supplement recommendations?

[dannybex]

Having said all this, some people don't do well with d-ribose but I think they're in the minority. Bulk Supplements sells a smaller size for around $15, less of an investment to see if you like it. I felt a benefit pretty quickly, within a day or 2.

One caution with d-ribose is that it's involved in glycation, not a good thing, especially for those who may have blood sugar issues, including pre-diabetes, insulin resistance, and neuropathy. The dose is probably the key though...

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22274132

 

[PatJ]

I need to eat frequent meals during the day due to blood sugar drops. I haven't noticed any change in how frequently I need to eat while I've been using d-ribose. Maybe it influences people in different ways based on the reason for the blood sugar issues.

 

[Mary]

One caution with d-ribose is that it's involved in glycation, not a good thing, especially for those who may have blood sugar issues, including pre-diabetes, insulin resistance, and neuropathy. The dose is probably the key though...

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22274132

I think I read about this a few years ago - someone posted about it - maybe you? In any event, I decided that its benefit of increasing my energy outweighed any possible glycation issues. My blood sugar is borderline high but I'm very strict about my diet and I believe my highish blood sugar (still in the normal range) is related to the faulty glucose metabolism of ME/CFS.

Benfotiamine is supposed to help with diabetes-related neuropathy FWIW.

 

[dannybex]

@Mary and @PatJ, you'd know if you were having glycation problems, at least eventually. So if that's not an issue, then it's entirely possible that it's fine for you. And as mentioned, the dose is probably the key thing. Unfortunately I don't have access to the full study.

 

[NotThisGuy]

@Mary
did you noticed any difference between the other adrenal concentrate Brands and Standard process products?
Was it over a longer period of time that you switched from Standard process to the other Brands?
Do you take drenatrophin and drenamin together or do you Switch between them? drenamin Looks like a nightmare for People with mast cell issues.

Only asking because Standard process seems impossible to get from an EU shop (cant Import from USA because Germany is retarded)

 

[Mary]

@Mary
did you noticed any difference between the other adrenal concentrate Brands and Standard process products?
Was it over a longer period of time that you switched from Standard process to the other Brands?
Do you take drenatrophin and drenamin together or do you Switch between them? drenamin Looks like a nightmare for People with mast cell issues.

Only asking because Standard process seems impossible to get from an EU shop (cant Import from USA because Germany is retarded)

I've been taking adrenal glandular supplements off and on for close to 20 years. I only take one at a time, I've never taken Drenamin and Drenatrophin at the same time. I don't know the difference between the two. When I first stared taking an adrenal glandular, the chiropractor gave me Drenatrophin. Later I switched to Drenamin, can't remember why, but they both seem to help me about the same.

As I recall (it's been several years), the Biotics and Metagenics products were equally effective. I remember I took one because that was the brand the chiro I saw was using. Here's an article listing the top brands for supplements, and both Biotics and Metagenics made the list, though Standard Process did not, and I don't have a clue why. SP is very highly regarded. I don't know if this is an impartial source or who they are actually but it might have useful information for you: https://www.organicnewsroom.com/best-supplement-brands/

Since you can't get SP I would just try either of the other 2. Again, I think they worked just as well.

 

[outdamnspot]

@PatJ I think I'm going to go ahead and order the Terry Naturally Glutathione. Only thing I'm wondering is .. what kind of state were you in, physically, when you tried it? I know there's a lot of supplements that are ostensibly 'good' for us, which can throw a delicate physical system out-of-whack (e.g. B12 etc., which I couldn't tolerate). The Glutathione is expensive, so I'm just wondering if it's the kind of thing which can overwhelm us with detox etc.

 

[Hanna]

@PatJ I would like to know if you have tested Lypricel GSH (in place of Terry Naturally). This is the one I have been taking for 2 years (it is liposomal form) and I love it. But even more expensive than the Terry one. If you tried both, could you precise where goes your preference and why.
Thanks
Liposomal glutathion has been one of the few supplements that I can say they are helping. Not a cure though, but some help yes.

 

[PatJ]

Only thing I'm wondering is .. what kind of state were you in, physically, when you tried it?

I'm bedbound for much of the day due to OI, can't walk far enough to leave the house, have considerable brainfog, and many of the usual CFS/ME symptoms. I manage to avoid PEM by strictly staying within my energy envelope but it's easy to induce PEM with a minor change in routine or pushing a little too hard. According to one CFS/ME activity scale I'm at 2-3 out of 10.

The glutathione helps to reduce brainfog, and reduces some of my sensitivity to certain types of light. It doesn't seem to help with any other symptoms.

The Glutathione is expensive, so I'm just wondering if it's the kind of thing which can overwhelm us with detox etc.

Some people have a strong reaction to a small amount, others find they need 2-4 times the regular dose to see benefits.

I would like to know if you have tested Lypricel GSH (in place of Terry Naturally).

I haven't tried it. The two other types I've tried are liquid liposomal glutathione, which had the same effects as Terry Naturally but wasn't as convenient since it had to be consumed within 30 days of opening the bottle; and S-acetyl-glutathione which gave me headaches and made my symptoms worse.

Liposomal glutathion has been one of the few supplements that I can say they are helping. Not a cure though, but some help yes.

I'm glad you've found a few supplements that help. It's one of those supplements that helps me enough to keep taking it and justify the cost. I'm basically propped up by supplements that improve my life in small percentages but when those percentages are added up they make life much better.

 

[PatJ]

I think I'm going to go ahead and order the Terry Naturally Glutathione.

I was quite wary of the price and took a couple of months to decide on trying it. I'm glad I did. I hope you find some benefit from it.

 

[outdamnspot]

I was quite wary of the price and took a couple of months to decide on trying it. I'm glad I did. I hope you find some benefit from it.

Thank you. Does it have any positive effects on your sleep? I read some people saying the Jarrow's Reduced Glutathione made them very calm/sleepy, which would be a nice change of pace from wired-but-tired.

 

[PatJ]

Does it have any positive effects on your sleep?

Not that I've noticed.

which would be a nice change of pace from wired-but-tired.

Methylfolate got me out of that state but you mention in your first post that it hasn't helped you. Have you checked Hip's thread on ways to reduce that feeling?

 

[outdamnspot]

Methylfolate got me out of that state but you mention in your first post that it hasn't helped you. Have you checked Hip's thread on ways to reduce that feeling?

I hadn't seen that, thanks. I've been meaning to try Flax Seed Oil, so will order some. Do you think that reactions to supplements can vary between brands? I used to find Vitamin C (Source Naturals) very good for getting to sleep and calming excitotoxicity. It was out of stock, so I bought the Natural Factors one; it knocks me out eventually, but I find it makes me quite agitated, whereas the Source Naturals one was calming. I wasn't sure if this was based on the state of my adrenals (which seem worse lately .. I think Vit C lowers cortisol?), or some of the fillers in the different products: Rosehip vs. Hesperidin and Bioflavonoids.

 

[Hanna]

Thank you. Does it have any positive effects on your sleep? I read some people saying the Jarrow's Reduced Glutathione made them very calm/sleepy, which would be a nice change of pace from wired-but-tired.

@outdamnspot when I wake up at night I take the Lypricel GSH and it helps me to sleep again rather quickly, otherwise I am generally staying awake 3-4 hours before having chance sleeping againm if any. I imagine it is wiping out toxins that accumulate in brain that are fueling the wired-but-tired state. Just my experience.

 

[outdamnspot]

Does anyone know why Vit C would kill my libido? I took 4g before bed last night and feel good today. But it seems to kill all sexual sensitivity. Serotonin?

 

[outdamnspot]

@outdamnspot when I wake up at night I take the Lypricel GSH and it helps me to sleep again rather quickly, otherwise I am generally staying awake 3-4 hours before having chance sleeping againm if any. I imagine it is wiping out toxins that accumulate in brain that are fueling the wired-but-tired state. Just my experience.

Thanks. My Jarrow's Glutathione arrived today .. I wanted to try it before bed tonight, but a little bit nervous about die-off/detox reactions ..

 

[PatJ]

Do you think that reactions to supplements can vary between brands?

Yup. There is a discussion somewhere here on PR about how some brands of methylb12 are useless, some are ok, and the top brands (like Enzymatic Therapy, Solgar, and Country Life) are the most effective.

Fillers and binders can make quite a difference in how someone responds (especially people with severe gluten sensitivity). It's one of the reasons that some people react to generic pharmaceuticals but not name brands (or vice-versa); and why a person might react negatively to one supplement brand but not another. It's also a problem for people who know they can tolerate a supplement but then the manufacturer switches fillers or binders to something that isn't as tolerable.

I used to find Vitamin C (Source Naturals) very good for getting to sleep and calming excitotoxicity. It was out of stock, so I bought the Natural Factors one; it knocks me out eventually, but I find it makes me quite agitated, whereas the Source Naturals one was calming.

Were you using tablets, capsules, or pure powder? Pure powder is the only one without fillers or binders, so it should be the safest and most consistent to use.

 

[outdamnspot]

I don't know if anyone can make sense of this. I took one capsule of Jarrow's Glutathione Reduced last night before bed, on an empty stomach. I immediately began to notice some 'crash' symptoms -- excessive hunger, parasympathetic activation. I then ate a little and took 3g of Vit C. I felt agitated, overly alert, and finally fell asleep after about 4 hours of lying there.

I thought perhaps:

a) It was some kind of specific reaction to the glutathione? NAC actually makes me feel quite wired and agitated .. though I wasn't sure if there was much overlap between the two, since NAC also affects glutamate?

b) I have noticed that sometimes if I take a herb etc. that produces a 'crash', then taking Vit C on top of that can cause agitation (maybe I crash too hard, and start to get adrenaline etc.)? Vit C on its own seems to lower cortisol and make me feel not-so-great, but it eventually puts me to sleep, and is tolerable.

So has anyone heard of a 'paradoxical' reaction to glutathione?

I'm wondering if maybe next time I should take the glutathione e.g. before dinner, so if it produces a crash I can eat/recover and it might not keep me awake.

UPDATE: been awake for 5 hours, and feeling so badly weak and crashed .. yesterday my energy was (relatively) okay .. is it really possible one Glutathione capsule could have done this?

 

[outdamnspot]

Were you using tablets, capsules, or pure powder? Pure powder is the only one without fillers or binders, so it should be the safest and most consistent to use.

Tablets