s/o of probiotics thread. - Do you take a lot of supplements?

[disykat]

So, I do take probiotics twice a week. I also like to take a multivitamin, omega 3 fish oil, vitamin d, AND a variety of other things. I really like the benefit I get (or perceive that I get) from each one and don't want to eliminate any. It's a ridiculous amount of pills. I've finally settled on taking 1/2 dose of multivitamin daily and all the others I just take twice a week. I fill 3 "weekly pill boxes" every few weeks and just divide them up so no one day is overloaded with things. To complicate things, I also take a daily antihistamine and some prescription meds. If I travel, I ditch the all the supplements and just do a full multi vitamin and the prescriptions.

I really didn't start any of the supplements until I was in my mid50's, but that's also the time period other issues started cropping up and I got some prescriptions. So those of you that do supplements, what do you do?

 

[leebee]

I take calcium and vitamin D supplements at my orthopedist's recommendation as I have osteopenia.
I take lutein/zeaxanthin for my vision, recommended by my ophthalmologist.
I take biotin to support my thin hair and fragile, peeling nails.

 

[tvguy]

I take calcium and vitamin D supplements at my orthopedist's recommendation as I have osteopenia.
I take lutein/zeaxanthin for my vision, recommended by my ophthalmologist.
I take biotin to support my thin hair and fragile, peeling nails.

If you ever have blood work done check on the biotin. I have blood work done every six months and the lab order says to stop taking biotin for a period of time before hand as it can throw off the test results.

 

[BlueStarryHat]

I used to take Niacin along with my cholesterol medication on the advice of my cardiologist. I finally had to stop it because of the terrible flushes it gave me, although I stuck it out for as long as I could (the no-flush stuff isn't as good I was told.) I periodically take iron pills because I have chronic anemia. I don't take any vitamins daily. I asked my doctor about taking an over 50 multivitamin like Centrum Silver, and he told me it would just give me expensive pee.

 

[loves to dive]

I take calcium and vitamin D supplements at my orthopedist's recommendation as I have osteopenia.
I take lutein/zeaxanthin for my vision, recommended by my ophthalmologist.
I take biotin to support my thin hair and fragile, peeling nails.

I also take calcium but mine has Vitamin D included with it and I take it for the same reason. I used to take B12 because my blood work showed I was down. My Doc was pretty sure it was because I was having to take Nexium for GERD. Turns out it wasn't really GERD but a very, very, very bad gall stone (the actual size of my gall bladder) and after I had the gall bladder removed all was well. Now I only take the Calcium, hormones and fenofibrate for high triglycerides. I tried taking Boniva for the osteo but it was really painful so had to go off it after a year. It had already done the damage to my teeth and jaw by then. My teeth just randomly crack for no reason. At the end of this month I'm getting the last of the bottom ones pulled because I have a crack in one of the remaining 5. It's the only supporting tooth on that side of my jaw for my partial. I also have a lot of bone loss in my jaw so fingers crossed for being able to actually get a bottom denture to fit.

 

[bjscheel]

When Covid started I started taking a C, a D, and a Zinc nightly. I got annoyed with doing all three, so I switched to one per night, in order. Coincidence or not, I have barely even had a mild cold in the last 5 years so I am going to continue it. The tablets are not expensive. We have also bought combination C/D/Zinc gummies, especially leading up to a vacation, because my family was more likely to do gummies, but they are more expensive for lesser concentration.

 

[disykat]

So, bjscheel, it sounds like you do about what I do. Essentially take each supplement every few days to avoid taking a bunch every day. Like you, I feel better since I started taking the things I do. My allergies are better, I get sick less often, etc. Maybe we're on to something. All things in moderation? I was definitely of the "expensive pee" train of thought bluestarryhate mentioned for most of life until I started aging. Maybe I'm at a point in my life where the expensive pee is worth it to me just in case there's really a benefit?

 

[NannyBeBe]

I take Nature Made Multi+Omega-3 gummies and 2000 IU of D3 daily.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I wouldn't take anywhere near that much meds without going over each and every one with my doc especially with taking other medications, lot of potential reactions and potentially doing much more harm than good.

There's also newer studies done to say supplements are really not useful for the vast majority of the population as they are taken without reviewing the need for them (I say this as being a flintstone kid). Those who are taking them because they've had medical workup showing deficiencies should also be continuously monitoring as your body changes.

Years back I did, because I was the person who said well you know how bad could it be, tried women's one-a-day and ended up with horrible stomach pains. Stopped taking them and was fine again. It's a common enough understood issue with that one the culprit being the iron content though I didn't know that at the time.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

When Covid started I started taking a C, a D, and a Zinc nightly. I got annoyed with doing all three, so I switched to one per night, in order. Coincidence or not, I have barely even had a mild cold in the last 5 years so I am going to continue it. The tablets are not expensive. We have also bought combination C/D/Zinc gummies, especially leading up to a vacation, because my family was more likely to do gummies, but they are more expensive for lesser concentration.

I used to get a yearly sinus infection but didn't have one in 2020-2024 (got one for the first time since late 2019 in October 2024 after coming back from Japan) never changed a thing, it was simply the covid/pandemic effect many of us experienced where because of precautions taken our bodies were less exposed (there's good and bad to that). Many people reported not getting sick in very long stretches of time during the pandemic out of the ordinary for them without taking things to hope to prevent it.

 

[ronandannette]

I have chronic IBS which leads to frequent nutritional deficiencies. On the regular I have to have my potassium and B12 "recalibrated" with injections and potassium bombs, which are oral but such a massive dose it must be administered by a medical professional. The cycle starts with once-per-week for 4 weeks, then once a month for 3 months, until my levels are in the safe range. Then I get blood work monthly until I'm back in deficit again. Crazy, I know.

Not always but quite regularly, I take Vitamin C in the form of the EmergenC powder for immune support. And just recently I've started taking a night-time gummy with melatonin, ashwagandha and magnesium called Sleep Well. I'd never have identified myself as having sleep difficulties but wow - I am sleeping like a rock for more than 6 hours at a time on this stuff. Highly recommend!!

 

[chrisney]

So, I do take probiotics twice a week. I also like to take a multivitamin, omega 3 fish oil, vitamin d, AND a variety of other things. I really like the benefit I get (or perceive that I get) from each one and don't want to eliminate any. It's a ridiculous amount of pills. I've finally settled on taking 1/2 dose of multivitamin daily and all the others I just take twice a week. I fill 3 "weekly pill boxes" every few weeks and just divide them up so no one day is overloaded with things. To complicate things, I also take a daily antihistamine and some prescription meds. If I travel, I ditch the all the supplements and just do a full multi vitamin and the prescriptions.

I really didn't start any of the supplements until I was in my mid50's, but that's also the time period other issues started cropping up and I got some prescriptions. So those of you that do supplements, what do you do?

I have Crohns and COPD, Diabetes type 2, hypothyroidism and osteoporosis Having been hospitalized more than once by a number of deficiencies, I now take potassium, magnesium, complex, a Vitamin D-2(not D3) mega-dose, and calcium. Jut had blood-work and I am anemic so will have to add iron. Add the regular prescriptions that I take and I might rattle when I walk! Worth it though, since I went from a year when I was in the hospital for around 4 months (3 of them in one unit) to having not been hospitalized for 3 years!