Supplements?

[Amanda (was Aziyade)]

Just because I used to be a science and health editor for a newspaper, and just because I think Brian is pretty good at summing up and evaluating product claims, I'm going to post this here:

MonaVie and Other "Superfruit" Juices


I have no vested interest in the debate because I don't use/consume these products, but I am troubled by some of the "scientific" claims they make.

 

[Belly Love]

Good article. I understand the skepticism. I'm not 100% sure all of their claims are true either, all I know is that I slept better, my joints didn't ache nearly as much and my skin was clearer after I started taking it. And I didn't even read anything about it at first, I just knew it was an acai drink and I knew how good acai was for you and my friend who was selling it said she loved the taste. Acai berru alone is expensive. Years ago friends from Brazil used to bring it for us and we would make smoothies out of it because it was nearly impossible to find in the states at the time.


I dunno... I like it

 

[onela]

I have finally caved to peer preassure and started taking a one-a-day ladies multi-vitamin. My husband is a cancer survivor (8 years cancer free w00t!) and is very invested in his own supplement routine: he takes a pretty elabourate cocktail of them every morning (including but not limited to shark cartilidge). I've always been skeptical of suppliments not because I think they're bad for you per se, just that I've read some stuff online that our bodies don't necessarily take nutrients out of them very well (it's a while ago and on a different computer that I've done this reading, and I'm on my way out the door shortly so I'm sorry I don't have any links to share with you ATM. If I find them later in the day then I'll post them).

 

[Cyriine]

My husband is a cancer survivor (8 years cancer free w00t!) .

That's excellent! Go him!

My nurse is trying to make me have Cod Liver Oil, although she hasn't actually explained why =|, does anyone here know what it does and if they've had it personally?

 

[Belly Love]

That's excellent! Go him!

Ditto

My nurse is trying to make me have Cod Liver Oil, although she hasn't actually explained why =|, does anyone here know what it does and if they've had it personally?

Yes, fish oil helps with joint lubrication an it makes your hair shiny! I know it does other stuff, but those are the only things I can think of at the moment.

I give it to my dog and it makes his coat shiny

 

[Cyriine]

Yes, fish oil helps with joint lubrication an it makes your hair shiny! I know it does other stuff, but those are the only things I can think of at the moment.

I give it to my dog and it makes his coat shiny

Lol at your shiny dog xD, but yeah if i'm unnaturally in love with my hair so i'll def get some.

 

[Corylus]

Remember: PAIN is usually an indicator of a failure in the system. You don't want to treat a continually painful knee with aspirin, orange juice, or a supplement UNTIL you have talked with your doctor about the cause for the pain. If the doc clears you for supplements, or PT, or whatever, then go for it, but until that time please do not try to diagnose yourself and self-medicate. I saw too many ballet dancers end their careers trying to quietly treat pain with home remedies rather than the rest and immobilization the doc recommended.

Hi Aziyade,

Thanks for your advice. I completely agree with you, I'm not trying to diagnose myself, just wondered if people take supplements and if so what for. I started taking the cod liver oil & Glucosamine to see if it would help but I am not using it as a substitute for making an appointment at the doctors.

Interestingly, over the weekend there was something on the news here in the UK about herbal/alternative medicines and supplements.

BBC News - Herbal remedies face licence rule

 

[shiradotnet]

What kinds of side effects did you experience? It is, of course, ok if you don't want to tell. If you think it is a personal question, I mean.

There is some research suggesting that in order for calcium to be effective in helping bone health, you also need to consume trace amounts of other minerals. These interact with the calcium to achieve the desired result. You can incorporate these trace minerals into your diet by using either sea salt or rock salt to season your food rather than ordinary salt, and getting them through sea salt or rock salt is better for you than trying to do so through a supplement. In other words, vitamin D alone is not the only thing needed to help your body properly absorb and use the calcium.

The problem with calcium by itself (or calcium with D but not with the other minerals) is that the body doesn't properly absorb it. Therefore, calcium can build up in unwanted places in the body, such as in blood vessels, which can lead to long-term cardio-vascular issues.

 

[shiradotnet]

I used to do Chondroitin/glucosamine because my orthopaedic consultant said it might help with knee problems I was having a few years ago. At the time there was some medical evidence for it but it's since been thrown into doubt again. I stopped because I'm forgetful that way and anyway the knee got better - which I put down to giving over-the-counter orthotic insoles a go, and avoiding sleeping on my front.

It sounds like you're doing fine now, but for the benefit of others reading this thread I thought it might be helpful to mention other possible causes of knee problems that wouldn't be helped by a supplement, but COULD be helped by making other changes:

1. Check your posture and dance technique. Make sure the knees properly go out directly over the toes.

2. Don't dance on concrete floors, or on linoleum/carpet laid directly on top of concrete. Dance on either rubber floors, or on sprung floors.

3. Check whether you're using the "push from the foot" technique to generate larger range of motion in your figure 8's and other hip work. Although there are safe ways to do "push from the foot" technique, there are also ways of doing that which can cause knee pain.

4. Avoid locking your knees - ever. Even if standing in the cashier line at the grocery store. Keep your knees soft.

5. Check whether there are things you do in your day-to-day life without even thinking about them - things that might place stress on your knees. For example, how do you fidget? An example of fidgeting that could lead to knee pain could be crossing your legs at the knee, then wrapping the toe of the top leg behind the calf of the other. It's amazing how much of people's pain can be caused by these unconscious behaviors!

6. Are you taking any drugs (either supplements or prescriptions) that might have a side effect of causing joint pain? For example, I know three different people who developed hand pain that they believed was arthritis. However, when they discontinued taking Lipitor (a prescription drug that many people take to lower cholesterol) the hand pain went away within 2 weeks. They restarted the Lipitor when their doctors found out they'd stopped it and pressured them, and the hand pain returned. One of them, a surgeon who had feared his surgical career might end due to the hand pain, wrote an article for a medical journal about his experience. I also know someone who was having hand pain, and was surprised to discover that it was caused by taking a daily low-dose aspirin for heart health. When he discontinued the daily aspirin, the pain went away on its own. He mentioned his story to a medical school professor that he was having lunch with, and the professor said, "Yes, and I could diagram for you on a napkin exactly why that happens!"

7. High-heeled shoes can throw the posture out of alignment, causing not only lower back pain but also knee pain.

 

[shiradotnet]

I would urge anybody who wants to use supplements to do a little research first. Here are some examples....

For example, glucosamine chondroitin contains sulfur. If you're allergic, that could be a problem.

Not all forms of vitamin D are equally effective. Make sure you choose a supplement whose vitamin D is specifically identified as D3 (also known as Cholecalciferol). Actually, instead of a supplement, the best way to get vitamin D is to go outdoors with short sleeves and let your body manufacture it from exposure to sunlight. In the winter, it's still good to go outdoors with your coat on and manufacture what you can from your face's exposure to the sun.

If you have a salon color your hair, beware of taking iron supplements - they can leave a deposit in your hair that reacts badly with hair dye, leading to a blue-black color. Better to get your iron from food.

The best way to get vitamin A is through beta carotene. If you don't eat foods containing it, make sure your multi-vitamin provides it in the form of beta-carotene and not one of the other forms.

The best way to get vitamin C is NOT "ascorbic acid".

And so on. I'm not saying supplements are bad, just educate yourself before you start swallowing a bunch of chemicals which may be ineffective, or worse may be harmful.

 

[Darshiva]

For the sulphite-intolerant (like me) look for glucosamine hydrochloride, and avoid multivitamins because the multis nearly always contain sluphites.

I tried to get my sister on the glucosamine for her bung knee, but she said she never noticed a difference on it. I'm similar in that I don't notice a difference ON it, but if I run out for a few days I certainly notice a difference OFF it! Strange!

As for myself, I'm on the lookout for anything that assists with joint mobility & easing of joint pain. That's why I'm on glucosamine, but I'd like to look out for other things as well.

 

[Nailah_Siti]

One thing we need to realize (especially Americans) is that our food is mass-marketed now. Farmers have to keep planting crops in the same soil year after year without giving it time to retrieve its proper nutrient balance. So, even if u eat a balanced diet, u will still lack nutrients. I suggest watching two documentaries, Food Matters and Food, Inc. They will change your life and I'm not kidding. Unless you are Amish and eat only what you grow and raise then don't risk it. Take supplements, just make sure they are a whole food supplement. Don't waste money on cheap ones. If you can, make sure that they have some sort of enzymes or take your supplements when you eat raw vegetables or fruit. I could go on about this all day, nutrition is my obsession.