Supplement advice...

[beadyeyes]

I am 63 yo female w/RRMS for 11 years. My diet has not been the greatest and I am carrying around much more weight than I should. I am working on eating healthier, but it's been difficult while my husband is without teeth right now and we have been catering to what he is able to eat...pastas, ground meats, etc. In the past week I have made a conscious effort to fend for myself and eat less carbs & fats...so I am making an effort.

I've done a good bit of research to get started on adding supplements to my diet and treatment. Here is a list of what I have decided would be helpful. I am just not sure if it's a good mix, if I should be taking them in some particular manner or time of day.

Alpha Lipoic Acid 200mg
Acetyl L-Carnitine 1000g
Puritans Pride Stress Formula (B-Complex formula)
Calcium/Magnesium/Potassium - 500/500/99 mg
Flax Oil 1000 mg
CO Q-10 100 mg
Gingko Biloba 120 mg
Vitamin C 1000 mg
Vitamin E 1000 iu
Beta Carotene 10000 iu
Vitamin D3 2000 iu (currently on add'l 50000 iu weekly)

Plan on also adding Malic Acid...which was out of stock when I placed my order.

Any other suggestions. Thanks in advance...Angela

[tellnhelen]

Personally I would not take the CQ10 . Some folks do but I think it may overheat immine system. Also you may find that you prefer "different" brands. Your body may absorb some better than others. Good that you are getting started.

[Sequoia]

I take CoQ10 myself (Ubiquinol, actually, which is the more bioactive form) on the advice of Andy Weil, M.D.

We have had frequent discussions here about whether substances which "boost" the immune system are contraindicated for MSers. Tara says no, and I agree. Our immune systems are confused, not overactive across the board, and there have been no actual studies done confirming the hypothesis that immune boosters harm us.

[knuckle]

I would...

Take Alpha Lipoic Acid (300mg) once in the morning and again at night before eating. Buy it in a tablet form so it won't burn your esophagus.

Take 600mg Malic Acid 2-3x a day. It will help with weight loss and may help slow disease progression.

Take Calcium 2-AEP instead of just plain Calcium. Read the thread here for more about that.

I think everyone should take Curcumin (from Tumeric) as it looks like it prevents several types of cancer and may even help slow MS.

A few others worth researching are...

N-acetyl Glucosamine (NAG)
N-acetyl Cysteine (NAC)
Octacosanol
Alpha GPC (alpha-glycerylphosphorylcholine)
Saffron
Cinnamon
Cayenne

Google each with "multiple sclerosis".

NAC is being studied in use with Copaxone. Alpha GPC, basically a more refined version of Choline Citrate, has yielded some very interesting research on MS and cognition.

People in cultures where they use a lot of spices have remarkably low levels of auto-immune disease, including MS. Why? Probably because spices generate endorphins.

Lastly, while a drug not a supplement, anyone over 60 should consider Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN). As we age, it becomes harder for the body to produce endorphins. Endorphins are hormones that support a properly functioning immune system and they do this, apparently, by modulating T-cell proliferation. Malic Acid will also generate endorphins.

The new Biogen BG-12 drug (Dimethyl Fumarate) generates endorphins and is essentially a more refined form of Fumaric Acid, which is related to Malic Acid.

A properly functioning immune system will help fend-off disease and cancer. One of the reasons that people who remain active as they age live longer is they are generating more endorphins through exercise and direct sunshine / vitamin D.

Endorphins also help you lose weight because they speed-up your metabolism

[beadyeyes]

Thank you for your responses.

Knuckles...I guess I have some more research to do...thanks for the suggestions.

[nutritiontara]

Beadyeyes: sounds like you've done a lot of work and have come up with a comprehensive plan for yourself-
way to go!

That said, the best/ most important "basic" supplement is a B complex.

? - Do you have yellow pee? if so, you are taking a synthetic B complex.
Get a Whole food B complex. I have discussed in great length about the difference between these.

And of course, bottom line?? Do you eat well?

[jjs]

Get a Whole food B complex. I have discussed in great length about the difference between these.

What brand(s) do you recommend?

I recently started taking spirulina in my green smoothie. Any thoughts on this food? I was taking 1tsp a day, but now I'm going to start taking 2tsp a day.