I can't find what I need.

[TimesTwo]

I need to start taking a multivitamin. Between my diet (based on My P.L.A.N.) and any good, basic multivitamin, I will get everything I need except calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium. I will take a separate calcium supplement, and I get almost enough phosphorus through my diet, so I'm not worried about those.

I get less than 50% of the potassium and magnesium I need daily, however. I've looked at several different multivitamins, and I can't find any with the amount of those two that I need! I really don't want to take too many different supplements nor do I want to use a salt substitute for the potassium. Does anyone know of a multivitamin that has over 50% of the RDA of potassium and magnesium, or have any other idea how I can get them into my diet? I eat 3-4 cups of romaine lettuce daily, but it still doesn't meet the magnesium requirements.

Finally, I have severe depression. It's being treated, but it's far from being under control. Does anyone have any thoughts on taking omega 3s, or any other beneficial supplements, for this? I'm open to taking extra vitamin D if that'll help, but not in the enormous amounts suggested in the vitamin D experiments, because I want to keep total pill consumption down. The more I have to take, the less likely it is that I'll take any. :o

Thanks in advance. :)

[gryfonclaw]

Not so sure what to tell you about the others, but with magnesium, I 'take' a powdered supplement that is orange flavored and can be mixed in with tea or any other hot beverage. I take so many pills already that I also wanted to look for an alternative. :lol: It's not bad.

I don't have the can with me at the moment, but I think it's called "Calm".


Also if you don't want to take pills, cod liver oil by the teaspoon is a good source of Omega-3's, vitamin A and Vitamin D.

[cs_carver]

1. I don't personally believe that the RDA has much of a relationship to what my particular body "needs," but your post suggests you have more faith in it.

2. Regardless of #1, I don't worry about the RDA for potassium. I get a fair amount from vegetables; I use lite salt, and I take K+ supplements when I get twitchy feelings in my legs. I trust my body to do its own regulation on this one without too much help.

3. The amount of K+ in OTC supplements is limited by law (in the US) to 99 mg (or whatever the unit is). Rock/hardspot as to how this affects your position on # of pills and use of lite salt. I expect there are prescription-strength supplements that go higher but I doubt a doctor would write one for someone who is otherwise healthy.

4. I take a calcium supplement that contains a lot of magnesium as well, so I'm covered on that count. My mineral supplement is a 6 pill/day regimen. Both of these tend to be bulky so they don't "fit" into multis in any useful amount. We'd be swallowing golf balls if multis had all the minerals we really need.

5. I find your position on # of pills to be interesting. Whatever works. I lay out 10 days' vitamins at a time into film cannisters and set out the day's doses in the morning (one cannister each for breakfast, lunch and dinner). That solves the "opening too many bottles" problem for me. Not sure if this is the core of your stand or if it's something else; not really my business. I suspect you'll have trouble finding everything you want in a one-pill multi; the multis that have the really good levels of really good versions of supplements come in 8/10 pills / day forms.