megan620
EA-6B ECMO/IA Wife
I couldn't help but reply to this topic because I have my undergraduate degree in Nutrition Science with an emphasis in sports nutrition (magna cum laude. Basically, other than a good multivitamin (like Centrum, OneADay, etc) and a healthy diet, a good attitude and a fitness plan (cardio and weight training) is all you NEED to be healthy (unless you have a medical condition or are a vegetarian).
It is good to remember that supplements are NOT regulated by the FDA, so what they say is in the supplement does not necessarily mean that is what is in there. I wouldnt say all supplement labels lie, but its just a good thing to remember. Also, there is such a thing as too much of a nutrient. Without going into too much detail, all nutrients interact with each other, and you can get vitamin toxicity with too high of dosage (this is bad), or if it isnt a toxic level, it could inhibit your body's ability to absorb other nutrients. For example, Calcium inhibits the absorption of Iron, but Vitamin C enhances the absorption of Iron, etc. Its very trick to figure out what your body is really getting if you go supplement crazy. I forget the exact number, but in one Journal of the American Dietetic Association issue I read a few years ago, there was a statistic that said the amount of money most americans lost in their urine. Literally, with over supplementation you piss away your money, because what supplements the body can't absorb (it's reached saturated levels), you excrete in your urine. And over long periods of time, this can cause havoc on your kidneys!
My point here is: Talk to your doctor or a dietician if you really feel like you need some supplementation. Or at least read up (from reputable sources like peer-reviewed Journals) on anything you put into your body. Its ALWAYS better safe than sorry when it comes to your health.
Also, I've been told that even multivitamins are considered contraband at OCS, and so is any medicine. If you think you'll really need it and you are taking your car, leave it in there and you can get it when you're allowed to make vehicle runs.
I hope this helped! Good luck with everything!
Megan
It is good to remember that supplements are NOT regulated by the FDA, so what they say is in the supplement does not necessarily mean that is what is in there. I wouldnt say all supplement labels lie, but its just a good thing to remember. Also, there is such a thing as too much of a nutrient. Without going into too much detail, all nutrients interact with each other, and you can get vitamin toxicity with too high of dosage (this is bad), or if it isnt a toxic level, it could inhibit your body's ability to absorb other nutrients. For example, Calcium inhibits the absorption of Iron, but Vitamin C enhances the absorption of Iron, etc. Its very trick to figure out what your body is really getting if you go supplement crazy. I forget the exact number, but in one Journal of the American Dietetic Association issue I read a few years ago, there was a statistic that said the amount of money most americans lost in their urine. Literally, with over supplementation you piss away your money, because what supplements the body can't absorb (it's reached saturated levels), you excrete in your urine. And over long periods of time, this can cause havoc on your kidneys!
My point here is: Talk to your doctor or a dietician if you really feel like you need some supplementation. Or at least read up (from reputable sources like peer-reviewed Journals) on anything you put into your body. Its ALWAYS better safe than sorry when it comes to your health.
Also, I've been told that even multivitamins are considered contraband at OCS, and so is any medicine. If you think you'll really need it and you are taking your car, leave it in there and you can get it when you're allowed to make vehicle runs.
I hope this helped! Good luck with everything!
Megan
