Which Multivitamin Do You Take? Should it Have Vitamin K Included?

[Julian]

I read that some folks on ACT take a multivitamin with vitamin K in it to help keep a normal dose of K in their diet.

I also read that if you have inconsistency in eating foods with vitamin K; taking a multivitamin with K included will help from not experiencing the roller coaster effect from the inconsistency of vitamin K FOOD intake.

If I may, I would like to ask the ACT veterans the following questions:

-Do you agree with this practice?
-Which vitamin brands do you recommend/take?
-How much K should be in the multivitamin?
-Any other tips to suggest concerning this?

Thank you guys for considering, what a team we have here! :wink2:

 

[dick0236]

I have taken a multivitamin for over 25 years. For almost 20 of those years I didn't give the vit K content any thought. I bought what was on sale. About 5+ years ago, an INR clinic suggested I take a multivitamin without vit K. My INR has been very stable since that time....but I think that is because I got away from a doctor who constantly changed my warfarin dose and HE kept me on the yo-yo. I normally eat a consistant diet of vit K vegs, 'cause I like 'em, and try to use diet to smooth out and tweek my INR....but I don't know if it works or not. I used to take Kroger "one plus" but can't find it anymore. Currently take Nature Made multivitamin with iron and zero(0) vit K.

 

[Bina]

I don't take a multivitamin at all, but if I did it would be without K because I really enjoy eating my greens a
few times a week And like Dick said, it is so simple to tweek INRs by adding or omitting an extra salad or two.

 

[AgilityDog]

My vitamin has about 50 mgs of vt k in it. Less than the USRDA of 70. Not nearly as much as a spinach salad!

 

[Protimenow]

A little vitamin K in your vitamin should help keep your INR level -- this has been written about many times before. A few years ago, the thinking is that we should avoid Vitamin K at all costs (there are even cookbooks with low or no-K recipes).

What you want to do is try to be fairly consistent with your Vitamin K intake so that you don't do anything to throw your INR out of whack. If you DO take a multivitamin with K, stick to the same vitamin (or the same levels of K), and adjust your dosage to diet, etc., knowing that you've got a bit of K already running through your system. As long as you've got a dosage of warfarin that keeps you in range, you should be OK

 

[Gail in Ca]

I use a multivitamin/mineral supplement from CVS. It has no Vit K, and my cardio didn't want me to take any additional to my normal diet. I take the women's Spectravite. The men's has vit K, I don't know why they are different?

 

[Jason]

I use One-A-Day Men's Health Formula, and it has 20mg in each tablet. I was told by my doc that I should still take one to provide a base amount of K, but to be careful and stay on the same brand, or at least same amount of Vit K if I switched brands. A quick scan of the multi-vitamins at our store here showed that 20mg was pretty low, actually, and just by changing the vitamin brand I could easily more than double the K I get just in the vitamin. Something to be careful of, for sure, but I think for me just remaining consistent is what I need and then the INR clinic will change my dose to work around the fluctuations.

 

[DanielB]

Interesting string and timely as I just ran out of my usual Multi vitamin and am shopping for some now. My thinking is that going in (my surgery is tentatively scheduled for October) that I would want to be taking a multi vitamin with no Vit. K in it as I'm sure I will be off any supplements when I go into the hosopital and get my inital dosing set. If I were then to go home and start taking a multi with Vit. K my thinking is that it could throw my INR out of wack. I'd just as soon keep that factor out of it until I get the hang of it, then add it back in later. Sound like a good plan or am I overthinking this?

 

[catwoman]

I don't take a multi-vitamin, mainly because I get enough of most vitamins & minerals w/out a supplement. I do take vitamin D & calcium because of low-levels of vitamin D in the spring and because of osteopenia/osteoporosis.
The last time I did buy a multi-vitamin I found very very few that did not contain vitamin K. I opted to buy one w/out vitamin K because I get enough w/out a supplement.

 

[Bina]

Interesting string and timely as I just ran out of my usual Multi vitamin and am shopping for some now. My thinking is that going in (my surgery is tentatively scheduled for October) that I would want to be taking a multi vitamin with no Vit. K in it as I'm sure I will be off any supplements when I go into the hosopital and get my inital dosing set. If I were then to go home and start taking a multi with Vit. K my thinking is that it could throw my INR out of wack. I'd just as soon keep that factor out of it until I get the hang of it, then add it back in later. Sound like a good plan or am I overthinking this?

Daniel, either way that you look at it, immediately post op you won't have any vitamin intake at all. Some people
start eating right away and some people start eating a couple of days later. It's up to you to decide what Vitamin
you would like to take when you feel up to it. Your Coumadin dosing will be adjusted accordingly if necessary.
The past few years my diet has included regular amounts of broccoli and salads without any dose change needed.

 

[dick0236]

.....It's up to you to decide what Vitamin
you would like to take when you feel up to it. Your Coumadin dosing will be adjusted accordingly if necessary.
The past few years my diet has included regular amounts of broccoli and salads without any dose change needed.

I agree with Bina. IMO patients AND medical professionals place way too much importance on Vit K intake. I think most people would really have to work hard to have vit K seriously impact INR. For me, I can tweek my INR with vit K (I think), but I have never been able to have it cause a significant INR change. The important thing is to maintain your current habits and adjust the warfarin to fit that habit. The only "MUST DO" is to take warfarin as prescribed and test routinely. It really ain't that big of a deal:wink2:.

 

[Protimenow]

I agree with the others. There was a time when conventional thinking said to avoid Vitamin K -- they've even got cookbooks that have recipes with minimal (or no) Vitamin K. Now the thinking has swung around to say that you should take a small amount of Vitamin K. Not only is it supposed to make actual anticoagulant management easier, the Vitamin K has other health benefits beyond just what it does for coagulation. As others have said -- whatever you do, try to keep consistent.

If it was me having surgery (again) and having to deal with anticoagulation, I wouldn't obsess over Vitamin K -- I'd try to eat as usual post-op, and let the 'experts' in anticoagulation management adjust my dose.

(I would also get my own meter - assuming that I'm able to accurately run a test - and test regularly. This is the best way to keep on top of the INR).

 

[Cooker]

I take one and have for years ... I also eat salad and greens etc ... pick one and stick with it and keep your diet consistent ... don't let ACT rule your life ... good luck:thumbup:

 

[DanielB]

Thanks to all for the good advice. I searched this last wekend for a multi vitamin without vitamin K and indeed, there are few to be found, none on the shleves of my local suppliers. I'll just move ahead with the one I have been taking that has a small amount of it in it and make it work as I go along.

Thanks again,

Dan

 

[Duff Man]

IF i take a vitamin, it's a flinstones chewable. Most of them don't have vitamin k in them and I trust them more than the adult brands. I find the supplementation of vitamin k absurd, personally.

 

[Bina]

IF i take a vitamin, it's a flinstones chewable. Most of them don't have vitamin k in them and I trust them more than the adult brands. I find the supplementation of vitamin k absurd, personally.

Cool, I'm not the only one who enjoys kids' vitamins.

 

[Greg a]

Replivite is in the druggist area and not OTC ....I started that post op as well as COQ10, vit D and calcium

 

[Cris N]

I take a multivitamin with 50 mcg vitamin k AND a vitamin K supplement of 100 mcg. Helps me maintain stability. Otherwise my levels are very sensitive to dietary changes.

 

[hook]

I use an all natural whole food multivitamin that has no K in it (expensive, but good stuff). I do take 90mcg of Vit K2, which helps transport calcium in the blood away from deposit areas and into the bone where it is needed; theoretically reducing calcium on artery walls and valves. At least that is what the literature says. How well this vit K2 work in a person on Coumadin is a mystery.

I can say that my dose was not affected more than a 2.5mg increase need of Coumadin by using the vit K2, and seemed to smooth me out.