Supplements and results

[Lynnwd6]

Has anyone who has improved with pred and extra suppliments. What did you take and how much? I have been told to try saffron Supplement, vitamin d and c. There seems to be no research on this.

Linda newby

[123-go]

Hi Lynn. I take brewers yeast which is said to support the digestive system and more. Plenty of info to be found on the internet. I have minimal problems with digestion but whether it's down to this supplement is anyone's guess. You should be getting all you need from your diet, i.e. healthy fats from extra virgin olive oil, eggs, cheese, nuts, sardines -mash up the bones and eat the lot, salmon - tinned or fresh (wild caught if possible). Don't forget your leafy green veg. Speak to your doctor about any supplements you may be considering taking.Your doctor should be prescribing calcium and vit D for your bone health.

Supplements are a personal choice and others here will give their own opinion. It's good to get others' perspective which may help you decide what may be good for you. Manufacturers are keen to sell you their products and you should keep an open mind. 🙂

[Lynnwd6 in reply to 123-go]

Thank you

[TheMoaningViolet]

Hi Lynn, I do take supplements, both as tablets and as nutritional powders. I have no idea how much they are helping, but I had to reduce my Vitamin D3 intake (which I was supplementing), so even though the formal research is thin on the ground, anecdotal evidence suggests that in some cases they do make a difference. I made my choices of supplements after a lot of research. I think the placebo effect plays a role here, and you need to understand why you are taking the supplements and believe that they will help you. My selection is relatively small and includes the obvious ones (Calcium and Vitamin D3) as well as more obscure ones (PQQ for example). The sources are also very important as is the cost, so each person needs to formulate their own (as unfortunately, no physician will be able to help you) and hope that it will work. Anything you can get from your diet is always going to be better than supplements, so I would focus on that first and do a bit of reading on the subject.

A note of caution, I have read a book by a respected author which dismissed the usefulness of supplementing with fish oil, but when I stop taking it, little joints in my fingers start to hurt and I don't think I am imagining it. So again, judicious reading of more than one source and understanding your own body's response is essential.

And this may be obvious, but always check interactions with your medications first. I have eliminated a number of obvious contenders on the basis that they don't mix with Prednisolone.

[Kendrew]

Hi there. Not much to add as all very good advice but would reinforce what MoaningViolet said about nutrients from food sources...... I personally feel it's better to try and get required nutrients from your diet as the body metabolises it much more efficiently than from supplements. However, I do take Calcium and Vit.D3 alongside Vit.K2.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

All most supplements achieve is a lower bank balance for you and a higher one for the salesperson. All water soluble ones will just literally go straight down the drain ...

In PMR and pred, you need calcium and vit D. Everything else you should get from a good diet with plenty of brightly coloured veg and calcium is also preferable as dietary calcium, especially yogs, kefir and cheeses.