21 replies to this topic

[EmbraceUnity]

Hello everyone,

I am a 19 year old male who works out every once in awhile, but not as much as I did during my cross country running years. I just bought a bunch of supplements based on some of the threads here. It seems the ones I bought should be fine, but I do have some questions.

I have always used store-bought brands for supplements and multivitamins. In the past I was just taking a Multivitamin, Garlic, and Salmon Oil.

Some of the most frequently occuring supplements on peoples' regimens included magnesium, CoQ-10, ALA, Alcar, and R-lipoic acid. I bought all of those.... I think.

I couldn't find ALA, but Flax Oil had ALA in it, so I suppose that should be ok.

I bought a combination Acetyl L-Carnatine and Alpha Lipoic Acid. So that is the same as ALCAR + R-lipoic acid, right? Or is R-lipoic acid something different? Also, of all the other supplements, it is these two that seemed as if the least was known about them. Am I wrong?

I couldn't find Aged Garlic, but is there really that much of a difference?

For CoQ-10 I bought the 120mg version. Should I have bought the smaller version? The 120mg version was much more expensive... hopefully I can return it if it is too much.

I couldn't find any Benfotiamine, but it didnt seem as important as the rest, since it is just a synthetic version of thiamine (vitamin B-1) which is already in multivitamins. Am I wrong?

Your feedback is appreciated

[EmbraceUnity]

I think I will order on the internet from now on. It seems like LEF is the best choice, right?

I have to make sure to get some pomegranate extract too

Edited by progressive, 26 January 2007 - 06:23 AM.

[niner]

I couldn't find ALA, but Flax Oil had ALA in it, so I suppose that should be ok.

The ALA that everyone talks about here is Alpha Lipoic Acid. The ALA in Flax oil is Alpha Linoleic Acid. Totally different thing.

I bought a combination Acetyl L-Carnatine and Alpha Lipoic Acid. So that is the same as ALCAR + R-lipoic acid, right? Or is R-lipoic acid something different? Also, of all the other supplements, it is these two that seemed as if the least was known about them. Am I wrong?

If it just says Alpha Lipoic Acid without the R, then it is a 50/50 mixture of R and S lipoic acids. The R is the biologically active form, although the S form has at least some activity. Some people consider the S form to be toxic waste, while others do not.

I couldn't find Aged Garlic, but is there really that much of a difference?

My understanding is that the Aged stuff is less likely to give you garlic breath, but I'm not certain about that. Anyone have the dope on that?

I couldn't find any Benfotiamine, but it didnt seem as important as the rest, since it is just a synthetic version of thiamine (vitamin B-1) which is already in multivitamins. Am I wrong?

Well, it is related to thiamine, but it's not intended to act as a B vitamin. Instead it is used for its ability to prevent protein glycation. Since protein glycation leads to a lot of problems associated with aging, a lot of people consider it to be pretty important. People also use Carnosine for the same reason.

I think I will order on the internet from now on. It seems like LEF is the best choice, right?

I buy a lot of stuff from iherb.com because I like their prices. You will probably need to use more than one source for an optimal regimen.

[EmbraceUnity]

Thanks for your help!

So it seems that R-lipoic acid would be the safer choice. It wasn't at the store I went to, but I am sure it is easy to find online. Hopefully I can return it.

A lot more people put Benfotiamine in their top 10 list of most important supplements than Carnosine. I suppose I am just looking for the safest, most well tested, and most effective ones right away before I start trying newer ones... like that reservatrol.

So I suppose I will also be trying Benfotiamine, R-Lipoic Acid, as well as Pomegranate Extract

As for the Flax Seed oil I do remember hearing that there was a third omega 3 that isnt in fish oil... so I am glad I picked that up anyways.

[shadowrun]

Your better off with straight up fish oil - unless your a vegan or your a weightlifter who is on cutting cycle that needs a cheap source of extra healthy dietary fat

EPA is Omega 3
If anyone tells you that you need a supplement for your 6's and 9's they have no idea what they're talking about

6 and 9 you can get from anywhere (meat, oils, nuts, processed food, certain vegetables)

The Omega 3 oil is what you want to supplement with because it is the hardest to get into your diet and has the most associated health benefits
(there is no straight Omega 3 oil though - most will contain some combo of other omegas and fats)

I think one the most recommended brands is Carlson's Fish Oil - Green Bottle
I used to use the Vitamin Shop Liquid brand they kept in the fridge - I just can't the sales people
I think some individuals here dislike the encapsulated brands because the liquid in the caps degrade easier - I also think the liquid form is more cost effective

[EmbraceUnity]

I had remembered that salmon is high in omega 3 and low in omega 6. The fish oil bottle said it had omega 3 and 6, whereas the salmon oil only said omega-3. That is why I used to prefer Salmon Oil.

In any event, just saw that LEF has Super Omega-3 pills that look interesting. I might go with that since pills are easier for me to take, unless I see some convincing evidence for a reason that I should go with the liquid form.

[EmbraceUnity]

I just calculated that if I were to have a perfect regimen, it would cost nearly two thousand dollars a year. I will use the supplements I bought already and see if I like them, but I will have to consider this more.

2000 dollars at my age is a lot of money, and it has more time to compound interest. The cost-benefit analysis here is not so clear.

I think that odds are I will probably hold off on most of this extra stuff until I am out of college and making a good income.

Edited by progressive, 10 February 2007 - 10:31 PM.

[shadowrun]

ALCAR + ALA - is a good combo, but it will prob be more beneficial after a certain age - Your mitochondrial cells should still be in pretty good shape (25 perhaps)
ALCAR would prob give you some mental benefit though

RESV - Your still young and can wait until more research is done

A good Multi - Excellent use of money

Fish Oil - I noticed an improvement in blood pressure, Mood enhancer (I'm much less prone to depression) + 50% reduction in risk of sudden death (Certain types of stroke and heart attack can happen to anyone)

Green Tea - Has documented benefits - its pretty cheap as a supplement

You have time - I'm 25, I've been supplementing for years and I just settled into a more focused plan -

I figured i'd wait until I graduated and got a good job before I went heavy into this stuff also...Unfortunately graduation came and went and I never did find that good income - A business degree is an empty thing when I can't stand the corporate world

Now I choose my supplements over cost benefit analyses and the rate of compound interest - Who'd of figured [huh]

[EmbraceUnity]

I drink green tea normally, but I suppose getting the extract if it were cheap couldn't hurt. As for pomegranate... I can't stand it in juice form, so I would have to use the extract. CoQ10 was the most expensive supplement, so I almost certainly will not purchase any more for awhile. (EDIT: Duke just confirmed this and advised me not to)

I just took all the supplements I bought today, with one exception. So far, I haven't noticed any negative effects. The one I have yet to take is the ALCAR + ALA, since I am a little more cautious about that considering it contains the mysterious S-lipoic acid.

Although there have been virtually no negative effects, I haven't noticed any positive effects, but it seems ALCAR would be the one with immediately noticeable effects. I agree that Fish Oil improves mood and health, but since I have taken it for so long, I have become accustomed to those positive effects.

More than anything, watching my diet has given me the greatest benefits. Drinking lots of filtered water and green tea, as well as avoiding foods with high fat and high sugar has had noticeable effects on my mood, health, and cognitive functioning.

I am really glad I became aquainted with transhumanism. Without that, I wouldn't be so motivated to stay healthy. I used to associate health nuts and herbal supplements with "new age" quackery. I always thought it was better to make health decisions based on science, rather than wicca or something.

Edited by progressive, 03 February 2007 - 03:25 AM.

[EmbraceUnity]

Wow! ALCAR + ALA freakin rocks!

I am running on 4 hours of sleep and I don't feel tired at all... in fact I feel amazing. My mood is elevated and I feel very energized. I think the cost-benefit analysis just became a lot easier. I am now seriously considering buying a years supply of many supplements from LEF.

If I order 4 of everything so I can get the bulk rate, will the stuff go bad by the end of the year? Also, what are your opinions on my selections below?

I am considering buying the following:

Life Extention Mix

Mitochondrial Energy Optimizer

Cognitex

Omega-3

Aged Garlic

DMAE

Super Booster

DNA Protection

Vitamin C with Dihydroquercetin

Melatonin

R-Dihydro-Lipoic Acid

TMG

Carnitine

CoQ10 Ubiquinol

Blueberry and Pomegranate

Edited by progressive, 13 March 2007 - 07:56 AM.

[EmbraceUnity]

I just got a full night's rest, and I am happy to see that the supplements did not interfere with my sleep. In fact I had a pretty vivid dream last night. I am still feeling pretty good. I can only imagine what I would feel like if I added some of the other good supplements like rhodiola, turmeric, ginkgo, DMAE, and so forth.

Edited by progressive, 01 February 2007 - 11:19 PM.

[shifter]

For my 'multivitamin and mineral' I have a combination of Chlorella, Spirilina and wheat&barley grasses. Good source of chlorophyll which is also a good detoxifier. I prefer food sources for vitamins and minerals. I also take plenty of goji, acai, mangosteen and noni extracts (and goji in dried berry form).

If you can add benfotiamine to your list as well as a good brand of co-q10 (not all are the same and some are almost a waste of money), you'd be set. Oh and maybe some MSM as we dont get a lot of that from the diet and its good stuff from everything i've read on it.

I figure i'm in the range of $3000 per year on good health, food and supplements.

iherb.com is a good place as you can see straight up price comparisons and product information of multiple brands on the one site. Plus they have good looking prices.

[shadowrun]

Progressive

The ALCAR + ALA is freakin awesome isn't it

It's really been working for me -

Unfortunately it keeps me up until 4 AM because I'm and idiot and continuously take it late in the day -

I only take it M-Thu (4 days a week) - I'm trying to cycle it to prevent a habit and to mantain that extra oomph

- When I stop taking fish oil I feel more down in general. My skin will break out and my mood is definately affected...I'm a full fledged addict now

I like the Mitochondrial Energy Optimizer - Its expensive - If I took it I'd probably take 2 pills a day to stretch it out to a 60 day supply

I personally have no familiarity with some of the ingredients in the Cognitex - Ashwagandah I hear is good - You can't go wrong with Blueberry or Ginger - I just don't know enough about the other stuff

I'd be interested to hear how the DMAE and Ginko works - I hear good stuff about it. I wonder if it would make me too...wired

I was going to supplement with Garlic - But I decided against it - I cook for myself and I use large amounts of onion and garlic quite frequently (I love my extra virgin olive oil)

[shadowrun]

Shifter

What can you tell me about Benfotiamine?

You take alot of anti-cancer supplements - (I can't blame you...cancer sucks)
I always considered taking spirulina and chlorella -
But I wonder how necessary it is - I eat really well - tons of antioxidants - and I have a cocoa/acai/blueberry shake 5-6 times a week - I'm hoping that plus a healthy diet and exercise is enough

[shifter]

Here is some info about it. I only found out about this supplement from reading this site
http://www.benfotiamine.org/FAQ.htm

I also take blueberry and raspberry (40% ellagic acid) extracts. Vitamin D3 (one of my new favourites and so cheap!!), 500mg Fish oil (some say its good, some say its bad, so I’ll stay on a moderate dose ). Rhodiola Rosea in the mornings, pinebark extract (enzogenol), and melatonin at night.

I also plan on buying lots and lots of 100gram tubs of acai pulp from www.riolife.com.au. and also some blueberry pulp. 50 grams of each to start the day off with (I’d love more but costs a lot of $$$ and sugar intake). I also like to take a teaspoon (sometimes a tablespoon) of extra virgin coconut oil for its lauric acid.

I have some mercury fillings so I figure the chlorella is good to get rid of whatever junk is floating around my system. I'd love to get them removed but not sure how to tell a dentist who knows how to do it properly (improper removal can lead to much greater exposure).

I also ride a motorbike now and then so figure I need the extra antioxidants. Also have a fast metabolism so maybe need it more for that reason also.

A lot of the stuff I take is anticancer but I guess anti-lots of negative stuff at the same time. I just want to grow old happy and healthy.

[EmbraceUnity]

Thanks for the feedback!

I just bought a bunch more supplements at the store today before I go full out, just to make sure I dont have any reactions. I bought Melatonin, Pomegranate Extract, Ginkgo, Green Tea Extract, Biotin, Ginger, and Lecithin (w/ choline and inositol)

EDIT: None of these have been causing any problems. I feel great.

Edited by progressive, 10 February 2007 - 10:34 PM.

[EmbraceUnity]

I just added piracetam to my stack. I haven't noticed any significant changes. My mood is still elevated from my older stack, but I am not experiencing any noticeable cognitive enhancement.

I definitely notice the more vivid dreams, which may just be from my old stack, but considering that I typically have very awkward dreams, i would say that this is a negative side effect. Or maybe I just need to learn how to lucid dream.

I also added creatine, and it does seem to increase my energy and my muscles seem to be growing faster... or I am just working out more. The type of creatine I bought from my friend has sugar and taurine in it as well, so if i take it in the evening I cannot get to sleep, even with melatonin coursing through my veins.

[shadowrun]

Melatonin is probably what's causing the vivid dreams -

[EmbraceUnity]

Ok, my first LEF shipment is on it's way. I will post my experiences shortly

In the meantime, I bought some more supplements from Jewel and Walgreens just to try out before I go all in. I was surprised that they actually had vincopetine in a ginkgo bottle. Also, surprisingly, they had resveratrol in significant dosage (120mg). I also bought some ginseng and blueberry extract.

I have been taking these for the past 3 days in addition to almost everything else and haven't noticed any big cognitive or energy enhancements from any of these. I feel about the same (which is probably a very high energy and mood set-point already). Granted, it is spring break for me and I left my piracetam in my dorm, so maybe when I add piracetam back on then I will start to feel it.

Of course it could also be attributable to the fact that they are Walgreens brands.

Edited by progressive, 13 March 2007 - 10:41 AM.

[EmbraceUnity]

Ok,

At around noon I took 3 tablets of Life Extension Mix, 1 Super Booster softgel, 3 Cognitex softgels, 1 tablet of DMAE, 1 Tablet of Kyolic Garlic, 1 Tablet of TMG, and 1 tablet of Vitamin C + Dihydroquercetin. I also took some Walgreens brand Fish Oil, Resveratrol, and ALCAR.

I feel a high level of energy, no bad side effects. No flushing from the Niacin. The only weird thing is that my urine is now neon green haha. Since I drink a lot of green tea and water it is usually pretty clear, so that is quite a change.

I just took another 3 tablets of the LE Mix and another Vitamin C. I will try the Mitochondrial Energy Optimizer tomorrow in addition to everything else.

[shifter]

I wonder what could make it neon green.... Interesting though when I went on an excursion to a blood bank, they said women who were on 'the pill' had bright green plasma.

[EmbraceUnity]

Ok I have been on them for another week and my energy levels are very high. I have had a very tough week at school and yet I have almost no stress and I still have enough energy to work out and run two miles every so often.

I have been thinking more clearly lately and have had very stable emotions. Whatever little bouts of melancholy I had been having are gone. Granted, I have a new girlfriend, so that could also be a factor.

Additionally, most of my residual body acne from my high school years has been clearing up rapidly this past week. Whether all of these things are attributable to the supplements are unclear, but at minimum the increased energy is.

Hopefully I will get a blood test during the summer or at least sometime this year so then I could come back with some objective information.

My dreams are still very vivid. I am guessing that will be a permanent effect (of melatonin).

As for that odd side effect, it went away quickly and for the past week my urine has been normal color.

Edited by progressive, 23 March 2007 - 01:44 AM.