I Need Some Vitamin Sea

Vitamins, minerals, prebiotics, probiotics, immune boosters, and supplements. The list is endless. There's a supplement for just about everything nowadays. The craze is high right now. There are people who legitimately need vitamins and supplements for their immune system. There is also people who just want to jump on the bandwagon and turn into a popular fade. People take many different varieties, for many different reasons. Some work tremendously, while others are a wast of time. Some people prefer name brand, while others are fine with generic. There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to the world of vitamins and supplements. 

All vitamins and supplements come with a variety of side effects. Some may have counter interactions with your current medications. ALWAYS tell your doc what you're taking. My moms neurologist always says "I want to what everything you're taking over the counter, under the counter, and in the the back alley". I love this! Your docs needs to know EVERYTHING you take in order to prescribe the safest and most effect medications for you. 

Between my mom and I, we take a couple of different vitamins and supplements. 

Vitamin D

It is thought that certain environmental and genetic factors play a role in the development of MS. One of those factors is a low Vitamin D level. When you live in areas where sunlight is not always present, it can be difficult to receive enough Vitamin D and protect immune system. Here in Michigan, we don't see the sun every day for about 4-6 months. At a recent event held by the MS Society, someone asked the doctor who was speaking "why does Vitamin D play a big role in MS". The doctor responded "just look out the window!" Everyone started laughing. It was a dark, gloom, and rainy day. The forecast called for no chance of sun. Both my mom and I have been prescribed 50,000 IUs of Vitamin D. She takes it for her MS and I take it for my autoimmune disorder, Hashimots. Talk to your doc about the best recommended dosage for you. 

Iron

Iron may be needed for those who have anemia and low iron levels. This can be a result from heavy menstrual periods, pregnancy, and kidney problems. My mom had low iron levels and her doctor suggested that she take a slow release iron supplement.

B12

B12 is needed for the production of red blood cells and proper function of the nervous system. There is a lot of studies and information out there linking a B12 deficiency to MS. My moms B12 levels were very low and her doctor suggested that she start taking a B12 supplement. But she didn't take a pill over the counter. Because her level was so low, she was prescribed a prescription of B12 that was administered by a shot once a month. 

Probiotics 

Ahhh, the probiotic world. There is so much talk about prebiotics and probiotics right now. There's a lot of focus right now on how the gut plays a role in neurological disorders. Questions like should you take one and how much should you take are commonly being asked. I've read hundreds of reviews for all kinds of probiotics. All with mixed reviews. I have a lot of GI issues at the moment and I wanted to start taking one to see if it made a difference in how I feel. After much research and the ok from my doc, I decided on Nature Made Probiotics. It's a dual probiotic that also has B12. They're gummies, which I love, and raspberry and cherry flavor. It's been about a month since I've started taking it, and I'm happy to say I've had good results so far. I don't have any nausea (a side effect from some brands that I researched). I have less cramping. I've had no diarrhea (TMI? We get personal here). So far, so good. Now, my mom tried the Target brand probiotic that are a gel tablet. She didn't have as successful of results as I did. She said she had a lot of cramping and nausea from them. Like most things, there isn't a one-size-fits-all. As always, take to your doc before starting one.

Stress Reliever

I have a lot of anxiety. I didn't want to start taking prescription medications for it and relying on it. I know medications for anxiety help people. I was one of those people for a minute. I was prescribed a medication for my anxiety but after awhile I started experiencing side effects. I started having really vivid, scary, hallucinating nightmares. A friend of mine started taking Olly Goodbye Stress Dietary Supplement gummies. I value her opinion and we share similar disorders and symptoms. So after doing my own research and permission from my doc, I decided to give them a try. Just like the probiotics, they are gummies and berry flavor. It's recommended that you take 2 gummies a day. I felt great and they seemed to give some relief. After about 2 months, I noticed my anxiety going back to the way it was before I started taking the gummies. I decided to ween myself off them and eventually stopped taking them. I don't know if it was the placebo effect, but I feel like they worked for a minute and then gave me really no added benefit. If you're taking these and they work for you, fantastic! I'm so happy for you. They just didn't work for me, and that's ok. 

Let me also say that i am no way trying to push any kind of health regiment on you. I hate when people try to sell me on the latest craze of diets, exercise, etc. These are just a few things they we've tried, that worked and didn't work. 

Not to keep beating on the same drum, but before taking any medication over the counter, under the counter, or in a back alley, please always take to your doc first. 

What vitamins/supplements do you take? What worked/didn't work for you?