Vitamins ?

[Bearleg]

What is the general attitude toward vitamins and supplements on the trail? How many of you take them along your hikes? Vitamin I (ibuprofen) does not count. What do you take and why?

[Wise Old Owl]

Most of the foods we use in hiking come with lots of power and energy... vitamins have a habit of "just passing thru" Hens the deep yellow color of pee.

Here is a list of super foods... that can be built on... I am sure others are taking vitamins - I generally do not.

Fruits Proteins Fats
Blueberries Salmon Walnuts
Oranges Turkey Almonds
Apples Soy Olive Oil
Pomegrante Beans Avocado
Kiwi (Eggs)*
Vegetables Starches Dairy
Spinich Beans Yogurt
Tomatoes Whole Grain
Broccoli Pumpkin
Onion Sweet Potato
Beverages
Tea



*added.

[max patch]

I take vitamins daily; so I'm certainly going to take them hiking when my diet is not as good.

Multi and fish oil.

[WingedMonkey]

I take vitamins daily; so I'm certainly going to take them hiking when my diet is not as good.

Multi and fish oil.

Ditto, take 'em at home, take 'em on the trail.

[ChinMusic]

I take vitamins daily; so I'm certainly going to take them hiking when my diet is not as good.

Multi and fish oil.

Same here. It can't hurt and can only help. Hiking every day beats the hell out of the body. I don't need some study to tell me that.

[RedBeerd]

I believe a proper diet is all you need. I eat healthy and well balanced at home so I will eat healthy and well balanced on the trail. It may be a little more expensive and require more planning but proper nutrition is key!

[MJW155]

Get a good multi vitamin from a company like Melaleuca. They have a high absorbtion rate. I've been using them for years. Fantastic.

[Spokes]

1- A Good Multi-Vitamin
2- Astragalus (http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/astragalus-000223.htm)
3- Sublingual B6/Folic Acid/B12

[Spokes]

I believe a proper diet is all you need. I eat healthy and well balanced at home so I will eat healthy and well balanced on the trail. It may be a little more expensive and require more planning but proper nutrition is key!

.......... on a thru hike? Very difficult to maintain but an ideal to aspire too.

I did see a fellow carrying stalks of asparagus in a Nalgene container and cooking steak and eggs over an open fire in 2009. He never got past the Mason Dixon line.

[RedBeerd]

I believe a proper diet is all you need. I eat healthy and well balanced at home so I will eat healthy and well balanced on the trail. It may be a little more expensive and require more planning but proper nutrition is key!

I did see a fellow carrying stalks of asparagus in a Nalgene container and cooking steak and eggs over an open fire in 2009. He never got past the Mason Dixon line.

Implying an attempt at that sort of diet results in a failed thru hike lol? Im sure people loaded up on multi vitamins and snickers havent made it past that line either

[Spokes]

Implying an attempt at that sort of diet results in a failed thru hike lol? Im sure people loaded up on multi vitamins and snickers havent made it past that line either

Exactly. There's no correlation between diet and a successful thru hike (except maintaining the minimum caloric intake to survive). Thanks for pointing that out.

There was one study conducted by Karen L. Lutz in 1982 regarding the diets of AT thru hikers. She concluded that from the standpoint of consuming the recommended allowances for protein, calcium, iron, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and thiamin (vitamin A and C were below optimal levels), AT thru-hikers consumed an overall adequate diet.

Also, thru's lost an average of 16 lbs but for 90% of the hikers studied that was not a problem.

Source: "Long-Distance Hiking: Lessons from the Appalachian Trail" By Roland Mueser

If you Google it, you can read the entire section for free through Google Books.

[Slo-go'en]

If I remember to take them, I do super B complex (suppost to help keep the bugs away and I think it helps). I also drink Propel for the potassium and other electrolites.

[RedBeerd]

Implying an attempt at that sort of diet results in a failed thru hike lol? Im sure people loaded up on multi vitamins and snickers havent made it past that line either

Exactly. There's no correlation between diet and a successful thru hike (except maintaining the minimum caloric intake to survive). Thanks for pointing that out.

There was one study conducted by Karen L. Lutz in 1982 regarding the diets of AT thru hikers. She concluded that from the standpoint of consuming the recommended allowances for protein, calcium, iron, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and thiamin (vitamin A and C were below optimal levels), AT thru-hikers consumed an overall adequate diet.

Also, thru's lost an average of 16 lbs but for 90% of the hikers studied that was not a problem.

Source: "Long-Distance Hiking: Lessons from the Appalachian Trail" By Roland Mueser

If you Google it, you can read the entire section for free through Google Books.

1982 was a long time ago. Is it possible our food quality has gone down substantially? There are a lot of empty calorie foods consumed now; especially on trail for its convenience. They lack important vitamins and minerals. I wasnt even a thought in 1982 so im not sure what people were eating on the trail. Maybe at that time food was all around healthier

[ChinMusic]

Let"s see:

Twinkies? check
Poptarts? check
Noodles? check
Snickers? check

I'd say 1982 just just a fine number of empty choices.

[RedBeerd]

Let"s see:

Twinkies? check
Poptarts? check
Noodles? check
Snickers? check

I'd say 1982 just just a fine number of empty choices.

I thought they were all-natural back then..

[garlic08]

I tried vitamin supplements for a while at home and didn't like the looks of my pee. Most of that money went down the toilet, as far as I could see. I like author Michael Pollan's viewpoint in "In Defense of Food". He recommends being the type of person who takes supplements, but don't take the supplements. Generally, people who take supplements are already eating fairly well and take more care of their overall health than most. Notable exceptions could be vitamin B and fish oil supplements for vegetarians.

And it is possible to eat fairly well on a thru hike, especially if you buy along the way. I made it a point to eat at least one piece of fresh fruit or vegetable every day, if just a carrot, some celery, a pepper, an apple, some fruit from a roadside stand, etc. Caloric staples can be whole grains with minimal processing like rolled oats, available nearly everywhere. Tree nuts, too. You don't have to live on ramen, poptarts and Snickers. The only time I "bonked" on my AT thru, averaging 20 mpd, was one day I ate too much delicious Cabot cheese in Vermont--too much fat, not enough carbs. Great vitamins, though.

[hikerboy57]

all of the above are correct. I take vitamins, just a one a day multi.if youu're eating right you probably dont need them, but they dont weigh much, so i bring em anyway.

[ChinMusic]

I tried vitamin supplements for a while at home and didn't like the looks of my pee.
That begs the question.........

[garlic08]

That begs the question.........

Maybe I should have said, "...pea".

[ChinMusic]

Maybe I should have said, "...pea".
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[TVL8312]

Vitamins have to be taken with (substantial) food in order for the body to metabolize them. If you take them alone or with just a granola bar or two they will just pass through. That said, hikers eat so much anyway it shouldn't be too hard to find a good time to take them. Unfortunately, nobody can tell you which vitamins you should consider. That depends on how your individual body works and your own diet choices. Some people will be able to get all the vitamins and minerals they need from their diet. Some people should probably throw in much more than a multi-vitamin. For example, I'm anemic, so you'll see me taking prenatals on the trail this summer because they're higher in iron. For most people, that would be unhealthy. Vitamin regiments should be tailored to the individual.