10 replies to this topic

[bobsgame]

Like many others here I take quite a few supplements, but I'm a bit concerned about overdoing it.

 

I am not totally clear on how much stress supplements put on the kidneys, since many of them are really just ground up plants, which can't be much different than just eating food.  I'm guessing it depends on the type of supplement and if/how it gets cleared from the bloodstream, is that accurate?

 

Currently I try to separate them into groups and spread taking them out the best I can while drinking a lot of water, based on my intuition that it's better to process smaller amounts over the entire day than taking a handful of pills at once.  I've been considering using a timer to alert me every hour to take another pill or two.

 

Assuming that intuition is correct, would it be a good idea to take that idea even further and combine everything into a mixture and then take that gradually throughout the day, perhaps dissolving it (if possible) into a liter or two of water?  Would this prevent certain supplements from reaching an active saturation point and cause them to have less or no effect?

 

Additionally, should I be taking days off where I take nothing at all?

 

Could someone point me to any studies that have been done on this? Are there any threads on this subject that I missed?

 

Thanks

Edited by bobsgame, 14 January 2016 - 02:50 PM.

[jroseland]

Taking adaptogens which account for stress on the liver is also a good idea!

[bobsgame]

I do take Milk Thistle and Ashwagandha, though I think my liver is OK since I don't drink alcohol.

 

What about drinking a very diluted protein shake all day, say 80 grams of protein in 2 liters of water, as opposed to drinking a shake with 30 or 40 grams a couple times a day?  Has anyone tried this?

[dudmuck]

Read this thread for kidney health http://www.longecity...ts-for-kidneys/

[bobsgame]

Awesome thread, thank you.

 

Now I've got a few more supplements added to my list...

[bobsgame]

So I've done an experiment and ground up a day's worth of supplements (excluding softgels) and dissolved them in a liter of water with two scoops of vanilla flavored vegan protein.  Surprisingly, I can't taste the supplements at all.  I'm going to drink this slowly over the rest of the day and see if I notice any difference.

[bobsgame]

Reporting back in, drinking the supplement/protein solution seems to have worked out very well.  I drank a decent amount of plain water along with the solution and my urine was nearly clear all day, which I believe is a good sign.  I'm now confident that I could add in more supplements without issue.  Additionally, now I'm looking into buying all of my supplements in bulk, since I don't need them in pill form at all.

 

The biggest question I have now is if absorbing certain supplements gradually would prevent them from reaching an "active dose" and cause them to have less effect, or if it's actually better to constantly have a small amount in the bloodstream.

[Never_Ending]

This is a very interesting perspective that you bring up...I've always wondered about the best method to spread supplementation over the day. However I'm concerned will some not be good to mix? potential reactions etc or are supplements usually mild enough for that not be an issue.  Also would you have to shake up the mixture once in a while since I assume there would be sediments. Also this would be an issue with things that have enteric coatings to protect from stomach acids etc ...I'm trying to find a good method to do it too

[Logic]

Indoxyl sulfate is markedly accumulated in the serum of chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. The oral sorbent AST-120 reduces serum levels of indoxyl sulfate in CKD patients by adsorbing indole, a precursor of indoxyl sulfate, in the intestine

 

nitrogen-containing carbon administered as 10 day courses at 1 month intervals in dosage of 10 ml/kg...resulted in the increase of mean and maximal lifespan by 43 and 34% respectively.

 

http://www.longecity...ater-longevity/

[niner]

The biggest question I have now is if absorbing certain supplements gradually would prevent them from reaching an "active dose" and cause them to have less effect, or if it's actually better to constantly have a small amount in the bloodstream.

 

This is a significant concern.  For some supplements, taking them this way will just make it easier for the body to metabolize them before they can do anything useful.  Putting them all into the same solution for a long period is asking for stray reactions and chemical degradation that wouldn't happen in a pill. 

[bobsgame]

That's a good point.  Now I'm thinking the best strategy would be to separate the supplements into many small groups, and use a timer throughout the day to remind me to take the next batch.  Taking a few capsules every hour or two seems relatively harmless.