A go or placebo?
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Vitamin Pills and Supplements
- Thread starter August West
- Start date
My opinion is a multivitamin isn't a bad idea given that many people don't have a well-balanced diet and could likely use a little help. Other than that, people should educate themselves on how vitamins are processed as large doses of anything usually don't help and just make your urine more expensive.
That is the same advice my PA gave me.
Somewhat related but not totally, one thing that gets me on my soapbox at home are comments about hearing this or that is good for some certain thing be it lowering blood pressure, joints, or the worst - detoxifying. I always say, first you need to understand how x process works in your body, then be able to understand how whatever the hell FB or YouTube or the pizza delivery guy told you relates to what your body actually does.
Indeed. Not to rule out their effectiveness totally, I am sure they work for some, but I will listen to my PA as I am not an expert. There are a lot of “influencers” out there in the supplement game these days. Especially in these fearful times. Damn charlatans!
I wondered if I really should respond to this as what I post will likely get heckled. But I am a big proponent of knowing why I take something. That being said....I take quite a few supplements. Some are recommended by one ore two of the doctors or medical professionals I see, others are things that I believe I should take based on lab results I get or from a benefit that I get from it.
But if you are going to have a conversation on supplements for the benefit of health, we should really start with quality of supplement. Because all vitamins and minerals are not created equally.
Like Dave said above and also implied...if you have a good diet, you likely don't need most supplements. But lets face it. Most of use don't get all the nutrition we need when we need during whatever phase of age that we are in and need at the time. So we supplement, right?
Most multi-vitamins are garbage. And my primary says what was stated above...you are just making expensive pee. Most multivitamins will have the least bio-available form of the nutrient and is almost always a synthetic form. If you see the word oxide behind any nutrient...don't buy it...it is a waste of money.
If a multivitamin is the way you want to go, opt for a multivitamin that is either derived from whole foods or one that has bioavailable forms of the nutrient. For example, instead of Folic Acid, get Methyl Folate. More about Methyl Folate in a later post.
Not all vitamins and minerals need to be from whole foods, just make sure that the synthetic ones you get can be used by your body.
Okay, I'll get into some of the stuff that I use and why I use them in the next post which will be...well when I get around to it.
But if you are going to have a conversation on supplements for the benefit of health, we should really start with quality of supplement. Because all vitamins and minerals are not created equally.
Like Dave said above and also implied...if you have a good diet, you likely don't need most supplements. But lets face it. Most of use don't get all the nutrition we need when we need during whatever phase of age that we are in and need at the time. So we supplement, right?
Most multi-vitamins are garbage. And my primary says what was stated above...you are just making expensive pee. Most multivitamins will have the least bio-available form of the nutrient and is almost always a synthetic form. If you see the word oxide behind any nutrient...don't buy it...it is a waste of money.
If a multivitamin is the way you want to go, opt for a multivitamin that is either derived from whole foods or one that has bioavailable forms of the nutrient. For example, instead of Folic Acid, get Methyl Folate. More about Methyl Folate in a later post.
Not all vitamins and minerals need to be from whole foods, just make sure that the synthetic ones you get can be used by your body.
Okay, I'll get into some of the stuff that I use and why I use them in the next post which will be...well when I get around to it.
Keep it coming. Like, whenever…
I endorse this post
I really do appreciate you fellas taking the time to share your knowledge. I mean, I can look this stuff up, but I prefer to take advice and guidance from quasi-imaginary internet acquaintances rather than completely imaginary internet acquaintances.
global_dev
Shave Enthusiast
Tony, do you have a special or limiting diet/lifestyle or a particular bio-deficiency?
or just interested in the convo?
I like the synergy effects of things like the black pepper - turmeric - curcumin relationship as a supplement type thing. Also find the entourage effect really intriguing.
or just interested in the convo?
I like the synergy effects of things like the black pepper - turmeric - curcumin relationship as a supplement type thing. Also find the entourage effect really intriguing.
Just wondering if it would help with my joints.
global_dev
Shave Enthusiast
My brother swears by costcos kirklands triple action joint supplement. I am not sure if he takes a glucosamine + chondroitin supplement too.
any thoughts on cbd oil/hemp extract stuff?
any thoughts on cbd oil/hemp extract stuff?
I tried it under a doctors supervision. It worked well at an extremely high dose which became cost prohibitive. Insurance doesn’t cover.
Yeah...guess I should have asked this first.
I would definitely look at things that work with inflammation. I like Jon's statement about the synergistic effects of Black Pepper and Turmeric/Curcumin. There are a lot of good studies out on this that really support findings that turmeric actually works. But it takes tinkering. Have to find the right dosage and make sure you take it with the right things (like black pepper and fat, if you don't take it with these than absorption rate is pretty much zero). Again, I stress quality. It does no good to take a healthy dosage of turmeric and have it contain pesticides or other chemicals that actually cause inflammation.
global_dev
Shave Enthusiast
My wife is sold on turmeric and almost every dish she makes features an orange-yellow hue 
with a full pepper grinder at the ready.
with a full pepper grinder at the ready.
So one of the things that I do take that helps with inflammation among other things is...
Alpha Lipoic Acid or ALA
ALA is a compound produced in the Mitochondria and is found in every cell of the body. There are studies that show that ALA may help with weight loss, blood sugar regulation, slower skin aging, nerve function, and inflammation.
ALA has been found to lower inflammation markers like C Reactive Protein.
But to be perfectly honest, I take ALA to help boost my Glutathione levels. What is Glutathione you ask? It's kind of the mother of all antioxidants in your body. Glutathione is linked to improving brain related illnesses (Alzheimer's, Dementia, etc), preventing cancer, prevent aspects of aging, cardiovascular advantages, and more. The body produces its own Glutathione, but because of poor diet and environmental issues, and lack of exercise...all these things deplete the Glutathione in our body. This leaves our body susceptible to oxidative stress and other issues.
So what can we do to help our body out and produce adequate amounts of Glutathione? There are things we can take to help our bodies out.
First, Glutathione is a compound molecule containing three amino acids...cysteine, glycine and glutamine. If you want to know more about Glutathione and how it works I suggest you look it up. But in a nut shell, it is a master anti-oxidant that does a lot of things to help the body out, thus lowering inflammation.
Back to the question...how do we improve levels of Glutathione? There are several things you should take to help the body out, ALA is one of them. I actually have one of my Doctor's (I see an Orthopedic Surgeon for issues related to degenerative disc disease, knee issues, and other bone and join matters) who recommends that I use ALA and other supplements.
Other things that you can take (and some I do) I will get into later, but here the ones that will help out...
N-acetyl-cysteine - I take
Methylation nutrients (folate and vitamins B6 and B12) - I take Methyl Folate, B6, and B12 for this and other reasons
Selenium
Vitamin C -I take
Milk Thistle
Okay...more on the other stuff I take, but I thought I would get to the crux of the matter first.
Alpha Lipoic Acid or ALA
ALA is a compound produced in the Mitochondria and is found in every cell of the body. There are studies that show that ALA may help with weight loss, blood sugar regulation, slower skin aging, nerve function, and inflammation.
ALA has been found to lower inflammation markers like C Reactive Protein.
But to be perfectly honest, I take ALA to help boost my Glutathione levels. What is Glutathione you ask? It's kind of the mother of all antioxidants in your body. Glutathione is linked to improving brain related illnesses (Alzheimer's, Dementia, etc), preventing cancer, prevent aspects of aging, cardiovascular advantages, and more. The body produces its own Glutathione, but because of poor diet and environmental issues, and lack of exercise...all these things deplete the Glutathione in our body. This leaves our body susceptible to oxidative stress and other issues.
So what can we do to help our body out and produce adequate amounts of Glutathione? There are things we can take to help our bodies out.
First, Glutathione is a compound molecule containing three amino acids...cysteine, glycine and glutamine. If you want to know more about Glutathione and how it works I suggest you look it up. But in a nut shell, it is a master anti-oxidant that does a lot of things to help the body out, thus lowering inflammation.
Back to the question...how do we improve levels of Glutathione? There are several things you should take to help the body out, ALA is one of them. I actually have one of my Doctor's (I see an Orthopedic Surgeon for issues related to degenerative disc disease, knee issues, and other bone and join matters) who recommends that I use ALA and other supplements.
Other things that you can take (and some I do) I will get into later, but here the ones that will help out...
N-acetyl-cysteine - I take
Methylation nutrients (folate and vitamins B6 and B12) - I take Methyl Folate, B6, and B12 for this and other reasons
Selenium
Vitamin C -I take
Milk Thistle
Okay...more on the other stuff I take, but I thought I would get to the crux of the matter first.
Honestly, I believe it works. The problem for me is that I don't know how to get enough of it. I'm not sure the basic over the counter supplements of turmeric are enough and the curcumin supplements are really expensive. I add turmeric to things from time to time, I just forget about it though.My wife is sold on turmeric and almost every dish she makes features an orange-yellow hue
I am compiling this info and taking it up with my PA. Thanks. Big caveat: Because supplements are not FDA approved, the VA do not cover costs. CBL worked, but I could not afford $600.00 a month for the right dosage of the good stuff. But I will keep trying.
Completely understand. CBD oil is good stuff and works if you get the right kind and right dosage. But the right stuff is not cheap.
Your PA may or may not know of the benefits of some the supplements we talk about. Especially if they are engrained in how things have always been. I recommend doing your own research and the providing that research to him or her. I’ll see if I can pull up some studies on the things we talk about and link them. Might take a bit though.
Agreed. My PA is pretty holistic in his thinking, so I am fortunate.