Vitamin Supplements?

[Alexandra42]

Hello everyone,

I've been gluten free for about 6 months now. I've only had one or two slip ups where I accidentally ate a glutenous granola bar..

Lately I've been so weak and tired, dizzy, and faint. I know I've had blood sugar problems in the past, but even when I'm pumped up on sugar and protein the weakness and fatigue will not go away. I'm worried I'm deficient in some sort of vitamin. At the moment I'm not taking any specifically except for an occasional Vitamin-C packet.

Any advice?

[Chad Sines]

With celiac being autoimmune, it is similar to the fatigue when your body is fighting a cold or flu. At least for me it feels this way. Your body is reacting to what it thinks is bad and that attack process takes a lot of energy. It zonkers you. Double espresso, sugar, more water, b vitamins, etc. Nothing touches it for me.

[captaincrab55]

Hello everyone,

I'm worried I'm deficient in some sort of vitamin. At the moment I'm not taking any specifically except for an occasional Vitamin-C packet.

Any advice?

Simple, get a VITAMIN lab done...

[IrishHeart]

I agree with the Capt.

Don't try to guess which ones are low.

Tell you doctor and request blood work--and ask specifically for D, B-12, Folate to be done as well. These are frequently low in us celiacs and cause fatigue and weakness. (at least the folate def. did that to me) and once supplemented with prescription folic acid and B-12, and 5,000 ius of D daily for a few months, I am fine now.

Just a thought!!

[bartfull]

I wanted to get my vitamin levels checked too, but with no insurance and a cost of over $500, it just isn't possible.

I KNOW I need B-12 and/or biotin because I was on them for a while and felt better than I had in decades. Clear headed with tons of energy. But then the corn intolerance reared its ugly head and I had to stop. I have seen some online that are gluten/corn/soy/dairy/color/flavoring/ and everything else free. Being a business owner who wants to help other local businesses stay afloat, I am going to call my local healthfood store and see if they can start carrying them. It'll cost more than if I bought online, but it's in my own best interest to keep this healthfood store here in town.

[Reba32]

Best way to keep vitamin levels, and energy levels up is to eat whole, natural foods. All day every day. About 5 or 6 times a day. Start with breakfast within 30 minutes of waking. I have eggs pretty much every day, with some added fruit or veggies like peppers, or mushrooms, or zucchini. Some days I have a quick flax muffin, with pumpkin, or zucchini, or cocoa and peanut butter. Then a snack, some full fat plain, unsweetened yogurt with some berries. Then lunch, meat and salad, always with a full fat, low sugar dressing, or meat and veggies, like maybe some souvlaki with fried peppers or turnips. Then another snack, crackers and cheese, or sliced veggies and dip. Sometimes nice dark chocolate and natural peanut butter. For supper it's more meat and veggies, and sometimes dessert later on.

If you eat several meals per day, each with fats, proteins, and low carb fruits and veggies, you can regulate your blood glucose levels to eliminate the spikes and crashes, which cause you to feel weak, dizzy, tired and achy.

A good daily multi-vitamin (make sure it's gluten free) and an extra Vit D (to a total of about 2000 IU vit D daily) should do the trick. A magnesium supplement can also help with muscle aches, and make sure you get lots of potassium in your diet, from avocados or cantaloupe (both have more potassium than a banana, and less sugar). And if you'e not eating manufactured processed foods, salt your meals liberally. And drink lots of water. Dehydration and sodium deficiency can also cause you to feel weak and dizzy.

[Takala]

Eating more sugar and refined carbohydrates will make this condition worse, stimulating a spike, crash, and burn blood sugar cycle, over and over again.

Eat more unrefined foods, including good fats and vegetables and fresh fruits. Fats such as coconut milk and from nuts, eggs, avocados, olive oil are slow burning fuel. Fiber from vegetables slows everything down. There should be a protein, a fat, and a fruit/vegetable at every meal.

Read labels.... go to the store and get a gluten free multi B complex vitamin and a calcium/magnesium supplement with vitamin D. If you are trending anemic you can start cooking in dedicated cast iron pans and eating a spoonful of blackstrap molasses every day for the iron, besides what is in the multivitamin.

[TeknoLen]

I take a daily multi-vitamin, 5,000 IU D3 (sublingual drops), B-complex, and 1,000 mcg B-12. Also 400 mg magnesium (oxide). Someone I think mentioned this previously, but I am also eating more vegetables and fewer grains. I learned recently that many vitamins are made by the body right in the gut so I am hopeful the better diet will translate into better gut health which will lead to more internal vitamin production and better absorption so I can supplement less. Good luck finding the formula that works best for you...