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Are you sure? A recent report, using dna profiling, shows that you may not be.
I have, from time to time, tried various supplements. At this time, I only use vitamins and minerals. I can't point to anything saying what I use helps, other than definitively with a small subset of them. Since going on water pills, which cause me to urinate more, reducing body fluids and at a high dose really, my potassium was hitting dangerous lows. Since adding a specific group of supplements, over my daily vitamins, I have eliminated the need to take supplemental potassium in insane doses. I feared taking that much potassium, just in case something changed and I ended up with too much. Further, of the various ways there are to take it, none of them fit my life, or tastes, or g.i. tranquility. As to daily vitamins? I can't point to anything specific, as I mentioned. But I do have a general sense that life is ever so slightly better. Fiction, perhaps, but I do believe it.
There have been times where I have tried other, what might be called actual, supplements. Things for sleep, things for this or that, on several occasions. I, personally, had no luck with these others or I might have continued to take them. The answer might be in this new report. Out of 44 products, from 12 different companies, many problems were found. Only two of the companies were clean. The rest used unlisted fillers and outright contaminants which are bad for people, to watering down or even not including the main/active ingredients listed. One was nothing but grain filler! Now I don't feel so bad that what is supposed to work doesn't. The truth is, I may not have even tried the product. The problem is, there is no way to be sure about any product, at this point, unless I tried to do it myself. I have limits, and that would be among them.
Is there a chance this research is bogus, a bought service by big pharma or some other group? Sure. But with genetic coding, it simply stands a bit better of a chance at being legitimate. However, they aren't listing the products or companies. They suggest they do this so as to not pick on a particular company. That doesn't hold much water. That could easily be a way to hide the flaws in the research. Although it might also keep them from being sued, legitimate or not. My experience, while just one guy with a few products of somewhat questionable worth since I can't and don't know if they have even been tried by me, for sure, however, does support the thesis to within my tolerances. The question is, how would you know about such a product without testing yourself or by a lab at your expense? I don't have the equipment or skills to test these things anymore than I could make my own. Buyer beware, it's all I am suggesting.
Oh, and good night.
I just take a multi vitamin with iron, calcium, vitamin d ( I have a tendency to be low), fish oil.
ReplyDeleteWhat with bp problems this summer, I have had to add on this water pill. Having to go pee frequently? I completely understand .. :-). Also, I've woken up with leg cramps that have packed a wallop. Leeching potassium? I get that too. This afternoon I go see the doc and will talk to him about it.
Casting aspersions. "Name the bogus products/manufacturers, or shut up", I'd say to the authors.
ReplyDeleteThere are a lot of questionable products, but research usually ferrets out what is and is not of value. There are reputable suppliers and there are ones that don't give a damn. It doesn't take too much work to find the reputable ones.
Look for standardized extracts for starters. There is then, at the least, a specific dose that is supposed to be in each tab. Plus a reputable supplier and chances are decent you're getting what you pay for.
My test? Does it do what it is purported to do for me? If not, I ditch it.
I have, over the years, refined what goes into my pill pile, and the result is definitely positive. I've fallen off my nutraceutical regime from time to time, and it only takes me 3-4 days to realize that is the reason I'm feeling dragged out and low energy. Back on it and I'm back up to speed. I figure it's worth about a ten-year apparent age improvement in my case.
Bottom line is that this kind of "report" is designed to get the government involved more deeply in what you put in your body. That what you want?
foam,
ReplyDeleteI take, on top of my daily vitamin, and 3 days a week, calcium, a complete B complex, zinc, and magnesium. Beside having potassium leeching, I was having the cramps in my legs (mostly at night, but they could be cranky on colder days), occasional bowel upsets (stoppage or going through too fast), and some other things. These tings have completely eliminated those problems. Desert Cat hooked me on the notion, and in this case it truly worked. Couldn't get his tip about getting Bloody Mary to visit, but... :p Hey, I'm scarier than her, sort of in the market, and didn't know if she was single.
While I only take them 3 days a week, M-W-F, I take megadoses. My potassium deficiency has completely cleared up just by taking these. The problem with vitamin D is that, really, it's a sun created vitamin. Some people don't get it well from other sources, not even food like milk. I do hope that is working for you? It's vital in a lot of ways.
Desert Cat,
Yeah, I know what you are saying. I also know what they are suggesting is true, it's just true. I also know that people like my mother buy the cheapest and what they get is nothing for something.
As to government involvement? At this point that is meaningless. Who ever supports Zero the most would be the only one allowed to cheat, if a tie, three way or more, that would work too. There is nothing to be trusted with the government at this point. But, if the government worked, since the industry can't and won't regulate itself, then yes.
Of course, I do note something else. If many of the companies are using ground nut shells and wheat as fillers, I doubt if many of the so-called illness calling for being gluten-free, or nut allergies, are as bad as people think, or perhaps don't exist at all. These are the very people who seem to add supplements in gobs. I am actually suspicious that the whole gluten-free thing isn't about gluten, but something else they might have started adding to products. Reminds me of vegetarians who say they feel better without meat (especially former non-glutemates who now eat those with abandon).
Now, I am glad you have the wherewithal to figure your herbals out. I don't always have that kind of contact with my flesh, other than to simply know if something is working or not. Fine detail sensation simply doesn't always exist. The other thing? There is no substance I have found, that I can be told will work for something and then it does. I always have to try it. Perhaps you have learned through lots of trial and error, but... just because something is supposed to make you sleep, it doesn't matter, either it does or doesn't. But if you don't know about the supplement you tried, whether that is even what you were taking, how can you know? I personally do not have the kind of money to check.
I have seen the vitamin and mineral pack you suggested work well for my potassium losses, cramps, and all that. But I have seen many products not work, not having any effect whatsoever. Actually all but the vitamins and minerals have failed to do... anything.
Do you have something that works for all, works in a way it can't be denied, is a brand that is easily available, and is affordable (less than $10-15, for a trial dose)? You've seen me use my own psyche as a punching bag. I don't pull punches. I'd give something ago. Urhm... minus phyto-estrogens. :p
Actually I am not even sure about testosterone boosters. See, I'm very tall, which they (think) say is from resistance to t. But my libido is... pronounced, meaning a higher t (always, always, even when in that extreme pain a while ago, I had to pray and often lost the battle to keep my hands off the stick). And yet my mood is balanced, meaning an average t. Yeah, I have a high AQ, but it is strictly controlled, if brutal when released. I'm not sure I want to muck around in there, at this time. But other things, I would take that bet.
Yeah, well I would suggest DHEA if you had a t level issue. You don't, and so would not benefit. Or that is to say, I do believe you would definitely notice, but not that you need it. (Got Jergens? ;P )
ReplyDeleteThat one alone, plus the others that work with it to keep the estrogen conversion from happening, is largely responsible for the reverse aging effect of my pile.
Others that have a most noticeably definite effect are three other herbal libido enhancers. (Hey, I'm married and fully intend to enjoy that fact as long as possible.)
ReplyDeleteThe other benefit of these is increased motivation for a host of other activities normally not the purview of 50-somethings.
I don't tolerate milk very well anymore., vitamin d supplements work.
ReplyDeletefoam,
ReplyDeleteI think the vitamin and mineral supplements are good. The ones that I believe, by and large, which are questionable are the ones such as ginkgo biloba, st. john's wort, and the such. Most women I know never could, can't now, and never will, drink milk well. I think it's a psychological or perhaps a literally physical thing, due to being milk producers (potentially) yourselves. Dunno. But keep on the D supplement! Vital. Just glad it works for you.
Desert Cat,
How much does your cache of stuff cost? I absolutely cannot use extra t, I believe. But I might be able to experiment with things when that shifts, from time to time. What is it you use, including brands? If it could add to function without... making me into an wild ass...
I wish, whatever it is I have, given my condition, that I could bottle it and sell it. There would be whoopy everywhere. I'd only sell it to married guys though. Seriously. Imagine something that adds what your stuff does, plus viagra, but on-call... when it doesn't just start up and purr on it's own! Almost any time, regardless of your physical condition? And I'm about as close to death, and have been for a long time, as guys can get.
I will need to defer that question until I get back to the farm. There are about a dozen items in the cache and I can't remember them all if the bottles are not in front of me.
ReplyDeleteA dozen? Just for the testosterony stuff? Wow. I don't think I could afford that cocktail.
ReplyDeleteNo, there are, I think, five that pertain to t enhancement and libido.
ReplyDelete