Vit B

[Beth B]

Last week I had all the symtoms of vitamin B deficency so I went out and bought Coenzymate B complex sublingual tablets (vegan). My question is how many should I take a day to remain healthy? The bottle says 680mcg of Vit B-12 and 11,330%DV. It says take 2 or 3 per day.
What is the proper dosage? Can we OD on these? The instantly make the urine bright orange! Doesnt that mean I am not absorbing it?
Can someone recommend a vegan complete supplument? All the online adds confuse me!

[Emily]

I can only answer one of your questions. It's prefectly normal that your urine is discoloured. It doesn't mean you're not abosorbing it. I took vitamin B supplements for stress.

Emily

[Erin Pavlina]

I like Kid Bear vitamins. Okay, so they're supposed to be for kids, but they're chewable and they taste great and they're for adults too. I don't like swallowing really large pills, so I use Kid Bear vitamins since you don't have to swallow them.

I know Kid Bear vitamins has a multi-vitamin. You may want to take those.

Oh, and by the way, you can get some free samples of Kid Bear vitamins by going to http://www.vegfamily.com/product-reviews/index.htm and clicking on the link on their ad that says, "Click here for free samples." Great deal!

[Beth B]

Thanks, I will order the Kid Bear. I have looked for Kid Bear at my local heath food store, but they do not have the mulivitamin. I am sure my teen daughter will like those.

[veganmama]

I take nature's Plus pre natal vitamins. They are multi with all the B's and my urine is normal color. They are vegan. VM

[Erin Pavlina]

Veganmama, do you have a website for that company? I'd like to check out their products.

[Teejay]

I buy multis from Pangea and from Vegan Essentials (this is not an ad, I don't have any connection to those companies). I trust them better than buying from a store because in my experience stores often tell you a multi is vegan when it's not (I had this experience with Wild Oats -- they confirmed by phone beforehand that it was vegan, I drove an hour and a half to get it, paid 21 dollars! -- and when I'd gotten home and taken the first one or so I found it wasn't vegan... aargh).

There are lots out there.

[veganmama]

I use Nature's Plus "Ultra Prenatal" Product #3085 and give my DS their Children's Chewable Mulit vitamin & Mineral Supplement with Whole Food concentrates "Animal Parade" producy # 29982. The contact info on the label reads Natural Organics Laboratories, Inc. Amityville, NY www.naturesplus.com

They both say vegetarian and yeast, soy,wheat,corn and milk free. My son loves the kid ones and takes one in the AM and one at night. I do the same with mine. VM:)

[veganmama]

OMGosh, I hope my products are vegan. I just folled the link to the site and the baby drops (which I never used) says fish oil. I need to call them and make sure the products we have trusted for years are vegan. OMG!!!!! If you find out first please let me know, otherwise I'll repost. I pray they are 100% vegan or I'm gonna be sickover this. VM:confused:

[Erin Pavlina]

I emailed them and asked if the prenatals are vegan. Waiting to hear from them. I'll let you know as soon as I find out. The only thing that concerns me is the possibility of gelatin. That was one thing you didn't mention in your list.

Finding vegan vitamins is really tricky. I like to go with companies that actually say they are certified vegan. Takes the guesswork out. But, very hard to find.

[Erin Pavlina]

Here's what Nature's Plus had to say about the vitamins being vegan.

Customer service: "Huh? Vegan? What's that?"
Erin: "No animal products, no by products, not tested on animals, no gelatin, etc."
Customer service: "I don't know let me call someone."

On hold for about 4 minutes.

Customer service: "They're completely vegetarian. No animal products."
Erin: "Including gelatin?"
Customer service: "I don't know. They're vegetarian."
Erin: "Well are they vegan or vegetarian?"
Customer Service: "Isn't that the same thing?"
Erin: "No, not remotely."
Customer service: "Well all I know is that I called someone and she said they were vegan. So, don't worry. They're vegan."
Erin: "Are you sure? Because I'm going to announce this information on a website and potentially 15,000 vegans will see it."
Customer service: "Oh really?"
Erin: "Yes, and if you're wrong, and these people use your vitamins thinking they are vegan and find out they aren't, they're all going to sue you. So, are you sure they're vegan?"
Customer service: "Well, all I can say is what someone else told me. I don't really know."
Erin: "Okay, thanks."

So you guys decide. She had no confidence at all in her answer. And since I didn't get to talk to the person she talked to I can't tell if that person had confidence either.

Perhaps you should all call the same number, ask the same question and see what answers you get.

(800) 645-9500 (m-f, 8:45-5:15, eastern standard time)

[veganmama]

Well, I had a much better experience talking to Nature's Plus then Erin did. I still am not 100% sure that the vitamins are vegan, but I am closer to a final answer. I called customer service and talked to Heather. She said they are vegetarian with no milk products, etc. So I said why not say vegan? She referred me to call to get a product handbook which list indgredients. 1800 937 0500. I spoke to Onica, who is a vegetarian and her husband may be vegan or close to it. Any way she was cool, and even wanted this website's address. She is sending me the handbook, but read the indgredients and found nothing non vegan in them, but then referred me on to the product specialist 1800 645 9500 ext 154 to ask for further detail just to be sure. I left a message with that person and am waiting for a call back. I will be soooo relieved to know they are vegan for sure, and if they are not I will be pretty upset. I need to keep calm waiting for that call back. If it turns out they are vegan I hope they will add that to the packaging so this won't happen to other vegans. I'll post the reply when they call back. VM :cool:

[Erin Pavlina]

Good job!! Excellent work!

[veganmama]

Vegan. Both the "Ultra Pre Natal" and Children's "Animal Parade" are vegan. Some of their vegetarian ones have bee pollen making them not vegan, but these two (I use) are completely vegan. I am so glad and they were awesome at getting me exact information. There was a minute after Erin talked to them that I became very worried, but now I can relax. I hope they will label them in the future as vegan. VM

[Erin Pavlina]

I hope they'll label them too. It sure does make things easier when people just put the vegan label on their products. I love picking up products that are certified vegan and not having to read the ingredients first. Reminds me of the old days.

[Beth B]

Great info! Thanks.
I dont know about you all, but I sure feel better when I take my vitamins. I get very tired and run down without.

[VeggieGirl]

Solgar's VM 75 multi-vitamin/mineral (vegicaps) is an excellent multi.

It is named for having exceptionally high amounts of all B vitamins, 75mg for most.

Only two vegicaps are required per day, one in the morning & one in the evening -- with no separate B complex supplement needed.

I find this really simplifies things for me. And Solgar is a GREAT product line.

Even my (former) naturopath was impressed with this multi. :-)

VeggieGirl

[VOW]

To Beth:

The "B" vitamins are water soluble. If you take 1000 times the amount your body needs, then the excess will be excreted by the kidneys. The orange color you see in the toilet bowl is your money.

With the exception of B12, your body cannot store water soluble vitamins. If you choose to take megadoses, then whatever your body does not need will be lost.

Megadoses of the fat soluble vitamins is another story...



~VOW