Today, I’d like to answer two of the most common questions I receive this time of year:
A. “I feel tired and run-down — what vitamins should I take?”
In an ideal world, we would get all the vitamins we need from the fruits, vegetables, and dairy in our daily diets. However, at annual physicals and routine blood work, I’m often surprised by how many patients have low levels of vitamins B12, D, and folate.
One reason is that much of our produce travels long distances and is stored for long periods before we eat it. By the time an apple makes its way from the tree to a distribution center, then to a supermarket, then to your refrigerator, its flavor may hold up — but its vitamin content often doesn’t.
For this reason, I generally recommend taking an over-the-counter multivitamin. That said, multivitamins vary widely in quality and formulation. To help address this, we are now offering vitamin infusions in our office. These are not covered by insurance but are very affordable, take only about 30 minutes, and provide a full spectrum of vitamins that can last 4–6 weeks. If you’re interested, please call the office to schedule an appointment.
B. “Should I get the flu vaccine and/or the COVID vaccine?”
I strongly recommend the flu vaccine every year, especially for anyone with chronic conditions such as diabetes or heart disease. So far this season, we have not seen any significant side effects. The vaccine is free, requires no copay, and can be given on a walk-in basis. We also carry the high-dose flu vaccine for patients over age 65.
The COVID vaccine is a bit more complex this year. The virus continues to mutate, and it’s unclear how well the current vaccine matches circulating strains. Fortunately, recent cases have generally been mild, resembling a common cold, with low rates of hospitalization.
For that reason, I suggest waiting for the updated COVID vaccine expected early next year, which is being designed to target newer variants. There is still limited information about this upcoming formulation. The currently available vaccine is not unsafe, but it may offer limited protection against infection at this point in the season.