Which supplement has done the most for you?

[bertiedog]

For me its co-enzyme Q10, 100 mg of an oil based gel capsule. Glucosamine and collagen also help control the pain from arthritis in my fingers. Whenever I have stopped them my hands and wrists start to ache. Finally I find that a good quality fish oil also helps with any inflammation.

Pam

 

[SherDa]

Calcium is the #1 supplement I could not function without. It is shocking to me how well I feel and how much I can do. It seems like the calcium/mitochondria relationship is pretty complicated. I'm not sure if I have absolute calcium deficiency or impaired ability to mobilize calcium from storage, but there is definitely something there that needs my attention.

 

[Bettie77]

D-ribose (3x 5g) helps me from bed bound to being able to walk around and doing some light household chores. If I skip one dose, I feel exhausted within 2-3 hours. Also a pleasant side effect: it stopped the urge for binge eating on sweets. I think my eating disorder may have been a more physical response of my body in dire need of a certain sugar, than my mind for soothing a not so pleasant childhood.

Citrulline (2x 500mg) helps competing brainfog. Not back to my old self, but enough for some reading or tv in a second language.

Acetyl-L-carnitine (2x 1000mg), don't know yet if it helps.

Co-enzyme Q10 (2x 400mg) did not do very much and is quite expensive.

BCAA 4:1:1 (3x 5g) does help fighting off PEM, but not so much in daily life. Unfortunately I bought the pure variety, which is incredably bitter tasting. So bitter I could not swallow if my life depended on it. I tried syrups like forest fruit and orange, but that did not mask any of the bitter taste. But... concentrated apple juice does!

Creatine monohydrate (2x 5g) helps a bit with fighting PEM, but not much in daily life.

Salt is my lifesaver. I use a lot throughout the day. And during a crash a salty broth, a piece of salty cheese or pepperoni, or even some crisps can help make make the crash less severe. I wonder if it's the salt itself, or the fact that it is iodised (ordinary table salt). Or perhaps a combination of both?

 

[overtheedge]

@Bettie77 I love ribose, at first it didn't do much for me but I read something by a doctor \that mentioned that ribose has a short half life and that for optimum effect it should be taken in small doses throughout the day, so, I started stirring 2.5g's ribose into a cup of water and drinking thirds of it every 30 minutes and the good effects of the ribose went through the roof for me following advice. I haven't used it recently because I've been testing other things out one at a time but during the weeks I have used ribose I've often used it all day long in this 30 minute dosing manner, it might sound like a lot but when you feel improved with every dose the way I do it's something to look forward to. I've never had any issues using the stuff all day long, takes up a good bit of the ribose that way but it's cheap when bought in bulk. Might not be ideal for those who have blood sugar issues to be taking it all day though as I've read ribose can cause blood sugar to lower in some, though I don't know if frequent small doses would make that worse or better.

Now if it's the iodine in the salt it may be that you have a thyroid issue, thyroid hormones use iodine, though, It's been a while since I've read about thyroid and iodine. there might be some other reason you need iodine, might be worth looking into what all iodine does for the body or discussing it with a doctor who is savvy with this sort of stuff, one who takes chronic fatigue seriously that is, I do remember the doctor who corrected my hypothyroidism years ago telling me that a lot of doctors don't know what they're doing when treating the thyroid, they will just test TSH, T4, and free T4 while completely failing to test for or recognize the significance of T3 and Free T3.

Salt is important for the adrenals, many people with adrenal issues crave salt and do much better after taking some of it. I craved salt for a while early in this latest form of CFS I have that started several years ago, so I ended up taking a good bit of it, using it like a supplement in other words and while it didn't cure me I stopped feeling dizzy and drained every time I would go to standing from a sitting position, at least, that symptom went away right around that time, now I'm not certain that the salt is what did it but i've read that such a thing, feeling dizzy, weak, lightheaded, drained, when standing after having been sitting or lying down for a while is a sign of adrenal weakness as is craving salt. Have you ever had a test to measure salivary cortisol throughout the day? I read a book on adrenal fatigue a while back and the doctor recommended taking potassium at times when using a good bit of salt so that the two don't get out of balance, I never did so but it may be of importance, there are certain interactions in the body between salt and potassium that are of significance. Would probably be best to read up thoroughly on this stuff or get help from a knowledgeable doctor before trying anything big.

all the best

 

[Bettie77]

Thanks for your comments @overtheedge !

I considered taking D-ribose in half doses 6 times a day - which I think would be a very good idea - but I'm afraid that's going to be a disaster. Even with my phone programmed to alert me when I'm to take my supplements (or medicine) 3-4 times a day, I still keep forgetting them. A D-ribose drink sounds like a good idea, too, but I would gulp it down all at once, forgetting to spread it over the day.
For me this 3 times a day works.

GPs in the Netherlands only test TSH for your thyroid. Only if that number is completely out of whack, will they consider testing T4, and nothing more. Even private companies for blood testing are very reluctant to test more than just TSH. I did manage to get T4, free T4, and T3 tested. All thyroid blood tests were within a healthy range, so thyroid issues are dismissed.

Adrenal fatigue does not exist, Dutch doctors say. So they don't test cortisol... -sigh-

 

[HannahAdina]

Inosine. It has made me feel much better. I highly recommend it, felt much much better on it. it’s affordable, and you’ve got nothing to lose.

I improved 1-2 points on Inosine. People have different bioavailabilitys.

what were your typical symptoms? flu like feeling exhaustion? I mean what symltoms got better? Is inosine antiviral or pushing the immune system?

 

[Rufous McKinney]

After that, sodium DCA.

I have three jars of this and have never taken it...........

 

[Anish04]

*Thymosin Alpha-1
Thymosin Beta-4
BCP-157

These are immune modulating peptides, but are not the oral or sublingual Russian peptides (which I don't think do anything and are easily destroyed). These are sub-q injections. I get them form a compounding pharmacy, but they are also available on many "research peptide" sites. They moved me from bedbound to doing 1-2 errands a week and even low-energy socializing. It basically removed all of my inflammation and malaise.

*I think Thymosin Alpha-1 is the peptide that is doing most, if not all, of the immune modulation. I started all 3 at once as I was desperate. But I re-researched the peptides,and I am now thinking of taking stopping the other two, one at a time to see if I need them and to save money.

I am also taking alpha th 1
What's your dosage?

 

[Florida Guy]

There are some good tips in this thread. I've tried most of the things mentioned, I've been a health nut for over 30 years trying to eat right and take vites and supps and I think it made a lot of difference. I suspect that is why I did not come down with cfs symptoms earlier in life and managed to delay the onset

For arthritis take glucosamine and chondroitin. If you have bad arthritis you will have to take a much higher dose than the bottle says. I take 4 x triple strength gl + ch per day. It works well, I have other things that help with arthritis including ultrasound and deep red laser

Everyday I take E, B complex, C, D, K2, magnesium, blueberry extract, garlic extract, curcumin, creatine, l glutamine, and a lot of other things, about 50 different per day. Yes, it costs money but I would not take back the thousands I spent over the years because the benefit has been well worth it. If I delayed the onset of the disease by 20 years, which is possible, then that is worth more than money. I never get colds, never got the flu except about 5 years ago I got covid but it went away fast

Taking the right kind of E and D is important, E complex is much better than cheap E which is all one variety, E has several sub types and you need them all. D3 is the best form of D.

If you don't have loads of cash to spend on vites and things that might or might not help, a multivitamin is a decent alternative to taking so many things separately. You get a little of everything and it only costs maybe 25 cents a day

 

[kjetilv]

I’d say Thiamine, or Kratom if that can be counted as a supplement (probably not).

 

[junkcrap50]

I am also taking alpha th 1
What's your dosage?

500mcg every day, but i sometimes don't take it on the weekends.