Supplements are taking over my life LOL!

[tlovesa]

I just need some reassurance from some of you that have been taking supplements for a period of time. Reassurance that taking so many supplements is ok. I began taking them May 21 and am up to 18 excluding HRT patch and Progesterone. I just ordered two more and will be adding them when they arrive. I am tolerating them all just fine. I sleep all night and do not require naps anymore. Everything seems great. But..... that is a lot of stuff. I have based most of it on my labs and Bredesen and the primer. Some labs I did not draw initially but plan to when I re check them this fall. Can I just keep taking them all? Everyday? I just read earlier on a forum that someone took one to two off a week. But that was in 2014. I wonder if they still do. I try to research them as much as possible. I bought a subscription to ConsumerLabs. I pour through the forums looking for advice. There is so much conflicting info out there that I find myself buying new "better" supplements when I still have a bottle or two of the "old". Its so frustrating. I know I am all over the place here lol! Its just that I am 50 years old and from the way it looks I will be taking them for a long time! Hopefully! I guess...! And I am a 4/4 btw. I am also eating and exercising as recommended. I am not just relying on the supps.

[Plumster]

It appears that resveratrol impairs your exercise (https://nutritionfacts.org/video/the-be ... sveratrol/).

If you can get something from food, then that would be a way to limit your supplements, like turmeric and raw cocoa in food, for example.

Vitamin E and calcium are also questionable in supplement form (https://nutritionfacts.org/video/update-on-vitamin-e/). Calcium in supplement form increases your chances of a heart attack, allegedly.

[Fiver]

Hi there. I think you're doing great at getting informed and taking action. I wonder if you might have some of the same concerns I do. 1. how many supplements is enough vs. too much? 2. are they doing any good?

What helped me was getting lab numbers back over time, including before and after. Very few tests can tell us what is going on inside our skulls. But if the inflammation is low, the sugars and lipids are good, the vitamin D and hormones levels are good....you can start to see if the whole program is working. Over time you can back off some of the supplements if you want and see how the numbers respond.

18 is more than I take, but I'm no expert. Is it 18 different types or 18 capsules (maybe 4 fish oil, 3 turmeric, etc.)?

[tlovesa]

Fiver, it is 18 different types as of now. And, yes, I can't wait to get the labs drawn again and to compare them to my original results. My concern is exactly yours..how many are too much vs enough.
Plumster, I am taking Resveratrol and am running 5 miles almost every day with the only noticeable difference being it seems easier since the supplements. And I have read that trying to consume the amount of turmeric I am supposed to be getting is next to impossible. I am trying to eat the right stuff though. As much as possible. I do not take calcium as mine is 10.5 already. I am taking Vitamin E.
I may have to break down and get a Bredesen trained person to guide me. More $$$$!
Thank you both for your input!! I have spent the greater part of the day reviewing them all. I am currently writing out the exact benefits and mechanisms of each one. Looks like I need to change my citicoline to Alpha-GPC per examine.com. ARGH!!! This is an on-going problem for me right now

[apod]

It appears that resveratrol impairs your exercise (https://nutritionfacts.org/video/the-be ... sveratrol/).

If by impair, you mean, it might increase your mitochondrial density, increase muscle fiber size, increase muscle strength, reduce oxidative stress, increase endogenous antioxidant defenses, improve metabolic flexibility, and increase fat-burning.

(BMB Reports 2018) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29519293 Resveratrol significantly improved whole-body glucose and lipid homeostasis.

(Gerontology 2017) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28505227 Resveratrol enhanced skeletal muscle adaption to exercise, increasing mitochondrial density + fatigue resistance as well as fiber size and strength.

(Molecules 2016) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27213310 The combination of resveratrol + exercise might help shorten the extent of deterioration accompanying the aging process.

(Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism 2016) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26638911 Low-intensity exercise training can increase forearm skeletal muscle mitochondrial capacity when combined with resveratrol.

(Biomedical Reports 2016) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5103661/ Resveratrol was shown to inhibit the lipid peroxidation caused by exercise, increase SIRT1, and upregulate endogenous antioxidant defenses.

(Biogerontology 2009) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18830683 Resveratrol prevented a decrease in the body's oxygen consumption and also kept up the body's ability to burn fats.

[Plumster]

Apod, check Examine.com
https://examine.com/supplements/resveratrol/

[xactly]

tlovesa: I log everything I eat on cronometer.com. I have used it to educate myself on the nutrient content of foods and replace some of the supplements I was taking with food sources.

For instance, instead of supplementing with calcium, which is dangerous, I drink two cups of goat milk and eat an ounce of Manchego cheese or one of the Italian cheeses everyday to get enough calcium. Besides increasing the risk of heart disease, supplementing with calcium is likely counterproductive, since calcium and phosphorus need to be consumed together in an appropriate ratio to keep one from causing the excretion of the other. Calcium and phosphorus occur together in appropriate ratios in food sources, but not in supplements.

On the subject of calcium, a normal blood test does not mean you are getting enough calcium. The body tightly regulates calcium in the blood, and it will pull calcium out of your bones to supply critical body processes that require calcium. I have always had normal calcium tests, so I ignored my calcium daily consumption, probably getting only a fraction of what I needed. I now have osteopoenia that I am trying to keep from progressing to osteoporosis. Cronometer.com makes it easy for me to make sure I'm hitting my daily targets.


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[Plumster]

I have read that trying to consume the amount of turmeric I am supposed to be getting is next to impossible

Too much turmeric (more than a teaspoon a day) can be detrimental to your kidneys, according to Greger's How Not To Die. He has a section devoted to turmeric. You can drink a 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric powder mixed with water in a shot glass daily.

I used to do this and acquired a taste for it. But I now realize that my mthfr gene (COMT met, met) can't handle that much turmeric. It was causing constipation. I think it's also a problem for those with certain other mthfr gene mutations (MAO?) I also tried turmeric in capsules, but they were too strong and gave me a stomach ache.

In any case, I am glad you feel well!

[slacker]

I just need some reassurance from some of you that have been taking supplements for a period of time. Reassurance that taking so many supplements is ok.

No one really knows the long term safety of multiple supplements. It's important to know the pros and cons of each one, and why each is important for you as an individual.

If you are not currently experiencing any cognitive problems, you may not benefit from all of your 18 supplements. If a supplement helps you feel better, or improves an important lab value, it's a keeper. Otherwise, consider stopping some of your stack, one at a time as you run out, to see if it makes a difference. Focusing on nutrition, exercise, sleep, and less stress are probably more valuable for you at this time than all of the supplements. This is just my opinion.

Stavia has some reasonable advice on which supplements to prioritize in her primer. It is not a one size fits all approach, but worth reviewing to see if her philosophy resonates with you. Slowly slowly, one step at a time.

[ru442]

I am on 22 daily, 2 of which are for detox so will go away. This is all based on extensive tests from my FMP and she is shooting for Bredesen targets I believe. I figure I am around the $300 range per month using Fullscript (your MD needs to subscribe you), which also provides a 15% discount on everything ordered.

As Slacker said, unless you plan to see a Bredesen trained practitioner, the primer is the way to go and is what I followed for 2 years before seeing an FMP.