Let's share what additional supplements we take and why

Hi Folks!  I have been trying to catch up on some posts tonight and have read a few who have mentioned different supplements they are taking or what combination or time they take them. (Milk Thistle for liver enzymes and taking Fat Soluble Vits. at night ... not sure why)  How about we share some of our secrets/advice on what supplements we take and why. 

Who can fill me in on why taking certain vits. at night helps with levels? 

Here's my advice:  I learned this way back in my college nutrition classes... make sure you are taking your Iron supplement with your Multi Vit (with C) as Iron's absorption rate is enhanced when combined with Vit. C.

I have also been taking L-Argine, which Dr. Oz recommends for heart health. 

Lastly, I take Estroblend (Walmart's OTC menopause supplement)  it helps with my memory (which it seems to have been sucked dry since my hysterectomy!) 

Let's hear your secrets!

While I take C with my iron, I keep zinc 8 hours away from iron, and calcium, about 2 hours away from iron.

Zinc also doesn't play well with copper.


C, A, folate, and b12 are all beneficial with iron.

D helps calcium, and boron helps D.

Hmm, there's more, but I'm so tired.

I take VitaLady's program tweaked a bit.

I take 630 of Calcium Citrate, 400 of Magnesium Oxide and 400 of Magnesium Citrate six times a day.  The Mag Oxide is so I can poop.  The Mag Citrate was for my bones until I FINALLY figured out that 400 six times a day v. the 200 six times a day I was taking keeps my leg/foot cramps away.

So that is 3780 of Calcium Citrate, and 2400 of Magnesium Oxide and 2400 of Magnesium Citrate a day.  My last Calcium was 9.3 and my PTH was 33. 

In addition to VitaLady's plan I take Boron and will be adding Strontium.  I am also taking Coromega Omega 3 Squeeze but until/unless I find some evidence that we really absorb this I'm probably going to stop it due to the cost.

I take my Tender Iron with Vit C in the middle of the night.

Even though I generally eat well over 100 grams of protein a day I found that when I stopped doing shakes my protein started trending down.  I have been doing cake shakes since my last labs so I will have to report after my next labs on whether than has raised my protien numbers back where I want them.  I hope it has because I LOVE my cake shakes.

My hint is that I use a kitchen timer and I set it for 99 minutes and when it goes off I take a dose of Calcium and Magnesium.  I carry baggies with my daily allottment and my timer wherever I go.  When my baggy is empty I know I'm done for the day.  With my memory this is the only way I can make sure to take it all every day.

The lab gurus here and Vita Lady have been the ones who have helped me get myself on this program that is working so well for me.  I don't trust anyone else with my labs and I am so grateful for the advice I get here.  My next labs will be the end of September and I actually look forward to seeing what they look like.  Next to the number on the scale it is the most concrete evidence that I am "doing right by my DS."

~Becky

Thanks Becky!  I like your hint of the timer.  I set one on my cell phone for 4 times a day to remind me to take my morning, noon, evening and bedtime pills.  My cell is ALWAYS with me and then I don't have to carry anything extra.

When at work, I set a timer for 99 minutes, to take my shake out of the freezer.  99 minutes is perfect time to make my shake just like a icy frap. 

 Becky - have you talked to your doctor about taking strontium?   My hemo doc, who also treats osteoporosis patients (we have no endo up here) has told me to hold off on strontium because the jury is still out on it with long-term studies.   I know we're seeing some people with good results around here, but if your PTH is that good, (have you had a DEXA?) and if that is good, I'd think twice about taking it.

You guys are my "doctor."  I did have a dexa at about 3 months post-op which was "normal."  And that has reminded me that my results of that are with my old pcp in NC.  Need to get that.

I'll look in to the strontium more before I add it.  Thanks for the heads up.

~Becky

 Strontium is a heavy metal, so my doc is a little cautious about categorically recommending it.   Yeah, you really need to get a post-op DEXA.   Bone loss occurs with ALL weight loss, but you need to see where you're at, and where you're headed as a skinny gal.

Yes.  I can't believe my two year is coming up.  Time for my second bone scan.

~Becky

You know strontium cannot be taken with calcium, yes? But I take mine (from BioTech) with my Proferrin ES.

I don't take C with my iron because I take Proferrin, which is a heme iron; I've actually been told NOT to take C with it. I still take Vit C, just with my calcium doses.

I also take a probiotic (Garden of Life Primal Defense Ultra). I somewhat recently increased it from once a day to twice a day because I was finding myself becoming more sensitive to gas-causing foods (getting gas more frequently or more painfully than with the same amounts of those foods previously).

And I take a hair, nails & skin combo. The "serving size" is 3 tablets per day, but I take 4 - one with each of my other doses. I don't separately supplement vit E, so I make sure this has E in it (in addition to the obvious biotin for healthy hair).

Since I have a super duper long common channel, I do not take separate vit E, vit K, copper, folate...my copper has actually been high in my labs these past couple of times, so I've increased my zinc o see if that helps balance it out at all. Oh, and I ditched my B complex since my B1 and B6 were both high (not worried much about high B1, but high B6 can eventually cause negative side effects).