Do you take vitamins and/or other supplements? How do you measure their value?

[Oliveloaf]

I just switched from taking a daily packet of vitamins sold under the Nature Made banner (sold at Walgreens) to the Vitamin Shoppe's house-brand Ultimate Male Vitamins.

Two interesting notes:

I actually feel better taking the new vitamins. Not always, but some does I have appreciably more energy and feel better working out.

There are nine(!) pills in each packet. Even if I space them out, I sometimes suffer from some stomach distress after completing the entire packet. The Nature Made packets included just five pills, and I had no problem sucking those back.

Just wondering what everyone else is doing along these lines.

[Orual]

I take one generic women's multivitamin, and some chewable fiber supplements. I don't know how much they help, but I figure they can't hurt.

NINE pills? I don't think I care enough about my health to swallow all that. What do they have that a simple multi doesn't??

[Zuul]

I take a B complex vitamin every day and two calcium-magnesium pills. Since I don't eat much meat or dairy, I'm always worried about not getting enough of those. In the winter I'll add a D vitamin as well. There doesn't seem to be much use in adding more than those, though. The calcium-magnesium gets spread out so there's one in the morning and one in the evening. The B complex usually goes in the morning and when I do the D it's usually in the morning as well. I can definitely feel a difference when I'm getting enough B12 and Vitamin D, but I don't notice the others much in how I feel.

I'm really curious to know why yours has nine pills in each packet, though! What all is in that?

[Oliveloaf]

I take a B complex vitamin every day and two calcium-magnesium pills. Since I don't eat much meat or dairy, I'm always worried about not getting enough of those. In the winter I'll add a D vitamin as well. There doesn't seem to be much use in adding more than those, though. The calcium-magnesium gets spread out so there's one in the morning and one in the evening. The B complex usually goes in the morning and when I do the D it's usually in the morning as well. I can definitely feel a difference when I'm getting enough B12 and Vitamin D, but I don't notice the others much in how I feel.

I'm really curious to know why yours has nine pills in each packet, though! What all is in that?

From the Vitamin Shoppe website:

Product Label

Multivitamin and Minerals - Multivitamins are the most commonly used supplement, offering an easy way to boost overall nutrient intake. Even an imbalance of one vitamin can impact overall health. Multivitamins are beneficial for energy production, stress reduction, immune health, blood sugar stability and heart health. Minerals are necessary for the body to function at its full potential. They play an integral part of bone formation, healthy nerves, muscle tone, heart health and assist the body to fully utilize vitamins and other nutrients.

Active-C(TM) - A ground breaking, innovative formula designed to enhance the absorption and bioavailability of Vitamin C. Active-C(TM) provides easy cellular transport of Vitamin C, which is critical for a multitude of health benefits. Active-C(TM) contains TriScorb(TM), a unique, proprietary combination of mineral ascorbates consisting of Vitamin C molecularly bound to the mineral salts Calcium, Magnesium and Zinc. Active-C(TM) is gentle on the stomach and also offers the complementary benefits of the important minerals Calcium, Magnesium and Zinc.

Vitamin E - A fat soluble vitamin that is a powerful biological antioxidant. Antioxidants act to protect your cells against damaging oxidants known as free radicals.

Calcium - A key mineral that is essential in the formation of healthy bones and teeth and is also required for blood clotting, transmission of signals in nerve cells, and muscle contraction.

Zinc - Promotes a healthy immune system and is essential for wound healing, sense of smell and taste. It is also required for protein synthesis and collagen formation.

Amino Acid Complex - Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins and proteins are the building blocks of life. Since many of the amino acids are not manufactured by the human body they must be supplied through diet and supplementation. Amino acids are ideal for maximizing muscle growth and recuperation and are essential for good nutrition.

Eleuthero - Helps promote energy and combats weakness.

Lecithin - A naturally occurring compound that is found in all cells. Lecithin plays an integral role in cell membrane health and structure and is an important nutrient for overall nutrition. It is particularly beneficial for liver, heart and brain health.

Chlorella - A species of edible algae. It is a great source of protein, vitamins B, C and E, amino acids and rare trace minerals.

Herbal and Whole Food Nutrients - Many herbs contain ingredients that can benefit the body. Herbs are rich in compounds that can help the body's tissues, organs and immune system. Whole food nutrients are derived from live unprocessed whole foods which are easily absorbed.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

[Oliveloaf]

Something in this silly mess makes me feel better. I wish I knew what it was, because I would just take that an a Centrum pill every day.

[Sarahfeena]

I still take a prenatal every day, although I'm not planning on any more children. My OB recommended it, because as he put it "babies come when they're not planned, too, you know." Apparently, you need the folic acid in your system from day 1 of conception for it to do it's work on the nervous system of the fetus, so it's a good thing to be sure you always have your levels of it up.

And, the prenatal is a pretty good overall multivitamin, so what the heck.