New Vitamin/Supplementation Regimen
Posted , 4 users are following.
Hi
I'm looking to begin a supplement regimen to assist my attempts to improve my current state of physical and emotional well-being.
To give an overview of where I'm at, I'm 34 years old and physically fit. I recently had a health MOT and was in the top 10% so all good in terms of what's going on internally.
However I do have a couple of ongoing issues:
- chronic pain in the thoracic spine area
- dupuytren's disease in the left hand
- creptitus - pretty much everywhere, but especially in elbows and shoulders
- runner's knee
- erectile dysfunction (ED)
At present I do not take any medication other than ibuprofen when the pain is a bit too much...and the little blue pills for the ED of course. I obviously use muscle rubs etc for the back and ice/heat pretty much daily.
Nutrition-wise i'm very happy with my diet, and pretty sure I get whatever I need from my food choices (well, most of the time!) I'm trying to follow an anti-inflammatory diet, because the crepitus really does concern me. I eat lots of fruit and fish, but could probably do with increasing my green vegetable intake.
Here were my thoughts about what to take daily. I already have most of these so trying to be practical and cost-efficient. Would really appreciate some thoughts and guidance on these choices!
Baseline health: multivitamin. Contains most ingredients at 100% or above NRV. (with exception of Calcium, Magnesium and Zinc. I was planning on 'topping up' to 100% by using a supplement I have containing all three)
For the ED: I read somewhere that Vitamin C with Garlic (and Allicin) works well at revitalising libido. As does Maca Root extract. I have 1000mg, 400mg and 2500mg of all of these.
For the crepitus: Turmeric 600mg with black pepper.
I also have Glucosamine with Chondroitin - I stopped taking this however since a doctor casually mentioned it may contribute towards the build up of tissue around where my Dupuytren's is located.
I also have CoQ10 (100mg), but not sure why to take this or what it does.
Thanks in advance for any help, suggestions, analysis etc of this potential intake.
0 likes, 13 replies
dambudzo jimbob0802
Posted
congratulations on the results of your MOT!
if your diet is OK and you are able to eat 'proper' food then why bother with vitamin and mineral supplements? not sure that there is any reliable evidence which demsontrates that taking greater than the RNI has any impact. and in particular for the water soluble vitamins you'll just pee the excess out..... you'd be better off maybe discussing with a dietitian to confirm that you are getting the right balance and quantity of nutrients.
as for the glucosamine, CoQ10 and turmeric etc check with your doctor about these. the health food shop or other outlet which sells these has the motivation to increase their sales so of course they will tell you that these products do marvelous things. but some might interfere with other medications that you are taking at worst or do nothing at least. have you tried coming off all of these and seeing what, if any, impact there is?
stay healthy!
jimbob0802 dambudzo
Posted
Hi dambudzo, thanks for your reply.
I guess the reason I'm considering this regimen is the crepitus, back pain and ED aforementioned. As some of my previous posts indicate, I feel like these ailments I really holding me back, and not allowing me to fulfil my physical potential. I know that my MOT results put me in a category most dream about, but my musculo-skeletal deficiencies make up for that...I live in a persisent pain cycle and will try anything to get out of it.
That said I do not take medication - ironically, I don't like the thought of popping meds on a daily basis. Vitamins and minerals I consider separate to meds for sure, although I realise there could be a separate debate there. So there is nothing to 'come off' at the minute, because I'm 'not on' them! But previously I was taking and yes, it was hard to measure any improvement.
I think I will take your advise and consult a dietician. Just got to find one now...
LyLy jimbob0802
Posted
I agree with dambudzo. I learned a valuable lesson on vitamins and supplements. It can cause more harm than help. I too was healthy and decided to take a few supplements to boost my energy and well being. After 10 months using supplements issues started to surface and I often wonder if they were the culprit of my issues now.
I stopped all supplements except for magnesium. Most vitamins are synthetic and our bodies can't use it effectively or efficiently. It's not how mother nature intended. If you do choose to supplement please look at the ingredients and make sure they are whole foods supplements.
Best of luck.
jimbob0802 LyLy
Posted
Hi Taro
How do you get on with the magnesium? I was taking the calcium/zinc/magnesium tablet as part of an earlier regimen, but something was making me feel woozy - obvs couldn't pinpoint which one because there were others being taken (as aforementioned).
I know what you mean re perspective on supplementation. It does strike me as interesting that my Dupuytren's Disease kicked in whilst I was taking the Glucosamine with Chondroitin. Not the only one apparently, according to a couple of searches I've done. Nonetheless - as pointed out in my reply to dambudzo - I'm desperate to address the issues I pointed out originally and if medical evidence suggests that something might work (e.g. the turmeric and black pepper, an organic compound), then I want to give it a try. Problem is, how do you measure it's impact?!?!
LyLy jimbob0802
Posted
Hi jimbob,
What I learned with supplements is to take only 1-2 at a time to see whether you are tolerating it well and if it is helping. It's easier to pinpoint the culprit supplement by doing this.
Before I was taking 4-5 supplements at a time and after a while started feeling off and woozy. I had no idea which supplement was causing it, so I stopped all.
Magnesuim I take on it's own but only can tolerate 300mg otherwise I get stomach issues. I also use magnesuim oil on the side as it bypasses the gut and goes straight to the cells.
It's a process of elimination, start slow and slowly add 1-2 supplements at a time.
jimbob0802 LyLy
Posted
Okay Taro. Thanks for this.
The tablets I have contain calcium (1000mg), magnesium (400mg) and zinc (15mg). That's 100% of my daily recommended allowance, so I guess I'll start with this one and see how I get on. It might be that I have to get the magnesium separately though?
A couple more questions on this point:
- I have quite a fish-led diet, which obviously contains magnesium. How does this affect (your) supplementation?
- Also, how much time do you think I should allow to measure it's impact? I guess the body needs to acclimatise to the higher levels of intake?
Thanks for your help Taro, much appreciated.
LyLy jimbob0802
Posted
Hi jimbob,
Just curious why you're taking so much calcium? We usually get all we need from our diet. As for magnesium stay away from the magnesium oxide because it's the worst absorbed. Stick to malate or glycinate better absorb and easy on the gut.
With diet I too eat fish, pumpkin seeds and almonds which contain magnesium. Start off with 300mg, if it's too much your body will let you know because it will cause loose stool/diarrhea. Some people can tolerate more than others. You were on 400mg and had no laxative effects, thats a good number to stay on.
Allow at least 4 months to see if it is benefiting and helping your health. I know it takes longer to replenish magnesium stores if you were low 6-8 months. Stress, process food and sugar taxes our magnesuim alot.
Hope everything works out for you.
jimbob0802 LyLy
Posted
Thanks again for your advice Taro. Starting on 300mg makes sense, especially when it's 'topped up' with the magnesium gains from fish, almonds and pumpkin seeds etc (all things in my diet too! :-) )
The capsule I've described to you I don't currently take. But I was at one point - maybe the fact that the magnesium content is oxide was giving me the dicky stomach. Anyway, the calcium and zinc content are just incidental, in that they were part of the capsule I bought. What can I say, I was sold on the reviews, and the age old common knowledge that calcium's good for our bones!
LyLy jimbob0802
Posted
Your welcome. I know what you mean, reading reviews and taking supplements becsuse it's good for us but not knowing if we actually even need it.
Been there, did that, not doing it again.
I been considering taking d-ribose for energy and achs and pain. I heard alot good things about it. Not sure if you ever tried it?
Keep me updated on the supplements that you decide to take and if they work for you. I might consider trying them out.
Take care
jimbob0802 LyLy
Posted
Hi Taro,
No, I haven't heard of d-ribose, but I just read up on it and like the sound of it. I was taking CoQ10 at one point for energy, but didn't know what impact it was having.
I must admit, I do feel fatigued at times - never thought of this as a presenting symptom, but have been completely nackered after exercise recently. Was also just reading about joint pain and inflammation after alcohol consumption - something I know a lot about, because my crepitus goes wild after.
Will keep in touch, let's hope one of these combinations will help us sooner or later. Or is that wishful thinking?!
mlewis jimbob0802
Posted
Hi JimBob,
Did you know that 95% of the food we buy and personal care products we use from the super markets and the high street stores are not very good for you? They are mass produced and in order for them to have a long “Shelf Life” are being pumped full of preservatives and parabens. Studies are now linking these to cancer. In fact I'm convinced a lot of the "vitamins" on the high street are placebos!
Myself and my wife have started taking some organic supplements that include things like Vitamins C, B, and D, nitrates from noni fruit, magnesium and zinc, and all your Omega-3s. After a week I can notice a difference in both of us. She had severe mood swings, was constantly tired but I have seen such a turn around in her. As for me, I feel a lot more energetic. I don't feel like I want to sleep in the afternoon at my desk anymore.
If you want to find out more you can messgage me for more information. They provide a 30 day trial so if you see no improvement after a month send the empty bottles back and you'll get a full refund (minus the postage cost). Oh and they also claim to improve sexual health
All the best in your journey to better health.
jimbob0802 mlewis
Posted
Thanks for this. I'm glad thse supplements worked out for you. Out of curiosity, I best ask what they are? Happy for you to inform me. :-)
LyLy jimbob0802
Posted
Hi jimbob,
Just wondering how you are doing and has any of your symotoms improved with supplements?
I've been taking dessicated liver capsule for a month now and my fatigue has improved a bit. It's like eating liver. This is the first supplement that I could feel working unlike others where I wasn't quite sure.
With your symptoms I wonder if you ever got your zinc, copper, and ceroplasmin levels checked? As they play an important role on our hormone production, thyroid and adrenals.