Standard Process Vitamins

What vitamins/supplements should a vegetarian take?

I recently became vegetarian and I'm wondering if I should take any vitamins/supplements. Which ones should I take? I know a lot of people are going to say I don't need them or that I can get the vitamins from eating other foods, but please can you tell me the vitamins anyway, so I have the option. thanks

Public Comments

1. Just a plain ol' Flintstone chewable vitamin. That is all you should need. The B vitamines are imporatant. But if your diet is good you shouldnt have to worry about vitamins.
2. Iron. This is the one nutrient only found in meat, but don't be discouraged, on avaerage, a vegetarian is healthier than a meat eater.
3. Some vegetarians, especially females, take iron supplements. Unless a blood test has specifically shown that you have a nutrient deficiency, I wouldn't recommend any supplements just because you're vegetarian.
4. Iron for women and Vit. B 12. Women do not metabolize 50% of the iron we eat and then we bleed once a month. Iron. B12 is an essential vitamin that is readily available in meat products but not in veggies. I get mine at the health food store cause they are veggie based. I am vegan so I am especially suseptible.
5. Iron and vitamin B are good to take, but just to make sure you get all you need, a multivitamin is always a safe bet. Everyone should take a multivitamin anyway.. they are good for you.
6. I take a vegan multivitamin that contains iron just to be on the safe side. And several times a week, I also have a powdered vitamin supplement (Emergen-C) for a pick-me-up in the afternoon. There are vegetarian foods that contain iron--leafy green vegetables and beans among them--and you want to eat foods rich in vitamin C with them to help increase absorption. Many foods are fortified wtih B12, far more than the recommended daily dose, and your body stores it quite well.
7. If you are an inexperienced vegetarian it may benefit you to take supplements for a while. The two most commonly missed nutrients are iron and b12. These however can be gotten in more than sufficient amounts with a few key foods such as red beets (iron) and spirulina (iron and b12). If your worried just buy a bottle of spirulina tablets and take them every day. Not only does spirulina have both nutrients vegetarians sometimes don't get enough of but also is loaded with protein and is a great immune booster.
8. It is essential that vegetarians take a B12 supplement daily.