labs again and my iron was up almost normal range per anemia but then a week later they got the rest of my blood work in and I was almost iron poisoned. WAY over the limits. needless to say I quit taking the amounts she had me. She didn't even call to tell me all of this I had to call THEM! So I'm switching doctors as well.