LONGECITY

Hi. This is my first post here but I have been reading the forum for a few weeks now.
Here is my humble supplement regimen I have been using for 3 weeks.
I am 33, 6' 165 pounds.

Wake-Up
2 g MSM
1 g TMG
1 mg Methyl-B12

With Breakfast
100mg RALA (from Na-RALA)
150 mg benfotiamine
1 B-Right Capsule (Jarrow)
500 mg Vit. C
200 mcg chromium polynicotinate
175 mg Milk Thistle (80% silymarin)

With Lunch
100mg RALA (from Na-RALA)
150 mg benfotiamine
1 B-Right Capsule (Jarrow)
60 mg Ginkgo Extract
175 mg Milk Thistle (80% silymarin)

With Dinner
100mg RALA (from Na-RALA)
150 mg benfotiamine
175 mg Milk Thistle (80% silymarin)

It's summer here and I get some sun most days. During Late Fall - Early Spring I take 4000 iu Vit D daily.
I am trying to consume the following daily as well:
walnuts, some other nut, 2-5 cups green tea, salmon or sardines, romaine lettuce
and dark chocolate / blueberries

One supplement I am pondering is melatonin. I am on the fence on this one.

It looks like a solid regimen. Only thing I'd change is to take your vit-C on an empty stomach.

Many ppl think melatonin is great. I don't have any problems relating to sleep, so I'm not going to introduce this into my routine in fear of it altering already healthy melatonin levels.

Only thing I'd change is to take your vit-C on an empty stomach.

What is the reasoning behind this?

What is the reasoning behind this?

Taking vit-c with a meal enhances iron absorption. This isn't the best thing for men. Also, vit-C's own absorption is better without food. Ascorbic Acid is water-soluble.

http://books.nap.edu...069351&page=128

The type of food consumed has not been shown to have a significant effect on absorption of either intrinsic or supplemental vitamin C. The bioavailability of the vitamin naturally found in foods or in the form of a supplement has not been shown to be significantly different from that of pure synthetic ascorbic acid (Johnston and Luo, 1994; Mangels et al., 1993).

http://books.nap.edu...030...&page=128

What was the point of your post? How is it relevant?

http://books.nap.edu...030...&page=128

What was the point of your post? How is it relevant?

It rebuts your assertion that vitamin C absorption is improved on an empty stomach. Do you have any contrary evidence?

Just a data point here.. a long while ago, I was taking vitamin C on an empty stomach and I developed a bleeding ulcer. My diet at the time was not very good, but I attributed the ulcer to the C. I've not had an ulcer since, (or before, for that matter) despite other periods of equally bad diet. I now always take C after a meal.

For me, too much vitamin C on an empty stomach gives me a "sour" stomach, it's like there is too much acidity or something.

Where do you buy Milk Thistle?
I think Vitamin C is to high. Why Ginko?

Where do you buy Milk Thistle?
I think Vitamin C is to high. Why Ginko?

500 mg vit C too high?

Milk Thistle is Spring Valley (80% silymarin) from the local Wal-Mart. $5.04 for 100 caps which is about 15 cents per day for 3 caps.

Why ginkgo? It's one of those supplements I take for intuitive reasons I guess. It seems to make me feel better mentally as in memory and things like that. I settled on 60mg as a moderate dose although I know some take 2-4 times that amount.

Mike, Great! Glad you're doing well. I'll try the Milk Thistle. Thanks for sharing. *Smiling!* B

http://books.nap.edu...030...&page=128

What was the point of your post? How is it relevant?

It rebuts your assertion that vitamin C absorption is improved on an empty stomach. Do you have any contrary evidence?

Is vitamin c water or fat soluble? That should be sufficient.


Also, maybe some people are just different, but I've taken up to 7g of ascorbic acid a day on an empty stomach and no problems. I've been taking roughly 3-3.5 g a day on 3 divided doses on an empty stomach for quite some time now.

Is vitamin c water or fat soluble?  That should be sufficient.

No, it isn't. I requested evidence because the scientific literature I've read says C absorption is the same, meal or no meal, supplemental or from food.