Supplements

[RamVilla]

Could members of the forum please share what types of supplements they are using while on the Atkins plan?

I am taking multivitamins, but I am not sure if I should be taking some of the Atkins supplements, a liver supplement, flaxseed or whatever else I might need but am not getting currently.

Thanks in advance for any responses.

[Zora]

At first, I was taking about 10 different vitamins and supplements because that's what I thought I needed. When I went to the doc, she told me all I need to take on Atkins is a good multivitamin w/o iron and Calcium w/Vitamin D. I also take Flax Oil daily as I don't eat much fish.

[RamVilla]

Thanks for your response. Another thing that concerns me is that I am eating far more often than I would be comfortable with prior to joining Atkins. I never ate breakfast and ate lunch (which was very carb laden) and sometimes dinner. I did snack on chips. (those were my favorite carbs of all). I guess my point is that I am scared to death that I am going to do something wrong and gain all of my weight back. I have been consistent about not eating carbs for the most part, but I have been at the same weight (185) for about three weeks now. Sometimes I drink the 64 oz of water and sometimes I do not. I try to for the most part. Sometimes I am thinking that maybe I am consuming too many calories to drop down any further than I have progressed thus far.

[Rosebud]

I believe the minimum needed is a multivitamin, calcium, magnesium and potassium.

We need at least 1000mg calcium and 500mg magnesium daily - 1500 and 750 if postmenopausal. As it happens, these two minerals work best if taken together. I believe you can get 333:166 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. Leg cramps can occur if we are low in magnesium. :thdown:

We can also lose a lot potassium when low carbing. It is suggested (by the Drs Eades of Protein Power) we supplement with 400mg daily (again in divided doses) while losing weight, reducing to 100mg when maintaining. You can buy 99mg 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.
Low potassium can cause us to feel weak and fatigued.

I also take fish oil capsules and celery seed tablets, the latter for osteoarthritis, and the former to assist with my cholesterol as well as the arthritis.

HTH

:rose:Rosebud:rose:

[Zora]

Actually I was taking magnesium and potassium (those were some of the 10 supplements I was taking LOL) and my doctor said I dont need to do that as the multivitamin gives me what I need as far as those. I was taking Atkins supplements too. The Atkins supplements are all a waste of money IMHO. My doc seconded that thought.

[Rosebud]

Hi Zora,

As your doctor should know but obviously doesn't, calcium, magnesium and potassium only last for about 12 hours or so, so need to be taken more than once a day, or you are simply wasting some of your dose. ;)

Unfortunately, doctors are taught almost nothing about nutrition. :(

:rose:Rosebud:rose:

[Zora]

Hi Rosebud,
I see from your profile that you are a registered nurse. Are nurses trained further in nutrition in Australia than physicians in the U.S.?
I emailed my brother tonight to get his thoughts on this, and I'm waiting to hear back. He is a board-certified nutrition specialist (C.N.S), board-certified nutrition support pharmacist (B.C.N.S.P.), and is a fellow in the American College of Nutrition (F.A.C.N.). He has published over seventy articles, given over a hundred presentations at scientific and clinical meetings, and serves on the editorial or review board of several pharmacy and nutrition journals. His wife is a Nurse Practitioner. I suppose I will go by what he/they say. ;) He may agree with you. I'll post when I hear back. My education is in business, not medical, so I am far from an expert.

[fishburg]

I was never a big vitamin & supplement taker until just over a month ago. I have found that the following have helped me.

1 - GNC Big 50 (B-complex)
2 - GNC Multi Mega Minerals (calcium & magnesium)
3 - Gnc Ultra Mega Green (dietary supplement - vitamins)
4 - GNC Vitamin C
5 - Fish Oil (cancer and stroke run in my family)
6 - Green Tea
7 - GNC Ginkgo Biloba
8 - GNC Natural E (per doctor)
9 - GNC Ultra EPO (evening primrose oil - Per Doctor)
10 - St John's Wart

[ejc]

Here are the supplements I've been taking:

MultiVitamin(no iron)
Flaxseed Oil
Vitamin C
Primrose Oil(Helps with perimenipause symptoms)
Magnesium(Helps with perimenipause symptoms)
L-Glutamine(just started, but is "suppose" to help with cravings....not sure why)

It feels like a ton of supplements but I'm going to give it a try.

EJ

[Zora]

The reply from my brother (a nutrition specialist) when I asked him if I should be supplementing with potassium and magnesium:

"There was some concerns in the 1970s concerning very low calorie diets and potassium as the protein shakes/supplements were low in potassium. Some patients were having cardiac arrythmias and it might have been related to K or to amino acid imbalances also in the formulations. You are probably okay, but on your next checkup you can always ask for a SMA6 or 7 (blood work) with Mg and you will get your K and Mg levels to be sure. Unless you are having alot of muscle weakness, muscle cramping/charlie horses, fluid retention in your lower legs, shortness of breath upon exertion, or tingling in your extremities. Then I would get the blood work right away."

So it appears he agrees with my doc. Unbeknownst to my bro, I've already had my blood work done and everything came back normal. Therefore, I will carry on as I have been.