Supplement Hell

[DavidGardner]

Has anyone else observed that there seems to be a special place in hell for those of us who take the wrong supplement at the wrong time?

I'm only partly being facetious. In all seriousness, I've noticed and I think others here probably have too, that certain supplements seem to induce a unique kind of anxiety and dysphoria, where everything about you physically and mentally feels off.

I most recently experienced this today when I made the mistake of purchasing a NOW product at my local grocery store. I do stuff like this stupidly when I'm to tired or stressed to make a rational decision and pick a supplement off the shelf that I think will help without fully considering the quality of the product. It was a vitamin D3 (1000 IU) and mk-4 (100 mcg) spray that you're supposed to hold under your tongue.

The "Other ingredients" list reads:
De-ionized water, Vegetable Glycerin, Xylitol, MCT oil, Natural Fruit Flavors, Phospholipids (soy), Rosemary Extract, Potassium Sorbate and Citric Acid.

I've left out some of the parenthetical notations, but you get the idea. Not very pure. Phospholipids from soy? What was I thinking as I chatted up the cute "natural foods" employee?

Anyways, my response to the stuff was mixed, highly dopaminergic feelings (almost too much), but also some anxiety, dysphoria, tingling sensations, and a sense of tension in my brain and muscles. Worst of all, this was my first time taking a vitamin D or an mk-4, so I have no way of knowing for sure how much of the response to attribute to the D or the mk-4 or the excipients.

So I just wasted thirteen dollars, plus I'll have to decide now whether it's worthwhile to try mk-4 or D3 alone from a more trusted source. This is exactly why I've grown leary of supplements altogether. The tried and true ones make a great difference, but the only way to learn this for oneself is through trial and error. What works great for one person might make someone else miserable--sending them straight to SUPPLEMENT HELL!

 

[johnwester130]

liquid supplements, as simple as possible, in oil or just water , are safest

those are

d3 in oil
vitamin a in oil,
liquid k2 as mk4
magnesium oil through the skin

liquid progesterone in vitamin e
maybe a liquid b vitamin like p5p,

not much else is "safe"

 

[Arnold Grape]

Has anyone else observed that there seems to be a special place in hell for those of us who take the wrong supplement at the wrong time?

I'm only partly being facetious. In all seriousness, I've noticed and I think others here probably have too, that certain supplements seem to induce a unique kind of anxiety and dysphoria, where everything about you physically and mentally feels off.

I most recently experienced this today when I made the mistake of purchasing a NOW product at my local grocery store. I do stuff like this stupidly when I'm to tired or stressed to make a rational decision and pick a supplement off the shelf that I think will help without fully considering the quality of the product. It was a vitamin D3 (1000 IU) and mk-4 (100 mcg) spray that you're supposed to hold under your tongue.

The "Other ingredients" list reads:
De-ionized water, Vegetable Glycerin, Xylitol, MCT oil, Natural Fruit Flavors, Phospholipids (soy), Rosemary Extract, Potassium Sorbate and Citric Acid.

I've left out some of the parenthetical notations, but you get the idea. Not very pure. Phospholipids from soy? What was I thinking as I chatted up the cute "natural foods" employee?

Anyways, my response to the stuff was mixed, highly dopaminergic feelings (almost too much), but also some anxiety, dysphoria, tingling sensations, and a sense of tension in my brain and muscles. Worst of all, this was my first time taking a vitamin D or an mk-4, so I have no way of knowing for sure how much of the response to attribute to the D or the mk-4 or the excipients.

So I just wasted thirteen dollars, plus I'll have to decide now whether it's worthwhile to try mk-4 or D3 alone from a more trusted source. This is exactly why I've grown leary of supplements altogether. The tried and true ones make a great difference, but the only way to learn this for oneself is through trial and error. What works great for one person might make someone else miserable--sending them straight to SUPPLEMENT HELL!

Was thinking of this earlier. Almost usually, less is more. The problem is when one thing works for a while, in a specific context, and then works at a different rate or changes over time. For example, I have been supplementing DHEA/ pregnenolone at a very low dose, which worked magically for one month; adding a second dose at night kept this magic alive -- until it did not anymore. Now, tapering down to a lower dose, it still might be too much. The trick could be recognizing specific symptoms. For instance, when I notice an appetite loss or specific mood changes that means something. If you really want to get complicated, try recognizing changes when adding two or more things together over an extended period of time.

 

[Tarmander]

Dopaminergic and anxiety inducing pretty much go hand in hand.

 

[mmb82]

liquid supplements, as simple as possible, in oil or just water , are safest
those are

d3 in oil
vitamin a in oil,
liquid k2 as mk4
magnesium oil through the skin

liquid progesterone in vitamin e
maybe a liquid b vitamin like p5p,

If you are calling supplements "safe" based on their purity, then yes, anything in pure oil or water is "safe".

However, I would argue that water-soluble vitamins are "safest" and would never put D, A, or hormones on the list of safe supplements to take (my thoughts on vitamin E and K2 being safe is still up in the air). The fat solubles, in my opinion, are very unsafe, mainly because if you dose too much and/or for too long, you can really mess yourself up. Same with hormones. I would not mess with them. If you do not know what you are doing, stay away from dosing fat solubles and hormones yourself.