Vitamin/supplement/nutrition question

I have been a bit tired for a couple of weeks now, and I started my period on Saturday and have had NO energy since then! It dawned on my today to wonder if I need to be taking a vitamin, or at least making sure I'm taking iron. Is iron primarily found in meat? If I am eating totally vegetarian and mostly vegan, should I supplement? Is there anything else that I would really need to watch to be sure I'm getting enough of it?

Thanks!!

There is iron in vegetable sources. . problem is, it is mostly bound up, and not assimilated by the body. However, combining certain foods will make it more available. Spinach and oranges (or other Vit. C) for instance. But, I would be taking a multivitamin, with iron, just in case. You can always visit the doc. and he can tell you if you need it. I was totally tired all the time and suggested that I may have low iron to my doc. (especially since the tiredness hit right before AF), and I was not low. It's always good to check it first.

[ShangriLewis]

Your doctor can do a full blood panel to see what vitamins or minerals you need. People who have problem absorbing iron will have that problem no matter what they eat. If you like juice than a small glass of juice with meals will help you absorb iron better. You might want to try a better supplement as well. Everyone can benefit from a good supplement. Our food supply is just not what it once was.

Strict vegans should make sure they get a few different chances to get smaller doses of B12. The more frequent small doses work best. So, say you drink fortified milk, take a supplement etc.

That's a good point. A B-deficiency could cause the same type symptoms. And that can be very possible, especially for vegans and vegetarians. B-vitamins are best gotten by the usual protein foods (meats and stuff).

Now that is interesting. I have always had a few symptoms of a B deficiency including tingling fingers and a tongue allergy (not sure what else to call it--I react to certain foods by getting welts on my tongue). I haven't been taking ANY vitamins or supplements for a while...I may start back up with the multi and B-vitamins at least....

[ShangriLewis]

I just wanted to point out that eating meat isn't what fixes this. Anyone can have this problem especially as they age. That is why some people have to do shots.

Just make sure you get small doses and often. The large amount in the tabs you get under your tongue are not assimilated fully. The more you take at once the small the percentage of the dose is asorbed. Does that make sense?

http://www.pcrm.org/health/veginfo/b12.html
http://www.vegsource.com/articles/walsh_b12.htm

From what I understand using a spray version is now the best way to get B12 (besides maybe shots for extreme deficiences).
https://secure17.nexternal.com/share...t=products.asp