Vitamins

[Sherpa]

How many of you subscribe to using vitamins on the trail, and what do you carry, just a multi or mix of individuals (not tring to start a debate on differnet mixes)

And all though I stated above about starting debates, has anyone used Vitamins to keep the bugs away? Back in the 80's when the malaria scare came out my mom's Dr told her to give me a certin B Vitamins in a high dose to keep the mosqitos away and it did a pretty good job, I was also told Garlic would do it too, any thoughts?

[Blue Jay]

Garlic does help to keep the bugs off me, also keeps the good bacteria healthy in my stomach. I always take Vitamins C and E. C because it's hard to gorge on enough fresh produce in town and E because your skin can take a pounding (blisters, swamp ass, stinging neetles, Etc.).

[spooly]

i think it's vitamin b6 that is supposed to keep the bugs at bay. not sure what pharmacology is going on there, but i've heard several anecdotal accounts of it working. not sure of the dose either. i have heard that it's something you should take regularly, not just "as needed."

[smokymtnsteve]

I take a one a day type multi-viatmin ....everyday whether I'm hiking or not....you have to be careful with tablets hiking in the hills because of the moisture I double bag mine in small 2x3 ziplock along along with the daily doses of other meds I take,,, if you leave the tabs just bouncing in the bottle they become poowder or your capsules break open from wear and tear...this doesn't happen as bad if they are in some bags and rolled up a little so they don't bounce and move around in your pack....also the silica pack that is in some meds is good to keep in withthem

[asmtroop3]

I have my Stress tab vitamin and I wash it down with my daily cholesterol pill and a couple of vitiman I's

[MadAussieInLondon]

i have a multi, i take it varyingly. if my urine is neon (neon green or neon yellow), ive passed most of it so i dont take one for another 5-6 days. if its normal, ive absorbed it all and I reschedule the next multi for 2 days after.

i do take a glucosomine tab every day tho.

[Blue Jay]

I am certainly not telling anyone what substances to take. I would never take a pain killer (vitamin I) on a habitual basis. For drastic pain, such as something broken, some thing to get you to the hospital is one thing. To mask legitimate pain from over use, may cause you to do more miles or carry more weight than you should. Pain is an important indicator to actually allow your body to get you to Maine. Telling it to shut up may not be a good thing. Again, I'm not telling you to stop taking anything, just be careful.

[asmtroop3]

Blue Jay,

Thanks for the heads up.
(read my profile)

[fwassner]

I've heard that garlic can ward off the bugs (and do other good things). What form is best to take?

[Doctari]

I take: Multi vitamin pretty much daily, when I remember to that is. Occasionally I take Iron, especially on the trail. & some times I take an extra C.

Do they help??? Idontknow! Maybe.

I also take Glucosamine daily. EVERY DAY! Do it help? OH YES! I can't move my hands and I have trouble walking (or any activity that requires me to move a joint) without it. Yes, I have "old man's Arthritus" as my doctor so delacatly put it

My $0.02

Doctari.

BTW: I also have heard B vitamines help with the bugs. It is possible that eating vast amounts of cayenne, which I do, seems to work. At least I THINK it do, which is nearly as good as it actually working. (A average size bottle of "Red hot" lasts me about a week, if that long. On the trail, I go to Cayenne powder.)

[jackiebolen]

I seem to remember in Ray Jardine's "Beyond Backpacking" some information about Vitamin B and other natural mosquito repellants. I think he said Vitamin B works because your body emits some sort of smell through your skin that mosquitoes don't like BUT that his body started to reject it after a while and it no longer worked. Read the book for better info.