UC &vitamin supplements

Hello,

Wondering if anyone has feedback on using vitamin supplements to help with poor nutritional absorption? I have had UC for 25 years, which my doc considers moderate. I eat a pretty healthy, but very limited diet, because so many things are difficult. I suspect that I am not getting much out of what I do eat (have extreme fatigue), and am trying to get some better nutrition. Am a very traditional person, and haven't done much with more holistic approaches, and am a little leery of a lot of this, from the high prices to the possibility that I might put myself into a flare. I have tried many different kinds of pill/capsule vitamins over the years, and they cause stomach upset. Am now trying to add mix into smoothie & is ok (except for bad taste, but it's nothing compared to colonoscopy prep..........). Wondering if anyone has feedback? Thanks!

If you can, get all of your vitamins and minerals from eating fresh, healthy, and nutritious foods. It's always preferable to popping a pill whose contents may not be as easily or consistently absorbed by your body.

I agree with KS about getting your B12 checked, along with iron which can be depleted from excessive bleeding. But please get your blood levels of vitamin D checked too. Many of us with IBD are deficient and it is proven to help. And natural vitamin D3 capsules shouldn't upset your stomach.

Vitamin D is derived manly from sunshine so no matter how well balanced your diet may be most people find that they are way below the optimum blood level range. Especially those IBD people on biologics who must try to avoid sunshine because of skin cancer.