Is anyone out there able to tolerate vitamins?

[CrohnsMonkey]

I know that having crohn's leads to vitamin deficientcy but I just can't seem to tolerate any of them. They all seem to make me sick. Does anyone have any suggestions?

 

[michaelearnest]

Hello there - I have been on them for several years and I tolerate them by taking them before I go to bed.

 

[lisakuney]

I can only take the Rainbow Light brand. Other ones make me feel like I swallowed a rock.

 

[michaelearnest]

or try the new multivitamins now that are in gummy style for adults?

 

[KMoose]

I had trouble with vitamins as well. I recently bought a vitamin called Alive whole food energizer by a company called Nature's Way. I cut them in half and take them twice a day with food, and my stomach has actually handled them quite well! It was also ironic because I had literally spent a half hour in the vitamin aisle picking one out, and when I went to purchase, the lady behind me commented on them "Those are the best vitamins I've tried, and I've tried a lot - but those don't tear up your stomach like most of them." It was like she read my needs.

Good luck!

 

[nikimazur]

The only vitamins I tolerate are the gummy style, and some liquids. Any other kind of vitamin, even gel caps, make me extremely sick. The absolute worst are vitamin c. I am deficient in basically everything, so my doc is really pushing ensure/boost drinks, which have added vitamins, and are a bit more tolerable.

 

[CrohnsMonkey]

Thanks for the advice. I'll try the natures way & the tummies and I'll see what I can tolerate more.

 

[Kev]

I had a problem with vitamins.... I'd purchased the best brand name, despite the cost, as I figured cheap generics would be a foolish cost saving measure considering how sick I was at the time. Guess what? The expensive brand name made me sick... and it took a while, but I finally figured out what was going on. I was extremely sensitive to lactose, and they used it as a filler/binder. I found a cheap generic (just a general male multi vitamin for men over 50 with extra iron)... the exact counterpart as the brand name, but with no lactose. Problem solved. Never had an issue with them ever since.

On a similar note... I'd heard amazing things about Krill Oil. And I was very tempted. Until I realized that krill are shellfish... albeit tiny shellfish. And I'm allergic to shellfish. I dodged a bullet there. Settled for wild salmon oil. What they do to the salmon to make them wild I don't know... and I'm not about to ask.

 

[PattyLynn]

I worked in the health/natural food industry for years so I know a fair bit about vitamins. A few things to consider: all vitamins whether tablets, capsules or liquid, should be taken with food to ease stomach upset and help with absorption (even a glass of milk or a piece of toast will help); it is usually not recommended to take vitamins before going to bed because your system has to work overtime to digest them when it should be relaxing (that being said, taking them at bedtime works for michaelearnest so it may work for you too but it also might make you feel nauseous); vitamins that come in capsule form are always easier on the system than tablets. In fact, people usually end up pooping out partial tablets before they can be fully absorbed. Capsules tend to dissolve and absorb within 45 minutes; gummies are a good alternative but usually require you to take more than one per day in order to get proper doses of vitamins. I am sure there will be people on this forum who disagree with my advise, but I do know what I am talking about
Have you been tested for vitamin deficiencies? If not, you should get tested. You don't want to be getting too much of a vitamin that you are not deficient in. Men in particular need to be very careful with iron. The only vitamin I currently use is B12 injections once per month. Other than that, I have no deficiencies and I've had severe Crohn's for 22 years.
Good luck and I am sorry if this comes across as preachy or 'miss-know-it-all'. That it certainly not my intention. Just trying to help.

 

[David]

I agree with Patty about getting tested for deficiencies rather than blindly supplement. I'm personally not a fan of multivitamins and think there's a reason so many of our bodies freak out when we try to take them. I'd rather see people juicing or doing supplemental elemental nutrition for an increase in vitamins and then supplement whatever they're deficient in. So often we think we're covered with a multi when in fact we're so deficient in some that what we get in a multi isn't anywhere near enough. And we're getting more of something that we don't need, often in a synthetic form.

 

[SdN]

I have found that when I take a multi regularly I get sick much less often. That may not be the case for everyone but for me it has held true. I also dont have too much of a problem with them making me feel nauseaus, I guess I'm lucky in that regard. Be careful of Iron supplements though they will hit you hard. I HAVE to take them with food.

 

[nogutsnoglory]

I had a problem with vitamins.... I'd purchased the best brand name, despite the cost, as I figured cheap generics would be a foolish cost saving measure considering how sick I was at the time. Guess what? The expensive brand name made me sick... and it took a while, but I finally figured out what was going on. I was extremely sensitive to lactose, and they used it as a filler/binder. I found a cheap generic (just a general male multi vitamin for men over 50 with extra iron)... the exact counterpart as the brand name, but with no lactose. Problem solved. Never had an issue with them ever since.

On a similar note... I'd heard amazing things about Krill Oil. And I was very tempted. Until I realized that krill are shellfish... albeit tiny shellfish. And I'm allergic to shellfish. I dodged a bullet there. Settled for wild salmon oil. What they do to the salmon to make them wild I don't know... and I'm not about to ask.

Wild fish just means it came from a natural deep sea water source as opposed to farm raised fish. Farm raised is not as healthy and is much lower in omega 3 fatty acids. Wild is a little pricier but much better for you if it's coming from a clean water source.