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I received ~20 responses regarding problems related to supplements.  Many
thanks!  I will try my best to summarize as concisely as possible.
Reactions to supplements include:  fatigue, bad mood, increased
paresthesias, weakness, dizziness, migraines, nausea, digestive
disturbances, headaches in sinuses/eyes.

Some people said they have the very same problems as I do, but have found
no solution.

There seem to be two main viewpoints: fatigue due to the body using energy
to heal once it gets the vitamins/minerals it needs to do its work -vs- the
body can't absorb the supplements and you are simply overloading your body
with stuff it cannot process.

I will start with a post that I would really like more feedback on!  If
anyone else has had the experience of sticking with taking vitamins and
ultimately feeling good on them, please let me know!  And to the poster,
are you feeling well on the vitamins you "built up to"? As I seem to get an
exacerbation of paresthesias, rather than a diminution, I think that for me
it's not just a question of the body taking energy to detox/heal.  But I'd
love to hear more.

"My nutritionist once told me when you are sorely in need of vitamins, you
will feel much worse for a week than before you took them and advised me to
take them and put myself in bed for a week.  I could not do this so I had
another opinion which was to take a VERY small corner of the vitamin pill,
and I started with a low dose B complex, some calcium and magnesium and
vitamin C.  I started with a small corner of the B and just nibbled on it.
This may sound strange, but I was so sensitive that it was all that I could
tolerate.  I slowly built up to a normal dose, but I take small doses
several times a day.  I think the leaky gut has something to do with it."

And along the same lines:  "One of the reasons you may be having these
side effects is that your body is going through a de-toxifying process
because it is finally getting the nutrients you need.  Try to stick it
out a little longer and see if these things go away.  Drink a lot of
water to help the process along."

Several people suggested getting rid of the "middle man" and going right to
the source: juicing fruits and vegetables to boost vitamin/mineral intake.
One suggested not mixing fruit and vegetables when the intestines are sore.

"Yes, I had a similar problem only I had extreme weakness and heart
palpitations.  My supplements were also guaranteed gluten free.  I was
taken off all supplements and told that my body was not absorbing the
Calcium in them and it was building up in my system.  So, even though my
body needs it, I can't absorb calcium from supplemental sources.  I now
focus on reducing the stress in my life, cutting down on animal
products, and getting adequate vegetable sources of calcium, like dark
green leafy vegetables and legumes. My doctor is very nutrition-
oriented.  Since I've followed this advice, I feel great!"


"I was thinking about writing to the list on this very issue!  I just
started my second batch of vitamins (NatureMade) and they made me run to a
celiac's favorite place:  the bathroom.  Freeda's were worse but
it seems that I can't tolerate any vitamins now that I am gf."


" Practically the very same thing has been happening to me when taking
Freeda Vitamins. I had been taking Freeda's B, C, E and zinc. When I took
them I was totally wiped out and did not want to get out of bed either. I
stopped the zinc but that didn't help. I also had stomach pain. And I have
experienced hair loss but until now did not associate it with the vitamins.
Could be. When I stopped the vitamins I immediately got my energy back,
felt good and no pain. I took the same vitamins from another company and
did not have any reaction. So, for me,Freeda vitamins were not a positive
experience."

"I too started having vitamin toleration problems after several years on
Centrum and found it NOW has gluten in it and I haven't found another gf
vitamin formula I can take."

"If you are taking an anti depressant or certain types of
medication,supplements, such as St.John's Wort can react with them.In
the end I found that I was having a bad reaction to chromium
picolinate(I still don't know why.) My advice is steer clear of all-in
one supplements rather taking one ingredient at a time until you have
isolated what is causing your problem."

"I get some vitamins from my Naturopath that I can put under my tongue.
That way my digestive system never sees them.  The particular ones I take
are Super B-12 and Folic Acid by Genestra, Manufactured by Seroyal
International, Inc.  Toronto Canada."

Another poster said there is no B12 absorption path in the mouth, so he
didn't see how sublingual B12 could be effective.

"I get everything through a centeral line , couldn't tolerate anything any
other way."

"In addition to celiac, I have extreme allergies. I get excruiating
migraines from most supplements. I've tried individual vitamins and
minerals, such as taking calcium alone and nothing works. Citric acid, in
addition to giving me a migraine, gives me migraine auras and an inability
to speak besides feeling violently ill. Citric acid is added to so many
foods, not only for a preservative, but also so the manufacturer can list
that it has 100% or more of a person's daily Vitamin C. For calcium, my
doctor suggested eating many green leafy foods and to make a broth from
chicken bones with a little vinegar(I'm allergic to lemon) added to release
the calcium into the broth. There is one Vitamin C that I tolerate in very
small amounts once in awhile and Itake a little before having any x-rays.
It is "Twinlab Allergy-C" which is a buffered Vitamin C Powder and is
Citrus Free. For minerals, I can usually tolerate Hyland's Homeopathic
tablets. Their Bioplasma has a combination of all the the 12 Tissue
Remedies (cell salts), or you can buy them separately, such as Calc.Phos
"supports definition and knitting of bones, sore throat and painful
swallowing." I don't remember all the different tablets Hyland's makes, but
they are well tolerated."

"I have lots of digistive problems when I take vitamin/mineral supplements.
Exception:   I can tolerate KAL brand's Cal-Citrate+ with vitamin D &
Magnesium. Other KAL calcium supplements make me want to curl up and die."

" ... it seems like I'll take them [supplements] for a few days and then
start burping vitamin flavors, getting headaches that involve my sinuses
and eyes, being nauseous and having those darned digestive disturbances.
I'll stop taking them for a few days, the symptoms go away and then I
start taking them again, because like you I have this idea that I need
them. I'm going to start keeping notes and rotating the different
supplements I take to see if I can't pinpoint what's making it happen or
if it's the vitamins at all. When I take them I take a multivitamin
liquid in a capsule, liquid calcium in a capsule, an additional b
complex capsule (not liquid), fish oil capsules and occasionally take
extra magnesium when regularity is a problem,  Right now my chief
suspects are calcium capsules.  They provide a liquid form of calcium
citrate along with vitamin D and magnesium.  The capsule is made of
carob and I wonder if that might be the cause.  I have no sound proof of
this but I remember as a kid my grandmother went through this phase of
making carob candy.  It's used as a chocolate substitute.  Anyway, I
don't really remember specifically not liking it, but if I was offered
some right now, I wouldn't eat it.  I found it on a list of migraine
triggers not long ago and it made me think of this vitamin thingy.  One
thing I do know is that many of the things I've turned out to be
sensitive to are things I didn't really care for anyway."

"You need to take a whole food supplement to feed your body.  I'm taking
Master Formula, which is an organic whole food powder I mix in juice every
morning!  Its wonderful!  Everyone should always get their vitamins and
minerals from food!  Then use supplements for an added boost."

"You might try the "Nature Made" brand (http://www.naturemade.com) as they
list specifically they are gf. I wonder if a time-release vitamin would be
good--might hit your system more gradually and allow your body a better
chance of absorption."

"I don't have these problems but my doctor has me drinking 5 cans of Boost
a day for weight gain and they have a lot of vitamins in them."

"I just wanted to let you know that I am in the same boat as you.  Whenever
I take calcium supplements I feel TERRIBLE.  I know that I have to take
thembut it just isn't worth the pain and suffering.  I feel naseous and
really out of sorts when I have one.  Maybe you should try something like
"Ensure".It is a food suppliment and has many vitamins and minerals.  You
might just be having a problem breaking down the tablet in your stomach.
This powder tastes pretty good and is lactose free and should give you most
of your RDA."

"You could try Emergen-C, a powder you add to water - has 1000mg ofvitamin
C - always gives me a quick pick-me-up. I've never called the company to
see if GF, but looks ok to me and I don't react. I carry them with me. You
can buy an individual packet for about 39 cents, see how you do on it."

Another poster said that people of Irish descent seem to have difficulty
taking any form of Vitamin C supplement that is not buffered.

"I finally found a brand I could tolerate. (It was the b complex, iron, and
the filler in some vitamins that was doing me in.)  I use NatureMade
Balance Multi-vitamin, Multi-mineral which are GF, etc. that I can get at
either my grocery or drug stores.  In addition, the dosage is for the daily
requirements and isn't inflated.  That also seems to help me.  Too much of
a good thing, I guess, isn't for me."

"I am in the same boat as you.  Sorry, I don't have an answer. I have
many, many autoimmune diseases.  Wish I could take vitamins to help
myself.  My symtoms only get worse when taking them.  I have
Interstitial Cystitis and can not tolerate C, B, and E vitamins.  I get
pain in the bladder, pain and burning down my legs etc etc."

"Beleive it or not, the best way to get magnesium (according to Dr.
Atkins' Vita Nutrient Solution) is to take an Epsom Salt bath once or
twice a week.Your body can absorb what it need through your skin....."

Hope this has been helpful.  I know it's long, but I have a feeling that it
is of interest, anyway, to those of us with this problem.

Cheers
Latimer


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