vitamins

[moose 961]

are there any vitamin shops in hau-hin

[Vital Spark]

There are plenty of places you can buy almost any vitamin combination you can think of. Market Village, Boots, Watsons and various drug stores, to name a few.

VS

[moose 961]

thanks vs, how are the prices more or less,same as home?

[Takiap]

I also know of one particular multivitamin called "Borak" (I think) which is made in Thailand. I have in the past studied the list of ingredients and etc and was very impressed since they well and truly do seem to contain everything. The downside is, they are bloody huge. On the upside, they cost far less than imported supplements, especially since you would need at least two or three different brand name supplements in order to get everything contained in the Thai one.


Whether that's a good thing or bad thing, I don't know, but I'll probably start taking some myself soon because I know I don't get everything I need via the meals I eat.

[glassdude007]

Borak...will have to research those ...thanks..
where can i get more info on Borak...i google but not my friend hmmmm ???


Ever try Milk Thistle ??
supose to be good for heavy drinkers to keep the liver working properly ever try them available at Boots stores as well

[MLS]

Have taken daily milk thistle for years and years and so far so good. Hangivers not too severe. It's supposed to be even better if you get a high strength capsule combined with dandylion and the other 'de-tox' herbs. I do think it helps the old liver, though I suspect that I treat it as a licence to over-indulge. I stock up on my annual visit to the UK, where I hit a Holland & Barrett branch with a credit card. Vitamins and minerals there are way, way cheaper than Hong Kong, and there's far more variety there than I've seen in my (I admit, limited) experience of Hua Hin.

[Spitfire]

Ever try Milk Thistle ??

Yes, it is supposed to be of benefit for liver function, especially for those that drink, but I've had a 'devil-of-a-time' finding a decent product that is reliably available.

Also, if you drink, then you should consider a calcium supplement too as the body uses calcium for neutralizing alcohol.

Look for supplements that have the 'chelated' form of the minerals etc as it is much more absorbent.

Decent supplements are expensive with lots of useless ones on the market too.

I would recommend at least a buffeted Vitamin C tablet like Blackmores and an enteric coated allicin extract pill as well as a multivitamin pill, along with grape seed extract if you have the inclination or spare cash as it's expensive (a good quality one like Blackmores) but very good for you.

One garlic/allicin extract pill I find to be good (2000 mcg a pill), easily available here, not so expensive, GMP certified and works in a way that can be noticed is this one...........

[margaretcarnes]

thanks vs, how are the prices more or less,same as home?

That depends where home is moose. The price of Centrum multi vitamins is on a par with their UK price - maybe a tad cheaper. Boots own brand stuff is also on a par with their UK prices.
If you want special herbal brews though Thailand is your place, and there are forum members who can advise.
General advice on buying any multi vitamin is to check the small print on the pack. As well as a list of the vitamins included there should be the %RDA of each one. Anything over 100% is a waste of space and money (and tablet size!)

[MrPlum]

General advice on buying any multi vitamin is to check the small print on the pack. As well as a list of the vitamins included there should be the %RDA of each one. Anything over 100% is a waste of space and money (and tablet size!)

Hi Mags. The % RDA values are disputed by many nutritionists. Recommended levels for sodium are often way too high.

As far as I understand it, the RDA is the minimum qty required to prevent a deficiency disease. So 100% is still very low. You are also assuming 100% of the supplement will be absorbed,which is unlikely.

Quality is important. Over-priced synthetic vitamins and crushed rocks turned into 'multi-minerals' are of less use than natural and organic, which are more assimilable.

It is well established that vitamin deficiency affects us mentally and physically. Hence the newish science of 'nutraceuticals'. Are we getting sufficient nutrients from our normal diets? I think not. Our ability to properly extract nutrients from food can also be compromised.

Easy solution.

Get a juicer!

[moose 961]

if you buy any single vitamin like B or D the dose is 1000 or 2000 % rda. anyway can you get a 3-6-9
combo oil pill. fish, flax, and borage. friends started me on this and there having good results with cholestorol and blood pressure

[margaretcarnes]

General advice on buying any multi vitamin is to check the small print on the pack. As well as a list of the vitamins included there should be the %RDA of each one. Anything over 100% is a waste of space and money (and tablet size!)

Hi Mags. The % RDA values are disputed by many nutritionists. Recommended levels for sodium are often way too high.

As far as I understand it, the RDA is the minimum qty required to prevent a deficiency disease. So 100% is still very low. You are also assuming 100% of the supplement will be absorbed,which is unlikely.

Quality is important. Over-priced synthetic vitamins and crushed rocks turned into 'multi-minerals' are of less use than natural and organic, which are more assimilable.

It is well established that vitamin deficiency affects us mentally and physically. Hence the newish science of 'nutraceuticals'. Are we getting sufficient nutrients from our normal diets? I think not. Our ability to properly extract nutrients from food can also be compromised.


Thanks as always Mr P! I'd like to think of course that my home town brand Seven Seas is a good one - but who knows? I think one problem most of us have is the sheer cost of buying several seperate bottles (which you do tend to have to do with Seven Seas) so a multi vitamin is an affordable way, even if, as you say, some of the doses may be a bit low.
We do of course continue to see the official line that we should get all we need from a balanced diet. The ongoing problem with that - apart from ever present junk food - is that opinions continue to change on what constitutes a balanced diet! Just yesterday yet another list of 'good' foods appeared in the UK press, which really turns back the clock about 50 years. But yes a big worry is how much natural nutrient certain foods still contain.
BTW re cholesterol lowering supplements mentioned earlier - isn't green tea supposed to be one of the best? That at least is readily and cheaply available in the LOS.
Easy solution.

Get a juicer!

[Takiap]

A while back my wife was watching a documentary on TV which was all about Green Tea. In a nutshell, they were saying that the bottled green tea you buy in the shops here is of no benefit at all since it's already lost all of it's goodness by the time it reaches the consumer. Added to that is the fact that most of the bottled brands now contain sugar/sweeteners, and other questionable additives. Unfortunately, according to those taking part in the TV program, aggressive marketing campaigns have already brainwashed consumers into believing bottled green tea is some sort of magic bullet.


I've also noticed some of the Soy Milk drinks now boast "added collagen" Again, this is nothing but a marketing gimmick since any collagen which is consumed is quickly broken down by the digestive system. One also sees collagen on the labels of many skin care products, and especially those sold as anti aging creams or anti wrinkle serums. Again, collagen CANNOT be absorbed by the skin.

As Mr Plum has pointed out several times in the past, not all vitamins are created equal. Vitamin E is just one example, as is vitamin C. Some forms of vitamin might be great, some may totally useless, but adding them to a supplement allows to manufacture to legally add them to the list of ingredients.

The health benefits of many essential oils and etc are also often destroyed by the extraction process employed.

Lastly but not least, you have a world full of nutritional experts who simply cannot make up their minds as to what is best. Some say to reduce salt, others say not to. Some say fat is bad, others say your body needs fat. I go up to Isaan and I sees scores of people in their late seventies, eighties, and even nineties, who eat lumps of fat like there's no tomorrow. In fact, belly pork seems to be the most favored cut of pork between Thais.


Naturally I believe we all need a good supply of vitamins, but I also think you can help your body out by staying away from all the processed rubbish which has become so popular. I also think this is easier said than done, and yes, in Thailand as well. For example, fresh fruit juice costs significantly more than the cheap "25%" juices, so of course most locals go for the cheap ones. I still find it hard to believe that a liter of fresh juice costs more than a liter of beer. No wonder I choose Chang above fresh orange.


Jokes aside, Thailand could do much to encourage healthy eating, especially when it comes to young kids, but they just don't seem to be bothered, and of course, you also have the "if it's Thai, it's good", with rice being a prime example. For most Thais, rice is the healthiest and most nutritional food on the planet, despite the fact that it is in fact pretty much useless.

So many Thai dishes are loaded with goodness, but people only use the food in order to flavor the rice. the greater part of any Thai meal is rice. These days, I keep rice to a minimum, and eat most the main dishes with just a small amount of rice. While I'm sure this will be benefiting me, I'm just afraid that I may have left it too late....lol.


Now I really do need to invest in a juicer..............any suggestions?

[hhfarang]

I was just reading an article yesterday that said over dosing on some vitamins (supplements) is also toxic and can do more harm than good, particularly vitamins A, C, and E.

[Takiap]

I was just reading an article yesterday that said over dosing on some vitamins (supplements) is also toxic and can do more harm than good, particularly vitamins A, C, and E.

Yes that's correct. Zinc is another one to watch out for apparently.

[margaretcarnes]

I was just reading an article yesterday that said over dosing on some vitamins (supplements) is also toxic and can do more harm than good, particularly vitamins A, C, and E.

That's my understanding as well HHF - some vitamins are retained by the body more efficiently and can build up - others don't. Again Mr P probably has more info but that could help explain why multivitamins err on the cautious side overall?
It really is a minefield when also taking into account individual diets and food sources/processing. Iron deficiency can be monitored by blood tests - what about vitamins? So without knowing exactly what nutrients are in our food, and what we need of each, how do we judge?
There are many who say any supplements are a waste of time of course. The one I would question is vitamin D, particularly for people living somewhere like the LOS. But there again how much time in the sun is enough for a days supply of D? It just goes on......