Am I the only vitamin junkie?

Some time ago I started to lose weight despite being on the very lowest end of the BMI scale. . I had no appetite and had to force myself to eat. I was under quite a lot of stress at the time as I was the carer for two elderly relatives. I was prescribed Vit D which I still take. I use magnesium spray for my knees and take a B12 and folic acid combined tablet. I don't know if they help, but I am no longer underweight and my appetite has returned. I also sleep much better on the recommendation of eating a banana just before bed.

First of all, we are all different, and we are all aging, during which time we all age differently. Dr Michael Moseley hasn't asked his researchers to do their research on the aging individual, as far as I recall. So someone who is in perfect health, eating organic food, excercising daily, has not reached menopause, probably does not need supplements.

However, (pre-menopause), at the age of 45 I had both bunions surgically corrected, one after the other. With the first, I supplemented with calcium carbonate, ate exceptionally healthily and exercised. And yet my surgeon was disappointed at how long it took for my bones to repair.

The second bunion surgery I supplemented my diet largely with Parmesan, sprinkling it on soups, salads and (vegetable) stews - I am vegetarian - as well as eating high calcium food sources. My second toe healed within the expected time frame.

Conclusion - I do not absorb Ca well from calcium carbonate supplementation. Almost all Ca supplements are from calcium carbonate, and calcium supplements are notoriously difficult to absorb. I have tried Calcium citrate (only Americans offer this) after further toe surgery in 2015, but am unable to confirm whether it worked better than calcium carbonate, as I didn't require further surgery.....

Furthermore both my DH and myself were diagnosed with osteoarthritis many years ago, and have diligently supplemented with glucosamine, which I am told has only a 35-40per cent success rate. Things may have been worse had we not supplemented with glucosamine, but DH is going through one by one, every conceivable aid to prevent his joints ceasing up painfully. Currently living in North Cyprus where the warmth of the climate might help, with lots of swimming - it doesn't! Individual anecdotal research on-going.......

Well, working with doctors before I retired they recommend that being in my mind 60s the only supplements I needed to take if i ate a varied diet was vitamin d and calcium.

I think it's horses for courses. We may, theoretically, be getting enough nutrition from our food, but our bodies absorb nutrients differently. Someone with IBS, for example, may find that the food whizzes through their body too quickly for correct absorption.

Your rejection of statins was very smart. They not only block the production of CoQ10 but also vitamin D and sex hormones (rather thoroughly explained in this scholarly article by a published author of the Orthomolecular Medicine News organization, on how statins, and a cholesterol-lowering popular diet pill advertised by Dr. Oz, promote diabetes at www.supplements-and-health.com/garcinia-cambogia-side-effects.html - look at Figure 7 to see how irrational it is to block the production of cholesterol!).

I think I beat you. I take Glucosamine, Magnesium, Vit D, Zinc, Calcium, Fish Oil, Co Enzyme Q10 and Biotin. If i stop the Glucosamine I can definitely feel the difference in my finger joints. I don't take everything every single day, some days I just take the basics. Talk to me in 10 years time I'll tell you if it's made a difference. It's called a bio hack. Experimenting on yourself to see what happens.

I take a multivitamin and Vit D as I was told this was helpful when diabetic.
DH has trouble with his knees. Recently he read about Rosehip. He has been taking it for the past month and there is a remarkable improvement. He has no pain now and movement is freer. We will carry on with them for the time being.

reevangle you must be a dream to the supplement makers they will rub their hands in glee
I m not anti some supplements but just think we are talked into believing they will all cure everything I wonder how much money is sitting in bottles in people’s drawers after using the first one or two or alternatively being bought time after time because people think they might be helping
We are all so easily manipulated I once took part in a trial for a herbal tablet, when I read the test results afterwards it was laughable the people on the placebo had far more side effects including sickness, pains everywhere, massive headaches and even suicidal thoughts on the sugar pill

While I take a calcium (Ca) & Vit D supplement on GP advice, I think we have to be very careful with this. Excess Ca in the blood can be laid down in other tissues, such as blood vessels, causing hardening of the arteries.

There is evidence that Vit K2 can ‘direct’ Ca to the bones quite effectively. Also bones are not just calcium. In fact they are mainly collagen, which in turn is made from amino acids. So a healthy, varied diet is important.

I agree Jane of the importance of plenty of plants based/vegetables in the diet, especially ‘greens’. The old fashioned (?) ‘meat and two veg’ has a lot of merit in it, but a portion of meat in those days was considerably smaller than the portions most people consider normal these days.

So it’s a balance, especially as we age, of eating as healthily as we can and supplementing just enough to redress any deficiencies (eg Vit D in winter). However, having said that, if someone chooses to spend their own cash doing what they think is going to help them live a healthier life then no one has the right to put them down for that.

And there is the placebo effect. I'm not sure that taking turmeric is helping me and the dog, but I feel good about taking it!

Well I shall buy plenty when in the UK soon. I attended a lecture by a Prof of Pharmacology from Lausanne and Geneva Uni recently, and apart from its anti-inflammatory properties- turmeric has shown in several serious studies to slow down the onset and worsening of Dementia and Alzheimers. Having seen the devastating effects on my hugely intelligent MIL - I really think it is worth taking it, especially as there are no side-effects. From his and his team's research, this is NOT due to placebo effect.

I was never sure if glucosamine helped or not though took it on and off for years - now had knee replacements. These days take a prebiotic and vit. D.

jura2 How much and how should you take the turmeric? Am interested as have read it is a good anti-inflammatory (thinking of my arthrosis).

Best to take as golden paste but not if you're on some medication [think it can lower b/p a bit].

I shall go to Holland and Barret (sp) and have a look at what is available. Neither the Prof in his lecture, nor his book stated a specific dose.

I buy their Neals Yard powdered turmeric for golden paste and Natures Garden turmeric capsules. But they both need oil, heat and black pepper to be properly absorbed in the body. And it's still best just to include it in cooking [with said oil and pepper!].