$500 of Supplements...What to Do?

[Cort]

For winning Advocate of the Year I got a $500 gift card from Prohealth.

Not sure how to use it best...

I was thinking

• After the story of the woman who did so well by maxing out on probiotics I'm thinking probiotics of several kinds
• Mitochondrial support
• Green supplement
• Vitamin D....

After that I pretty much run blank!

Ideas are welcome...

 

[Remy]

What are your most troubling symptoms?

Any suboptimal lab values you'd like to potentially address?

 

[Anomie]

Of all of the things that I am currently taking I think that Nicotinamide Riboside might be making the biggest difference for me. I noticed improved energy and less of that flu like "sicky" feeling within days. I started at 250 ml and now I'm taking 500ml.

This is such a fun prize!

 

[Cort]

What are your most troubling symptoms?

Any suboptimal lab values you'd like to potentially address?

fatigue, burning pain particularly after exercise - high reactivity to stress - probably hyperventilation, poor breathing, hypoglycemia, some problem with orthostatic intolerance, head and neck pain, constricted tight feeling muscles in my upper body, cognitive issues.

 

[Cort]

Yes, it is

Of all of the things that I am currently taking I think that Nicotinamide Riboside might be making the biggest difference for me. I noticed improved energy and less of that flu like "sicky" feeling within days. I started at 250 ml and now I'm taking 500ml.

This is such a fun prize!

 

[Cort]

That's a possibility. At one point I started reacting well to supplements and then would get energy and would relapse....Maybe I can do better this time. I know that probiotics help.

Just think, you'll end up with a closet full of free supplements you don't use. Lol.

 

[IrisRV]

fatigue, burning pain particularly after exercise

Lactic acid-type burning? If so, that would be going over your AT, probably. Not sure if there's a supp to deal with too much lactic acid, or whether it's wise to mask a symptom that's telling you not to work your body so hard. Still, worth thinking about.

If it was me, I'd stock up on CoQ10, mostly ubiquinol. The stuff is expensive, so not easy to keep up with if you're on a limited budget. It's the supp that's done the most for me in the energy/fatigue/stamina arena.

 

[Who Me?]

I think buy a smorgasbord of stuff and see what helps and what does not. Things that others have suggested here that have been helpful for them have been terrible for me.

 

[IrisRV]

Oh yeah, another pricey one that's worth trying if you have the funds is magnesium l-threonate for cognitive issues.


I think if I were in your shoes, I'd think of this as an opportunity to try supps that I'd like to try, but are too pricey for me to risk experimenting with given I'd have to cut out something else in order to afford it. Maybe if it was a $500 windfall, I'd be more willing to risk it to find if these expensive supps actually work for me.

 

[tandrsc]

Chlorella might be worth a try - lots of green and may improve the immune response to exercise (see http://nutritionfacts.org/video/preserving-athlete-immunity-with-chlorella-2/)

Lots of B12

If I could afford it, I'd also be adding D-ribose to my drinks.

 

[GracieJ]

Go with what you have wanted to try and could not because funds were lacking.

After that, look at anything that rebuilds - greens, probiotics.

 

[Forebearance]

Congratulations!
I spend that much on supplements every month.
The most expensive one is Co Q-10. I buy the best brand I can find, Enzymatic Therapy, and it does seem to have more of an effect than cheaper brands.
Vitamin B-1 is good for blood sugar issues.
Seabuckthorn oil is a nice but expensive essential fatty acid (it's an Omega 7).
I guess my supplements fall into a few brioad categories: vitamins and minerals, antioxidants, essential fatty acids, hormones, anti-microbials, & toxin binders.
Have fun!

 

[andreamarie]

Dr. David Systrom, who dx my preload failure told me to take CoQ10 and Magnesium. I use Andrew Lessman, either his website or when he has specials on HSN (Home Shopping Network). There's a dreadful g.I. disease called Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome that I fortunately didn't have but is treated with CoQ10 and they use Andrew Lessman. I was in a study for dry eye (I have Sjogren's) that used Omega 3 . IT WORKED: RESTASIS DIDN'T. I still buy the brand used in the study: Theratears.
First CFS doc told me to take Culturelle, one of the first probiotics that didn't disappear from stomach acid. That was twenty six years ago. She said she took it. I see a lot of doctors into health: I ask them what they take.

I also take Dr. Theoharis Theorides Cystoprotek because I had interstitial cystitis(in remission.) If I could afford it I'd add Neuroprotek.
I take prescription D; the endocrinologist said it has helped some of his FMS patients.
Money is really tight so I take what I'm told I need. I trust all the doctors who recommended these.
There are a lot of new probiotics but my gastro doesn't like mixing them all at once. Different people react differently. I have Crohn's (in remission) but have other g.I. problems. The Crohn's, Sjogren's, and i.c. came BEFORE the CFS.

I have dysautonomia, but it is intermittent, usually when I flare in the fall and spring. I eat a lot of salty foods (good ones) and drink a liter of water. If necessary a salt tablet and/or low calorie Gatorade.

Cheapest thing I do four hours before bedtime: hot bath with a cup of Epsom Salts (magnesium sulfate which is not a salt.)

 

[Cort]

Lactic acid-type burning? If so, that would be going over your AT, probably. Not sure if there's a supp to deal with too much lactic acid, or whether it's wise to mask a symptom that's telling you not to work your body so hard. Still, worth thinking about.

If it was me, I'd stock up on CoQ10, mostly ubiquinol. The stuff is expensive, so not easy to keep up with if you're on a limited budget. It's the supp that's done the most for me in the energy/fatigue/stamina arena.

Coq10 is top of my list because it does help and is so darn expensive.

D-Ribose is a possibility as well. Has anyone tried that?

 

[Cort]

Chlorella might be worth a try - lots of green and may improve the immune response to exercise (see http://nutritionfacts.org/video/preserving-athlete-immunity-with-chlorella-2/)

Lots of B12

If I could afford it, I'd also be adding D-ribose to my drinks.

Right, I'm thinking about D-Ribose because it is so expensive.

 

[Cort]

Congratulations!
I spend that much on supplements every month.
The most expensive one is Co Q-10. I buy the best brand I can find, Enzymatic Therapy, and it does seem to have more of an effect than cheaper brands.
Vitamin B-1 is good for blood sugar issues.
Seabuckthorn oil is a nice but expensive essential fatty acid (it's an Omega 7).
I guess my supplements fall into a few brioad categories: vitamins and minerals, antioxidants, essential fatty acids, hormones, anti-microbials, & toxin binders.
Have fun!

Thanks!

 

[Cort]

Dr. David Systrom, who dx my preload failure told me to take CoQ10 and Magnesium. I use Andrew Lessman, either his website or when he has specials on HSN (Home Shopping Network). There's a dreadful g.I. disease called Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome that I fortunately didn't have but is treated with CoQ10 and they use Andrew Lessman. I was in a study for dry eye (I have Sjogren's) that used Omega 3 . IT WORKED: RESTASIS DIDN'T. I still buy the brand used in the study: Theratears.
First CFS doc told me to take Culturelle, one of the first probiotics that didn't disappear from stomach acid. That was twenty six years ago. She said she took it. I see a lot of doctors into health: I ask them what they take.

I also take Dr. Theoharis Theorides Cystoprotek because I had interstitial cystitis(in remission.) If I could afford it I'd add Neuroprotek.
I take prescription D; the endocrinologist said it has helped some of his FMS patients.
Money is really tight so I take what I'm told I need. I trust all the doctors who recommended these.
There are a lot of new probiotics but my gastro doesn't like mixing them all at once. Different people react differently. I have Crohn's (in remission) but have other g.I. problems. The Crohn's, Sjogren's, and i.c. came BEFORE the CFS.

I have dysautonomia, but it is intermittent, usually when I flare in the fall and spring. I eat a lot of salty foods (good ones) and drink a liter of water. If necessary a salt tablet and/or low calorie Gatorade.

Cheapest thing I do four hours before bedtime: hot bath with a cup of Epsom Salts (magnesium sulfate which is not a salt.)

I had forgotten about Neuroprotek...Thanks for mentioning that.

 

[Issie]

Right, I'm thinking about D-Ribose because it is so expensive.

Ribose Can over stimulate some. Does me.

Also comment on pregnonolone - I just read yesterday it could up glutamate. So it could also potentially be stimulating.

I agree with CQ10. Another one I'm trying again, and is supposed to help with cognative issues is PQQ. First time I tried it gave me too much energy.

Probiotics are good. I like Prescript Assist.

And for pain - Curcurmin or turmeric and possibly ginger. But ginger is very warming and may burn your stomach. Astaxanthin is good for inflammation and pain.

You might wait for your 23&me to get back and see where your methylation issues lie. Then you can get stuff to tweak that.

If you take Vit D, use Vit K with it. You want your calcium to stay in the bones and not go into your soft tissue or veins.

And magnesium chloride is good for pains and to help sleep. It is a spray on magnesium. Can cause stinging in some. I just mix a little of my lavender balm with it If it stings.

There is a product by Solaray called Respiration. If you have allergies - it helps. I like it. That's all I'm using right now for MCAS.

There is so much more. I think the plant source of DHA helps my brain.

A good parasite cleanse. Parastory by Nature's Secret is pretty mild. There is a stronger one than that. But it was too much for me. But hubby liked it.

For me taking GTF chromium keeps my blood sugar stable. I only use it a few times a week.

If leptin and insulin resistance is an issue - Integra Lean from Life Extension.

I can come up with more. But I think the money is gone.

I really like hemp protein. Put it in a smoothie for breakfast. I also use a vegan protein powder with it. Keeps me for a long time.

Only add one thing at a time. You won't know what's working or hurting.

Issie

 

[zzz]

I've recently been following the probiotic regimen of the woman who did so well on them, and they're making a very big difference for me too. They just take a little while to kick in. I have also found that adding Clostridium Butyricum to the mix helps greatly.

With the probiotics, adding one at a time may not necessarily be the best strategy. I find that they tend to act synergistically, so that a probiotic that has negative side effects when taken alone may have very positive effects when taken with others. And then of course, different probiotics work best for different people.

I would also go for the D-Ribose. The brand I referenced is about half the price of most other brands (or less), but I find that it works just as well. It is definitely one of my most effective supplements. If a given dose is too stimulating, reducing the dose should solve that problem.

Curamin is also a great all around anti-inflammatory, though it's a bit on the expensive side. Well worth it, though, IMO.

 

[Rosie26]

Green supplement

That reminds me, I need that one.

Enjoy your spending @Cort. Also, congrats for the award and thanks for all you do.