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  1. #1
    Registered User Lifersol's Avatar
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    Default Multivitamin use?

    I know that food on the trail isn't always healthy or contain what we need. Is it practical to have multivitamins on hand?

  2. #2
    Registered User colorado_rob's Avatar
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    I take one multi-vitamin/mineral tablet per day both at home and on hikes to help fill gaps in marginal on-trail (and sometimes at-home) nutrition. A bunch of folks on here will claim no benefit from vitamin/mineral supplements, but according to my doc and the medical literature I saw, there is some benefit. Here's a decent article on limitations and possible benefits:

    http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-su...min-supplement

  3. #3
    Registered User swjohnsey's Avatar
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    Can't hurt.

  4. #4
    Registered User Lifersol's Avatar
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    Thank you, the article was most informative. I personally just like the idea of taking vitamins C and D, just so I don't get sick.

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    Quote Originally Posted by swjohnsey View Post
    Can't hurt.
    Actually, while the study isn't great, use of any of several commonly used dietary vitamin and mineral supplements have correlated with increased total mortality risk; this association is strongest with supplemental iron.

    Arch Intern Med. 2011;171(18):1625-1633. doi:10.1001/archinternmed.2011.445

    Unless you have a deficency due to a known metabolic disorder or are using other vitamin depleting medication supplements are superfluous.

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    I believe all hikers should take a multi-vitamin. I used to add extra calcium-magnesium after my research into jleg cramps, etc.

    Now, I am a bariatric patient and take a multi-vitamin, 5 extra Calcium-citrates, a B Complex, and a D.

    At least, take a multi-vitamin.... you will pee out the extra!

  7. #7

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    Use an online program like fitday.com to analyze your diet for a few days, and then run the nutritional report. You might be surprised how many nutrient deficiencies there invariably are, even if you think you eat pretty well. Then use that info as a guideline on what to supplement. If you are older, keep in mind that your digestive system does not absorb nutrients as well as that of younger folks. I think that most of the population walks around chronically malnourished, and hikers are often even worse if all they eat is carbage.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lifersol View Post
    Thank you, the article was most informative. I personally just like the idea of taking vitamins C and D, just so I don't get sick.
    (What I do. Do it your own risk)
    Yes to vitamin D, no to vitamin C. Taking vitamin C does not make you less sick. Vitamin D is not technically a vitamin, but a pre-hormon. It protects you against all kinds of things, probably even cancer. But you have to take high doses, 5000IU. Being exposed to the sun easily produce 10,000 IU. The recommendation of 400 IU is therefor a joke. Because the fat in your body absorbs vitamin D, 400 IU will have a marginal effect. The problem with people taking sunbath is that they are exposed to the sun for hours, instead for the 7 minutes or so, that are healthy, and not damaging. If there is no sun, then you can use vitamin D. High doses of vitamin D are hardening your arteries, though. Using vitamin D in conjunction with K2 may solve this. Potassium and Calcium are also good supplements. I would avoid other supplements.

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    I took multivitamins and glucosamine every day for several years and then finally seriously looked at the medical research regarding these products. Most supplements seem to be marketing rip offs. I stopped taking all supplements three months ago. One less thing to fuss about on trail.

  10. #10

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    Vitamin D supplements are mostly a synthetic rip off. The only true way to get your fill is through the natural ways. Of course, that applies to all vitamins.

  11. #11
    Registered User colorado_rob's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by capehiker View Post
    Vitamin D supplements are mostly a synthetic rip off. The only true way to get your fill is through the natural ways. Of course, that applies to all vitamins.
    Patently untrue. the BEST way is through diet, but not the only way.

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    Quote Originally Posted by colorado_rob View Post
    Patently untrue. the BEST way is through diet, but not the only way.
    You get vitamin D through the sun (that is why it voids the definition of a vitamin). That is absolutely the best way. As long as you stop long before you get burnt, you will be fine. Build your skin up, so you can take about 7 minutes of sun each day. It is a misconception that humans should avoid all radiation. Avoiding all radiation increases the mortality.

  13. #13
    Registered User Wise Old Owl's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by shelb View Post
    I believe all hikers should take a multi-vitamin. I used to add extra calcium-magnesium after my research into jleg cramps, etc.

    Now, I am a bariatric patient and take a multi-vitamin, 5 extra Calcium-citrates, a B Complex, and a D.

    At least, take a multi-vitamin.... you will pee out the extra!
    You don't need a lot of Magnesium - but if you are on a high blood pressure medication this really helps. Potassium or a banana is also wonderful.

    Quote Originally Posted by capehiker View Post
    Vitamin D supplements are mostly a synthetic rip off. The only true way to get your fill is through the natural ways. Of course, that applies to all vitamins.
    Not a fan of Vitamin D and when hiking as you get older - you absorb less nutrients - so a multicap won't hurt and I would not call it a rip off. Keep in mind it can be hard to eat right when on the trail.


    Interesting posts... thanks.
    Dogs are excellent judges of character, this fact goes a long way toward explaining why some people don't like being around them.

    Woo

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by Wise Old Owl View Post
    Not a fan of Vitamin D and when hiking as you get older - you absorb less nutrients .
    Do you have any documentation on this?

  15. #15

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    Some supplements (like vitamin D for example) can be important management tools for specific health conditions and caution should be used in trying to divine opinion from fact in this and other internet forums.

  16. #16

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    I met with my doctor (a sports doctor) yesterday and we talked about Vitamin D. I had been taking 1000 IU of D3 daily but he told me to double it to 2000 IU because I live in the cloudy Northwest (the east coast is not much better BTW). We also talked about how for many hours of the day the wavelength of sunlight is incorrect for creating vitamin D. Even in Phoenix AZ there are only a few hours/day in which you will create Vit D from sunlight. So there are good arguments for vit D supplementation, considering the links to preventing serious conditions.

    Regarding glucosamine, both my wife and I took it regularly for five years or so and then we stopped. Within days our knees began to ache. So I am a believer and plan to use it the rest of my life (maybe even up the dosage).

    I'm experimenting with 1/2 dose of Primal Blueprint's Damage Control Master Formula for about a month now. I think a broad spectrum formula might well be a good idea for long distance hiking, but of course try it for a while before you commit to a hike.

    Those eating a lot of top ramen and pop tarts really need to work on diet. The body actually has no nutritional requirement for carbohydrate, although fat and protein are essential.

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