284 replies to this topic

[cuprous]

SAM-e made me as angry as The Hulk on crack.

Interesting.. I recently had to deal with a bout of intense moodiness, depression, and serious irritability after stopping SAM-e. This is pure conjecture though and I hesitate to mention it so take it for what it is.. an anecdote. I was taking 400mg daily for 2-3 weeks and felt it did perk things up a bit (I ordinarily don't have depressive symptoms other than what the state of the world brings). After I stopped (just sort of felt the experiment had run its course) these feelings set in maybe 3-4 days later. Not fun.

I've been dosing fairly heavily with B supplements and it seems to have moderated the mental state or perhaps my brain chemistry balanced on its own. I know SAM-e is supposed to deplete levels of folic acid and I stupidly did not co-administer as recommended but I would have to imagine if SAM-e was causing the problem I would experience negative effects during its use.. so perhaps this was withdrawal.

However there are many variables in the mix including the changing season, some pot brownies a friend gave me that had a disagreeable cannabinoid distribution (resulting in paranoia while trying to fall asleep). So.. who knows. But I've dealt with the downsides of THC before.

And, of course, there are forums on the internet where people blame SAM-e for all sorts of ills -- either during administration or during "withdrawal."

[balance]

I'm fairly certain now after several months of testing this out personally that MK-4 K2 at a dose of 15-45mg a day is causing me TMJ (temporomandibular joint disorder) causing a very distinct clicking/popping sound coming from inside my head near the jaw, especially noticeable when jogging/running outside. I never had that before and after ordering MK-4 again for the first time in almost 2 years and taking it daily, I noticed this stuff. I didn't make the link with K2 at first, but after having run out for a while I noticed it was suddenly gone. Having resumed, it has returned. This has gone on back and forth for 5-6 times now over the period of a year....
VERY annoying since like many others have reported, it gives me a nice shiny skin (one of the few things to do so) and I was taking it for cardiovascular health. Any tips or suggestions? I have not noticed the same thing from MK-7 (90-360mcg a day).

[CLR]

Methylene blue: Please do not blindly f*** with this stuff like I did. I diluted it to the proper dose (60 mcg) but after no results after prolonged trials, I started using undiluted 4% drops (1-2) in water and downing the deep blue solution. Needless to say, the MAOI activity ****** me up in conjuction with dietary tyrosine and/or Adderall. I woke up from a horrendous dream, heard my heartbeat in my ears and suffered a massive 3 day panic attack which exacerbated my OCD to a psychologically distressing level for half a year. I'm talking about mild OCD (organization/tidyness) transforming into a severe body-focused obsession where I could not stop thinking about breathing, minute-by-minute. My serotonin system must have taken a huge blow, and it only got better after using inositol in large doses.

Phenibut: Withdrawal, headaches, lowered inhibitions, short-lived addiction before flushing the remaining supply down the toilet.

Lamotrigine/Lamictal: Muscular twitches and short-term memory impairment. Not technically a supplement, but still.

Edited by CLR, 29 September 2013 - 05:47 AM.

[Joe Cohen]

I didn't do well with:

 

Celastrol - a high dosage was too much of an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor and caused cognitive dysfunction for a week.  Taking too much cholinergics doesn't work well for me.

 

D Aspartic acid - forgot, but normal dosage.  Lasted 6 hours maybe.

 

Beta alanine - forgot, but normal dosage.  Lasted 6 hours maybe.

 

Agmatine - made me super sleepy.  Read somewhere that increased IL-1b, which causes fatigue.

 

Hydergine - forgot, but normal dosage.  Lasted 6 hours maybe.

 

Modafinil, amphetamines, deprenyl, dopaminergics. I don't do well with dopaminergics.  Acc to 23andme I am a somewhat high dopamine producer - heterozygous for COMT gene.

 

Racetams - some brain fog..lasted maybe 12 hours

 

Histidine - (an experimental dose 5 grams made me really tired for some reason)

 

Shankpushpi - caused cognitive disfunction for a week like 4 years back.

 

Aloe - massive dosage caused difficulty breathing.  I drank like a third of a bottle of aloe juice.  I think it was too much Emodin.

 

Royal Jelly - 20-25X the recommended dosage caused me to get a fever and bad nausea for a few weeks.   Low dosages are fine.

 

ALCAR - 2g wired me up too much

 

Various supps are hard on my gut like NAC, Lipoic acid, tea, etc...Got an ulcer 5 years back from taking too many supps that are hard on the get.

 

Other supplements didn't work for me, because they didn't suit my immune profile.   These just seemingly didn't suit me in other ways.

 

 

Definitely more, but just thought I'd contribute in some small way.

Edited by Joe Cohen, 27 December 2014 - 07:06 PM.

[Dolph]

People claiming to get "side effects" from ROYAL JELLY... Priceless...

[Ark]

I wonder how many of the reports are due to tainted or spoiled products?
Or misused or mislabeled doages.

[katrina]

250 Resveratrol, no problem. 500 and had severe headaches. Took 400? of T-Rex without issues. The old t-Rex with piperine made me feel so much younger and energetic. I miss theirs... The Revgenetics seemed to do nothing for me and caused headache's past 250. Probably just as well they no longer sell the regular 250.

Tumeric - increased pain in joints. Tremendous.... Isn't this the opposite effect? I think I will try another brand. Hmmm.... Sudden epiphany here... Oh wow.... Or was the increased pain because I actually increased my activity level at least 5 fold and my body wasn't used to it? So why was my activity level so much higher then? Yeah I need to give this a go again.

Grape seed extract - nothing adverse and mental acuity increased.

[Dolph]

I wonder how many of the reports are due to tainted or spoiled products?
Or misused or mislabeled doages.

 

Few if any. What you should ask for is the level of hysteria and hypochondria that made people actually try all that useless and inert crap...

[katrina]

I wonder how many of the reports are due to tainted or spoiled products?
Or misused or mislabeled doages.

Few if any. What you should ask for is the level of hysteria and hypochondria that made people actually try all that useless and inert crap...

Maybe you work to the tune of hysteria and hypochondria, but I am certain most of us here don't. Antioxidants do increase energy levels and mental acuity. Some more than others. Being more physically active does prolong life. Longetivity....Antioxidants are hardly useless.

[Dolph]

I think "bullshit" is a much too kind word for this nonsense... Jesus. NO, antioxidants don't "increase energy levels" or "mental acuity". This is out of the question. And everybody who is able to read more than the headlines of some retarded supplement advertisement knows that by now. It's 2015, not 1983...

[katrina]

I think "bullshit" is a much too kind word for this nonsense... Jesus. NO, antioxidants don't "increase energy levels" or "mental acuity". This is out of the question. And everybody who is able to read more than the headlines of some retarded supplement advertisement knows that by now. It's 2015, not 1983...

What's the matter, no one invited you to a party and you are feewing a bit cwanky?

Myself, I am stuck at work doing nothing for 8 hours. Yawn.... Good opportunity to recover from last night. Happy New Year to you also.

[RonBurgandy]

Here is a list of supplements I have phased out due to unwanted sides, unfortunately...

(* denotes there was a "honeymoon" like effect, but pros:cons ratio diminished over time.)

 

*Amphetamines - Anxiety, severe insomnia.

*Caffeine (Any amount) - Aggression, insomnia.

Theanine - Anti-sociability, depressive.

Tyrosine - Anxiety, insomnia, depressive.

Tryptophan/5HTP - Lethargy, lowered libido. 

Piracetam - Heavy aggression, mood blunting.

*Aniracetam - Heavy lethargy, brain fog, rebound depression.

*Oxyracetam - Anxiety, insomnia, lowered libido.

CDP-Choline - Anxiety (A supplement I miss dearly )

Centrophenoxine - Heavy anxiety.

*Phosphatidylserine - Lethargy, brain fog, a slight aggravated feeling.

Taurine - Rebound anxiety, mood blunting.

Tongkat Ali - Heavy insomnia, heavy diuretic, mild aggression.

Forskolin - Aggression, headaches.

*Ashwaganda - Initial relief for 1 month. Second cycle gave me severe mood swings.

Rhodilia - Anxiety, aggression, insomnia.

Shilajit - Anxiety, aggression, brain fog.

Ginkgo - Aggression, insomnia.

*Sam-E - Mania, insomnia

TMG - Aggression, insomnia.

NAC - Lethargy, acne.

ALA - Extensive acne, gastro issues.

Milk Thistle - Aggrevated gyno

 

 

My current stack (For the most part side free)

New Chapter Multi

New Chapter Calcium

New Chapter Turmeric Force

New Chapter Wholemega

Jarrow Zinc

Jarrow Mag

Jarrow D3

 

I'm pretty prone to over stimulation, so at this point I've pretty much given up on supplementing with nootropics. I miss the days where I could take a substance without sides, pretty sure I drove my body to its limits on harder stuff in my teen years... which more than likely explains my sensitivity, then again I don't have a clue anymore. I used to pound energy drinks without a flinch, now I cant even drink a cup of green tea without feeling like a mess. 

 

Based on my list, any member suggestions regarding nootropics without little to no sides?? Ideally, something not working on GABA receptors.

Edited by RonBurgandy, 08 January 2015 - 04:18 AM.

[Plasticperson]

zinc after a few days makes me depressed

 

 

[Kirito]

NADH - mania, insomnia

[truboy]

CDP-Choline - Anxiety (A supplement I miss dearly )

 

What positives you got from CDP-Choline?

[Ames]

Aniractam and Piracetam - Tinnitus that lasted years after discontinuing.

 

Rhodiola - couldn't stay awake for days, during the day, after one dose. It felt like an SSRI.

 

Lithium Orotate - memory issues that I never really recovered from that arose after taking a couple of bottles of it over a period of time. That being said, it works great otherwise, for neuro over-excitement / inflammation, and thus I still keep it on hand.

 

Phenylethylalamine - alarming memory issue after the first dose. Not sure if I fully recovered.

 

Inositol - mild but consistently present memory and language issues that dissipate after cessation.

 

Agmatine - no startle response. You miss it when its gone.

 

Methylene Blue - less of an aggression filter. Unacceptable for the workplace.

 

Potassium - noticeable negative effect on heart contraction.

 

Choline - felt bacterial issues in heart (I likely have MVP).

 

ALCAR - same as above

 

Carnitine - my entire body rejected it with some type of full torso pain on my right side.

 

Bacopa - similar type of full body rejection as above.

 

Milk Thistle - pretty sure that its consistent use is responsible for what became long term anxiety that I still have.

 

Tryptophan - I forget exactly what the effect was, other than that it was really bad to the point that I won't touch it again with a ten foot pole. It may have been anxiety inducing.

 

N-Acetyl Glucosamine - Awesome anti-inflammatory, which I think may have given me insulin resistance. I started gaining, and have continued to gain, weight shortly after I began taking it.

 

NAC - gives noticeable heart pressure issues that feel dangerous in the extreme.

 

Astragalus Root - felt potent like nothing else, and then I got the flu for the first time in my life two weeks later; with recurrent bacterial issues in the lung for two years after. I can't discount the coincidence given the immune action of Astragalus.

 

 

This thread should be pinned. It might save people a lot of time, money, and bodily harm in the long run.

Edited by golgi1, 01 April 2017 - 02:12 AM.

[pamojja]

This thread should be pinned. It might save people a lot of time, money, and bodily harm in the long run.

I disagree. None of the above supplement gave me any side-effects. (Reported my cognizable effects in this post.) These are just too individual responses which might arise through certain circumstances without being generalizable. There are thousands taking these supplements on regular basis without any ill-effects.

 

What would be interesting though, would be if some supplement indeed cause the same side-effects in a significant number of people.

[PeaceAndProsperity]

Vitamin K2 MK7 gave me chest pain in my left lung when breathing that lasted for some days, went to the hospital

Vitamin K2 MK4 various odd reactions like warm feeling in body, severe dizziness and fatigue, a heavy feeling in body, numbness, etc.

Bulbine Natalensis odd reaction, probably kidney toxicity as literature suggests is a possibility.

SAM-e woke up with severely irregular heart beat, severe nervousness, dizziness, etc.

 

 

 

[Ames]

 

This thread should be pinned. It might save people a lot of time, money, and bodily harm in the long run.

I disagree. None of the above supplement gave me any side-effects. (Reported my cognizable effects in this post.) These are just too individual responses which might arise through certain circumstances without being generalizable. There are thousands taking these supplements on regular basis without any ill-effects.

 

What would be interesting though, would be if some supplement indeed cause the same side-effects in a significant number of people.

 

 

Some of the side effects, such as the racetam issue, are anecdotally documented by others both here and elsewhere.

 

Many of the sides that I felt are research documented side-effects. The pulmonary arterial hypertension from NAC, for instance. The agmatine induced elimination of the startle response being another. Bacteria overgrowth from choline supps being another.

 

While some side effects may depend on weather or not you have a specific genetic constitution, such as weather or not you make bacteria from choline, other sides will merely be sub-clinical in people whose bodies can better resist them. This better resistance doesn't mean that you aren't subject to sub-clinical stress or damage. To wit, the racetams that I sampled did not give me tinnitus after the first use.

 

The nature of most side-effects is that not everyone will feel them. That doesn't mean that these potential for these side effects should not be warned against.

 

In an arena wherein much of what we discuss will be sparsely funded for minimal research, the single person sample size trend in this thread is mostly the best that we can get. Then, users can do their own research across the forum and the internet, looking for corroboration or low reliability. But at least they are aware of the single sample and of the potential for a specific side effect. Some of these side effects are difficult to reverse in short time, and these supplements get expensive. So, I hold that this thread is valuable, beyond any aspiration toward another method of aggregating user experience in what seems to be a suggestion for a study that no one is going to execute on. Very respectfully.

 

Moreover, I'm slightly confused as to how your felt need to publish a similar list, in your link, is different from a  felt need to make the personally experienced effects of supplements wider-known. To be slightly pedantic about this small difference in opinion.

 

Anyway, no matter.  Carry on.

Edited by golgi1, 04 April 2017 - 10:16 PM.

[RWhigham]

Glycine 10g/day for many months may have increased my essential tremors. I decided to stop taking it.

 

Neuron NMDA receptors are normally  controlled by D-serene and Glutamate.

Glycine (when present) overrides the D-serene, and I hypothesize might lead to neuron damage. 

Edited by RWhigham, 05 April 2017 - 04:19 PM.

[Dolph]

Phenibut: Withdrawal, headaches, lowered inhibitions, short-lived addiction before flushing the remaining supply down the toilet.
 

 

Yes, I concur. Definetely one "supplement" that shouldn't be available at all.

[Omega 3 Snake Oil]

Bovine Colostrum - I was in bad shape for months after taking for about 6 weeks. Swollen fingers, joint pain, unbelievable fatigue. Of course, I didn't know I had adrenal problems at the time, and had just gotten off a stint with high dose corticosteroids & wasn't healthy at all. After using the B. Colostrum, I had also developed an "allergy" to many dairy products, healthy fats (flax & fish oil) and it took a few years before I could ingest the fats in small amts. Although I still stay away from fish oil.

I agree with PP in that what one person may have a bad experience with doesn't necessarily mean it's a dangerous substance. Our bodies are all different in what they need.

I've noticed colostrum makes my insomnia a lot worse. I'm pretty sure I have problems with my HPA axis (used to have low cortisol for years, then when my Lyme got really bad I started having high cortisol). But then I've also got problems with dietary glutamate worsening all my neuro problems, including insomnia. So I'm not sure if the colostrum is affecting the HPA/cortisol problem, or the glutamate problem (as whey does), or something else? 

[Oakman]

Almost any magnesium supplement in any amount - diarrhea.

 

Even thou this is anecdotal, it would help if people could add (if they remember) how much of what they took to cause their problems, as the dose makes the poison in many cases.

[Dorian Grey]

I've had the loose stool issue with mag myself.  Found some 200mg mag citrate online (usual dose found in stores is 400mg).  I cut the 200mg tabs in half with a pill cutter.  

 

Interestingly, I've found I can take the 100mg mag citrate for a couple days before I get loose stool, so I now take one every two or three days to avoid the side effect.  

 

I've wondered if I'm absorbing the low dose mag well for the first day or two, and after this, when mag stores are replete, I no longer absorb the mag and it goes to my colon causing the loose stool.  

 

Mag is the most common mineral deficiency, & helps lower blood pressure (which I'm starting to have a problem with), so I've found the low dose every few days works well.  Blood pressure is normal again, & no more exploding BM's.

[Consequences]

OLD THREAD but worth the necro.

 

I took Vitamin K2 mk4... was supposed to be combined with vitamin D for huge health benefits. Pretty sure the D I got was placebo - empty capsules. But the K2... caused burst blood vessels in my ankles. Been struggling ever since, including some times I get venous problems where the blood pools and doesn't go back up my legs.

I am now taking horse chestnut (vena force) and hony/apple cider vinegar to try and alleviate that. And I use a vitamin D spray which definetly works!

 

Also Ashwagandha - this seems to OD me in testosterone. A day after taking it I find it hard not to masturbate like 10 times a day with a full load of semen each time. It is actually annoyingly effective.

Edited by Consequences, 26 July 2018 - 07:09 PM.

[John250]

areca nut(betel nut) One of the rare things that actually gave me energy and reduced fatigue but of course it has to cause cancer.

[BasicBiO]

Deprenyl/Selegeline...low daily 1mg dose, slow creeping build up of paranoia and anxiety that nearly cost me some friendships and jobs. Took quite awhile to get my headspace back to normal. Same results anytime I've attempted to incorporate this drug.

 

Lithium orotate...plunged into a deep, black depression by the end of the first day. Stopped, took another dose months later and the same results. MAOI inhibitors do not get along with me, apparently.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[metabrain]

Lithium Orotate gave me pains in my sides.

[Leon93]

RWhigham, that´s sounds like a LOT of glycine. Why not take way less, like 3g a day? There is some sound evidence glycine supplementation has all kinds of benefits

[dosquito]

I feel like 15mg / 90mcg of K2 (relentless improvement brand) may have been giving me strange side effects. Some numbness in arms when exercising. Weird shooting pains in feet. 

 

 

Would love to find a form of magnesium that doesn't cause me diarrhea