Top 10 supplement list

What is everyone's top 10 supplement list?

D3, magnesium malate, calcium, a multi-vitamin, B-100

That's only 5.

Nettles - helps joint pain
Burdock - helps gastrointestinal motility, supports health of mucus membranes in the gut
FenuThyme (Fenugreek + Thyme) - antifungal, antimicrobial, thins mucus & helps with sinus congestion
Milk Thistle - helps protect liver from damage, supports detox metabolic pathway
Magnesium - for muscle pain & spasms
Calcium - for muscle cramps, bones
Vitamin B12 (methylcobolamin) - helps energy, nerves, methyl donor to support metabolic detox pathway in liver
Zinc - supports immune system
Vitamin D3 - supports immune system
Probiotics - supports immune system, gastrointestinal health, fights candida/yeast

I get milk thistle from a local health food store.  Also, have experimented with IV milk thistle (specially compounded - my Naturopath prescribed it for me) and it does work well that way but also clogs up my PICC line. 

I have been diagnosed with fatty liver too (secondary to TPN), and my liver enzyme levels were quite high. When I started the IV milk thistle, the enzyme levels dropped over a few weeks' time. I stopped the milk thistle for a while and the enzyme levels went back up. So I know it was the milk thistle that was helping my liver. I don't know how long it takes for the milk thistle to restore the liver, but it sure did bring down the enzyme levels (all the way down to normal).

I'd recommend working with a Naturopath on healing your liver - they have more experience using milk thistle for this purpose, and may have some additional supplements/herbs that help in this process.

Also, I've read that Ehrlichia/Anaplasma can mess with liver enzymes in addition to Lyme, so you might want to think about a trial of treatment for that coinfection in addition to the milk thistle.

Take care,

Question: Does Lyme disease lower levels of these vitamins that you are taking? I am curious because my bloodwork 4 months ago showed very low Vitamin D, so now I take rx supplements. And, my bloodwork about 2 months ago showed low magnesium, so now i have to take that too. My B vitamins they say are fine, but I am just not sure if I believe that.
Anyway, just wondering if Lyme causes these deficiences, or if you are all taking them to just make you feel better. Thanks!

I happen to love Green Vibrance (I buy it at the Vitamin Shoppe).  It tastes like drinking grass (I'm used to it) but I think it may come in a pill form now.

Below is a link to all the ingredients (it contains probiotics also):

http://www.health-doc.com/products/greenvibingredients.html

Denise

My LD told me I can not take Milk Thistel because I am currently taking Malarone. So for liver protection I take Nac600? Has anyone else been told this?

CajunGrl said...
Thanks Razzle. I really need to find something. My liver enzymes have been slightly elevated for a while now. I've been tested for everything under the sun and everything was negative. So, they think I have fatty liver. I'm now on Diflucan and pretty nervous about taking it. My LLMD knows about my elevated liver enzymes and put me on 100mg. od Diflucan. Do you think that Milk Thistle will help in my situation?

CajunGirl,

     I have read that 25% of lyme patients have elevated AST and or ALt  enzymes- I did. I also take milk thistle and was treated for over a year w/ abx for LD and now my liver enzymes are "in range"

Just an FYI, ljantler

Hi CajunGrl,

A quick note to let you know that I learned from a pharmacist friend that eating foods with corn syrup in them can lead to fatty liver and liver trouble!! The pharmacist's teenage son was sick and diagnosed with fatty liver and the doctors told them they thought it was due to the child's diet of "too much corn syrup". So, the teenager quit eating all foods containing the corn syrup and he is improving. It might be worth your time to analyze if you are eating any corn syrup (it's in MANY foods) and adjust your diet. Hope this helps!

Best wishes, bablymers mom

• Probiotics
  Omega 3-6-9
  Calcium
  Magnesium
  B-12 injections once every 2 wks
  Vitamin B
  Vitamin C
  

to add: Multivitamin

Check out Dr. Burrascano's (1998) recommendations:

"NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS

Studies on patients with chronic Lyme Disease and in those with the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome have demonstrated that some of the late symptoms are related to cellular damage and deficiencies in certain essential nutrients. Double blinded, placebo controlled studies, and in one case direct assay of biopsy specimens have proven the value of the supplements listed.

ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS:
Studies show that when EFAs are taken regularly, statistically significant improvements in fatigue, aches, weakness, vertigo, dizziness, memory, concentration and depression are likely. There are two broad classes: GLA and EPA, derived respectively from plant and fish oils. The plant sources are many, so choose one from the list below.

Plant Oils: evening primrose oil, black currant seed oil, borage oil (probably the best choice)
Fish oil: "MAX EPA" (or any similar preparation containing 1,000 mg of EPA)

RECOMMENDATION: four plant oil capsules and two to four EPA capsules daily, taken with the largest meal of the day. Benefit begins within several days, but further improvement continues to occur over time. Continue for three to four months.

CO-Q 10 (ubiquinone):
This is a vitamin B- like compound essential to every living cell. Deficiencies have been related to poor function of the heart, limitations of stamina, and poor resistance to infections. Tissue biopsy studies have resulted in the recommendation that a patient with chronic Lyme should take between 200 and 300 mg daily, in two or three equal doses. Improvements in stamina and general well being do not begin for several weeks. The body will manufacture its own Co-Q 10 when the original infection is controlled, but only if stimulated by aggressive exercise. Therefore, use this supplement until the patient is feeling well and is exercising regularly, usually three to four months.

VITAMIN B
Studies in the 1950s demonstrated the need for supplemental vitamin B in infections with other Borrelia. This enhances clearing of neurological symptoms. I recommend one 50 mg B-complex capsule daily long term.

MAGNESIUM
Magnesium supplementation very helpful for the tremors, twitches, cramps, muscle soreness, arrhythmias and weakness. It may also help in energy level and cognition. Unexplained hyperreflexia is an indicator of Mg deficiency. The best source is magnesium chloride ("Slo-Mag", one or two qid) or magnesium oxide (Mag-Ox, 400 mg one or two daily). DO NOT rely on "cal-mag", calcium plus magnesium combination tablets, as they are not well absorbed. In many cases, I.M. or I.V. magnesium is necessary. Continue long term.

MULTI-VITAMIN
I recommend the LifePak family of supplements- choose LifePak for males under 40, LifePak Women for hormonally active women, and LifePak Prime for post menopausal women and men over 40. These are unique supplements- Pharmaceutical grade and USP certified, and the only products clinically proven to raise antioxidant levels in the blood and lipids.

All of these products are available without a prescription."

Source:
http://library.lymenet.org/domino/file.nsf/bbf2f15334c1f28585256613000317cc/cb159a8ffaa8261d852567c700120026?openDocument#ADJUNCTIVE%20THERAPY