Supplements

[CC62]

Does anyone take added supplements alongside their medication?

I am still being diagnosed but the consensus seems to be I have angina and am on Propranolol (originally for migraine prevention before my diagnosis) and Atorvastatin, just been reduced from 80mg to 20mg, as well as low dose aspirin and of course a GTN spray.

I am meat and diary free so do take a general multivitamin and mineral, omega 3, calcium, garlic and tumeric. I have recently started taking a CoQ10 and D-ribose supplement with added L-Carnitine and a couple of herbal ones which have been approved by the pharmacist along with flaxseed mix.

I'd be interested in what others take and if I'm taking something I shouldn't be!

[RufusScamp]

I would say think carefully about all those supplements you are taking and why. It's better to get the nutrition you require from a balanced diet.

[CC62 in reply to RufusScamp]

As far as I'm aware I have a good, healthy and balanced diet but being meat and dairy free I worry I'm missing out and things like the CoQ10 are for heart health.

[Chappychap]

Supplements are such a divisive issue. Instinctively I dislike supplements and would prefer to address any issues with a balanced diet. However, some experts, whose judgement I trust, seem to endorse some supplements, such as Vit D. So I keep an open mind.

I do however agree with the view that you can't "supplement" your way out of obesity, or out of a bad diet, or out of a lack of exercise.

So if you're a healthy weight, you don't smoke, you eat well, and you exercise to the NHS guidelines of 150 minutes per week, then supplements may be worth considering for that final 5% of benefit. But if you can't tick all those critical life style boxes then supplements are a red herring, as there are far bigger issues that need addressing first.

[CC62 in reply to Chappychap]

Yes there is definitely a 'for' and 'against' camp.I agree, supplements shouldn't be used instead of a healthy lifestyle, diet etc but I'm terrible at knowing what I should or shouldn't be eating to get 100% the right balance hence me taking them, especially being meat and dairy free. I am a couple of stone overweight and just can't seem to shift it, I definitely don't overeat (I've been told I don't eat enough) eat healthy options most of the time and exercise on average 45mins - 1hr a day through walking and cardio exercises. I don't smoke and I don't drink. One of the supplements is supposed to help your body turn fat to energy so I'm hoping it helps.

I just wondered if anyone was taking 'heart health' supplements like CoQ10.

[soppysokes in reply to CC62]

have been advised that it is ‘sensible’ to take coq10 if one is taking statins. personally I would be very wary of taking additional calcium.

[CC62 in reply to soppysokes]

Funnily enough I was thinking about the calcium yesterday after reading something about calcium possibly being a cause of arterial plaque .... I think, it was something that made me question it. To be honest I've been saying to hubby that the dairy alternatives we use do have added calcium so we shouldn't be deficient and therefore don't need supplements, it's just the doctor told me to take them when I mentioned being dairy free!

[GrannyE in reply to CC62]

I take a shed load of supplements including Coqu10 and am gluten and dairy free and minimal sugar and use essential oils. Something I am doing seems to be right in that I no longer have to take bp medications. As I don’t ache as much as I did I am not worrying about taking them. Calcium is not one of the ones I take though although I wonder if I should being dairy free.

[CC62 in reply to GrannyE]

I found out about CoQ10 because we have a dog with heart disease! The beta blocker I take is as a migraine preventative but obviously keeps my bp down too but as it's been a couple of years I had been considering trying to come off it again to see if my migraines have decreased and it would be interesting to see if my bp increases.I was told to take calcium supplements by a gp but looking at the dairy free milk, yoghurt etc alternatives they do have added calcium so I guess it all depends how much of that is consumed. When I had my last blood test done I asked the nurse about deficiencies and she said they can do a blood test to see if there are any which I very well may do.

[PeaceRose]

I've been a couple of stone overweight too. I have finally lost 9 lbs steadily over the last year, after many years of failing to sort out why I couldn’t lose weight. Like Chappychap above I am quite wary of supplements. I chew a teaspoon of flax seeds most mornings to make sure I get some seeds most days. I take omega 3 fish oil supplement most days, again as an insurance to make sure I get the good oils and Vit D etc.

I like herbs and spices so happily include fresh garlic, ginger, powdered turmeric in my food. If I want a bit more I will make tea of herbs and/or spices, according to what I feel like. I prefer this to taking supplements as you get to taste what you’re consuming.

But my main plan is to eat more fish and less meat (aiming for fish three times a week) and vegetarian some days; also to cut added sugar out pretty much entirely for most meals, so it is a luxury; also to eat smaller portions of everything, and be really wary of how much fat and dairy I am eating, including olive oil on the list of fats. Having my partner on board with the smaller portions has helped me a lot in the last year.

Keeping records of my progress has helped more than I expected. That and not liking the symptoms that arrived at my door in 2019 and 2020. I like the idea that I can pay attention to the taste of what I'm eating and think about what I really would like to eat, (so long as it’s on the good list). I will eat a huge heap greens next to a small portion of roast chicken if I feel like it.

Still struggling to put in the cardiovascular exercise regularly. I have to accept that some weeks are better than others. But again the record keeping on my Fitbit is good at informing me of the issue. Hope this helps.

[CC62 in reply to PeaceRose]

Thank you PeaceRose. You sound pretty much like me and take things that I do except fresh. I haven't eaten meat for about 2 years now and we have fish 2-3 times a week, I haven't had dairy for a little longer and have tried to cut down the sugars I consume but I think I really do need to look in to it properly as I'm not that good at knowing what I should and shouldn't be eating to make sure I'm getting what I should of each food group etc. I eat very small portions and rarely snack during the day plus get plenty of exercise so my inability to lose weight is a mystery to me! I too have good and bad days in terms of energy levels but maybe that's more to do with how lazy I feel!

I have joined a great exercise programme you may be interested in. It's a young American guy and he has a great set of videos classed as weight loss for beginners but some really do get you going! The great thing is you can chose to do something simple like a short walk or something more intense like interval training or boxing and he never pushes you, he's of the mind that you do what you can and that's great. You can mix any videos together if you want to do a longer session. He's very good and seems to know what he's talking about, every video has a warm up and cool down period and exercise routines can be easily adapted to suit. There is also a Facebook page that is so supportive and encouraging. If you Google Bloom Young it should come up, I started with the 'weight loss boost' but then moved on to the 'elite' for more exercises and more variety.

🙂

[BuckIranl]

I also took added supplements alongside the medication. Some years ago, I suffered from panic attacks, and I had to endure severe treatment. I also had overweight problems, and I took some ansbotanics.com/products/co... vitamins and microelements that help enrich the supply of essential substances in the body and help speed up weight loss. I do not know whether certain drugs are compatible in your situation with the ads that you want to take. I think you should consult directly with your attending physician. In addition, initially pass the blood tests to understand what exactly you do not have enough.