vitamin info

[shtrdave]

just started Atkins today, What viamins do you take to supplement the diet. I currently am taking b12,c,e,magnesium,zinc,One a day for men,and an iron tablet with folic in it.
thanks
dave

[Rosebud]

Hi Dave, welcome! :wave:.

Any particular reason you are takin an iron tablet? Unless your doctor has specifically prescribed it, you might want to rethink that one. ;) If you have another look at Dr Atkins' New Diet Revolution, you'll see that he suggests looking for a multivitamin without iron, as we get plenty of iron from red meat.

Most of us need to supplement calcium and magnesium. We need at least 1000 mg calcium and 500 mg magnesium daily. As it happens, these two minerals work best if taken together. I believe you can get 330:167 mg tabs (where I come from we get 250:125 :) ). They don't last for more than 12 hours, so it's best to divide the dose. One with each meal seems a good idea.

We can also lose a lot of potassium when low carbing. It is suggested (by the Drs Eades of Protein Power) we supplement with 400 mg daily (again in divided doses) while losing weight, reducing to 100 mg when maintaining. You can buy 99 mg tablets or you can use a potassium salt such as No Salt and simply sprinkle it on your food.
If you take the tablets, do take with food as they can irritate the tum, and anyone taking diuretics or BP meds should check with their pharmacist before supplementing with potassium.

Happy low carbing!

:rose:Rosebud:rose:

[shtrdave]

I take the iron because of a low blood count, I also take a diuretic but have started to cut this back after reading the book. I do take a prescrption potassium to go with the diuretic. My blood pressure isn't bad but I have a lymph flow problem in my lower extremities.
thank you for the info.
dave