Fun with Dietary Supplements

I use some supplements to improve my health and here my favorites that you might want to consider.

Vitamin D3/K2

A lack of appropriate levels of vitamin D can lead to problems with sleep, cancers, inflammation, bone strength, and cognitive health (depression, etc). It usually takes western medicine about 20 years to catch up with that the nutrition geeks/weight lifters/”biohackers” already know, and even doctors are on board with this one.

I highly suggest first getting a blood test to determine your current level before supplementing. Once you have a baseline, you can figure out how much you’ll need to take and how low it is. Take it for a few months then re-test your blood.

I use wellnessfx.com for blood testing. You can order blood tests through them without going through a doctor. You should aim for about 40 ng/ml – 50 ng/ml per https://www.vitamindcouncil.org/. I take about 5,000 IU/day to get to around 50 ng/ml.

The benefits of Vitamin D follow a U-shaped curve. Too little is bad, too much is also bad. The sweet spot is in the middle.

Vitamin D should be balanced with K2 (which the below product includes) to keep Calcium out of your soft tissues and put it where it belongs, in your bones.

It’s best to take it in the morning, as it can impede melatonin production in the evening, the hormone that makes you feel sleepy.

This is the product I use: Thorne Research – Vitamin D/K2 Liquid

 

Magnesium

Magnesium is a mineral that is involved in over 300 processes in the human body. If you’re not supplementing with it you’re probably deficient, unless you eat an incredibly clean diet. It’s implicated in improving cholesterol chemistry, improving insulin sensitivity, used in DNA repair, and helps your sympathetic nervous system relax. A lack of magnesium can cause muscle cramps, tachycardia, headaches, and migraines.  Magnesium and Vitamin D are my two supplements I would never give up.

According to the The Magnesium Miracle by Carolyn Dean  your blood levels should be tested and you want to shoot for about a 6.0 mg/dl

I take some in the morning, but most at night as it has a relaxing effect for me. Start slow with Magnesium as it can cause loose stool(!!!) if you’re not used to it yet. Slowly increase your dosage before taking a full dose. I spread my dose (900mg) through the day because if I take too much at once I get GI issues. You really can’t overdose on Magnesium either, because your body will simply stop absorbing it if you take too much.

This is the product I use: KAL – Magnesium Glycinate 400 

Vitamin C

This is one of cheapest and safest supplements you can take. It’s used in collagen formation, other connective tissues, and wound healing. It’s also used to produce glutathione in the body. Unless your eating a LOT of fruit and vegetables, it’s a challenge to get a good amount of vitamin C.  I take 1g / day.

I use: NOW Foods Vitamin C-1000 Sustained Release with Rose Hips

What supplements do you use that you couldn’t go without? Please let me know in the comments.

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