NancyM,
Most times when a multi causes nausea it is likely to be the copper. Some new multi's now have NO COPPER. Women especially can have problems with high copper levels. Estrogen triggers ceruloplasmin which puts copper into your bloodstream. Copper levels go up when women get their period (because of estrogen going up) and a lot of women will have cravings for chocolate, or can have GI problems then. Too much copper will cause the GI problems including diarrhea, cramps, gas, bloating, etc., and many other symptoms too. But too little copper would cause the chocolate cravings. Dark chocolate is higher in copper than milk but both are good sources for copper.

You can have too much copper from BC pills (synthetic estrogen being stronger than natural estrogen), tap water (copper pipes), soda from fountain machines (copper tubes), booze, weed, cigs, other meds, recent pregnancy (high estrogen levels), stress depletes you of zinc, and vegetarian protein sources.

Zinc Status will tell you if you have too much copper. Zinc and copper balance one another. Zinc Status will cost less than $20 in a health food store and tells you immediately if you have a zinc deficiency (or too much copper). This test is a better indication of deficiency than a blood sample. Too much copper can have cause some serious health problems if not taken care of.

Thanks Ortho,
that is interesting about zinc and copper.

it has been my experience that the two most common causes of
nausea/reflux with high dose multis...is the B-complex and/or zinc content.

These mixed products usually use zinc sulfate, which is very cheap and
high in causing nausea.

B-complex has always been a problem..it will be easier to tolerate in an
extended release formula (these are becoming more common),
broken in half and split throughout the day, and most definitely taken after food.

here is a really good listing of nutrients and use of oral contraceptives:
http://www.ext.colostate.edu/PUBS/foodnut/09323.html

My daughter gets cracks in the corners of her mouth when she does not take her vitamins for a while. Her doctor recently told us that can be from not having enough zinc (I had always thought it was from a lack of B vitamins). Her blood zinc levels were recently tested and they are at the low end of the range.

I bought some Zinc Tally and so far I am the only one who has tried it. I held it in my mouth and did not taste anything. After about 10 seconds I decided to just swallow it. As I swallowed it I got a blast of "zinc taste" (I suppose that was what the awful taste was). I don't know how to interpret that but I am not going to retest anytime soon.


Rachel--There is a quick test for stressed adrenals that you can do at home. Go in a darkened room and look in a mirror as you shine a small light across your eye. The pupil will contract. If the adrenals are stressed your pupil will not be able to hold the contraction and will dilate despite the light shining on it. This is discussed in the book Adrenal Fatigue by James Wilson.

--Judy

Dr. Fine mentioned in passing he thought dairy products were probably responsible for a lot of osteoperosis, I thought that was an interesting remark!

Lately I've been reading about lectins (in grains, legumes, maybe other sources?) bind with calcium. And I've been pondering... how did hunter & gatherers get by? I doubt they eat anywhere near the amount of calcium most of us get.

Rachel,

Magnesium, as well as calcium, is supposed to help with muscle and joint pain. Racing/irregular heartbeat can also be caused by low magnesium. If you've been supplementing with calcium, but not magnesium, the two may be out of balance.

From a book called "Understanding Vitamins and Minerals":

They also go on to say they suspect that any type of stress will lower magnesium levels.

This seems like a pretty good site http://www.healthatoz.com/healthatoz..._imbalance.jsp

As for a basic B12 test, doesn't that measure just what's in the blood, and not what's in the muscles where it's needed? If so, couldn't the blood level be high, but other areas be low? Where's Rose?

I know if I stop my B12 for more than 2 weeks, I get my shooting pain back - it's like someone just jammed a nail right through my foot and in the back of my knee, and it does it every few seconds for about 10 minutes straight, off and on throughout the day. I've never had my levels tested, I just know I need it.

myst

I think a delayed taste from Zinc Status or Zinc Tally means you are deficient. It is interesting that your doctor said that cracks in the corner are from low zinc levels. I disagree with that and agree with you, Judy, that it is a b vitamin issue. But it seems like taking some zinc would probably be a good idea. I will get those if I don't take the b vitamins like thiamin or some other b vitamin.

Low nutrients levels especially in women can cause weak adrenals, I think. Women are more prone to this problem because estrogen must be broken down in the liver before it is excreted in the body. The liver and adrenals work together, so if one is weak the other will likely suffer too at some point. But I have the problem with sensitivity to light sometimes. I hate having to drive on sunny days sometimes. I do think this is from my zinc deficiency. Zinc is needed by the adrenals, but of course not the only thing.

I have a photo of my in second grade and I can see how dilated my pupils were back then. Dilated pupils are, I think, another sign of weak adrenals.

Do we all get diarrhea with our periods? I do . Always.


White flecks in the nails and stretch marks are supposed to associated with zinc deficiency. My daughter, thin, had all sorts of stretch marks at the tender age of about 12. So...that stood out for me when I heard zinc defiency could cause that. Otherwise, it made no sense!

Cara

Most people never believe me when I try to tell them that stretch marks are a sign of a zinc deficiency. That Strivectin stuff goes for $70 or $80 and a zinc supplement is a fraction of that price. I had stretch marks too as a teenager and my weight did not change then. Some people don't want to beleive that stretch marks are NOT GENETIC but can be treated pretty inexpensively. Some women will swear that rubbing cocoa butter into their abs during pregnancy is what prevented them from getting stretch marks. That is just another example of some misinformation out there.

I used to get some minor GI problems when my period started. Now, it doesn't happen all the time, but when it does I take it as an indication that my copper and zinc are not balanced as well as they should be. Of course it could be something else too; but for any problems I try to listen to my body and try to correct the problem. Sometimes it can be a pain to have these symptoms pop up from time to time, but they can provide useful feedback that my nutritional supplements may need a minor tweaking.

I am past menopause but, yes, I use to get diarrhea with my periods too Not much in the way of stretch marks
Anne