12 replies to this topic

[mealz13]

Hello everyone, I decided I need a second opinion on my extreme sensitivity to all meds & supplements. Basically, microdoses of anything will have a profound effect on me, positive and negative, and I'll literally feel the effects overnight. For example, I took a very small dose of zoloft and had immediate anxiety relief the next day. I've taken 4 grams of inositol and felt like I was stoned. I took 3 tablets of chlorella and got crazy energy and agitation the next day. One day I had a small iced tea and was up the entire night. And the list goes on.
Basically, what I want to know is if there is any illness that could cause extreme sensitivity, and if I'm a placebo driven maniac. My doctors assure me there are people who are extremely sensitve and that it's not all in my head, but I'm not so sure. I've also seen this can be caused by a "leaky gut". Any insight would be appreciated, thanks.

[Galaxyshock]

I've become very sensitive to supplements after a stressing period in my life (that included substance abuse also). I tend to have intolerance to caffeine/stimulants and simple minerals like zinc give me wierdly powerful effects. I think the problem may be caused by chronically stressed autonomic nervous system. At least there are certainly problems in inhibitory neurotransmission. I'm slowly recovering by good diet and a lot of exercise and avoiding any stressors. Ashwagandha tends to vanish all those problems but it just feels like a temporary patch.

"Leaky gut", problems in digestion/gastrointestinal tract could definitely be causing the problems also. The link to brain health and sense of well-being is also direct. I try to avoid gluten/dairy and sugars because these also tend to flare up my skin problems.

Edited by Galaxyshock, 21 July 2012 - 06:39 PM.

[Clarity]

I've posted asking the same question too on here (no response). I have the same problem. The past year it has gotten worse. I get every side effect from rx meds, and avoid them like the plague unless it's an abx that I have to absolutely take. The only thing I can guess is maybe a sluggish liver and perhaps kidneys that aren't efficient at processing drugs or herbs. I've tried liver detoxes, kidney & liver herbs. The most progress I've made is with chinese herbs, but I'm not close to overcoming it. The only thing I think at this point that may help is losing weight so that my organ system works more efficiently. I'm being very careful with diet (concentrating on healthy fats, low saturated fat, and only complex carbs) and am sticking with an exercise program.

I was diagnosed with leaky gut in the past. It could be the problem. For me though, I felt as if that has improved, yet my sensitivity to substances hasn't. I kind of feel that I became even more sensitive to herbs after I was on a round of antibiotics recently (had strep twice in a row).

I don't think its in your head. There are some things I can take with no problems. For those I can't, I have to taper down and do on alternate days or a few times a week. It's obviously not "the" solution though & it would be nice to have an answer as to the "why".

[mealz13]

Thanks for the responses guys, I'm still looking into ways to figure this out; I truly believe that supplements in the long run are beneficial, it just totally stinks when what you're taking to make you feel better gives you a crazy reaction. It's nice to know though that it's not all in my head.

Edited by mealz13, 20 August 2012 - 06:00 PM.

[Godot]

I respond similarly, although perhaps not as extreme. Caffeine is the worst for me, and getting worse over time. I recently had my first substantial caffeine exposure in months -- a half of a small cup of coffee, taken in the morning. I had trouble getting to sleep that night, and for two additional nights afterward.

The over-/under-methylator hypothesis makes some sense, but I keep seeing contradictory info on which is which and how to correct them.

[Clarity]

I came across this article regarding intolerance to supplements due to Thyroid-Adrenal Axis Imbalance (Ovarian/Thyroid/Adrenal for women):

I do have adrenal problems, and I think it's a large part of why my liver is stressed. Don't know if anyone else here fits the picture:

As this happens to one organ system, the rest of the body also down-regulates and reacts unfavorably. Digestion slows to conserve energy, clearance of metabolites slows to conserve energy, and basal metabolic rate drops to conserve energy. Weight loss is extremely difficult. At this phase, the adrenals have lost most of their ability to serve as the body's stress control center. It becomes hypersensitive and reacts negatively to any attempts to jump start it for reasons not well understood. The adrenals continue to exhibit frequent crashes through physiological mechanisms that defy conventional scientific logic. Current concepts point to the likelihood of pump failure, low-clearance state, positive feedback loops, receptor site dysfunction, and electron driven retoxifications as possible etiology for the wide variety of extreme paradoxical reactions commonly seen in this phase. Basic nutrients critical to proper adrenal function, such as Vitamin C, become severely depleted. Administration of Vitamin C, cortisol, DHEA, and pregnenolone, all of which are normally required and welcomed by the adrenals, cease to bring about any improvement in symptoms but may instead become ineffective and possibly toxic. The more the adrenals are exhausted, the less the adrenals can tolerate medication or nutrients, even in small doses. Nothing appears to work in this phase. Any attempted administration of nutrients by mouth or by intravenous injection in fact may make the condition worse.

Source: http://www.drlam.com...roid.asp?page=2

I just started taking desiccated liver to maybe try to help heal the liver, since I haven't been able to address the adrenals through supplements & green coffee bean extract. As expected, I'm needing alot lower dose than the label advises.

[Clarity]

Just wondering if any of you worry that the regular vitamin supplements that you take are building up in your body? There are times I worry about it, and think maybe I should stop taking a multi-v and anything that could be toxic in high amounts.

[renfr]

Not to all supplements but it does happen to me :
- caffeine, a single can of red coke in th ree afternoon is enough to let me up all night
coke has 35mg yet it gives me polyuria (frequent need to urinate), according to studies polyuria with caffeine only starts at 500-600mg....
- 3 glasses of whisky/vodka is enough to make me extremely drunk
- stimulants are generally extremely powerful even at very low doses

I guess this is because we have a slow liver processing, there is an allele that makes liver being a slow acetylator.
It's not a liver disease, it's just slow and this can cause strong adverse reactions of drugs

[Clarity]

I agree Renfr: It's probably a sluggish liver, and not liver disease...but sometimes it really makes me nervous about what's going on in there.

I have been taking various neurotransmitter enhancers/precursors - choline, gaba, vitex for dopamine, added liquid B6 and methylB12/Folatin (I use to take the cheap forms) as well as Jarrows Whey Protein w/branched chain aminos. Something seems to helping. I'm not getting the same strong reaction to low doses of herbs/supplements, and I even was able to have an alcoholic drink 2 nights in a row (a record for me - I rarely drink anymore). I'm also no longer having problems with the small amounts of saturated fats. I only took the choline & gaba for a week or so.

[stablemind]

I noticed my sensitivity to supplements greatly increased after starting Seroquel. It seems that it's various mechanisms causes it to synergize with many supplements I take. Without taking Seroquel, it's like none of the supplements work anymore.

[CaptainFuture]

Just wanted to throw in, that I have the same problems with sensitivity. I don't know what the cause is but I truly hope, that advances in diagnostics as well as genetics can offer some insight soon.

[dk2011]

@mealz13 I used to have that exact problem!!!  For some reason, it was permanently REVERSED after using either CDP Choline and/or Choline Bitartrate.  The problem now is that after using those Choline supplements so much, I'm so un-sensitive to the effects of meds & herbs that nothing works right anymore at all.  Many things have paradoxical or toxic reactions.  Any idea what may have made you so sensitive in the first place @mealz13 and can you update us on how you are doing?

[dk2011]

Bump. @mealz13 I used to have the exact same problem. But some people on here still don’t believe me. And I’m trying to get help to reverse whatever Choline supplements did to me now.