What supplements do you take to support your body with these diseases......
Mine are,
Aloe Vera juice, Bee pollen,glaucasomine,omega three fish oils,vit b,vit d3,also for my bloods i take floradix. Thats all i can think of at the minute. Now over to you what do you all take.xxxx
Hi Sylvi,
I take omega 3 fish oil, high dose vit B, vit C, magnesium for cramp and probiotic.
Magnesium was another one i take as well.xx
Last year Glucosamine, magnesium, potassium. I thought about cherry tarts. Not sure how much it helps with onset of inflamation though.
I have to agree, nutrition plays a big part in what the body needs.
Nothing afraid. So far anyway. I just try to eat healthy foods, drink lots of water and keep active when possible .
Maybe I need to do more 🤕
Water is good.
I try my best with water but if truth be told, I've never been a fan. However, I drink as much as I can on Mtx day 😀
I understand. Dehydration is one cause of most cramps for me, just one though. Our bodies sure have a way of telling us what we are lacking..
Nothing
Hello Sylvi,
Having read about the deficiencies RA sufferers often have I have ended up using. Vit D3, vit.A to protect liver, vit. E that has many supportive function for the body, magnesium, zinc, copper vit.B6, biotin, good bioviable calcium, since no dairy, eggshell powder the best. vit K2, glycin, gelatin powder, progesterone,MSM. New in arsenal: ashwaganda and cbd oil.😊
Simba 1992: Have you found CBD oil helpful to reduce pain, lower inflammation, or both?
What does eggshell powder do? How much do you take? Ashwanga? Who advised you to take these various supplements? So many people give advice! These naturopathic doctors all sell stuff so I hesitate to listen because of their self serving motives!
Someone I date has prostate cancer and in addition to chemo and radiation gets "potions" from Mederi Center for natural healing in Oregon. My sister wants me to set up a consult with Dr. Susan Brown, founder of Better Bones for my osteoporosis. This is way too much for me!
Since PMR I added magnesium 500 mg per day and 1500 mg Tumeric tablets. If I remember, I add Tumeric powder to food and drink Tumeric and ginger mix in water. No way of knowing if any of this helps. Rheumotologist says she's fine with Tumeric tablets.
Hello Sandy,
Yes there is really a lot of crap out there. Finding the right supplements that you need, not someone else, is really a trial and error thing. I have tried many things during my journey and discarded a lot. Egg shell powder is recommended as the most bioviable way to get calcium this recommendation comes from a scientist specialist in biochemistry and cell function. I feel his advice very dependable but in fact I am taking choral calcium that is not as good as the eggshells but less of a bother. Ashwaganda I have done research on and it seems to be something used for treating rheumathoid arthritis in Auyervedic medicine for hundreds of years. So I'm still experimenting on this. I am not on any RA meds so I do not need to worry about eventual interactions. I tried turmeric for a while too and think it really does make a difference especially the golden paste that you make yourself. Good luck. Simba
This is great information! How do I get am't of egg shell powder to take? Just get calcium from food. Calcium tablets leak through my urine. Took diuretics for years, developed hynonatremia as a side effect. Nephrologist put me on 32 oz. liquid per day. Pred makes me thirsty and had poor sodium levels on last blood tests. Can't win!
I appreciate your comprehensive research.
I am at present trying to get my metabolism working at an optimal level hoping this will help with my digestive issues as well and that I will be able digest milk and cheese which are the best way of getting calcium. I'll get back to you about the eggshell powder.😊
Thanks. Hope you have an easy time boosting your metabolism. I'm a nervous wreck so my metabolism is quick!
It's often not that simple to diagnose what is what, symptoms can be pretty much the same. The sure way to check your metabolic rate is to check your morning temperature and pulse. Your temp should be around 37 and pulse 75-80 for optimal metabolic rate, where your cells are are getting the best possible support.
What is CBD oil? Thanks
I don't take supplements at all! If you have a good balanced diet you don't need them. Even stuff like Glucosomine has no research proving it works on OR.
But then when I was growing up & learning about nutrition all that was available was cod liver oil...& I bet nobody is glugging that down these days!
I'm glad I'm not alone in taking nothing ! X
Me too. I take nothing except vit D once a month as I can't seem to maintain levels. When we were kids we used to get bottles of cod liver oil from the NHS which my mother forced us to glug. Never again! But I now give it to my dog and he seems to like it....
Oops.....I fibbed ....I do take the oral spray Vit D throughout the winter. But that is on prescription & has been clinically proved to work.
I also took Pycnogenol during 6 weeks radiotherapy, & for a year after....as it is also proved to prevent skin damage that RT can cause,...& it did work as I can still go in the sun & the eradiated area behaves exactly the same as the rest of my skin.
Mea Culpa,
Is the oral spray nice? Here I'm prescribed a vial of greasy nasty tasting high dose vit D liquid once a month and it's not very pleasant.
Yes ...you spray it either into your cheek or under your tongue & it tastes lemony.i don't know if it's available on the NHS...but it's not expensive - I buy it on Amazon..£6.99 & it last 2/3,months depending how often I remember to use it. But it brought my levels up to the normal range quite quickly.
Take omega 3 fish oil capsules only
Have tried vitamin D but not affective in the past
Should get most vitamins and minerals from diet. If you have too much the extra is excreted by the body mainly kidneys
Hia
I eat a well balanced diet to, Mediterranean style, and drink water a lot. That's a no brainer for us lot on meds. Whoever isn't on that gravy train they need to hop on asap.
But though not diagnosed yet I feel I have an absorption issue, as every vitamin test I have shows off the scale low parameters. Is this a disease thing, or just me??
I take D3, Ferrious sulphate/Iron, good quality B complex, Zinc & C, Multivits, Magnesium, B12.
D
So I have understood that it is a disease thing. When our immune system is working high speed to attack our tissues it results in deficiencies ( seen in research) that a balanced diet is not efficient enough to correct. Also the RA meds have their effect on the function of our organs and we decrease the effects of this strain by supplementing with certain vitamines and supplements.
If you feel you have a good diet why take so many pills? I really bet if you stopped them all....apart from saving a ton of money your blood tests would not change much.
Vitamin tests are usually done by facilities selling vitamins!
Go buy yourself a lovely lipstick with the money you save!
I will do just that this weekend! I love lipsticks! Keep buying them for therapy!
Hia AgedCrone!
I don't quite understand where you are coming from.
To answer your question why I take them, well it's in my original post above, absorption issues.
Low absorption of vitamins for some is a real thing. For example I became severely anaemic, literally off the chart low iron levels, several times actually even after building them up they would over the years shoot down again.
Anaemia is life threatening if untreated it can be fatal! That's just one example. You can't imagine it better! I was low in D3 also, and many other vitamins docs tested for. I took Doctors orders to supplement. They did not do the opposite as you say "not change much"they went up into the normal ranges.
It came over glib and dismissive, and I find the lipstick comment a bit offensive.
D
Whoa Deminem....the phrase that leapt out of your post was "not diagnosed yet " feel " I have an absorption issue". As an ex nurse that did not sound as if you were taking prescription meds. I sometimes "feel," I'm at death's door, but I'm still here !!!
If you are under your GP he will obviously be treating you appropriately..however, If you are seeing a Private Nutritionist I would encourage you to get some tests from your doctor.
The lipstick remark was a joke! Sorry if you didn't get it, but as you can see Sany is off to buy hers!
Everyone on here has a nasty disease, but if we lose our sense of humour we might as well give up!
Fish oils have proven anti-inflammatory effects but glucosamine is unproven and expensive. It comes from cartilage but eating it doesn't make damaged joints regrow new cartilage. Neither can bald men cannot become less bald by eating hair clippings from a hairdresser's floor!
HTH.
I know a lot of people take glucosamine but that is not good and reliable evidence that it promotes growth of cartilage.
So many recommendations out there that are in fact changing with new research. This is the case with fish oil supplementation where even FDA has changed their recommendations.
chriskresser.com/should-you...
Unfortunately, at this point it’s difficult to predict that individual response with accuracy and certainty, so I think the conservative approach I suggested above is probably the most sensible until we learn more.
As Omega 3 fish oil contains EPA & DHA, beneficial for both RD & OA inflammation, & my fish (salmon, trout, sardine etc) intake is limited I'll continue taking it until we learn more.
Research has shown that fish oil short term has a antiinflammatory effect but has adverse affects longterm because the oil goes bad quite quickly this is why longterm use is questioned today.
How can that be when it's delivered in a gelatin capsule, it's more stable surely? My current bottle has use by date of 04 2020, but of course once opened this is reduced to 6 - 9 months or a year if kept refrigerated. As I buy them in 50's & take 1 daily this isn't applicable. If you know different or can provide a link to show what the adverse effects are otherwise (when in a gelatin capsule) I'm happy to be corrected.
Lots to learn about fish oil.
functionalps.com/blog/2011/...
And a bit more thorough.
raypeat.com/articles/articl...
Again, the references are very old. Please don't send me any links to Ray Peat's guff, I've tried reading them & I'm sorry I shan't be wasting any more time on them.
What I generally do with the links you send of late is read the comments first, maybe have a look, they on the whole are my opinion. Also I check the date of the references, I fail to see how studies from as far back as 1977, the 1980's & 1990's are relevant, even early 2000's is pushing it.
Suppversity is a bit technical because it discusses the research papers but it is well-respected and soundly researched: suppversity.blogspot.co.uk/...
There have been concerns about the rancidity of fish oil for some time and some clinical research into the issue. It seems (as per Suppversity discussion) that the initial quality of the product has more influence on its oxidation than the storage of it.
I agree, it is preferable reading. So, from what I've gathered I will continue with the caps I buy, the tub is white plastic which is sealed, it's kept in a drawer impenetrable to sunlight. I take one a day so when bought they're finished within 50 days. They're a good golden colour, I chew them & they don't taste rancid otherwise I'd not continue to buy this particular brand.
Just as an aside, I've passed the Miguel Hernandez University many times as it's quite close to Hotel Huerto del Cura. We've lots of happy memories of stays there.
My rheumy advised me to take Omega-3 fish oil too. After I took for about a year, I felt very uncomfortable and online to check and Omega-3 fish oil if taken for a long time, it does make us feel very uncomfortable. When I talked to my rheumy, she suggested I took half of the dosage. Now I have stopped for about 2 weeks. I would like to see my condition if I could maintain without it.
Also, I stop glucosamine and chondroitin too. Similarly, I want to see if my condition will be maintained. These were recommended by my rheumy too.
In addition, I take also folic acid, Vit D and calcium.
Listning to your body is so very essential😊I kept on taking cod liver oil for years, just believing in studies quite blindly not really looking more closely on how and why it works or doesn't work. Have stopped taking it and hope not too much damage done.
I have long standing deficiencies in vitamin D and B12. I take those supplements. I recently started vitamin C as I was told it helps prevent a chronic pain disorder following carpal tunnel release.
I take acidophilus as I get really bad thrush and this has helped so much.
My diet is really poor due to gastro problems, so I probably should take other supplements.
I would like to try fish oils but I've yet to find a brand that doesn't irritate my stomach and make me feel sick.
Crash doll, I'm the same with fish oils but tolerate olive oil very well. I add it to pasta sauces, make pesto and salad dressing with it - no problems with tummy !! X
Until recently, none. I tested as severely deficient for vitamin D and my GP advised me to supplement so I am now taking that alongside K2. (I'm surprised by this as I eat oily fish several times a week.)
Interestingly, a sibling who has osteoporosis which is possibly related to lifelong gut problems (all of us have these in our family) was screened for vitamin K as part of a clinical trial assessment. This is someone who eats plenty green leafy vegetables and other good sources of vitamin K every day. And, yet - the result showed deficiency.
Vitamin K screening is typically only available in a research lab setting - possibly because it's thought to be very unusual. However, I wonder how many people (particularly with autoimmune conditions) have a substantial history of gut/absorption problems and might have more vitamin/mineral deficiencies than would be anticipated?
I'm not sure what the solution is as supplements don't seem to be as bioavailable as food sources, nor do they come with the helpful array of useful complementary factors, polyphenols etc. But it does seem as if a healthy diet isn't necessarily fully utilised by people with gut issues - and the daily calorie intake that is necessary for some smaller people to maintain their weight can make it difficult to meet every requirement.
Hi all
I take a good multivitamin ( for the deficiencies known to be caused by RD ),
High strength fish oil , Tumeric ( much research has been done on Tumeric as a Tnf blocker ) , Evening Primrose oil , Caltrate ( with vit. D ) for the osteoporosis ( although there's some evidence nowadays to say it doesn't really help with the osteoporosis , so I may stop that ) .
I Also take probiotics ( to help improve gut health) and CBD oil ( anti inflammatory and pain relief) .
🙄
🤗
I forgot since my bariatric surgery i have to take two multi-vitamins a day as now i have hardly any stomach i have absorption problems.xxx
Hi All,
Well I thought I took a lot of supplements but some of you should "rattle" with them even more than I do.
I consider a good diet very important, but some do say that the way we have depleted our soils and the way some farm animals are raised these days results in some of the nutrients we would traditionally have found in our food are no longer there in the quantities they once were.
Also one of my biggest problems has been the chronic fatigue that has been a major factor in my RA. Being so inactive so much of the time has reduced my calorific needs to the point where I consider if I tried to get all the nutrients I need from my food I would be obese by now.
As others say it also makes sense that the combination of the disease activity and the meds. we take may well make our nutritional needs for micro nutrients significantly different to the general population and nutritional guidelines.
For many years I have taken a good Multi Vit, a gram of Vit C, Magnesium Citrate and Krill Oil for omega 3.
More recently the things I have added which appear to help are very large doses of D3, lots more Vit C, additional B12 and Folic Acid, Garlic in the form of Allicin and Turmeric.
Some of these changes have been to help with long term Thrush problems, which have been on going since I started on imuno-suppressants, over a decade ago. Vit C works better than anything else I have tried for me, but the amount I have taken would seem totally excessive to most of you. The theory is that you find out the amount your body is utilizing by increasing your dose by a gram every day until you get to what is called bowel tolerance level. That is you have loose bowel motions. At that point you reduce the amount by a gram a day until your bowel motions are back to normal for you. If you choose to reduce the amount when the original reason for the high dose is resolved you need to do it no faster than a reduction of a gram a day, or else you are prone to scurvy like symptoms.
I appear to have been massively Vit D3 deficient for years and taking really large doses on a regular basis really helps me both physically as an anti-inflamatory and mentally as an anti-depressant. The Vit D Council web site gives lots of info into recent research into the importance of Vit D and is reassuring about what would once have been considered taking too much.
The Turmeric was recently suggested by my daughter. It might be very trendy right now but I find it has anti-inflammatory benefits for me.
The Garlic was suggested to help my immune function recover from years of immuno-suppression.
How do I afford all this? Well that is what I choose to spend a large portion of my DLA on. In the past when I have stopped stuff to save money my health has deteriorated massively.
I happened upon a Dr Myhill last year and I find the prices of supplements on her web site hard to beat, when you take value for money into account. Her specialty is Chronic Fatigue/ME. Her approach is controversial by my standards. What I do admire about her is that as she cannot possibly see all those who want her help, so she has taken her accumulated knowledge and attempted to make it available to more people on her web site.
She is a former NHS GP who went into private practice because she felt too constrained by the limitations of placed on her in the NHS, as I understand it. Her motivations come across to me as really wanting to help as many folk as possible rather than being profit motivated. Others will probably think differently.
Hope some of you out there find this useful or at least that you figure out what works for you to improve your quality of life.
AARA
'Supplemental' supplement info that may be of interest, AARA:
💊 Supplements/ Nutrients (B12, Vit. D, Potassium, Protein . . . ) for RAers/ Autoimmuners & Plant-Based Dieters (Vegans, Vegetarians, . . . ): healthunlocked.com/cure-art....
💊 What supplements do you require on a vegan diet?: healthunlocked.com/cure-art...
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🙏 🍀 🌺 🌞
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Vit D high dose on prescription, low dose zinc and low dose multi vits. Tried fish oils - made my IBS very bad (evening primrose did the same). I have an iron/vitamin infusion twice a year at hospital as my tummy cannot tolerate iron supplement by mouth and I do get very anaemic. I use a lot of Greek extra virgin olive oil in cooking, salad dressings etc. And also have a desertspoonful every day. I was advised to do this by a Greek pharmacist several years ago when in Corfu. I have RA/PSA and this has really helped my psoriasis a lot. Olive oil does not upset my tummy at all unlike the fish oils. X
Hi I take omega fish oil , multivitamins and tumeric
Good healthy well balanced diet with lots of fish, chicken, eggs, green leafy veg and some fruit, mainly berries. Tend to drink water - tap / bottled whatever is around and decaf tea and coffee with a very odd small glass of red wine.
Depending I how my vitamin levels are I sometimes supplement with Vitamin D - my Pilates teacher who is also a qualified physiotherapist says it's vitamin D (and K) we need for strong bones not calcium. So I sometimes take that and again depending on my levels I sometimes take B12, I use sublingual methylcobalamin, and I sometimes take vitamin C. I do take CoQ10 and a daily probiotic.
A couple of pints of lager and a good curry I find helps me forget this rotten disease for a while.😉
Quite agree, I find red wine does the same. My GP looked at my bloods yesterday and said all of them are fine ( I'm seronegative so they always are anyway!) he forgets. I said what about my liver? He said my liver was in fantastic shape for my age, better than most people who don't take all these bloomin drugs!
I just take Omega 3 fish oil & prescribed AdCal-D3.
I take vit d only , i take so many other tablets i dont think i could stomach anymore , i do try to eat a good diet with the occasional bit of chocolate 😀😀
Liquid folate, vit D drops, fish oil, curcumin, calcium and magnesium, probiotics
I don't take any supplements. If I can't get whatever it is from my food.....tough! I had Seven Seas cod liver oil, blackstrap molasses and some other disgusting concoction forced down my throat every day when I was little and being raised by my grandma.
Turmeric, turmeric, turmeric and oh! Turmeric. Along with flaxseed oil or milled (allergic to fish!), magnesium and VitD3 in the winter months. Plus short bursts of VitC.
Ali
Yes, indeed, Tumeric! I'm really surprised so few folk have mentioned it! It's the only supplement that the Rheumatology docs at my hospital freely encourage people to take! And not because it's 'trendy' right now but because it genuinely helps, which is good enough recommendation for me
None! sorry.
Oh yeah and 5mg of folic acid once a week!
I take Spatone iron supplements with vitamin C, cod liver oil, High strength vitamin C, beetroot juice and try to have a clove of garlic a day.
Zinc, Propolis, Cranberry (all 3 to ward off E coli urinary tract infections and generally help the immune system) these were suggested by a urologist, Magnesium (to keep me awake), Vit D (because I don't see enough of the sun!). Used to take glucosamine, Royal Jelly and others).
I also take bit D, Turmeric, Q10, bit B2 riboflavin and Magnesium.
Multi vit, vit d, turmeric, cats claw, super cissus, glucosamine, folate, fish oil
1 gm Vit C
3000 mcg Vit D
400 Vit E
Calcium & magnesium
Multi Vit/min
Olive oil on everything
1pt home-made milk kefir in 2 shots, morning shot with turmeric, black pepper & ginger, bed-time shot as sleep-aid with apple for natural cholesterol lowering (the apple is a tip from heart-surgeon).
Daily Reiki self-treatment and treatment from others regularly.
Moved from pescatarian Mediterranean style eating habits to Paleo; sometimes miss my home-made bread but not much else. Enjoying bone broth in form of hearty veggie or chicken soups, still have the odd glass of wine and bit of black chocolate but absolutely no added sugar. If grains or sugar added now (after approx 3 months) my body tells me about it pronto.
When active, the pain is exquisite and exhausting yet my general health has never been better - bit of a paradox, but there you go!
Hi You may be interested in a report that ARUK did back in 2013 on the topic of complementary and alternative therapies - in short there were none that had really strong evidence to support improving RA symptoms but some seem to have evidence of easing some symptoms to a small degree. For more information nras.org.uk/the-big-busines... as one thing to be aware of is that even "herbal and natural" remedies may interact with prescription medication
The idea and importance of taking supplements is not to cure RA but to put your body in a healthier possition to withstand the stress of the disease and the meds. If your body functions are in a better place it is in many ways easier to tackle the disease.😊
Clare-NRAS Did you mean to post a link to the report as well as that short 2011 magazine item? If you have the link to the report I'd be interested to see it, please (I'm terminally curious).
Hi
Since diagnosis I take Vit C Vit D Vit B Curcumin, MSM, heamaplex, daily plus every now and then omega blend oil, milk thistle and antioxidant and sometimes a digestive enzyme .
The report can be found on the ARUK website arthritisresearchuk.org/art... or if you'd like a digital copy please contact enquiries@nras.org.uk and we can email it to you.
Thank you for the link! Clare-NRAS
ETA: the link that Clare posted above is to the report on therapies - the one for supplements etc. is linked from here: arthritisresearchuk.org/art...
Hi Sylvi! I take folic acid (of course), vitamen d, b complex, biotin + hair, skin and nails supplement, a multi and that's about it.
Dani
Hi to everyone Some really good suggestions. I take cherry concentrate diluted in my drinks bottle. I've been taking it for about 3 months due to a dry mouth also was recommendedby a freind with RA.
Hia gailyb
I get a dry mouth, can you elaborate on whats the theory behind cherry juice concentrate? What it does for you? And where you get it from? How exactly do you take it lol?
Thanksy
D
Sorry for budding in. I have understood that cherries are one of the strongest anti inflammatories😊
Hi Deminem. I was recommended this by a friend with RA, I explained that I didn't really like using artificial saliva due to a dry mouth and also I was having repeated flare ups. She explained that the cherry concentrate is good for inflammatory conditions and also it may help with your dry mouth. you only need a little diluted in water. so it goes a long way. Any way I found it helped me a little and I could take it along side my DMARDS without causing any harm. And I take it out with me in a drinks bottle. Its from Holland and Barrett health food shop. It's quite expensive but they have offers on where you buy one and get 1 for a penny sometimes.
Thanks for that gailyb!
Will defo check it out! Not sure what artificial saliva is but sounds interesting lol!
D
It's flipping horrible. I don't like it at all. I think I am better off drinking a fair amount of fluids little and often rather than taking a spray around with me, Hope you try it. At least you will be getting your 1 of 5 a day. lol.
Hallo. I do believe in eating a balanced diet as far as possible, though I can't generally take the quantity nowadays, but look v well. Daily I take Boots highest dose fish oil capsules, 1300mgs; one-a-day Vit B Complex and Vit c+ zinc; Vit D 12.5iug 1 -2 daily depending on weather. Vit D is medically highly recommended for virtually everyone in this British climate, but very especially for the senior age group. Hope this helps. Best wishes.
Been reading with interest all replies about supplements. I've had RA for 25 yrs and at the moment in remission but after trying all manner of pills now only use folic acid and what I consider the best supplement Milled flax seed on my cornflakes every day. I use various mixes some with nuts some with biocultures and vit D. Linwood from Holland and Barrett. It has made huge difference to the terrible fatigue. Hope this helps.
I should add I eat Mediterranean type food as much as possible
My Rheumatologist told me I should take one per day of the following
Inner Health (probiotic)
Mega B
Mega C
Selenium
Chromium
Magnesium
Fish Oil
Megafolic Acid
I also take iron tablet most days cos I am anaemic.
My specialist said to me that Rheumatoid Arthritis affects the way the body absorbs nutrients and the more active the disease the more you need those vitamins.
I forgot Vitamin D, was diagnosed years ago as not having enough.
Plus I Take DHEA as apparently my Adrenal glands are exhausted
I know the feeling.
I take glucosamine and cod liver oil. No idea if they do anything but my skin and nails have gone brilliant 😉
Do you talk to yourself and, if so, what do you say?
What do you do about pain? 
