[ofthevalley]

I'm wondering what kinds of supplements everyone takes and why. I need to start supplementing.

[Skeezyks]

Well... the Skeezyks doesn't take any. I'm also on Psych-Central's sister website: NeuroTalk. And several members over there have recommended magnesium supplements to me. I don't know. I'm skeptical. For one thing... the supplements industry is pretty-much completely unregulated. And it seems like any time this stuff is tested, what's actually in the bottle seldom adheres to what it says on the label. Also, if you take more than your body needs, then the excess just ends up in the toilet, from what I understand. At one time, I used to take the multi-vitamin Centrum. But I never felt like it made any difference in the way I felt.

[*Laurie*]

I take a multivitamin every day. I'm taking it mostly because gel nail polish has ruined my fingernails, to the point at which it's painful. So I'm hoping vitamins help my nails become stronger faster.

[mindwrench]

I take vitamin C and Cranberry extract. I should take Calcium, but I haven't been.

[Deeplyhurt77]

My process. said that B12 is good for people with low energy, however it didn't help me. I take L-methofolate which is a type of vitamin it slightly helps me have a clearer mind.

[FooZe]

I wrote a long story about my experiences with supplements a few years ago, here: http://forums.psychcentral.com/other...ml#post2374215

[ofthevalley]

Thank you for the replies. I've started with magnesium and fish oil. Fooze, that was very interesting. I'm going to add the Bs next! Thanks again.

I take C, B12, and fish oil pills. I also eat pink fleshed fish (salmon, tuna) several times per month.

[snarkydaddy]

Originally Posted by justafriend306

I take C, B12, and fish oil pills. I also eat pink fleshed fish (salmon, tuna) several times per month.

I follow those guidelines too salmon or trout once a week. And take niacin, B12, omega 3, and started taking resveratrol

[LucyG]

Magnesium is one of the most important minerals as it's used in around 300 different functions in the body including dealing with stress and anxiety. Be sure you take a form like magnesium chloride that is absorbed instead of just acting as a laxative like magnesium oxide does. Magnesium citrate and magnesium malate are also good forms of magnesium. You need to take calcium, vitamin D3 and K with the magnesium as the 4 work together.

Look into taking amino acids to help regulate your brain chemistry. Amino acids are what neurotransmitters are made from and do what psych meds do without the nasty side-effects. Check out the book Heal with Amino Acids by Billie Sahley. It's very through in telling you what to to take for what issues. I have bipolar 2 and use amino acids and the mineral lithium orotate to control it, and it's much, much more effective than pysch meds without the nasty side-effects. Plus, I'm not tied to a Pdoc who runs my life.

Years ago on another web site I had a natural healing group and someone schizophrenia posted about how he had been hospitalized for quite a while, and finally his father helped him get off meds, clean up his diet and something else that brought his condition under control. The thing I remember is how much he improved when he cut out processed foods with all the perservatives, dyes and other additives. You see that a lot with kids with things like ADD, ADHD and other behavior issues triggered by all the junk in the food. You might google this and see what you can find out.

Another really great nutrient that should be on your list is nascent iodine. Nascent mean it's in an ionic form. Check youtube for a great video on this from the Global Healing Research Center by Dr. Ed Group. I've been taking his nascent iodine for about 3 months, and my gray and white hair that started graying when I was 20 is getting darker, and the areas where it's thinned as I have thyroid issues is filling in!! This is absolutely amazing. I've noticed since I started taking this that my mood is much better as well, and so far the SAD that I always get around this time of the year hasn't hit yet.

[brainsupplements]

I take basic men's multi-vitamin and am starting to look at natural nootropic stacks. Things like Lions mane mushroom, gingko biloba, L-theanine. Not sure if they will do anything for men but figure I might as well give it a shot.

[ofthevalley]

I started a b complex and a women's multivitamin multimineral. I'm hoping the mixed with the fish oil, vitamin d and magnesium it will help me feel better. At the very least I feel healthier. I figure it can't hurt to try.

[BudFox]

I think multivitamin products are a bad idea generally. All those nutrients together, in fixed doses. And many of the ones sold at drug stores (here in the US) are trash quality with lots of toxic additives. I avoid them like the plague.

Fish oil and EFAs are tricky. A low quality product is worse than nothing at all. Last thing you need is an oxidized or rancid fat, or a product with lot of impurities. It's also important to get ratios right -- EPA, DHA, GLA, etc. And there are different sources, some animal some vegan. Dose matters too. Nordic Naturals seems like a good brand.

I think Magnesium is a no brainer. So too D3, K2, maybe C, maybe A, maybe Zinc.

Probably most people have terrible gut health. It's worth experimenting with digestive bitters, enzymes, HCL. Probiotics not sure, but eating fermented foods could be good.

B vitamins, have to know what you are doing. Dose and the right form are critical it seems.

[BudFox]

Originally Posted by Skeezyks

Well... the Skeezyks doesn't take any. I'm also on Psych-Central's sister website: NeuroTalk. And several members over there have recommended magnesium supplements to me. I don't know. I'm skeptical. For one thing... the supplements industry is pretty-much completely unregulated. And it seems like any time this stuff is tested, what's actually in the bottle seldom adheres to what it says on the label. Also, if you take more than your body needs, then the excess just ends up in the toilet, from what I understand. At one time, I used to take the multi-vitamin Centrum. But I never felt like it made any difference in the way I felt.

Drugs are "regulated" by the FDA (in the US that is) but this doesn't mean what most people think it means. Regulation of supplements is rather weak but I don't think it;s a reason to avoid them. Some brands have a long track record. There are certifications such as NSF, GMP, certified organic, non-GMO.

I wouldn't listen to the anti-supp propaganda from mainstream docs and their pharma overlords. It is HEAVILY distorted.

[LucyG]

Originally Posted by BudFox

Drugs are "regulated" by the FDA (in the US that is) but this doesn't mean what most people think it means. Regulation of supplements is rather weak but I don't think it;s a reason to avoid them. Some brands have a long track record. There are certifications such as NSF, GMP, certified organic, non-GMO.

I wouldn't listen to the anti-supp propaganda from mainstream docs and their pharma overlords. It is HEAVILY distorted.

I agree!!! People will gladly take any drug their doctor recommends in a heartbeat, but suggest something as basic as vitamin C, and they'll research it for hours to prove that it will kill you!!!

Both my sister and I inherited some sort of chronic fatigue type genetic issues from a grandmother we didn't really know. We both got sick around the same age, had the same symptoms until I started taking supplements as I realized a lot of my problems were due to nutritional deficiencies--I think we have a genetic predisposition for not being able to hold on to magnesium, and I started improving. I went off meds, use only supplements and do remarkably well compared to how sick I was for several years. She on the other hand refuses to take anything other than a cheap multivitamin and every drug her doctor wants to give her. Her health is getting progressively worse to the point I fear she's going to be dead or in a nursing home within a few years. And the sad thing is, a lot of her issues could be resolved if she was willing to take a few key supplements, but she refuses. I grieves me to see her suffer so terribly....

[BudFox]

Originally Posted by LucyG

I agree!!! People will gladly take any drug their doctor recommends in a heartbeat, but suggest something as basic as vitamin C, and they'll research it for hours to prove that it will kill you!!!

No doubt about it. It's like something out of Orwell. Doctors fanatically pushing their arsenal of magic plastic pills, all manufactured in a lab, all of them producing crazy side effects and other horrors, bizarre isolates that tweak the human body in dangerous ways, and that resolve nothing, with some exceptions. And then they scoff at basic nutrition, and call the 'alt' people quacks. Of course some supplements are lab created isolates too, but they are closer to what the body recognizes as food, and are less toxic generally and actually address real issues.

Unless you are living in some purified world where the soil is nutrient dense, the food and water is not contaminated by GMOs and pesticides and glyphosate and heavy metals, and you are eating a perfect and clean diet… your body is gonna need help beyond basic diet.

Originally Posted by LucyG

Both my sister and I inherited some sort of chronic fatigue type genetic issues from a grandmother we didn't really know. We both got sick around the same age, had the same symptoms until I started taking supplements as I realized a lot of my problems were due to nutritional deficiencies--I think we have a genetic predisposition for not being able to hold on to magnesium, and I started improving. I went off meds, use only supplements and do remarkably well compared to how sick I was for several years. She on the other hand refuses to take anything other than a cheap multivitamin and every drug her doctor wants to give her. Her health is getting progressively worse to the point I fear she's going to be dead or in a nursing home within a few years. And the sad thing is, a lot of her issues could be resolved if she was willing to take a few key supplements, but she refuses. I grieves me to see her suffer so terribly....

That's sad for her, but nice that you are making progress. I have terrible fatigue also.

[qwerty68]

I take a bunch. They help on my various blood tests but I have never noticed anything positive from them in my day to day life except when tapering off psych meds, magnesium sometimes helps with it.

You also have to be very careful. There is lots of misinformation, much of it dangerous. They all have side-effects despite the hype and some can be deadly, just not normally as bad as psych meds. Too be fair, most supplements need a pretty high dose before side-effects kick in. There is research showing that excess vitamin C can cause cancer since it can mutate your DNA and fish oil and there is a little bit of evidence that it might increase your risk of certain cancers. It has certainly helped my lipid levels though. You definitely want real scientific evidence, not a collection of anecdotes.

It is also very true that up to 1/3 of all supplements contain exactly none of what it says on the bottle. Lack of regulation and oversight is a serious issue. People rip on big pharma and don't seem to realize that the supplement industry is at least as large and totally unregulated. Imagine what big pharma would do if it were untethered. Well, lots of supplement companies act like that. However, there are legitimately good brands and it takes a whole lot of research to sift through the scam artists. One in particular that seems really good is Life Extension(You can buy their stuff a little cheaper on Amazon compared to their website) and there others.

Also be wary of people that trumpet psych meds side-effects like it is a guarded secret. They can be as dangerous as a pdoc giving out psych meds like candy. It is not a secret or even difficult information to find. They also tend to think that everyone will have the same issues as they did when they were on meds. Yes, look over side-effects of psych meds and take it into consideration, even the really rare ones which can happen, I am proof of that. Diabetes and heart disease run in my family so I refuse any drug that raises that risk unless it is a remarkable low incidence and even then I am wary.

Anyway, here is my list and dosages when I can remember.

magnesium(500mg)-From life extension that mixes magnesium with various bonding agents in one pill. Magnesium needs to bond with other molecules because it is quite unstable.

CoQ10 - It also includes E and a few other things

Fish Oil(1000mg) - Due to risk of mercury impurities and possible cancer risk when my current bottle is out I am switching to hemp oil which has a better ratio of the omegas anyway.

Stress B Complex - All the B's and D, E and lots of minerals and some other things I can't remember

D(5000 iu)

Serrapeptase - Trying this to reduce the inflammation in the neuromas in my feet. So far there is maybe a minuscule amount of improvement so I will keep it for another month or two. It is hard to tell if it is the placebo effect or is really working.

CLA - I tried this in conjunction with exercise to help me lose the tough last 10 pounds. It seems to be a total waste of money.

C(1000mg)

Turmeric - I am trying this to help the swelling and pain with my mild but painful tailbone injury and so far is 100% worthless. I will probably accept the Diclofenac my primary doctor offered so I can at least get rid of the pain.

[BudFox]

Originally Posted by qwerty68

You also have to be very careful. There is lots of misinformation, much of it dangerous. They all have side-effects despite the hype and some can be deadly, just not normally as bad as psych meds.

Deadly supplements… examples? Prescription drugs in general, not just psych meds, are a leading cause of death. Lets keep things in perspective.

Originally Posted by qwerty68

It is also very true that up to 1/3 of all supplements contain exactly none of what it says on the bottle. Lack of regulation and oversight is a serious issue. People rip on big pharma and don't seem to realize that the supplement industry is at least as large and totally unregulated. Imagine what big pharma would do if it were untethered. Well, lots of supplement companies act like that. However, there are legitimately good brands and it takes a whole lot of research to sift through the scam artists. One in particular that seems really good is Life Extension(You can buy their stuff a little cheaper on Amazon compared to their website) and there others.

Do you have a source for the 1/3 stat? There is no supplement industry per se. There are scores of various remedies, herbs, vitamins, minerals, food extracts, animal extracts, amino acids, etc etc, which are produced by companies large and small, having little to do with one another. The companies are not part of some unified whole. Big Med pushes this false dichotomy -- drugs vs supplements. No, it's drugs vs a huge range of other approaches and remedies.

Many supplement companies are quite small, and individually or collectively their power and political influence is trivial and meaningless compared to big pharma, which virtually runs the planet. It's a rigged game.

Agree that you have to do your research though, and cant just grab any fish oil off the shelf. There are definitely s**t products and companies.

Some good supplement companies publish 3rd party test results for things like purity, potency, etc.

[LucyG]

To say vitamin C can cause cancer is ludicrous!!! Vitamin C is used to treat cancer.

Here's another great myth that apple seeds contain cyanide and will kill you. No, the cyanide in the seeds are actually vitamin B17 that fights cancer. Another wonderful source of vitamin B17 are apricot kernels. I eat about 35 of them a week, and give them to my dogs, and we're not dead yet. These things are myths designed to scare people into not trying to help themselves with natural God given treatments so they'll be dependent on the medical profession and Big Pharma. I have family that will take ANY psych med out there, but the thought of taking 100 mg of vitamin C scares the pants off them. And let me just say that these family members are the sickest people I know.

[qwerty68]

I will look around for it. I am a little busy today. It was a genetic study on supplements a few years ago.

Supplements certainly are an industry. They even own collectively, lobbying organizations that fight to keep them unregulated. It is one of their biggest lies. Believing supplement companies blindly is as foolish as trusting big pharma or oil companies.

And yes, too much vitamin C mutates DNA, which can cause cancer. The key is 'too much'. Like psych drugs, even vitamins have paradoxical side-effects, although they are only with overdoses.

[BudFox]

Originally Posted by qwerty68

I will look around for it. I am a little busy today. It was a genetic study on supplements a few years ago.

Supplements certainly are an industry. They even own collectively, lobbying organizations that fight to keep them unregulated. It is one of their biggest lies. Believing supplement companies blindly is as foolish as trusting big pharma or oil companies.

And yes, too much vitamin C mutates DNA, which can cause cancer. The key is 'too much'. Like psych drugs, even vitamins have paradoxical side-effects, although they are only with overdoses.

I don't believe supp companies blindly, I just think equating them with pharma is stretching things in the extreme.

I like John Oliver, but that video is all about about unchallenged robotic conventional thinking. If Oz or anyone said -- there is a new miracle drug on the market that cures XYZ, everyone would nod their head and obediently run to their doctor to get some. But mention something natural that is not "regulated" by the FDA, and everyone is programmed to smirk and make a joke. Joke's on them.

[confused_loser]

Originally Posted by BudFox

Deadly supplements… examples? Prescription drugs in general, not just psych meds, are a leading cause of death. Lets keep things in perspective.

There are more than a few death attributed to supplements.

It is much less than Rx drugs, but you are fooling yourself if you think that supplements are 100% safe and without side-effects.

[BudFox]

Originally Posted by qwerty68

Supplements certainly are an industry. They even own collectively, lobbying organizations that fight to keep them unregulated. It is one of their biggest lies. Believing supplement companies blindly is as foolish as trusting big pharma or oil companies.

True that they do have professional organizations that lobby. As for fighting to stay unregulated, what evidence do you have for that? And perhaps what they are fighting for is to keep the corrupt FDA out of their business, which would be entirely justified. Many of the best supp companies use 3rd party testing to validate purity and potency.

As for lobbying power, according to OpenSecrets.org, lobby expenditure in the US is as follows for 2015:
Nutritional & dietary supplements $3 million
Pharma $147 million

That's a 50-fold difference.

Back to the question :-/

I take a multi-vitamin, calcium (as rec. by my gp for bone health), magnesium for this one awful, chronic muscle spasm that I have, omega 3's (Zone diet) for depression, melatonin for sleep (I'm on the fence about this one)...

Sometimes, Benadryl for anxiety as needed.

[-jimi-]

Originally Posted by LucyG

To say vitamin C can cause cancer is ludicrous!!! Vitamin C is used to treat cancer.

Here's another great myth that apple seeds contain cyanide and will kill you. No, the cyanide in the seeds are actually vitamin B17 that fights cancer. Another wonderful source of vitamin B17 are apricot kernels. I eat about 35 of them a week, and give them to my dogs, and we're not dead yet.

Cyanide is NOT a vitamin. No one dies from cyanide deficiency.

And yes, too much vitamin C can be harmful, how is that even surprising? Anything can be bad in too high amounts.