vitamins and supplements do you partake and do they make a difference?

Yes, my aches have mostly gone too since I discovered the gluten thing. I haven't lost the tiredness yet, but that's probably because I have been ill. On the other hand, I probably got ill because of the intolerance and stopping taking the vitamins...

I stopped taking them, partly because I was finding it hard to remember to take them without DS there to remind me in the morning, and partly to see how I did without them. I think I have my answer!

Whitewave snap, I was getting the mouth ulcers on the roof of my mouth too. I only started retaking my vitamins a couple of weeks ago and they have gone already.

Forgot to say I also take a ptobiotic. This has helped my Ibs and I believe it has boosted my immuniy as I'm not sick as often as I was

It's not easy Ana but often paying slightly more means higher levels of individual vitamins in each capsule when compared to other brands. I'm quite happy to be persuaded otherwise!
I do compare squint at labels.
My current ones are 'wellwoman 50', on offer at the supermarket when I bought them.

How do we know whether our supplements are 'good quality'?

Sometimes the supermarkets' own brands contain exactly the same ingredients but are a fraction of the price of branded products (as stated in the thread about painkillers, but it applies to vitamin supplements as well).

I take a good quality multivitamin when I remember and omega 3 capsules in the winter.
I do try to have a balanced diet but often fail to have my 5 a day so must do better me thinks.

Oh no I have( unscientifically) proven that they work, bear with me on this!..

I suffered from the most appalling mouth ulcers, amonsgt other things and started taking B complex plus iron zinc and other stuff. After about ,3 months the ulcers improved by 90%. Later to cut a long story short I discovered that I am gluten intolerant and since then the ulcers, tiredness, various rashes, achy body together with all the other extremely unpleasant symptoms have gone. I reckon that because of the problems to my gut it was unable to work efficiently. I still take the vits, but have stopped the extra fibre will eventually stop the vits but read that your gut takes a while to recover.

Not necessarily true you can get enough from food. Firstly many of our soils are depleted, not all cows are grass fed, sometimes your body cannot absorb some nutrients for varying reasons.

Just a few examples.

The only thing I take is omega 3 fish oil capsules as I don't like oily fish, I don't know if its really helping my joints and only buy them on offer... If you have a varied diet it shouldn't be necessary to take other vitamins.

Sorry overthehill but Vit E is not for thinning blood, that is Warfarin and similar drugs. As somebody else said, your urine is expensive.

I feel that generally f I have a good varied diet with lots of fruit and veg I should get all the things I need. I was surprised a few years ago when my rheumatologist told me I was very low on Vit D having spent a huge amount of time on a sunny golf course so that's what I take now but its not possible to actually feel the benefits of this. If I get a cold or its a really bad inert and the fruit and veg are not looking good I take a high dose Vit C every day - it seems to help the symptoms of a cold.

I was told by my Dr that I was no longer taking in enough vitamins, being gluten intolerant. It explains why I get cramps - lack of magnesium and potassium, so have had to start taking them. I used to take a whole load, but got out of the habit when DS left school two years ago, as I used to take them when I was having breakfast with him in the mornings. I do wonder if that was why I was so ill all last winter, a cold, then flu, then the hundred day cough thing which became a three hundred day coughathon, sinusitis and chest infection for which I have just stopped taking antibiotics.

As a result, I am firmly rattling again, with vitaminC, a general supplement, iron, magnesium, potassium, echinacea and fish oil.

Yes, I'm another who rattles when shaken. I'm not on any preseciption medication so indulge my vitamin habit instead.

Combined Vit D & Ca for my bones (I have oesteoporosis)
Vit K2 (menaquinone-7) instead of oesteoporosis medication
CoEnzyme Q-10
1/2 a Berocca in water as a night time drink (vits c, and lots of the vit Bs, Mg, Zn)

I didn't feel better for taking them and I don't feel worse now I don't!!

I used to take supplements until a scientist friend told me I was merely making expensive urine!!

...take one, or probably two, a week.

I take a multi vit and minerals one when I remember. DS nags me to take a calcium supplement. Must remember to buy that as I think I do need it.

I bought some magnesium tablets as I read online that magnesium is needed for digestion, and I suffer from silent reflux. DS pointed out that "needing some" is not the same as taking extra, and I get enough from my diet. Apparently too much is bad. He hid the things, but I have found them. I will probably take or or maybe two a week.