# Multi-vitamin recommendations



## notafanofibs (Dec 21, 2010)

Hi everyone! I'm new to the forum but not to ibs. Have had it for about 12 yrs now. Because my diet is so limited, I find that I get sick often (colds, flu, etc) and my bloodwork from my yrly physicals always show vitamin deficiencies. I used to be able to tolerate multi-vitamins but over the past few yrs, that has changed and now I find that many of them irritate my ibs, or just give me bad stomach pains/cramps. I googled "multivitamin recommendations for ibs suffers" and came back with so my different recommendations from every angle so that didn't help. I've even tried children vits but same results. There has to be something out there that I can take, or some magic combination of what to get for vitamins & what to avoid!Has anyone been able to find a "gentle" yet effective multivitamin? If not, do you all take just several individual supplements? thank you!


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## crstar (Jun 29, 2009)

if u increase ur stomach acid, u should b able to take anything u need.............when u on't produce enough hydrochloric acid (HCl)in the stomach, many things will give u such misery, as the stomach over-produces too much gastrin & histamine, in an attempt to get the stomach to produce enough HCl for digestion............i use to have this problem & i was miserable & suffering from malnutrition for about 7yrs..........it can eventually kill u, as the body can't get what it needs for basic biology.............betaine hydrochloride can help, if the damage isn't too serious..........if it is, u may need to get the real thing..........the cells in my stomach r permanently damaged & i have to take the real thing............it's in liquid form & i take it by putting the liquid in capsules & swallowing it with 6-8oz of water.............HCl is what breaks down many things were consume, so the body can utilize all the nutrients we need to survive............if they don't get broken down, the particle size is too big to b absorbed & goes straight thru..........cmt..........


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## overitnow (Nov 25, 2001)

I have been using the Melaleuca line of supplements since 1998. One of the aspects they have done the most research on is absorbancy. (Many of the bowel disturbances we read of here relate to unabsorbed vitamins and minerals traveling through the colon. I have experienced none of those side effects.) This coincides with the end of my falling asleep every afternoon, even when behind the wheel; my GERD; my IBS-D; my high cholesterol readings; my arthritic hip that limited my walking to an hour at a time; my weight problems; and has stopped my growing prostate problem. In effect, they have returned me to a very satisfactory level of health and vitality, even as I prepare to enter my 66th year. Since you asked...Mark


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## notafanofibs (Dec 21, 2010)

thank you for both for your replies! those are 2 factors that I was not aware of (at all) and was never told by my GI so now at least I have a starting point! yaaaayyy!!







PS- I did call my doc's office to ask about what to try, or what to avoid etc, and I could tell right away by the secretary's tone that I was not going to get an answer. Very frustrating!


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## DaniJay (Dec 10, 2010)

Many people don't realize that there are minerals that we need that also tend to cause upset stomach, diarrhea or constipation. Magnesium (diarrhea) and calcium (constipation) are examples. However, a lot of deficiencies can also cause stomach problems. Personally, I only eat 5-10 different foods at any given time, and I am often afraid of vitamin deficiency as a result of my poor diet. I don't really have an answer for you, other than perhaps talking to your doctor, a nutritionist, or doing a lot of research. I'm in the same boat when it comes to supplements. I take a multivitamin every day, and I think it makes my symptoms worse, but I'd rather not struggle with a deficiency on top of IBS!


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## nrep (Jun 19, 2007)

What vitamins should one be tested for? I was recently tested for Ferritin and Vit D and both are very, very low. I've already been taking a multivitamin and vit D supplement for a few weeks before my testing.Now I'm wondering if my other vit levels are quite low as well. I, like you, have only a few foods that I can tolerate, and vegetables and many fruits are not included in them. I suffer from very low energy level (which I suppose would make sense with the low ferritin level), but I'm now wondering what else I may be missing.


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## nrep (Jun 19, 2007)

notafanofibs said:


> Hi everyone! I'm new to the forum but not to ibs. Have had it for about 12 yrs now. Because my diet is so limited, I find that I get sick often (colds, flu, etc) and my bloodwork from my yrly physicals always show vitamin deficiencies. I used to be able to tolerate multi-vitamins but over the past few yrs, that has changed and now I find that many of them irritate my ibs, or just give me bad stomach pains/cramps. I googled "multivitamin recommendations for ibs suffers" and came back with so my different recommendations from every angle so that didn't help. I've even tried children vits but same results. There has to be something out there that I can take, or some magic combination of what to get for vitamins & what to avoid!Has anyone been able to find a "gentle" yet effective multivitamin? If not, do you all take just several individual supplements? thank you!


I've in the past had trouble with taking multivitamins. And, I too looked around for one that was sensitive on the stomach. It was suggested that I try Rainbow Light brand. I've done pretty much fine on them. After the initial 2 or 3 day adjustment period, my tum does not react to them.


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## Trudyg (Aug 16, 2002)

I have a hard time w/ vitamins, too. I have an issue w/ absorption, also, so it's not just what brand but also what my system will take up and in what amounts.


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## nrep (Jun 19, 2007)

Trudyg said:


> I have a hard time w/ vitamins, too. I have an issue w/ absorption, also, so it's not just what brand but also what my system will take up and in what amounts.


Is your problem with absorption something that you came across after being on supplements and checking your levels with a doctor? I'm curious how one can tell, and also, what have you done to take steps to ensure absorption. Are there certain ones you find work better than others? Or, do you mean that certain vitamins are more absorbable by your specific system?


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## overitnow (Nov 25, 2001)

I am under the impression that if the binder in the pill breaks down within, I believe, an hour, then the vits will absorb without problems. The minerals, however, are ionized and will combine with other elements in the gut, making their absorption problematical, as the molecules may well be too large to pass through the gut walls into the blood stream. That is why Ca, Mg, Fe and other elements may cause problems in the colon, as they pass through. (This is why Ca and Mg will either constipate or loosen your BMs.) Pre-bonding them with ions that make molecules of optimal size and protecting them against recombination eliminates that problem.As a side note, the digestive process of unchealated minerals can lead to the creation of more oxidized radicals than can be neutralized by the anti-oxidents in A, C, and E; and oxidized free radicals are implicated in a number of negative conditions. Mark


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## Trudyg (Aug 16, 2002)

I had a test done that showed I don't absorb properly. Don't remember the name of it. Sorry. So, I try to get vit's from food if possible (not very!) or individual, not multi's.That way, if I find something tolerable that I feel better after taking (give a week or so, to be sure) then I keep with it.


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