Can I take these vitamins?

[Nicole]

I am coming off of birth control for the first time in 7 years this month, and the particular brand of pills that I was on just before quitting are known for being particularly nasty when coming off of them. Hair loss, weight gain, and all sorts of fun things....

Anyway, birth control also inhibits your body's ability to absorb nutrients (I had no idea until I started researching how to come off of them) so it's recommended that you take vitamins for a few months until your body readjusts to it's own hormones.

The vitamins that were recommended for coming off the pill are:

vitamin B

magnesium

vitamin D3

vitamin A

fish oil

primrose oil (I don't have this one)

I haven't been taking my vitamins while on Whole 30 even though I said that I would... The reason is because I just want to do the Whole 30 right and only take Whole 30 approved vitamins... And basically I can't tell by looking at my bottles whether they are approved. Can someone please have a look for me and tell me whether this is all good to go?

I already know I need to buy a new fish oil and vitamin D3 (we bought these two vitamins at costco in the states and they both have soy in them). All the stuff we bought in New Zealand (where I live) seem to be soy free and might be totally fine, but I would appreciate another set of eyes to have a look please.

Also, I'm wondering if I should take cod liver oil over fish oil? I am not yet a fan of liver and although I try, I don't think I will be eating it frequently enough any time soon. But ultimately I do eat fish semi regularly, so the fish oil is just to help with balancing me out while I'm working out all the nasty birth control leftovers out of my body. But then cod liver oil has more vitamin A in it, and that is also recommended...

Here are my vitamins:

-Magnesium (contains encapsulating aids??): http://www.redseal.co.nz/product/magnesium/

-Vitamin B (contains encapsulating aids and coloring): http://www.redseal.co.nz/product/b-complex/

I've had a look online at some products available at the place I go for vitamins (http://commonsenseorganics.co.nz/) so that I can replace the fish oil, vitamin D3, and get some primrose oil, and vitamin A, but it's hard to tell what I'm actually going for here. I know that I should avoid things with soy or anything obvious like that. But what about trace amounts of soy? Are the encapsulating aids and coloring alright? And also, if there are words that I don't recognize on there (such as Eicosapentaenoic acid) which sound as if they are totally fine for vitamins, and are not things like soy, do I need to be suspicious of these bits? I'm fairly confused with the whole vitamin world in general.

[Nicole]

I have just purchased some vitamins which appear to be alright. I went with a primrose/fishoil/vitamin E combo (just because it was cheaper to combine), but it says the capsules are coated with enteric..... What is enteric? The lady there looked it up for me and said it is either a wax, a plant, or a plastic. Should I avoid? It sounds all good until the "plastic" part.

I also got lysine to help with my cold sore. It doesn't name anything that would be off limits. I'm assuming it's ok... But it also doesn't name how it's all glued together in pill form. Hmmm.

[Robin Strathdee]

Nicole - don't overthink it Your vitamins, even coated with enteric, are likely fine.

[Nicole]

Thanks Robin!

[Chris Turner]

Taking supplements should reflect physiological needs. That means, for instance, that the core of a supplement program ought to be a science-based multivitamin, rather than one or a bunch of single element supplements (which can be added depending on your idiosyncratic situation). This approach helps prevent side effects from the supplements and gives you the most benefits (see Side Effects Of Dietary Supplements -Top 10 Tips To Avoid Them).

[Nicole]

Taking supplements should reflect physiological needs. That means, for instance, that the core of a supplement program ought to be a science-based multivitamin, rather than one or a bunch of single element supplements (which can be added depending on your idiosyncratic situation). This approach helps prevent side effects from the supplements and gives you the most benefits (see Side Effects Of Dietary Supplements -Top 10 Tips To Avoid Them).

Thank you. I am taking them because of the depletion caused by years of hormones. I will not take them forever. Only until I get through the rocky period. I am generally only for getting your vitamins from food.

Actually I heard a very good podcast today recommended on another forum post about when supplementing is sometimes necessary and when it is not. They discussed birth control.

http://balancedbites.com/2012/04/podcast-episode-35-mineral-deficiency-hormonal-issues-skin-hel.html

[Mrs.Smith]

Hello! I think I know the answer to my question and it is a reset to my Whole 30. I have been reading every label on everything, but totally forgot about my vitamins. After taking them this morning, Day 3, I realized they probably have a lot of garbage in them & I think they do.

Are the additives in these vitamins Okay? Or do I start over at Day 1 tomorrow? Luckily I'm only 3 days in, so I won't be heart broken & want to do it right.

Omega 3 Fish Oil: Fish oil concentrate, gelatin, water, glycerin, tocopherol.

May also contain: Mehacrylic Acid Copolymer, Triethyl Citrate, Polysorbate 80, Propylene Glycol, Vanillin, Ethylcellulose, Ammonium Hydroxide, Medium Chain Tryglycerides, Oleic Acid, Sodium Alginate, Stearic Acid. Contains, Fish(Anchovy, Sardine) and Soy.

Calcium Citrate: Calcium Citrate, Cellulose Gel, Magnesium Oxide, Talc, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Croscarmellose Sodium, Titanium Dioxide (artificial color), Magnesium Stearate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Zinc Oxie, Sodium Borate, Maganese Gluconate, Copper Gluconate, Polyethylene Glycol, Triethyl Citrate, Polysorbate 80, Sodium Citrate, Corn Starch, Vitamin D3 (Cholecalciferol).

D3: Soybean Oil, Gelatin, Glycerin, Water, Corn Oil, Caramel (artificial color), Vitamin D3 (Cholecalciferol).

B-Complex: Ascorbic Acid, Calcium Carbonate, Thiamin Mononitrate, Cellulose Gel, Niacinamide, Riboflavin, Croscarmellose Sodium, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Dibasic Calcium Phosphate, d-Calcium pantothenate, Magnesium Stearate, Pyridoxine, Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Polyethylene Glycol, Biotin, Cyanocobalamin.

Natures Way, Alive, Women's ultra potency: Too many to list, here is the link.

http://www.vitaminlife.com/product-exec/PNAME/Alive-Once-Daily-Womens-Ultra-Potency/product_id/61081?gclid=CKL8uPrl47QCFUdxQgodMEYA6g

Thanks!

[Nicole]

Hello! I think I know the answer to my question and it is a reset to my Whole 30. I have been reading every label on everything, but totally forgot about my vitamins. After taking them this morning, Day 3, I realized they probably have a lot of garbage in them & I think they do.

I don't think they will like the soy and corn starch in there. I think that if I were to have been in your situation then I would have started over, because the big ones were listed there. But maybe I'm wrong and you can just stop taking them now?… I guess a moderator would know better.

Here's an article I found when I was researching my vitamin situation; this should really help: http://whole9life.com/2012/02/supplement-evaluation-checklist/

[Robin Strathdee]

If it weren't for the soy, I'd honestly tell you just to keep going. At this point, I'd just ditch the vitamins and keep on, adding a couple of days at the end so you get the benefit of 30 clean days. Good catch this early!

[Mrs.Smith]

Thanks for the comments.

I stuck to the program & didn't take the vitamins today just in case. I'll be doing a 33+ day program, no biggie. It's not like it will hurt to do the Whole 30 for a few more days. I'm actually feeling good on it already & am loving my recipes from Well Fed.

I am trying to get pregnant. Is there a prenatal you all recommend? Or should I just make sure I'm upping my intake of foods that will increase my folic acid & calcium?

[Nicole]

I am trying to get pregnant. Is there a prenatal you all recommend? Or should I just make sure I'm upping my intake of foods that will increase my folic acid & calcium?

If you are trying to get pregnant (this is not related to vitamins) then I recommend the book Taking Charge of Your Fertility: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/129511.Taking_Charge_of_Your_Fertility. I feel like it has changed my whole perspective on fertility.

[Jackie Haldorson]

Are Andrew Lessman Fat & Metabolism capsules approved on whole 30?

[ladyshanny]

@Jackie Haldorson - what's in them? We can't know the status of a product without knowing what is in it. Beyond that though, this wouldn't be something we would encourage during a person's Whole30. It sounds like a supplement meant to "hack" weight loss which is not at all what Whole30 is about. Try out doing the Whole30 as written for 30 days and leave the supplements alone and see how you feel.