Sunday, February 26, 2006

2 more miles and a discussion on vitamin supplements

I ran a little two miler down by the Seabrook trails. It's kind of a drive for just a little 2 miler, but I wanted to get out of my neighborhood while I can. It takes too long during the week.

Anyway, I always thought those people that take tons of vitamins were usually flaky hippies. But since I decided to start taking care of myself (May 2003, 248 lbs), my supplement count has creeped up, and now there's 4 of them! And I'm researching whether or not I should add a fifth. It already seems like a lot, but I have good reason for each of them.

My Daily Multivitamin - The first one I started. My grandma sends me these vitamins (Centrum), and she sends them way too often. She sends the 100 pill bottle every couple of months or so, and I have about a year's supply at this point.

Vitamin C - I started taking this to get over a cold, and I think it does help for that, but I stuck with it after I got over it. It's an immune system booster (supposedly), and an antioxidant too.

Calcium - Good for bones and teeth. I would have thought it would be good for your brain too, because it's such an important signalling molecule, but apparently, it's so important for brain function, your body will harvest Calcium from your bones long before levels in your brain drop.

Omega-3/6/9 Essential Fatty Acids - It better be good for me, because it smells and tastes terrible.

I'm considering another antioxidant supplement. There's already a lot of vitamin C, but it's limited because it's so hydrophilic, it doesn't have access to all cellular compartments.

Anywho, am I missing any good ones? What supplements do you take?
Keith.

6 comments:

equarles said...

Multivitamin, potassium, Vitamin C - daily
Vitamin E - 3 x a week
Salt tablets - as needed. Usually before long distance runs and after. Helps keep me from cramping...or at least my mind thinks that.

Hey Zeus said...

Protein only after running. The rest I get by eating right. On really long runs of 20 miles or more I will do E-Caps. The rest is crap, if they were worth anything the FDA would approve them, but they don't and they aren't. American will eat dog crap if it's marketed right.

Woodlands Runner said...

Glucosamine. The benefits are still in debate as far as I'm concerned but there are a lot of runners that swears by this. I have been taking it for the last few months.

Steve Bezner said...

Great discussion Keith. I've had different opinions over the years such as all vitamins essentially end up in the toilet to attempting to formulate the perfect supplement for myself. Currently, I've cut my supplements down to three.

My current regimen is as follows:
1. GNC Multi-vitamin w/ iron. Men have to be careful w/ iron, but I am borderline anemic so I take 10-12 mg a day.
2. 1000 mg of vitamin C.
3. CoQ10 - Studies have shown this enzyme to have antioxidant effects. My doctor also claimed some studies have shown it to help muscle cells regenerate.

I used to take fish oil for heart/circular system, saw palmetto for the prostate & toyed with the idea of Milk Thistle for the liver (studies have shown it to protect the live from the damages from alcohol).

jen said...

I take:

- Multivitamin
- B complex
- Calcium (I have low bone density, and all the 60+ yr old women in my family have osteoporosis)
- Omega 3 oils (I dread that fishy taste too!)

and right now, Vit C.

I can't believe you were 243lbs once! I love everyone's get-healthy stories! :)

Tiggs said...

I take:

- multivitamin "Stress Formula" that has iron, B, C, calcium etc in it
- calcium 630 mgs extra
- Vitamin C 1000 mgs extra

I can't take the Omega oils- upsets my stomach