The other day there was discussion of B-17 which, as far as I'm concerned is useless (..and even possibly dangerous..) but I'm no 'authority' so what do I know??
I'm writing today to give just a small amount of input on a couple of vitamins/supplements that I've had direct experience with and which I know have had a positive effect on my emphysema; CoQ10 and Fish Oil are two that I can attest to having made an appreciable difference in my condition. When I have stopped taking them, I've noticed a downturn in my general well being and then once I start up again, everything improves. I'm sending along a couple of links and you'll notice other supplements are discussed at the sites; I'm only wholeheartedly endorsing the two mentioned above, but everyone is different and, naturally, you're invited to give anything a try.
In addition, I would suggest, as always when one is interested in any particular 'new' thing, be it a vitamin or auto, do your research thoroughly and ask around.
Alpha lipoic acid is made by the body and can be found in very small amounts in foods such as spinach, broccoli, peas, Brewer's yeast, brussel sprouts, rice bran, and organ meats. Alpha lipoic acid supplements are available in capsule form at health food stores, some drugstores, and online. For maximum absorption, the supplements should be taken on an empty stomach.
Why Use R - Alpha Lipoic Acid
Peripheral Neuropathy
Peripheral neuropathy can be caused by injury, nutritional deficiencies, chemotherapy or by conditions such as diabetes, Lyme disease, alcoholism, shingles, thyroid disease, and kidney failure. Symptoms can include pain, burning, numbness, tingling, weakness, and itching.
Alpha lipoic acid is thought to work as an antioxidant in both water and fatty tissue, enabling it to enter all parts of the nerve cell and protect it from damage.
Preliminary studies suggest that R DHLA alpha lipoic acid may help. In one of the largest studies on the use of alpha lipoic acid, 181 people took 600 mg, 1200 mg or 1800 mg of alpha lipoic acid a day or a placebo. After 5 weeks, alpha lipoic acid improved symptoms. The dose that was best tolerated while still providing benefit was 600 mg once daily.
Brain Function - Lipoic Acid
Alpha lipoic acid can cross the blood-brain barrier, a wall of tiny vessels and structural cells, and pass easily into the brain. It is thought to protect brain and nerve tissue by preventing free radical damage.
Age-Related Conditions
As an antioxidant, alpha lipoic acid can neutralize free radicals which can damage cells. Free radical damage is thought to contribute to aging and chronic illness.
Regards,
Duncan
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Dmactds
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Hello... I have taken CoQ10 and fish oil along with other supplements for years. I eat a healthy diet but not always so supplements are good for that. As we age we don't absorb all nutrients from our food so digestive enzymes are also good. It is easy to get carried away taking supplements so I do this under a doctors supervision.
Since first being diagnosed my naturopath doctor Recommended NAC.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a limitation of airflow that is not fully reversible and tends to be associated with abnormal inflammatory and oxidative responses to stressors, particularly in lung tissue.[79][80] Due to the pathology being both oxidative and inflammatory (and intertwined[81]), N-acetylcysteine has been investigated for its usage.[82]
In persons with stable COPD, 600mg N-acetylcysteine twice daily was associated with less hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in the exhaled air condensate after 15 days (22%), a month (29%), and two months (35%) relative to baseline[83] suggesting less oxidative stress in lung tissue particularly from immune cells such as activated neutrophils or macrophages;[84][85] placebo had steady increases in H2O2 and lung function was not assessed.[83] This reduction in hydrogen peroxide may be related to an increase in glutathione peroxidase activity.
Ten months of NAC supplemented at 600mg daily is able to reduce adhesion of neutrophils (PMNs) whereas eight weeks of supplementation was ineffective; conversely, corticosteroids had the opposite effect since they acutely suppressed adhesion by 31% after eight weeks but eventually increased adhesion over ten months.[76] This reduced adhesion may be directly related to an increase in glutathione, since NAC has been noted to reduce cellular adhesion factor ICAM-1 and IL-8 at 600mg daily[60] and a decrease in these two factors is negatively correlated with the rise in glutathione peroxidase activity.[60]
Short term usage of NAC is able to cause changes in breath biomarkers that suggests a suppression of oxidative from the immune system in lung tissue, which is critical to the pathology and symptoms of COPD and suggests a therapeutic usage
When assessing lung function, 600mg N-acetylcysteine twice daily over the course of three years (the BRONCUS study) failed to significantly reduce the deterioration rate of lung function overall compared to placebo.[86]
The BRONCUS study suggested a protective effect in the patients not on corticosteroids (suggesting that adjuvant therapy was not additionally beneficial).[86]
When looking at stable COPD symptoms, there may be some beneficial effects with long term usage but these have not been seen alongside corticosteroid usage (suggesting that the benefits from corticosteroids are similar to those from N-acetylcysteine and a combination is no more beneficial than corticosteroids alone)
In persons with exacerbated COPD given 600mg N-acetylcysteine daily for one week (concurrent with 40mg prednisone and 5mg salbutamol), there was no further influence of NAC on lung function or symptoms of breathlessness relative to placebo.[87]
When looking at COPD exacerbations, NAC has been noted to be ineffective at treating the exacerbations
Yes, there are good and bad reports on NAC. My doctor has had good results with other COPD patients. Im feeling better then when I was first diagnosed.... I eat really well and excersise along with vitamins and supplements more so then before diagnosis. I guess everything combined has helped tremendously.
I was diagnosed with emphysema in May. My doctor put me on 500 mg of NAC three times a day. Also vitamin D and Cordyceps. I've always taken a daily vitamin with fish oil and CoQ10. She also recommended that I should go off all dairy products and exercise daily. I feel so much better. I don't wheeze or cough as much...not short of breath.
Also...., meant to ask if you're on oxygen or ever have been and if so how much..., how many liters and all that...; it simply gives others more info to weigh when considering their own situation.
Thanks Dmactds, I used to take Q10 year before last, I stopped buying it when I added Vit A and the Vk, which are quite expensive for me and I thought I didn't feel a benefit from the Q10.
This year, my overall health has been steadily declining, my autoimmune tablet was lowered so my pain from that and the fibro has flared up.
I might just start it up again and see what happens.
Thanks for the feedback; I've got no direct experience with Vit. A by itself and have never taken Vk so I don't know what that is..., can you explain? Sorry about your IBS and fish oil; mebbe there's some other way to get the same supplements.
The Vitimin K, makes the calcium supplement go where it should do, my bones, I have Osteoporosis.) without it, it goes mostly to the kidneys and can cause problem.
The Vitimin A, has been on trial with mice and it apparently regrown lung tissue and a member on here (helenanne12, told us that, he gave it to his wife, who was in a very way with emphysema, along with Vit K and had really good result but, as some members pointed out, it is possible to overdose on Vitimin A and too much, has been linked to lung cancer, so, it can be dangerous and I'm not knowledgeable enough to advise on the safe amount.
Vitimin K is also not to be taken by people on blood thinners so, I advise you to type them both into the search engine and read the posts, for and against, before buying any of them. xx
Interesting I have never taken vitamin supplements in my life and have no intention of starting,but I do eat plenty of fish,if I don't catch them I buy them fresh,always got veggies in the garden,never felt any need for supplements, they would probably confuse my body to my detriment. Bugger earthquake as I write!!
Thanks for the links, Londinium; Mrs. Mummy corrected me earlier in that Seaforth is in New Zealand..., but still....; yes, I'm well aware of the effects of fracking, something that doesn't seem to bother the politicians or oil barons at all, just as various towns here in the States having foul, lead laden water doesn't seem to bother them. But all of that is a different topic and not one that HU is here for....
Hi Dmactds , Great post. We used to have a lot of posts on supplements and exercises to help our condition. Not so much anymore. I am going to start the CoQ10. Now I take- multi-vitamin, vitamin D, B complex, K2 and calcium. Also take ibuprofen. I'm slowly adding to what I take. Want to add turmeric also. Ruby🌹
Ruby (..don't take yer love to town...), I've heard of Tumeric but have no idea in connection to what besides cooking, I think; what exactly is it used for??
I have a cold press juicer and make my own juice. That's where I used turmeric, ginger, carrots, oranges, apples and lemons for my last batch ( enough for a couple of days) I go to a local market and buy organic fruits and vegetables to make all sorts of yummy nutrient packed juice. No matter what combination I always use ginger and tumeric.
Feels good to do everything possible to stay healthy...
"...Some studies have used an injectable form of curcumin, the active substance in turmeric, and not all studies agree. Finally, some of the studies show conflicting evidence.
Turmeric is widely used in cooking and gives Indian curry its flavor and yellow color. It is also used in mustard and to color butter and cheese. Turmeric has been used in both Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine as an anti-inflammatory, to treat digestive and liver problems, skin diseases, and wounds.
Curcumin is also a powerful antioxidant. Antioxidants scavenge molecules in the body known as free radicals, which damage cell membranes, tamper with DNA, and even cause cell death. Antioxidants can fight free radicals and may reduce or even help prevent some of the damage they cause.
In addition, curcumin lowers the levels of two enzymes in the body that cause inflammation. It also stops platelets from clumping together to form blood clots.
Research suggests that turmeric may be helpful for the following conditions:
I have been taking COQ10 for about five years on a daily basis. I also take Vitamin D but only intermittently as my wife brings lots of sunshine into my life even if I forgot to get her a Christmas card this year.
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