Interstitial Cystitis Association
Cafe ICA

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Vitamins & Supplements 

Little research has been conducted about this topic.  Before taking vitamins or dietary supplements, talk with your healthcare provider.  Ask about any medicine or health considerations you need to think about before taking vitamins and supplements.

Vitamins and Minerals
If you are going to take vitamins, consider purchasing individual vitamins, as opposed to buying multivitamins. This way you can better control what you are consuming. 

  • Vitamin C, because it is acidic, can cause IC flares.  Ester-C, a pH balanced (acid-neutralized) version of C, may be an option for IC patients.  It was originally developed for people with stomach problems.  However, start out with small doses.  Some IC patients are so sensitive that they cannot even tolerate Ester-C.
  • The B-Complex vitamins, for reasons not clearly understood, can also cause problems with IC.  You may want to try taking B vitamins individually, instead of a B-complex formula.
  • The fat soluble vitamins (A, D E, and K) should pose no problems.  Minerals, such as calcium and magnesium, are also usually well-tolerated by most IC patients.

Dietary Supplements
There are several over-the-counter dietary supplements that help to relieve symptoms for many people with IC. 

 

Revised March 30, 2009