What supplements you take?

[Mazen]

Hi all

I have some questions regarding multivitamines/multimineral and supplements in general:

- Do all people with crohn have to take a multivitamin/multimineral supplement daily? I have read this in lots of books and articles and my doctor said it's OK

- Where can I find as natural supplements as possible? I read somewhere that multi's like Centrum are all synthetic and do not do much for our bodies? Check the below link for a very interesting story and tell me what you think of the supplements suggested and if you tried any of them

http://home.earthlink.net/~cbwmidwest/Tech/Crohns-AlanGraham.htm

- Any suggestions on what brand of multi to take?

I know this is a bit long, but I think it would be very helpful for all of us to see what supplements can help.

From my side, I take daily:

- 2 Enteric coated Fish oil capsules pharmaceutical grade
- 1 tablespoonful of Flax oil with my morning yoghurt
- 1 daily multivitamin/multimineral (Centrum)
- Vitamin C and Zinc when I'm feeling tired or getting the Flu
- Magnesium when I'm feeling constipated

Mazen

 

[Skinsfan1229]

Your doing pretty good I think by taking the fish oil, and flaz seed oil, but i think they do the same thing for you, GNC CROHNS MAN will come around and elaborate.

I take probiotics, Digestives enzymes, 50,000 units of Vitamin D, Vitamin C, Vitamin b12, and acidiphillus.

The probiotics and acidiphillus play a huge role in my forming of stools. Within 2 days my stools were almost formed, and I have an illiostomy, NO COLON, which by the way I assume you know the colon is what take the water out of the fecal matter, this is why its easy for me to get dehydrated and have to drink more fluids, but anyways in like 2 days my stools were formed, with an ostomy, and by day 4 I could notice a difference in my energy level....I've stayed away from Anti-biotics since....their going to kill off bad and good bacteria.

 

[mikeyarmo]

I only take a multivitamin on a regular basis. In truth it is more of the synthetic kind, but that is what I have been using for a while with no complaints. I also sometimes take probiotics, as I feel it can not hurt to have. I do not know if they really need to be taken each and every day though, so I don't take them too often. This is not what I was told to do or has ever been recommended by anyone, so if you take them do that daily. To be truthful the first few weeks I took the probiotics everyday.

I also used to take fish oil, which I think is great to have. I may even start that up again soon (my old supply finished).

 

[Jeff D.]

I don't take a multi vitamin. But I take acidopholus every few months to keep the good bacteria levels up without sacrificing a lot of money. Once your good bacteria levels are up then they will kill the bad bacteria so every few months I take the probiotic to rejuvinate my system for a week to keep my levels up.

GOod luck

 

[GNC Crohn's Man]

I take the Mega Men Multivitamen from GNC since it is Timed Released and absorbs very well... Centrum/oneaday/springvalley members mark if it is in a TABLET/CAPLET format it may not digest very well in your body... Also it is essential that you take your calcium everyday... For this I recommend Calcium Malate or Calcium Citrate Malate.. It has the least amount of calcium per pill but that is good since it means it absorbs better and as much more gentle on the GI tract... Other than that it is essential you stay hydrated and make sure your getting in enough calories and other nutrients... You don't have to take other supplements they might help they might not help but you need to take your multivitamen and your calcium... Also make sure your getting enough Vitamen D and magnesium to go along with your calcium and also make sure you get enough electrolites in your body since just drinking water alone does not replinish your electrolites...

Any other questions?

 

[Janet]

I take 2 Forvia every day.

 

[Mazen]

More questions

Thanks all for your feedback

I have another question, which I don't know if anybody else has. By the way, my Crohn's is in the last 15 cm of the ileum, and also my ileo-ecal valve seems to be involved somehow (as is always shown on cT scan)

My Crohn's doesn't cause me the big D. The contrary, when I flare or eat something not suitable to me I get constipation. I read somewhere that taking Vitamin C and Magnesium helps, so I did that and it helps somewhat.

My question is:

- Does anyone of you suffer constipation?
- if so, how do you handle it, what do you take? I'm afraid of taking laxatives, because I think they would be too hard on my digestive system!!
- Also what about colon cleanse products, like GNC colon cleanse?? would it be suitable for someone with Crohn's?

Mazen

 

[Dekar]

i have chronic constipation and have crohns in the ileum as well. when i flare i get constipated as well. to get rid of constipation is easier than i thought it would be. just eat pear everyday or even drink prune juice and exercise, jump around, and you'll be in the bathroom in no time. if not, try to sit down in the bathroom a couple times and wait and see what happens

 

[Mazen]

Hi Dekar

Hi Dekar

Thanks for the tip, I will try them. As you seem to have the same type of Crohn I have, what diet are you on? what foods bother you?

For me, I seem not be able to handle vegetables well except cooked carrots, zuchini and string beans. As for fruits I can handle a few, bur peel them. Also nuts are a No No, except if I grind them. Legumes (lentils, beans .....) are not easy for me. The last time I ate lentils, I had pain and blood in my stool. Do you have this problem, and see sometimes blood in your stool??

Hope I'm not talking too much, but I'm finally relieved to talk to people who are fighting this disease like me

Mazen

 

[Skinsfan1229]

I would love for people to try Probiotics or digestive enzymes or just a cheap 5 dollar thing of acidiphillus each day. It shows results people, and your only out 5 , 10 dollars or so, much better then a dr's visit AND the prescription(that doesnt do anything)

 

[DannyB]

I would love for people to try Probiotics or digestive enzymes or just a cheap 5 dollar thing of acidiphillus each day. It shows results people, and your only out 5 , 10 dollars or so, much better then a dr's visit AND the prescription(that doesnt do anything)

Are these things called yakult probiotics skinsfan?

 

[Mntallyblonde]

Colace for the constipation. It takes about 12hrs to work but it work. My doctor told me to take it. I take about 200mg when I need it.

 

[tonya_n_ky]

I read the link and he mentioned colostrum being good. I was wondering if anyone has tried it and thier results. Thanks Mazen, That was an interesting page to read and I've gotten a lot of info from this post.

 

[Valentina]

I used to take vitamins etc, but have a really hard time swallowing pills, so am really very bad about it.. my DR checks my bloods regularly and lets me know when I need to take potassium (seems to dip dangerously low every now and then, and cant figure out why.. I have no more D or vomiting)
I take folic acid with my methotrexate and thats about as fancy as I get
I hope everyone who takes them find that they help.

 

[Skinsfan1229]

Proboitics can be any brand, I'm sure there are 100's

 

[devildee(donna2005)LOL]

calcium and multivtamins with added iron

 

[katiesue1506]

I have a couple categories of what I take

What I really take:
-Os Cal with Vitamin D(for pred)
-Vitamin C(for my cold I have )
-Iron(for anemia)
(along with my Pred and Imuran)

What I was told to take:
-Aloe Vera juice (I have some, but I just can't bring myself to open it)
-Broad Bean juice
-All Cells Salts(im not too sure what this one does... tastes bad I believe)
-Psyllium (for D if it gets bad... but I haven't needed it yet... well... I probably should have... but once the pill count heads towards 25 a day, I get tired of taking them. )
-Fish oil
-Omega 3
-Flaxseed oil

Things I've taken Occasionally:
-Slippery Elm(soothes digestive tract... helps relieve discomfort)
-Quantum Blood Builder(for my anemia)
-Probiotics (Dannon form)

 

[robert.k]

Hello Mazen,

For functional purposes in the body, it is irrelevant whether or not vitamins or minerals that you take through supplementation are 'natural-sourced' or of a synthetic variety. It is simply a marketing strategy used by some companies to label their product as 'of natural source' (which very well might be true), in order to imply that their product is higher quality or provides and increased therapeutic benefit.

Centrums are fine. No offense to GNC-guy, but whether or not your vitamin/mineral supplements come in tablet form or in 'time-release capsules' (usually another false marketing ploy) makes no difference. The binders used in vitamin/mineral supplements are usually vegetable-sources gelatin or corn strach... VERY easy for the body to process.

Mazen, if you're concerned about absorption simply take a few vitamin/mineral supplements daily spread out with your meals. All you need to know is that certain vitamins are water soluble (can be digested at any time) and certain vitamins are fat soluble (A, D, E, and K, ideally consumed with some fat).

Hope that helps.

 

[robert.k]

Also, I'm a huge skeptic of 'colon-cleanse' products that are marketed in health food/supplement stores. The whole 'detoxifying' thing really annoys me. you don't need to buy some special product in order to cleanse your colon to provide relief from your symptoms.

 

[DanSJVDavis]

Hey all,

Been busy making gross stuff for a movie and haven't dropped by in a few days, but figured I'd post something before I go off to make the next piece of zombie nastiness.

Far as what I'm taking supplement-wise, I've just started a regimen of some stuff I found at Costco, one of which I was interested in trying because of the hype about it on the net.

The first is something we found at Costco called Liquimax Complete Nutrition in liquid form. It's a fruit flavored liquid multivitamin that also has antioxidants, Omega's, Coenzyme Q10, amino acids and various beneficial herbs. You take 2 tbsp of it a day. Here's the general description: Liquimax Complete Nutrition

I mix it with something I've wanted to try and finally found at Costco, Mangosteen juice. You take 2 tbsp of it a day too. It's got a bunch of health benefits as well and it's a powerful antioxidant. It also has some other antioxidant type juices mixed in there.

On top of that I take a Ginko softgel and a Triple Energy softgel that's got Panax Ginseng, American Ginseng and Eleuthero.

And at the same time, I decided to start Activia. I'm hoping all that will start to rebalance things a bit and give me some more pep and focus.