Hi all!
I would really like to start taking a supplement or multivitamin of some sort to cover my deficiencies. I am currently still eating a recovery diet (turkey, lamb, zucchini, yellow squash, white rice, coconut oil), though I am having normans most of the time. Testing new ingredients has been an immense challenge, so I am not trying to rush adding anything new, even supplements.
Using my cronometer nutrition app, I can see that I’m deficient in vitamins A, E, K, and calcium. At the minimum, I would like to use any supplement covering the vitamins A E and K (both K1 and K2), and be gluten/soy/egg/dairy free.
I don’t know if it’s better to take a supplement specifically for the fat soluble vitamins (A D E K) or a multivitamin. My concern with the multivitamin is that I'm already consuming high amounts of certain nutrients like niacin and vitamin B12 through my diet, so I’m not sure how taking excessive amounts via a multivitamin would impact me long term. It seems like less is more when it comes to MC…
I am also confused about the interaction between nutrients in supplements. For instance, calcium blocks the absorption of other nutrients (iron, zinc, magnesium, etc), so should I take something without calcium in it?
I should also note that I have not yet tried taking an oral magnesium supplement yet, though I am considering that too very soon. Right now I am applying homemade mag oil multiple times daily.
Any recommendations or feedback is much appreciated!
Thank you kindly,
Leena
Safe multivitamins?
Moderators: Rosie, Stanz, Jean, CAMary, moremuscle, JFR, Dee, xet, Peggy, Matthew, Gabes-Apg, grannyh, Gloria, Mars, starfire, Polly, Joefnh
Re: Safe multivitamins?
Look at a product known as "Manna Multivitamins". Rosie recommended it to me, noting that she has great results with it. And it's in liquid form, so that it can be mixed with other beverages or smoothies.
Tex
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Re: Safe multivitamins?
Hi Tex, thank you for the suggestion!
I am planning to look into this one more now. But so far I noticed that there a quite a few ingredients that I'm not sure if I can tolerate at this stage? Like the fruit blend and almonds for instance.
What was Rosie's experience with it?
I am planning to look into this one more now. But so far I noticed that there a quite a few ingredients that I'm not sure if I can tolerate at this stage? Like the fruit blend and almonds for instance.
What was Rosie's experience with it?
Re: Safe multivitamins?
It's the only multivitamin she's been able to find that she can tolerate.
Tex
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Re: Safe multivitamins?
This is Rosie. I have explored a lot of different types of multivitamins. Any multivitamin can have ingredients that don't work for some of us, or are in a formulation that doesn't. For example, multivitamins in capsules give me terrible heartburn, even if I have the capsule with food. Evidently the dump of concentrated vitamins when the capsule disolves isn't something I can handle. But other people might be OK with it. Many types of vitamins use the less expensive, and less well utilized forms of some vitamins. Good examples are using magnesium oxide instead of magnesium glycinate, or cyanocobalamin instead of methylcobalamin. Some formulations contain soy-derived tocopherols, or artificial sugars, and other additives. Some of the vitamins I've tested have been very unpleasant tasting, at least to me.
No formulation will work for everyone, as we all have some individual sensitivities and need to carefully look at the ingredients. And we are at various points in our MC journey, with some of us having more fragile guts than others. But Manna is a high quality multivitamin, with a minimum of extra ingredients, and the best one for me that I've been able to find, with my gluten, dairy, and soy sensitivities. Another advantage of Manna is that it is a liquid, and you can start out by testing a small amount, and then building up gradually to the full 1 tablespoon dose. That's what I did. And I take it with a meal, mixed with fruit juice to dilute it and minimize any possible irritation. But you can mix it with whatever cold beverage you can tolerate. It has worked well for me for the past several months, and I have noticed some improvements in my health. The only issue I encountered has been some mild burping when I started, but it has subsided.
I hope that this might work for you, but you can explore other brands, if you are concerned about the ingredients.
Rosie
No formulation will work for everyone, as we all have some individual sensitivities and need to carefully look at the ingredients. And we are at various points in our MC journey, with some of us having more fragile guts than others. But Manna is a high quality multivitamin, with a minimum of extra ingredients, and the best one for me that I've been able to find, with my gluten, dairy, and soy sensitivities. Another advantage of Manna is that it is a liquid, and you can start out by testing a small amount, and then building up gradually to the full 1 tablespoon dose. That's what I did. And I take it with a meal, mixed with fruit juice to dilute it and minimize any possible irritation. But you can mix it with whatever cold beverage you can tolerate. It has worked well for me for the past several months, and I have noticed some improvements in my health. The only issue I encountered has been some mild burping when I started, but it has subsided.
I hope that this might work for you, but you can explore other brands, if you are concerned about the ingredients.
Rosie
Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time………Thomas Edison
Re: Safe multivitamins?
Hi Tex and Rosie, thank you for your replies. Sorry for the delay in responding, it's been a busy week!
Rosie, thank you very much for sharing your experience. Currently the only oral supplement I'm taking is vitamin D3 by Pure Encapsulations - it has very minimal ingredients (hypoallergenic plant fiber and cellulose in the capsule, that's all), and I haven't noticed any issues with it. Besides that, as I've decided to look into multivitamins lately, it feels a bit overwhelming haha... With so many different formulations and ingredients, it's hard to know where to start. I'm glad that Manna has worked for you, and I am seriously considering it now as an option.
At what point in your healing journey were you able to start Manna? I ask because at this point, I have not eaten any fruit in months (besides testing banana which did not go well..), and I am sensitive to almond according to my Enterolabs. So I'm just trying to consider if the ingredients are potentially an issue for me before I go ahead and buy it.
Also, out of curiosity - are there any other supplements you've been able to tolerate that you feel have helped in your healing?
Thank you!
Leena
Rosie, thank you very much for sharing your experience. Currently the only oral supplement I'm taking is vitamin D3 by Pure Encapsulations - it has very minimal ingredients (hypoallergenic plant fiber and cellulose in the capsule, that's all), and I haven't noticed any issues with it. Besides that, as I've decided to look into multivitamins lately, it feels a bit overwhelming haha... With so many different formulations and ingredients, it's hard to know where to start. I'm glad that Manna has worked for you, and I am seriously considering it now as an option.
At what point in your healing journey were you able to start Manna? I ask because at this point, I have not eaten any fruit in months (besides testing banana which did not go well..), and I am sensitive to almond according to my Enterolabs. So I'm just trying to consider if the ingredients are potentially an issue for me before I go ahead and buy it.
Also, out of curiosity - are there any other supplements you've been able to tolerate that you feel have helped in your healing?
Thank you!
Leena
Re: Safe multivitamins?
I understand your concern about finding a multivitamin that works for you. The problem is that by their very nature, they have a lot of ingredients, and we are extra sensitive, especially early in our recovery. Virtually all the liquid multivitmain formulations contain various fruit extracts as flavoring to make them more palatable. Whether the extracts would cause issues for you can't be predicted. And if you are sensitive to almonds, then that's another reason to avoid Manna Multivitamins.
I was diagnosed with MC about 12 years ago, and am doing well, avoiding gluten, dairy and soy/legumes. However, I feel that I still have a fairly sensitive gut, and am careful not to over-indulge in fatty or spicy foods. Now I have no problem with most fruits, as long as I don't over-do it, but it took time to get to that point. For many years I only took Vitamin D and magnesium glycinate. I don't take any other supplements. Early in my recovery I tried a few different supplements, but didn't find anything that really worked. I felt that my diet was pretty healthy, and that I shouldn't need a multivitamin supplement. But then I learned that between getting older, and having MC, even under control, that I was likely to have some deficiencies. So that's when I started seriously looking, and found Manna brand, which has worked well for me.
You are still early in your recovery, and sounds like you are making progress. It might be a bit early to try and add a multivitamin. The important thing is heal your gut, so that you are absorbing the nutrients in your diet. Then later you can consider adding vitamins.
I was diagnosed with MC about 12 years ago, and am doing well, avoiding gluten, dairy and soy/legumes. However, I feel that I still have a fairly sensitive gut, and am careful not to over-indulge in fatty or spicy foods. Now I have no problem with most fruits, as long as I don't over-do it, but it took time to get to that point. For many years I only took Vitamin D and magnesium glycinate. I don't take any other supplements. Early in my recovery I tried a few different supplements, but didn't find anything that really worked. I felt that my diet was pretty healthy, and that I shouldn't need a multivitamin supplement. But then I learned that between getting older, and having MC, even under control, that I was likely to have some deficiencies. So that's when I started seriously looking, and found Manna brand, which has worked well for me.
You are still early in your recovery, and sounds like you are making progress. It might be a bit early to try and add a multivitamin. The important thing is heal your gut, so that you are absorbing the nutrients in your diet. Then later you can consider adding vitamins.
Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time………Thomas Edison
Re: Safe multivitamins?
Rosie, thank you so much for your reply. I’m sorry for the delay in responding to you, life has been hectic recently and I haven’t been on the board in a bit.
I agree with your advice, after putting some more thought into it, I realize that trying a multivitamin right now may do more harm than good. But I will keep your recommendation of Manna Multivitamins in mind for the long term, whenever that time comes.
Since I am doing vit D3 and magnesium topical already, I believe my next step should be venturing to oral magnesium glycinate. But I will have to take that experiment very slow, as I'm wary of rocking the boat at this stage.
Hearing that you’ve been able to add in things like fruit after your years of healing is very reassuring. It’s only been 6 months since I discovered this board (a year since first developing symptoms), and I have to remind myself that I am still making progress, even if it feels like I’m not. Thank you for sharing your experiences, as it gives me hope that, with patience and perseverance, things will be OK.
I agree with your advice, after putting some more thought into it, I realize that trying a multivitamin right now may do more harm than good. But I will keep your recommendation of Manna Multivitamins in mind for the long term, whenever that time comes.
Since I am doing vit D3 and magnesium topical already, I believe my next step should be venturing to oral magnesium glycinate. But I will have to take that experiment very slow, as I'm wary of rocking the boat at this stage.
Hearing that you’ve been able to add in things like fruit after your years of healing is very reassuring. It’s only been 6 months since I discovered this board (a year since first developing symptoms), and I have to remind myself that I am still making progress, even if it feels like I’m not. Thank you for sharing your experiences, as it gives me hope that, with patience and perseverance, things will be OK.
Re: Safe multivitamins?
Hi again Rosie, I had a follow up question.
I’ve started researching magnesium supplements, since I’ve been able to tolerate spraying lots of homemade magnesium oil on my skin (using Ancient Minerals Mag, on arms, legs, lower back; 2-3x daily). Is there a liquid or tablet version you recommend?
I’ve read in your other discussions that you’ve done in-depth research on the different magnesium versions, so I would really appreciate your input!
I am considering ReMag and Doctor’s Best. But I would like to start very small doses of any form I try. And I would like to avoid anything with hidden soy ingredients. I read in this post that Doctor’s Best should technically be free from soy (viewtopic.php?p=174340&hilit=magnesium+ ... st#p174340) according to Tex’s discussion. Or if there are other forms that you know of, please let me know!
Thank you for your feedback.
-Leena
I’ve started researching magnesium supplements, since I’ve been able to tolerate spraying lots of homemade magnesium oil on my skin (using Ancient Minerals Mag, on arms, legs, lower back; 2-3x daily). Is there a liquid or tablet version you recommend?
I’ve read in your other discussions that you’ve done in-depth research on the different magnesium versions, so I would really appreciate your input!
I am considering ReMag and Doctor’s Best. But I would like to start very small doses of any form I try. And I would like to avoid anything with hidden soy ingredients. I read in this post that Doctor’s Best should technically be free from soy (viewtopic.php?p=174340&hilit=magnesium+ ... st#p174340) according to Tex’s discussion. Or if there are other forms that you know of, please let me know!
Thank you for your feedback.
-Leena
Re: Safe multivitamins?
Remag is effective, but I'm told it's rather strong. A lot of people on this site use Doctors Best Magnesium Glycinate, and so do I. I'm not familiar with other forms, but I'm sure there are some safe options.
Tex
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Re: Safe multivitamins?
Yes, I agree with Wayne. I also use Doctor's Best, and have for many years. There are some powdered versions out there, but most of them either have fruit flavors to make them more platable, or if not, taste terrible, according to reviews!
Rosie
Rosie
Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time………Thomas Edison
Re: Safe multivitamins?
Thank you both!! I will go ahead then with Doctor’s Best.
This is the one, right? https://www.amazon.com/Doctors-Best-Abs ... D0RT0?th=1
What dose should I start with? And how high should I aim to increase the dose over time?
This is the one, right? https://www.amazon.com/Doctors-Best-Abs ... D0RT0?th=1
What dose should I start with? And how high should I aim to increase the dose over time?
Re: Safe multivitamins?
Yes, that is the Dr.'s Best Magnesium that I use. Each tablet is 100 mg. As far as how much to take, here is what the Linus Pauling Institute recommends. They are part of Oregon State University, and focus on research of vitamins, minerals, and supplements. They recommend no more than 350 mg per day, without consulting with your doctor to make sure you have good kidney function. Start with 1 pill for several days to see how you tolerate it before adding more.
https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/minerals/magnesium
Older adults (>50 years)
Older adults are less likely than younger adults to consume enough magnesium to meet their needs and should therefore take care to eat magnesium-rich foods in addition to taking a multivitamin/mineral supplement daily (see the article on Micronutrient Inadequacies: Subpopulations at Risk). Since older adults are also more likely to have impaired kidney function, they should avoid taking more than 350 mg/day of supplemental magnesium without medical consultation (see Safety).
Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time………Thomas Edison
Re: Safe multivitamins?
Understood, I will give it a try. Thanks!
I have recently started having some issues with insomnia. Pre-MC, I used to sleep 9-10 hours easily. But lately, I seem to be waking up after 6-7 hours and struggling to go back to sleep. My stress levels are low right now, so I'm wondering if this is a clear sign of magnesium deficiency...
I have recently started having some issues with insomnia. Pre-MC, I used to sleep 9-10 hours easily. But lately, I seem to be waking up after 6-7 hours and struggling to go back to sleep. My stress levels are low right now, so I'm wondering if this is a clear sign of magnesium deficiency...
Re: Safe multivitamins?
Hi all, so unfortunately I think I am already showing signs of not tolerating the oral mag. I took one pill (100mg) with a meal. And then 7 hours later, had some significantly loosened stool (went from consistent Bristol 4-5 to now a Bristol 6).
I’m not sure how to interpret this. Should I stop it completely? Lower the dose by breaking up the tablets?
I also noticed some slight pinching sensation in my heart shortly after taking it. Which is totally new for me.
I realize that there can be some detox effects from increasing mag, but I really don’t want to push it to the point of starting a flare.
Any advice is much appreciated.
I’m not sure how to interpret this. Should I stop it completely? Lower the dose by breaking up the tablets?
I also noticed some slight pinching sensation in my heart shortly after taking it. Which is totally new for me.
I realize that there can be some detox effects from increasing mag, but I really don’t want to push it to the point of starting a flare.
Any advice is much appreciated.