How many capsules (supplements) do yo... - Advanced Prostate...

Advanced Prostate Cancer

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How many capsules (supplements) do you take daily?

40 Replies

For those who chose a mix of supplements with some research behind against prostate cancer, timing and quantity of them can be overwhelming.

How many do you take daily? do you rotate some?

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40 Replies

Just because my husband think he is taking too much, could you tell if you are taking say 40+ capsules or more 20+?

arete1105 profile image
arete1105

I take 20 a day, 2X/day. These are the cancer supplements. I rotate those with the regular supplements, 17, also 2x/day.

I also read that individual supplements don't have that much affect, but it was the synergy of the total that benefited the person.

ITCandy profile image
ITCandy

I take roughly 40 different supplements from morning to night, some with food, others without food. Each supplement is studied to determine optimal dosage and possible synergy or negative interactions with others. Once in a while, I'll skip most of them for a day or two just to give the liver a break. I agree, it's very complicated and must be tailored to your specific needs. It took me over two years to compile a regimen that I'm comfortable with.

PhilipSZacarias profile image
PhilipSZacarias in reply to ITCandy

I had a similar way at arriving at a regimen which was suitable for me with respect to efficacy, synergies and interactions. Phil

cujoe profile image
cujoe

Myriammole,

With 2 cancers (lucky me, huh?), I currently am taking 25+ supplements. Some once a day, some twice a day, and some three or five times a week. Also, once a day, I take add a 40gr scoop of a 12-component plant powder mix added to my multi-component morning cereal mix.

Since I got my first cancer diagnosis 12 years ago (with PCa added about 6 years ago), I have been at this for a long time. I have come to believe that acting to reduce glucose metabolism, inflammation, and cholesterol are the three things that diet/lifestyle/supplements can act on to slow/reduce/reverse cancer progression. (Notice, I did not mention the word CURE)

My list of supplements changes over time and I often switch out/increase/reduce what I'm taking. Since I am also now on a mostly vegan diet, some supplements are related to that diet; i.e., Vit B-12 and recently non-heme iron. I also have a long list of possible additions for the time when I might need to re-challenge my cancers' morphology. I have never needed treatment for my first cancer (CLL) and am currently on a treatment holiday for PCa, so I am sticking with my current "program" until a change is warranted.

Bottom line: Do rigorous research before undertaking a supplement regime. There are many interactions and timing/dosing issues that need to be respected. Also, there are many contraindications for other meds and treatments you may be taking/undergoing now or in the future. Also, (as mentioned by ITCandy above) remember that most of these supplements get processed by you liver, so be sure to closely monitor liver function over time.

Good Luck! Be Well - cujoe

gusgold profile image
gusgold

Nalakrats holds the record at 117...takes 23 caps at a time holds his head back and washes it down with a slug of MCP and Gator Blood

cujoe profile image
cujoe in reply to gusgold

What about the BIRM laxative?

Ralph1966 profile image
Ralph1966 in reply to gusgold

I heard that Gator urine works too. LOL

Please Nal don't drink that...

RICH22 profile image
RICH22

almost ALL my drs. believe the supplement industry as a whole is exploiting the fear of every ailment known to man. they may be right. but i ain't taking the chance they're wrong.

i started taking zinc and saw palmetto in my 20s, after a bout of prostatitis, but BPH set in and never went away. i've tried stopping one or another and both, with the same result: urination became more frequent and urgent. i was dx GL 4+3 and managed to stop rising PSA at 16.9, bring it down to 14.8 with smoothies containing turmeric, ginger, cayenne and fresh aloe vera gel. But instinct told me to hit the hard stuff and i began ADT of casodex, finasteride and tamsulosin which chopped PSA to 0.1 within 2 weeks. been on those and an herbal formula of 10 herbs, Zyflamend. kinda pricey but i felt stronger almost immediately.

haven't made a detailed dosage list but a quick run down: Big 4 anti-oxidants (vit. C, E, beta carotene and selenium), co-Q10, bitter melon (controls glucose in blood), red yeast rice (natural statin for cholesterol), holy basil (for mild depression), 100mg magnesium, 2x/d, vit D3 (decrease bone loss), 1000mg salmon oil (best combo of omega 3-6-9), ginkgo biloba (lowers b/p and improves brain function), and huperzine A, the latest addition, started using 60 mg/day, for soooo much memory improvement that i surely do not want to live without it!

anyway, good luck. suggest you test all supplements on yourself, by taking each one on an empty stomach in the morning. if you feel a benefit within 2 hours, try it out for a few weeks. if you feel anything negative, forget about further testing.

in reply to RICH22

Dr Meyers warned against beta-carotene. I've seen warnings elsewhere about selenium.

RICH22 profile image
RICH22 in reply to

Dr. Snuffy Meyers? has a great reputation - seen his name many other PCa groups. Many supplements can be crap, due to the way they're manufactured but that doesn't mean the original substance is bad, in concentrated form. Best way to get all these things is thru diet, but when mega-doses are required, you can't eat 100 tomatoes for example. Selenium is so important but like ALL heavy metals, too much is no good. I take 200mcg/day - that's only 0.2mg, and comes from Brewer's yeast.

PhilipSZacarias profile image
PhilipSZacarias in reply to

Hello, I have stopped taking fish oil - there is little published data that supports its efficacy. Oral vitamin C does not do much, but high dose intravenous ascorbate may be useful for suppressing PCa cancer stem cells (and in combination with antibiotics) - this can be found on Pubmed. Be careful about taking too much B12 - it may promote PCa growth; I take the minimum to avoid deficiency. My opinions only. Phil

Litlerny profile image
Litlerny

I take a plethora of supplements portioned out throughout the day (breakfast, lunch, dinner), most of which are supposed to have cancer fighting qualities, but none of them yet proven to have any efficacy via clinical trials or the FDA other than Metformin, which was prescribed by my family doctor for borderline Type 2 DM, not for my PCa. Here goes...

3X/day:

Metformin (Rx)

Curcumin w/ginger and BioPerine

BroccoMax (Sulphoraphane)

2X/day:

Prosteon for Bone Health ( Vit D, Ca, Mg, Vit K2, Strontium Citrate, Boron Glycinate)

Breakfast only:

Luteolin Complex

Lunch only:

Quercetin & Bromelain

COQ10

5-LOX Inhibitor (Boswellia extract)

Dinner only:

European Milk Thistle

Cinnamon Complex (with Biotin and chromium)

I did take Zyflamend 3X/day, but discontinued it after they changed the process for making it. I also stopped modified citrus pectin.

BTW...If anyone reading this has found any of the above to be totally ineffective or (worse) have a potentially dangerous effect on my liver or kidneys, please let me know your opinion.

Ahk1 profile image
Ahk1 in reply to Litlerny

Litlerny

May I ask why you stopped MCP?

It’s the only one I take in addition to vit. D

Litlerny profile image
Litlerny in reply to Ahk1

Hi there. Short answer is that I ran out and just never got around to refilling it.

Like all of these supplements, the jury is still out on whether they are of any benefit, and although I still take several of them, there are only limited studies that seem to indicate they may have some efficacy as a complement to prescribed therapy, and there are no human RCT’s to prove conclusively that they work in stopping the progression of cancer. A few of them (e.g. Luteolin and Curcumin/Turmeric by themselves have very poor bioavailability. That is why they add BioPerine to Curcumin to enhance its bioavailability. I might resume MCP at some point. And I might drop a couple of the ones I am currently taking.

If I remember correctly, Tall_Allen said that the only supplement that might be of any value is Sulphoraphane, which I get from taking BroccoMax.

I’m hoping some of the other members in this forum who are far more astute than I can shed some light on the relative merits, or pros and cons of any of these. I’ve read every article and watched every You Tube video I could find on all f the supplements I take. At best it’s a crap shoot on whether any of them do anything meaningful to extend either progression free or overall survival. Sort of like with various diets espoused by members in our group. I don’t want to pick on vegans, because I admire them for having the will and fortitude to adopt such a restrictive diet, but I haven’t yet seen that any particular diet is a one-size-fits-all means of adding 2 or 3 years to our lives. If they come out with a comprehensive study that shows that, I’ll be the first to jump on the bandwagon. If they find it’s going to add a month or two to my life by totally giving up things I enjoy eating, I’ll continue to indulge in a steak or a rocky road ice cream cone every once in awhile, and try to stay on a sensible, but more normal diet in general, with the usual cut down on calories, saturated fats, dairy, red and processed meats, etc. I’m thinking that maybe the best all around diet might be the Mediterranean diet...but I can’t prove that. And even if I could, it might work for me, but maybe not for you. Our body chemistries, metabolism, and genetics are all different. So, we spin the wheel and hope for the best.

Best wishes to you on your journey. Have a blessed day. Time to go hit some golf balls. 🏌️⛳️😎

Ahk1 profile image
Ahk1 in reply to Litlerny

Thank you very much for your answer. I DO feel the same way. Nothing really from my own experience works or slowed the progression. I became vegan ( I eat sea food though, no dairy ) since I was Dx 6 years ago and now I can say for a fact that none of that worked for me. The only reason I stay vegan because I think it helps with heart disease, that is it from my opnions. The only thing now that works from reading about others are what the MO offers, ADT, etc. now I will get on this wagon next month and stop with the non sense about supplements. I am now at .51 psa after failed RP and SRT. time to start ADT

RICH22 profile image
RICH22 in reply to Ahk1

fwiw, i started casodex 5mg and PSA dropped from 14.8 to <0.1

wiped out erections but still have my gland so still have orgasm, with some effort. finasteride and tamsulosin, to permit normal urination.

in reply to Litlerny

I'm convinced that the supplements I take for atrial fibrillation help: CoQ10, Magnesium, L-Arginine, L-Taurine. Easy to gauge effectiveness -- do I get episodes or not? I do also take prescription meds for a-fib. The supplements for PC are backed by research as having a benefit. That's good enough for me.

Litlerny profile image
Litlerny in reply to

Good for you, WSO! I’m glad to hear they are helping keep your a-fib in check. My cardiac issue is just the opposite, I had bradycardia. My heartbeat would just slow way down without warning. Sometimes it would stop altogether for several seconds. The pacemaker has done a wonderful job of remedying that issue. Without it, I probably would have dropped dead in 1997.

Obviously, I agree with you that the supplements have some merit because I continue to take them .

Best wishes to you on your journey! 😎

RICH22 profile image
RICH22 in reply to

when were you dx with afib? and how often do you feel the flutter? all my cardiologists agree that my heart's "architecture" has changed after almost 9 years, so no options outside bypasses are available. i take metoprolol 2x/day to keep beat regular and slow.

in reply to RICH22

I've been dealing with a-fib for 20 years or more. I am on propafenone and metoprolol. I had flutter ablation surgery about 10 years ago. Should have had a-fib ablation but my eff'ing cardiologist never authorized that. I have an a-fib episode about every six weeks. Always starts around 3 or 4 am. I immediately take an aspirin and a propafenone pill. Usually gone before or shortly after I wake up.

Magnus1964 profile image
Magnus1964

Any supplement should be taken at least once per day. I take all of mine right after breakfast.

j-o-h-n profile image
j-o-h-n

I let my wife take mine... I'll have to ask her.....

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Tuesday 01/22/2019 1:16 PM EST

Litlerny profile image
Litlerny in reply to j-o-h-n

Good one j-o-h-n! Nice to have a smile 😃 for the day.

RICH22 profile image
RICH22 in reply to j-o-h-n

wife takes supplements, you benefit anyway. do you go around saying Take my wife... she takes supplements.

j-o-h-n profile image
j-o-h-n in reply to RICH22

LOL Take my wife PLEASE... she takes supplements.

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Wednesday 01/23/2019 2:57 PM EST

RICH22 profile image
RICH22 in reply to j-o-h-n

suggest neither of us quit our day jobs. was it henny youngman or rodney dangerfield? lol -- only young kids wouldn't know. in fact, they probly never hearda either one of these fine comedians. oh well... >sigh< ...not that i had to look it up, but just wanted to make sure anyway... and found this, in wiki -- "My wife said to me, 'For our anniversary I want to go somewhere I've never been before.' I said, 'Try the kitchen!'", or "My wife's cooking is fit for a king (gesturing feeding a dog). Here, King; here, King!" Also, "Last night my wife said the weather outside was fit for neither man nor beast, so we both stayed home."

j-o-h-n profile image
j-o-h-n in reply to RICH22

I used to be a stand up comic..... until they told me to sit down,,,,

RIM SHOT..

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Monday 01/28/2019 10:20 AM EST

Graham49 profile image
Graham49

Given that supplements are not cheap can any people on this site suggest the highest priority supplements to take?

ITCandy profile image
ITCandy in reply to Graham49

Without knowing your story, It would be difficult to determine which, if any supplements would benefit you. I've found that great savings can be had by using the high quality house brands from Vitacost, Swanson and PipingRock. Getting on their email lists will save you large as they will often send you coupon codes. Costco also has a few decent supplements that are a great price. Once you determine your needs, you should be able to meet them without breaking the bank.

I've been on second line ADT as my only treatment since diagnosed three years ago and my diet and the 40 or so supplements I've chosen have kept me in great shape with very few side effects.

Graham49 profile image
Graham49 in reply to ITCandy

Thanks for replying ITCandy.

I am 66 years old and live in the UK. I had a kidney transplant in 2016, so I am on immune suppressants to prevent rejection. I had PSA reading of 25.4 early in 2017 and soon after went on a vegan plus fish diet an upped my level of exercise. I was diagnosed with locally advanced PCa in 2017 from MRI and targeted biopsy, Gleason 9, then 8 by a different hospital. Immediately put on ADT. The MOs were undecided how to treat me because of the kidney transplant. Eventually decided on radical prostectomy, but could not follow up with RT due to proximity of transplanted kidney and tubes to kidney. PSA dropped from 25.4 to 0.4 on ADT. RP in November 2018. Recent PSA was <0.1. Histology report showed it was an aggressive cancer but there was no cancer in the lymph nodes removed and there were clear margins round the cancer. As far as the MO is concerned I am clear of cancer and he has taken me off ADT. I am now on 3 monthly PSA tests. It's possible that micro metastases exist and I want to be cautious. I have been taking a variety of supplements for some time mainly based on what I have read on this site and reading technical papers. There are so many supplements with some anti cancer properties, it is difficult to know which to take.

Graham

Ralph1966 profile image
Ralph1966 in reply to Graham49

Hi Graham, so you went to RR Prostectomy first, then ADT?

What was your Gleason score?

Thanks and good luck

Graham49 profile image
Graham49 in reply to Ralph1966

Hi Ralph, initially I was diagnosed Gleason 9, and the Gleason 8 by a different hospital. I think they put me on ADT first while they decided how to treat me because of my kidney transplant. Initially there was disagreement between hospitals whether to treat me with highdose brachytherapy or radical prostatectomy.

JimVanHorn profile image
JimVanHorn

I take a daily vitamin, Calcium, Vit D3, and Coenzyme CQ 200mg daily. I had cancer for 11 years and now I do not have cancer. I had 42 radiations, then 3 years later had 30 more and I had Eligard injections every 3 months for 6 1/2 years. I no longer am on cancer therapy and am on active surveillance. I wish you the best and hope you just keep truckin'.

Moespy profile image
Moespy

Here is my list. I take all at once after mid-day meal except MCP which I stir in to my coffee in the morning.

1.Vitamin C - 1,000 mg

2.Magnesium Glycinate - 450 mg

3.Vitamin D3 - 5,000 IU

4.Super K2 Complex - 600 mcg

5.Modified Citrus Pectin - 5 Grams Powder

6.Quercetin with Bromelain - 880 mg

7.Nattokinase - 4,000 FU’s

8.Omega 3 EPA & DHA - 2,000 mg

9.Turmeric Curcumin with Black Pepper - 1,800 mg

10.Cayenne - 1,000mg

11.Broccoli Sprout Extract - 1,000 mg

12.Resveratrol - 1,000 mg

13.Ginger Root Extract - 550 mg

14.Pomegranate Extract - 400 mg

15.Green Tea Extract - 800 mg

16.Omega 7 - 450 mg

17.Lycopene Extract - 50 Mg

18.IP6 1,600 mg + Inositol 440 mg

19.Serrapeptase - 80,000 Units

20.CoQ10 - 400 Mg

21.Bitter Mellon 1,200 mg

ITCandy profile image
ITCandy in reply to Moespy

Nice list. Omega 7? Did you fat finger that or does it exist?

ITCandy profile image
ITCandy in reply to ITCandy

Just googled it yes it is real. I love learning new everyday on this site.

Moespy profile image
Moespy in reply to ITCandy

No typo, another fatty acid that I read somewhere was helpful. Here's a link to it on Amazon.

amazon.com/Purified-Capsule...

PhilipSZacarias profile image
PhilipSZacarias

I do eat salmon. There are ways to cook it and make it more palatable, for example with curry, blackening spice and others (I am fortunate that my wife is a very good cook). I also eat walnuts, which have a good omega-3/omega-6 ratio. Ground flaxseed in 5 - 10 gram quantities with the morning oatmeal, if tolerable. I use olive oil in my salad dressings. Cheers, Phil

21 pills and 2 drops of of vitamins D-3..

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