Vitamin Supplements

[maggiebee]

Just been reading an article about boosting your immune system over the winter by taking vitamins and minerals.
Recommended are echinacea, zinc, garlic, vitamin D and vitamin C. Do any of you good people take supplements during the winter months to ward off colds? Have never taken anything myself, always thought a good diet might be enough.

[boxtops]

I take a variety of vitamins and supplements all year - I used to take echinacea and a multivit but since I have been on apple cider vinegar tablets there is enough in those to mean I don't take the others.

Daily I take

apple cider vinegar (joint mobility)
odourless garlic (circulation)
gingko biloba (brain - in theory!)
cod liver oil (general health, skin)
CQ10 (to counteract the statin)
Glucosamine + chondroitin

I don't know if they do me any good but they certainly don't do me any harm.

My mother had severe osteoarthritis and took Green Lipped Mussel tablets to help her mobility - if she ran out, the difference was remarkable.

[Sqad]

The only supplement that has been shown to be of any use....Vitamin C and there are doubts about the efficacy of even that.

As for the others.......it is your money............

[Bluestone]

I take zinc, Colloidal silver, and vitamin D.

Apple cider vinegar is a good one.

[jd_1984]

http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/coldsandflu/Pages/Preventionandcure.aspx

Interesting reading - what the health food/product shops dont want you to read!! In essence, take them by all means but dont rely on vitamins as some miracle prevention, as sqad says... its your money

[ethandron]

I'm a great believer in frequent hand washing, personally I think it does far more in the prevention of colds than any/all the vitamin supplements. Wash them immediately you come home from work, the shops, anywhere where you have come into contact with people. Wash them before you prepare food as well as the obvious one of after using the loo.

[McMouse]

I've taken a multi-vitamin daily for 30 years and so far my immune system has kept Ebola at bay.

[johnk]

Eat your 5 a day and cook from basic ingredients with a good variety and you won't need supplements, leave them to the hypocondriacs