Which supplements have helped you?

[David]

I'd be curious to find what vitamins, minerals, and other supplements each of you take and how you feel they have helped your symptoms. Let's try to keep this easy to read so please use the following format:

- Diagnosed with:
- Supplement:
- How I feel it has helped:

If you take more than one vitamin or mineral, please do the following:

- Diagnosed with:
- Supplement:
- How I feel it has helped:

- Supplement:
- How I feel it has helped:

If you're able to link to the specific product you use, all the better.

Thank you! I think information like this can be very beneficial for others And as always, PLEASE discuss the idea of taking any supplements with your medical provider prior to doing so.

 

[David]

- Diagnosed with: Lymphocytic Colitis
- Supplement: D Hist
- How I feel it has helped: I used to get some anal leakage which I feel this helped stop. I feel like it has helped with my abdominal pain as well. This is basically a natural antihistamine. I believe what is helping me is the Bromelain which is derived from pineapple.

- Supplement: B Complex
- How I feel it has helped: I had some serious brain fog going on for awhile there. That is mostly gone and I think this contributed to that.

 

[Beach]

- Diagnosed with: Microscopic Colitis

- Supplement: Fish oil, I currently take Barleanes lemon flavored, http://www.barleans.com/fishoil.asp
- How I feel it has helped: It surprised me greatly, the first time I took fish oil the gut felt and behaved much better that day. The benefit was quick. I wasn't expecting that. To be honest, I thought for sure taking an oil would cause more problems for my grumpy gut, but happily that was not the case.

- Supplement:Melatonin 3mgs time release
http://www.sourcenaturals.com/products/GP1425/
- How I feel it has helped: Before taking melatonin I would have a difficult time sleeping through the night. After I began supplementing, a bad nights sleep became rare. I often have vivid dreams too.

- Supplement: Vitamin K2
http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2008...ne-And-Arterial-Health-With-Vitamin-K2_01.htm
- How I feel it has helped: I began taking this vitamin, K2-7 & K2-4, around five years ago. During that time I all but stopped developing dental problems. In addition to cavity prevention, vitamin K2 is thought to help with heart health, and keeping bones strong. I suspect that K2 helps with my gut health also but that is a harder one to determine.

- Supplement: Vitamin D3
http://www.amazon.com/NOW-Foods-Vitamin-5000-120-Softgels/dp/B002EA99HE
- How I feel it has helped: D3, the sunshine vitamin, has benefited my health in many ways. To mention a few, I have not had a cold since taking D3, reaching a testing level between 60 to 70ng/ml. My energy levels increased over time. Most importantly the gut acted better after taking this supplement, along with making an effort to spend more time in the sun, avoiding to be burnt. My HDL cholesterol also increased a good amount after taking D3.

-Supplement: Kelp/iodine tablets
http://www.vitaminworld.com/thyroid-900/sea-kelp-000623
-How I feel it has helped: I take kelp tablets to help keep my thyroid healthy. The diet I eat tends to be low in salt, which is fortified with iodine in America. Additionally I live in the mid-west half the year, where the soil is low in iodine. (The mid-west used to be referred to as the goiter belt. Many Americans developed goiters here in the past due to low iodine intake.)

 

[JDTM]

Hey Beach, if you don't mind me asking, where were your Vitamin D levels before you started supplementing, and how many mg of D3 did you supplement with in order to get to that level? Thanks!

 

[bigtruck]

I take 20,000 ius of vit d3 daily.

 

[Beach]

I recall testing at 31ng/ml the first time testing D3 levels. That was in the month of June a number of years ago and during a time when I would take walks after eating lunch. I began taking 6000ius of Carlson's D3 a day. That got me to 60 to 70ng/ml.

D3 levels fluctuate with the season. Of late, I usually say I take 5000ius a day, which is often the case, but the amount needed is determined by testing results.

bigtruck, that's a lot of vitamin D3! From what I've read D3 is a relatively safe vitamin. Large dosages can be taken for a good long while before toxicity forms. If you have not already you might have your testing levels checked out to be on the safe side. To much vitamin D3 can begin to place calcium in places unwanted in the body.

A UK physician I follow recently wrote about taking vitamin D3. In the article he mentions about places to be tested in England.

"Vitamin D again linked with anti-depressant effects"

http://www.drbriffa.com/2012/06/26/vitamin-d-again-linked-with-anti-depressant-effects/