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Vitamins Make Me Sick!

dawnrose008

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dawnrose008 Rookie
dawnrose008
Posted

Hello,

Just wondering if anyone else has problems taking vitamins. I've been gluten-free for about 2 months and I just recently went to the vitamin shoppe and spent alot of money on a really good multi-vitamin and calcium supplement. Only thing is, I've taken them for 2 days now and they are making me feel horribly sick to my stomach! I've never had problems taking vitamins before.....I know it is not gluten related. Both supplements state they are free of gluten, dairy, yeast, soy, wheat, preservatives, etc. Anyone else have this problem? and if so, have you found anything that helps.. thanks!

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grey Explorer
grey
Posted

I have enormous problems w/ vitamins. My doctor tried me on kids vitamins, which were a little better - I lasted 4 or 5 days before they made me really sick.

I thought, after the dx, that it was because of the GI damage. I'm a little over 2 weeks gluten-free. Maybe at 2 months, you're not ready for the intensity of the vitamins and you still need to heal more? I'm just speculating and don't have the answer. I look forward to hearing the other responses from experienced!

good luck

grey

alamaz Collaborator
alamaz
Posted

Are you taking them with or without food? You may need to eat a small snack with the vitamins. You can also try taking them at lunch or dinner instead of first thing in the morning.

Anonymousgurl Contributor
Anonymousgurl
Posted

I've been gluten free for 6 months now and im JUST trying to take vitamins again. I'm still pretty sensitive to them, even though they're free of the common food allergies. My doctor says it's not uncommon for people with a lot of GI damage to react to vitamins, because there's so much in there to react to. Does anyone have a solution to this, or has anyone found a way to get in essential nutrients without reacting?

mommida Enthusiast
mommida
Posted

Any vitamin with iron (gluten-free of course) make me vomit in about 15 minutes.

If you figure out why, let me know. I've been gluten free for almost 3 years.

L.

heathen Apprentice
heathen
Posted

i have to take my multivitamin with food, or i have overwhelming nausea.

4getgluten Rookie
4getgluten
Posted

When I first went gluten-free, I could not take vitamins at all. They made me nauseated. I tried many different types, but I couldn

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jknnej Collaborator
jknnej
Posted

Take them with food. And get the kind without iron. Iron is hard to absorb by our bodies...that's why it makes some people sick. I am anemic and have to take iron but I get the Gentle Iron and it works just fine-no nausea.

Anyway, try your vitamins with food and an entire glass of water. A friend of mine takes several vitamins each day and she spreads them out...one at breakfast, one at lunch, one at dinner.

kbabe1968 Enthusiast
kbabe1968
Posted

Wow....I HAVE to take Iron or I can't get my head off the couch in the afternoon! I've been gluten free for just about 6 mos now. If I take my full swing - I get really sick. I can tolerate my iron (liquid Floridix Iron + Herbs - the box that says gluten free, there are two of them, the one that doesn't say gluten free on the front is NOT gluten free), and I can usually get my multi down okay.

Unfortunately, i have Fibromyalgia too, so there's a slew of other stuff I'm supposed to take. I take them on one week/off one week....that way they are in my system. I may move to every other day and see if that's better.

:)

sneezydiva Apprentice
sneezydiva
Posted

Both iron and zinc in vitamins commonly cause nausea even in people without celiac or other GI troubles. Also, iodine can cause bad reactions for some people.

dawnrose008 Rookie
dawnrose008
Posted
  • Author

Wow! thanks everyone for the input.... My multivitamin does contain iron, possibly that is what is bothering me. Also, good suggestion about drinking Ensure instead..perhaps I will try that. Thanks.

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    • knitty kitty
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By knitty kitty · Posted

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    • Jane02
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By Jane02 · Posted

      Thank you so much @knitty kitty for this insightful information! I would have never considered fractionated coconut oil to be a potential source of GI upset. I will consider all the info you shared. Very interesting about the Thiamine deficiency.  I've tracked daily averages of my intake in a nutrition software. The only nutrient I can't consistently meet from my diet is vitamin D. Calcium is a hit and miss as I rely on vegetables, dark leafy greens as a major source, for my calcium intake. I'm able to meet it when I either eat or juice a bundle of kale or collard greens daily haha. My thiamine intake is roughly 120% of my needs, although I do recognize that I may not be absorbing all of these nutrients consistently with intermittent unintentional exposures to gluten.  My vitamin A intake is roughly 900% (~6400 mcg/d) of my needs as I eat a lot of sweet potato, although since it's plant-derived vitamin A (beta-carotene) apparently it's not likely to cause toxicity.  Thanks again! 
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    • Scott Adams
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      I do not know this, but since they are labelled gluten-free, and are not really a product that could easily be contaminated when making them (there would be not flour in the air of such a facility, for example), I don't really see contamination as something to be concerned about for this type of product. 
    • trents
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By trents · Posted

      Contact them.
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