3 replies to this topic

[aribadabar]

Hello guys,

I am looking for your feedback on the regimen I am putting my mom on.
She is 57, in relatively good health, working frequently night shifts so her sleep pattern is a bit erratic, she also has some psoariatic symptoms (which tend to recede during the summer perhaps due to the increased sun exposure).
Her cholesterol is a bit high (5,96/230) so I am thinking some niacin intake is necessary.

Here is what I currently I have her take:

Morning
- 500mg L-Carnosine
- 500mg ALCAR (on the fence if she should continue taking it after reading about the TMAO concerns)
- 600mg racemic ALA

Later during the day:
- 200mg CoQ10 (ubiquinone)
- 1 Kirkland Formula Forte Women Multi Vitamin (Costco) - (thinking of replacing it with LEF's 2-Per-Day after the Costco one is finished)
- 1000mcg methylcobalamin B12
- 100mcg Selenium
- 2 x 1000 IU vitamin D3
- 2 x Costco Triple Concentrate Fish Oil (420mg EPA, 280mg DHA each)
- 450mg Ashwagandha
- 500mg Agaricus Blazei Mushroom extract


Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Edited by aribadabar, 27 January 2014 - 04:30 PM.

[username]

I'd make sure that the multivitamin doesn't exceed the recommended daily amounts for most nutrients.
I'm not really a multivitamin fan. Targeted supplementation seems more reasonable. I would always discourage people from taking high-dose multis. Risk of causing damage is WAY too high.
Since she's healthy, I don't see a reason to supplement a lot.
Maybe methylfolate (active B9), Vit K complex, good old magnesium, green tea extract.

[niner]

Multivitamins are ok if they are not overdosed, particularly in iron, copper, or manganese. (Transition metals are evil...) A women's multi presumably contains iron, but if she's menopausal, doesn't that obviate the need for supplemental iron? Might be better to go with a plain multi. I would drop the carnosine, and probably keep the ALCAR. I quit ALCAR for a while over the TMAO problem, but I developed a gut, despite not gaining weight (probably lost muscle and gained visceral fat), AND my lipoprotein(a) level went up. I decided that the balance of effects favored using it. Gut went away, haven't tested lp(a) yet, but there's literature precedence for the effect.

Niacin is great, but she may be opposed to the flushing. I use 500mg twice a day (for lp(a)); the flush is sometimes a problem.

I doubt she needs as much of most things as you're giving her. Isn't there already selenium in the multi? Has she had a 25-OH-vitamin D level done? What's the ALA doing to her blood sugar level? Does she ever feel light-headed?

How's her diet? Does she get enough exercise?

[aribadabar]

Thank you longschi and niner - all great points!

I did suggest to her to increase her Mg intake as her latest bloodwork (posted below) showed lowish levels.

I suspect the iron level is elevated as well for the reasons niner stated (would you please confirm/correct my assumption in the panel below?). I will have her discontinue using the regular women's multi if that's the case.

I asked about vitamin D test already but they were not ordered - told her to ask her doc next time. My rationale for the increased vit D intake is her nightshift work (reduced sun exposure during the day) and the current winter season.

I think she will handle the niacin flush knowing the benefit is worth it.

Just checked - the selenium in the multi is only 55mcg. I found it to be on the low end.

As to ALA effect on her blood glucose level - she hasn't reported any issues and she has been on this stack for >1yr (1000 IU D3 once every other day during.the summer as "just-in-case" measure)

In terms of diet - mostly plant-based, with the occasional meat/fish meal once in a while.
Exercise consists mostly of walking around town daily (she does not drive and most places she goes to are walking distance with the occasional city (mass transit) bus).

And here are her last blood panel results in SI units after being on this regimen for ~1yr (the ones in bold, I think, need attention).
Please point out any that look out of whack to you.

Test | Result | Reference range

NA 138 135-145
K 3.9 3.5-5.1
CL 101 98-110
CA 2.3 2.1-2.6
MG 0.77 0.70-1.15 (within range though on the low end)

GLU 5.2 3.9-5.8

ALP 75 53-141
ALT 16 1-34
TOTAL BIL 10.5 3.4-17
AST 13 1-31
AMY-7 51 28-100
BIL DIRECT 1.5 1.7-3.4 (too low?)

BUN 4.3 2.4-6.5
CHOL 5.96 1-5
C-RP 1.4 0-7.5 (my understanding is that ideally C-RP should be below 1)
CR-S 58 53-115

FER 18.7 5-30.4 (am I correct in reading this as ferritin 187 out of 304 in conventional units?)

HDL 2.7 1.2-5
LD-P 431 266-500
LDL-CHOL (<3) 3.61 >3
VLDL 0.28
TG 0.62 0-1.70
TP 69 60-83

OSMOLALITES 275.2
Indir bilI 0.5
BUN/CREA RATIO 18.4
URIC 195 155-428
CA++ 1.2
INDIR bil 9

WBC 4.51 3.5-10.5
neo 2.23 49.40% 1.60-7.2 39-75%
lym 1.75 38.90% 0.9-3 16-48%
MONO 0.419 9.29% 0.2-0.8 2-13%
EOS 0.3 0.66% 0-0.5 0-8%
BASO 0.078 1.73% 0-1 0-2%

RBC 4.57 4.2-5.4
HEMOGLOBIN 142 120-160
HEMATOCRIT 0.426 0.37-0.47
MCV 93.2 82-96
MCH 31.2 28-33
MCHC 335 320-360
RDW 14 11.5-13.7 (too high?)
PLT 253 130-360
MPV 9.91 7.8-11

Edited by aribadabar, 10 February 2014 - 06:22 AM.