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What are the important vitamins and minerals?

blood's Photo blood 16 Jan 2014

are the same people running Life Extension who wrote the book with the same title Life Extension: A Practical Scientific Approach, authored by Durk Pearson and Sandy Shaw? It was published in 1983. I had just bought the book on amazon and one review called it a "supplement advertisement". So I'm curious if the same people who wrote the book is running the Life Extension magazine and supplement we all know about.


Pearson & Shaw appear to have an association with Life Enhancement Products:
http://www.life-enha...e=category&id=3
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eon's Photo eon 16 Jan 2014

Hmm interesting. The company logo and design is a bit similar to Life Extension products vs. Life Enhancement products. Maybe they're "cousin" companies?
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timar's Photo timar 16 Jan 2014

are the same people running Life Extension who wrote the book with the same title Life Extension: A Practical Scientific Approach, authored by Durk Pearson and Sandy Shaw? It was published in 1983.


No, as anyone familiar with that fancy new search engine called "Google" could easily have figured out.
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blood's Photo blood 16 Jan 2014

Hmm interesting. The company logo and design is a bit similar to Life Extension products vs. Life Enhancement products. Maybe they're "cousin" companies?


Seems like Pearson/ Shaw and LEF may have had an association in the past:
https://www.lef.org/dsnews/index.htm
Edited by blood, 16 January 2014 - 10:20 AM.
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nameless's Photo nameless 17 Jan 2014

Interesting mention of selenium. My source of it is just brazil nuts.


If you frequently eat brazil nuts, you probably get plenty of selenium already -- as well as a nice healthy dose of radiation (so long as you don't eat tons of them, I wouldn't worry).

And cronometer is this: http://cronometer.com/

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eon's Photo eon 19 Jan 2014

is this alpha lipoic acid any good? It's the "R" version. It's in bulk powder form:

http://nootropicsdep.../r-lipoic-acid/
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niner's Photo niner 19 Jan 2014

is this alpha lipoic acid any good? It's the "R" version. It's in bulk powder form:

http://nootropicsdep.../r-lipoic-acid/


No, it's not. Not in my book, anyway. Eon, if I was you, I would immediately stop buying chemicals in powder form from dodgy outfits on the internet. You have no idea what you're getting.
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eon's Photo eon 20 Jan 2014

Niner, I'm assuming you don't use bulk powders?
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niner's Photo niner 20 Jan 2014

That's correct. There have been rare exceptions, but then I'm a chemist, so I know the territory.
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eon's Photo eon 07 Feb 2014

ok it's time for me to look into other types of magnesium. my current one is aspartate. I'm looking into trying glycinate next. I've been reading about magnesium threonate lately. It is said to be good for the brain of all the magnesiums. Anyone here tried it? It's the most expensive form of magnesium I've seen. It's said to be good for older people, which could mean it's even better for the younger ones such as myself.
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blood's Photo blood 07 Feb 2014

I like magnesium glycinate, as (frankly) it doesn't give me diarrhea. I like this product best:
http://www.iherb.com...-120-Tablets/15
http://www.iherb.com...0-Tablets/16567

I also like these:
http://www.iherb.com...ggie-Caps/48803
(mostly Mg Oxide - can give some people diarrhea)

I'm suspicious that magnesium threonate offers any benefits over other forms. (There was a human study on Mag Threonate running back in 2011, with results expected in 2012 - we still haven't seen the results of that study...) There is a big thread on this:
http://www.longecity...n-sulfate-form/
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eon's Photo eon 08 Feb 2014

Well I thought the results have been put out there hence there is a mag threonate product popping out from companies including Life Extension. The study was in the recent issue of Life Extension Magazine. I'm sure more about threonate is floating out in the web. Dr. Vita products already made bold claims about it. It's very expensive though.

How much glycinate are you taking?

I like magnesium glycinate, as (frankly) it doesn't give me diarrhea. I like this product best:
http://www.iherb.com...-120-Tablets/15
http://www.iherb.com...0-Tablets/16567

I also like these:
http://www.iherb.com...ggie-Caps/48803
(mostly Mg Oxide - can give some people diarrhea)

I'm suspicious that magnesium threonate offers any benefits over other forms. (There was a human study on Mag Threonate running back in 2011, with results expected in 2012 - we still haven't seen the results of that study...) There is a big thread on this:
http://www.longecity...n-sulfate-form/

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eon's Photo eon 08 Feb 2014

any idea if there's a difference in magnesium theonate vs. magnesium threonine. I've seen a threonine sold in bulk powders and it is said to be an "amino acid". Not sure if threonate is also an amino acid. The serving is usually 2000 mg which only has about 150mg of elemental magnesium (threonate or threonine). I'd like to have a pill version and a bulk powder. I've seen glycinate in bulk powder form. I might get that as well. The pill version I'd want just in case I'm in a rush going to work, etc. The powder version is for when I'm home and want to dose on magnesium. It's not a problem to use magnesium glycinate and another type of magnesium 8-12 hours apart right?
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blood's Photo blood 09 Feb 2014

I've seen glycinate in bulk powder form. I might get that as well.


I've experimented with magnesium glycinate powder. It tastes disgusting. I ended up throwing mine out.

If you are going to buy a powder, magnesium lactate doesn't taste too bad.

Also: buying the absolute cheapest thing doesn't always work out for the best. If you want fully reacted magnesium glycinate, the Drs Best products are a good choice.
Edited by blood, 09 February 2014 - 10:52 AM.
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eon's Photo eon 13 Feb 2014

I just replaced my pantothenic acid with a more active form called pantothenine. Anyone here ever tried this? I read this one works better than pantothenic acid when it comes to lowering cholesterol (I had no idea pantothenic acid was even for that).
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eon's Photo eon 20 Feb 2014

does anyone here use a fat soluble vitamin C, like ascorbyl palmitate (ascorbic acid with palmitic acid)? Curious about it. My C is simply water soluble (ascorbic acid). I'm thinking of getting a buffered version. I could only find a calcium ascorbate (vitamin C), which is buffered. It is a neutral salt and not an acid.
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blood's Photo blood 20 Feb 2014

any idea if there's a difference in magnesium theonate vs. magnesium threonine. I've seen a threonine sold in bulk powders and it is said to be an "amino acid". Not sure if threonate is also an amino acid. The serving is usually 2000 mg which only has about 150mg of elemental magnesium (threonate or threonine).


Threonine is an essential amino acid. Something we get from meat, whey protein,etc.
I've never heard of magnesium threonine as a supplement. Where did you see it? Presumably it's just a chelate of magnesium bound to threonine. Not sure if it would offer any benefits over other magnesium amino acid chelates such as magnesium glycinate etc.

Magnesium L-Threonate is a patented substance (trade name, Magnatein), which allegedly/supposedly is able to produce greater increases of magnesium within the nervous system/ cerebrospinal fluid. It's been hyped as a supplement with cognitive benefits. The only relevant research is a rat study. A human study was due for publication in 2012, but mysteriously never got released... I wonder why?

L-Threonic acid might have benefits in it's own right. It's a metabolite of vitamin C. Small amounts of threonic acid are contain ed in the Ester-C vitamin C products; the claim is that the small amounts of L-threonic acid improve the absorption/ retention/ activity of vitamin C. There is a big thread here at longecity on magnesium l-threonic acid; some posters here have argued that any benefits derived from magnesium L-threonate probably come from the L-threonic acid.

Interesting threads:
http://www.longecity...n-sulfate-form/
http://www.longecity...um-l-threonate/
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blood's Photo blood 20 Feb 2014

does anyone here use a fat soluble vitamin C, like ascorbyl palmitate (ascorbic acid with palmitic acid)? Curious about it. My C is simply water soluble (ascorbic acid). I'm thinking of getting a buffered version. I could only find a calcium ascorbate (vitamin C), which is buffered. It is a neutral salt and not an acid.


There is a small amount of fat soluble C in some of the Life Extension products that I use:
- Booster Softgels (<90 mg acorbyl palmitate)
- DHEA Complete (25 mg ascorbyl palmitate)

The advantage (supposedly/ allegedly) is that as a fat soluble substance, it might be incorporated into cellular membranes (which are lipids), offering protection in the lipid realm. According to wikipedia, it might not offer any benefits over water soluble vitamin C:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ascorbyl_palmitate

Ascorbyl palmitate taken orally is, in all probability, far less effective than the claims made by advertisers and marketers. This is due to the fact that ascorbyl palmitate is known to be broken down (through the digestive process) into ascorbic acid and palmitic acid (a saturatedfatty acid) before being absorbed into the bloodstream


It's not a problem to use magnesium glycinate and another type of magnesium 8-12 hours apart right?


You could take the different forms of magnesium at the same time. Probably not any need to wait 8-12 hours.

It's not a problem to use magnesium glycinate and another type of magnesium 8-12 hours apart right?


You could take the different forms of magnesium at the same time. Probably not any need to wait 8-12 hours.
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eon's Photo eon 21 Feb 2014

blood, from what I understand a magnesium is magnesium, a zinc is a zinc. The thing that separates it is whatever it is attached to, whether it's aspartate, glycinate, or l-threonate. You're probably right that it is the threonic acid that is what's giving this type of magnesium the hype that it is getting.

Regarding the fat soluble vitamin C; I would guess that since it is fat soluble it stays in the body for later use. It doesn't leave the body quick like water solubles. That may be its only benefits.

The magnesium threonine I saw is sold at bulksupplements.com. I contacted them if mag threonine and mag theonate are the same thing but never got a response.
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eon's Photo eon 22 Feb 2014

I'm looking into another type of calcium called calcium pyruvate. it is said to be for fat loss. Had to be the pyruvic acid that is attached to the calcium. anyone here tried this type of calcium? I'm currently using calcium amino ethyl phosphate (or calcium EAP). I've tried coral calcium before.
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blood's Photo blood 22 Feb 2014

Are you worried about osteoporosis?

I don't take calcium; I'm worried about it being deposited in my arteries.

I take copious quantities of magnesium, and sprinkle potassium chloride on foods (as a salt substitute).

I also take boron, and vitamin K2 (the MK7 form). I take a strontium supplement for my teeth.
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eon's Photo eon 27 Feb 2014

I looked into strontium, sounds like it could be a replacement for calcium as it is similar and safer, especially strontium ranelate. Strontium is absorbed in the body as if it were calcium. What type of strontium do you take? I read the ranelate version is prescription in Europe but not regulated in the U.S.

Not really sure I need it for my teeth as I already use xylitol sweetener and toothpaste, but I'd like to try it if I could find the ranelate version and it could replace my calcium.
Edited by eon, 27 February 2014 - 09:29 AM.
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APBT's Photo APBT 27 Feb 2014

I looked into strontium, sounds like it could be a replacement for calcium as it is similar and safer, especially strontium ranelate. Strontium is absorbed in the body as if it were calcium. What type of strontium do you take? I read the ranelate version is prescription in Europe but not regulated in the U.S.

Not really sure I need it for my teeth as I already use xylitol sweetener and toothpaste, but I'd like to try it if I could find the ranelate version and it could replace my calcium.

You may want to take a look at this: http://www.ema.europ...WC500159375.pdf
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blood's Photo blood 28 Feb 2014

Strontium ranelate is prescribed for severe osteoporosis. Strontium has long been thought of as safe, however last year a meta-analysis revealed increased risk of CVD/heart attack for people on strontium ranelate (as pointed out by APBT, above). The people affected would have been getting at least 640 mg strontium/day. There was a thread on this, here:
http://www.longecity...f-heart-attack/

I take strontium citrate, by Doctor's Best:
http://www.iherb.com...eggie-Caps/2478

It's anyone's guess if strontium citrate also increases one's risk for cardiovascular problems. :)

I only take 1 cap (340 mg) 3 or 4 times/week. It keeps my tooth sensitivity (to cold foods, etc) at bay. The tooth sensitivity does come back if I stop the strontium. I really should try and work out the minimum dose I can take that keeps the sensitivity at bay. Maybe I could get away with one or two caps/ week.
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eon's Photo eon 12 Mar 2014

I'm guessing the active form of vit D3 is prescription only since I can't find it anywhere. I think it's called calcitriol.

Calcitriol (1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3), the active metabolite of vitamin D3, after being synthesized from calcifediol in the kidney, increases glutathione levels in the brain and appears to be a catalyst for glutathione production.[29] Calcitriol was found to increase GSH levels in rat astrocyte primary cultures on average by 42%, increasing protein concentrations from 29 nmol/mg to 41 nmol/mg, 24 and 48 hours after administration; this effect was reduced to 11%, relative to the control, 96 hours after administration.[30] It takes about ten days for the body to process vitamin D3 into calcitriol.[31]

I was looking into cysteine and came across it as a nootropic as well as workout supplement and a precursor to glutathione. Is cysteine better off at increasing glutathione than the side effects prone that is the active form of vit D3, calcitriol? I simply bought some cysteine powders just to try it out. It was for bodybuilding purposes but it turns out to be a nootropic as well much to my surprise.
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blood's Photo blood 16 Mar 2014

I was looking into cysteine and came across it as a nootropic as well as workout supplement and a precursor to glutathione. Is cysteine better off at increasing glutathione than the side effects prone that is the active form of vit D3, calcitriol? I simply bought some cysteine powders just to try it out. It was for bodybuilding purposes but it turns out to be a nootropic as well much to my surprise.


Recent research suggests that glutathione itself (taken as a supplement) will increase the levels of glutathione in various compartments of the body (plasma, white blood cells, red blood cells):
http://www.nutraingr...immune-function
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niner's Photo niner 16 Mar 2014

I'm guessing the active form of vit D3 is prescription only since I can't find it anywhere. I think it's called calcitriol.


There's no reason I know of to take calcitriol, unless you're a mutant. Just take vitamin D3 and your body will take care of the rest.
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eon's Photo eon 17 Mar 2014

Are you saying this is a good thing then? I am trying out the active form of cysteine which is known for glutathione, I believe. Good info. you provided on the link. Not sure if actual glutathione supplement is better than the glutathione source supplement which is the active form of cysteine.

I was looking into cysteine and came across it as a nootropic as well as workout supplement and a precursor to glutathione. Is cysteine better off at increasing glutathione than the side effects prone that is the active form of vit D3, calcitriol? I simply bought some cysteine powders just to try it out. It was for bodybuilding purposes but it turns out to be a nootropic as well much to my surprise.


Recent research suggests that glutathione itself (taken as a supplement) will increase the levels of glutathione in various compartments of the body (plasma, white blood cells, red blood cells):
http://www.nutraingr...immune-function

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blood's Photo blood 17 Mar 2014

Are you saying this is a good thing then? I am trying out the active form of cysteine which is known for glutathione, I believe. Good info. you provided on the link. Not sure if actual glutathione supplement is better than the glutathione source supplement which is the active form of cysteine.


Are you taking NAC?

I don't know what benefits if any the reduced glutathione offers over NAC.

Look at the customer reviews on iherb - people do seem to like it:

http://www.iherb.com...-Capsules/17353
http://www.iherb.com...-Capsules/27412
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eon's Photo eon 17 Mar 2014

yes, NAC. Is the Setria Glutathione you provided on the link "reduced glutathione"? It didn't say. Not sure why it's called "reduced". I think there are 2 versions: reduced and oxidized forms. NAC is said to have potential treatment for OCD types of disorder such as trichotillomania. Curious at what dosage would be effective. I simply follow the suggested dosage anyway. I like my vits in "active" form.
Edited by eon, 17 March 2014 - 08:09 AM.
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