Vitamins and Supplements

Glad it's going well. Melatonin really makes a difference for me, especially in the mornings. Another thing you can try is to pick up some valerian root pills. Those in conjunction with just a bit of melatonin can do wonders for sleep.

http://www.walgreens.com/store/c/na...LA_Dietary_Supplements_prod6044052&adtype=pla

 

well the loss of restful sleep happened to coiencide with having kids and getting a desk job. suffice to say my sleep cycle has been thrown completely out of wack over the past 5 years. I find myself both leaving the house and getting home when its already dark, and on weekends I have an alarm clock on two legs letting me know she's hungry hehe.

thanks again, I will let you know how it goes.

 

What I thought of when I read that, and read this thread in general.









Just giving you a hard time OP.. I think if you can be committed to anything.. I think that's great. Good on you to be so health minded healthly guy

 

Ashwagandha has helped me a lot with my sleep. The main reason I use it for is relief from both physical and mental stress. It gives me more stamina and I feel it helps my body recover faster from weightlifting/exercise.

 

I couldn't care less if the vitamin/supplement in question came from a lab or straight off a tree. What matters to me is whether it is effective.

Just because it is common knowledge doesn't mean it is true (not saying your statement is false, but I don't care what "common knowledge" says).

If cinnamon is indeed great at that, then it should easily be demonstrated in experiments. I haven't really done a lot of research, but just going to WebMD's entry on cinnamon bark (think I mentioned this earlier?):
http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-suppl...ientId=330&activeIngredientName=CINNAMON bark
Might have to look under the "Uses" tab, which is what I'm most interested in (basically summarizes evidence for the drug), although I guess the overview hits on some of it. Skimming over it, it does say it might help blood sugar, although "it is thought to be fairly weak." So guess there might be some evidence for that, but the effect isn't that strong (certainly good that it does seem to help, although something to consider when looking at a cost/benefit chart). Presumably, there are better ways to do that, if that's the effect you're looking for...and of course, not everyone is likely concerned with that effect (I'm not). I guess cinnamon could make people feel better (especially if it helps with their premature ejaculation problems), but that would make it targeted to certain populations...and not just be some supplement that magically makes people feel better.

Wouldn't necessarily argue against. I'd just want people to think about what they're trying to improve, and whether cinnamon will actually help. And even if does, is there a better option out there from a cost/benefit perspective?

In the end, I don't think it really makes that big of a deal either. Like the blog post I mentioned earlier, if you think a vitamin/supplement will help, and it isn't harmful (likely won't be unless megadoses are involved), then go ahead and take it. I'm not sure why someone would waste time/money on something that will possibly (or even likely) be ineffective, but that's their choice.

I guess one of my problems with this is that I think it would be nicer if people consulted with their doctor if they really thought they were deficient in any nutrients. Perhaps the person might be wrong, and blood work (or whatever other tests) would show that his/her diet is actually pretty good. Or, if there were problems, the doctor probably would agree that supplementation was necessary, and could even recommend various treatments (no matter how much research I do, I'd probably feel better deferring to my doctor on that matter). As I mentioned earlier, I probably could have saved some time and money if I just asked my doctor about some supplements, rather than buying them and realizing they were ineffective. I don't know if this is the case for everyone (I've seen a few posts in this thread where people talked to their doctor about vitamins/supplementation IIRC), but it does seem common.

 

Also forgot to mention earlier that I take Melatonin from time to time for sleep. It is more effective than any other sleep aid I have ever tried (including prescription sleep aids).

I do still have a minor hangover from it the next day (a little sluggish), and call me crazy, but it makes my face kind of pale the next day as well.

 

You're right in that there is plenty of crap out there, but whether or not the FDA cares depends on the supplement. Niacin** and Omega-3's are FDA-approved for cholesterol and triglycerides respectively, and both are available in both OTC and Rx form.

Fish oil is about as safe as safe can get, assuming you don't have a bleeding problem of some sort (hemophilia, for example). Niacin is really hard on your liver, so getting a liver panel done before supplementing is a good idea for doses of 1,000mg/day or higher. People with cirrhosis and/or hepatitis need not apply, cuz liver failure is a nasty way to go. Of course, it's always better to talk to a medical professional about all of this.

I take the OTC versions of niacin and fish oil, but I know what I'm doing with regard to that. I'm also an RN, so that helps.

One thing is certain: the public could certainly do better with regard to educating themselves about all of this.

**By Niacin, I mean nicotinic acid, not inositol hexaniacinate, aka "Flush Free" Niacin.

 

Probably just arguing over semantics at this point. I consider "supplements" to mean "dietary supplements," which would (AFAIK, correct me if I'm wrong) not be evaluated by the FDA (i.e., they don't care whether they're effective). In this case, these "supplements" can also be obtained in a "drug" form. In that case, the FDA will evaluate it as a drug, and I'm assuming there would be more restrictions on how it could be sold/used/targeted (i.e., they do care that it is effective, at least for its "purpose"). I think we're in agreement, but probably just thinking/viewing it differently.

And I agree with all of this too. As the link I posted to earlier said, targeted supplementation is a very big part of effective medicine, and is definitely a great treatment for people with certain health problems.

I'm not sure if my previous posts have made it clear, but I don't have any problems with targeted supplementation (especially at the advice of a medical professional). My concern is people taking something (say even Fish Oil) when they're not experiencing any health problems that Fish Oil would even be effective at treating. Maybe they take Fish Oil because it will "make my heart healthier" or "help me live longer." Unless you have a triglyceride problem (or maybe select few other health issues), I'm not sure that will actually be effective at doing either of those, regardless of what your diet may be (though if your cholesterol/triglycerides are at good levels, it probably isn't too bad).

 

Some good information in here, thanks.

Side note: where is the best place to get whey protein from at a good price?

 

i got a 5 lbs bag of muscletech whey protein for $37 at sam's club. I dont take it everyday. just after lifting. My recovery has dramatically increased, but i havent really taken supplements for lifting before (besides cheeseburgers).

 

With all due respect, did you happen to read my post, the one I quoted again, just for you? The quoted supplement is derived from fish oils, and it HAS made a positive impact on the fat content circulating in my blood. A doctor recommended that I take it. You can make these blanket statements all day and all night, but you would continue to be wrong. Sure, not everyone needs supplements, and not all supplements work on everyone, and I'm sure some supplements are pretty useless, even dangerous, but fish oil derivatives have a positive impact on certain conditions, and I am living proof. You can discount what I'm telling you, which is certainly your right, and I respect that right to disagree, but you would also also wrong. This supplement reduced my triglycerides, which had stubbornly stayed about 20 points above the minimum considered healthy these days (that number has changed over the years. All the numbers considered healthy levels for lipids have changed over the years), to a level within the normal range. You might read that last bit a second time.

Again, nothing else changed, and I have checked this supplement impact on my lipids more than once. I get my lipids checked at least twice a year. I also take 40mg of Lipitor daily. Without meds? My cholesterol was over 600, and my triglycerides over 1200, due to a genetic condition I inherited from my late father, who died, unsurprisingly, of heart disease. Today? My cholesterol is 170, and my triglycerides are in the upper 180's. Free your mind.

 

Understood. I was interested in the pricing as well.
You have quite a list.
Looking at your dosages . . . I was wondering if what you
ordering lasts a month or two months

Long story short
If I were to look into something like this
am I thinking 2~300$/Month
or 500$+ a month.

I know you cannot put a price on health . . but . ..folx are on budgets

Also . . .should I ease into it. . .I dunno if the old bod
could take the shock of so many new things .. .at once


Rocket River

 

I would like to inquire about USANA Essentials supplements. They're pretty expensive but do they work? My gym instructor recommended this to me a while back. Then I stopped going to the gym.

 

To be honest, there's still that mercury concern. But it's not in fish oil anymore and unless you eat a crapload of seafood regularly, shouldn't be a problem.

 

Yeah, probably so. Many people (not you) hear the term "supplement" and associate it with hogwash, and that's just plain ignorant.

It's not just you, Deck. Multiple studies have confirmed it, and as a result doctors prescribe it to countless patients and the FDA has approved it to treat hyperlipidemia, and hypertriglyceridemia in particular.

Good stuff, that fish oil.

 

My doctor ordered me to start taking 4000 milligrams of fish oil every day for the last two years because my blood pressure was creeping up to the 135/85 range.(Of course she also said to eat better and exercise more) Since then, I really have not changed my diet at all, and I was already working out 2-3 times a week, but my blood pressure has consistantly stayed in the 120/72 range. It's made me a believer, and would recommend trying this method as a test before getting on blood pressure meds. I know, I need to start eating better also, but man that's a hard habit to break. Speaking of this, anyone have any good ideas for breaking my crack like addiction to Dr Pepper? I'm 5'11" at 182 lbs, and would like to lose 10 lbs or so, and this alone would probably get me there!