General Supplements and Alternative Health

Harm & Safety
Psych Team

I’ve spoken about complementary health a few times because they can really be helpful and possibly offset other conditions. Just to be clear this post is about supplements in general and NOT just for mental health. Patients aren’t in the office for things over the counter (OTC), but it’s important to know how they can make a difference.  People have asked me to recommend particular products for supplementing and I usually just say whatever is on sale and avoid the back alley.

Because of the pandemic, the price of many supplements skyrocketed and will probably continue to do so but it’s cheaper than getting sick. Not trying to be controversial but many people have used supplements to avoid/lessen COVID symptoms with success (but have caused obvious price differences). At the very least, I usually recommend certain supplements and lifestyle changes to improve a person’s general health and hopefully the mood.

Why can’t people just eat green stuff? if your body is super and absorbs nutrients or vegetables with no problem then that’s great but millions of people have GI issues, certain medical conditions, food allergies/intolerances, food/drug interactions, genetic abnormalities, etc., or you can be completely normal and just want to avoid issues. Here are some other pages about lifestyles/alternative health:

VitaminPurposeSources
Vitamin A and beta-carotene; It's best to get vitamin A from food. Vitamin A supplements are toxic in high doses. Keeps skin, lungs, and stomach healthyLiver, whole eggs, milk, spinach, pumpkin, green peppers, squash, carrots, papaya, and mangoes. Also found in orange and yellow sweet potatoes
Vitamin B-group (B-1, B-2, B-6, B-12, Folate) Keeps the immune and nervous system healthy.White beans, potatoes, meat, fish, chicken, watermelon, grains, nuts, avocados, broccoli, and green leafy vegetables
Vitamin CHelps protect the body from infection and aids in recovery. Oranges, grapefruit, or lemons, tomatoes, and potatoes
Vitamin DImportant for developing and maintaining heathy bones and teeth. Fortified milk, fatty fish, sunlight
Vitamin E; Limit to 400 IU per day.Protects cells and helps fight off infection. Green leafy vegetables, vegetable oils, avocados, almonds
Iron; Limit to 45 mg per day unless otherwise instructed by your doctor.Not having enough iron can cause anemia. Green leafy vegetables, whole grain breads and pastas, dried fruit, beans, red meat, chicken, liver, fish, and eggs
Selenium; Limit to 400 mcg per day. Important for the immune system. Whole grains, meat, fish, poultry, eggs, peanut butter, and nuts
Zinc; Limit to 40 mg per day. Important for the immune system. Meat, fish, poultry, beans, peanuts, and milk and dairy products

– Read About Infectious Disease & Nutrition

…Some other points 

  1. The BRAT diet (Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, Toast) is no longer a standard for children with an upset stomach. The idea was that it gave the gut a chance to rest and reduced the amount of stool produced but the diet lacks enough nutrition to help a child’s gastrointestinal tract recover. The American Academy of Pediatrics now recommends that kids resume eating a normal, well-balanced diet appropriate for their age within 24 hours of getting sick. Both children and adults who are ill need to drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration. Water is good, but adding broth, a sports drink, or a rehydration solution can help replace lost electrolytes. –WebMD.  I only mentioned this because some resources continue to endorse it. 
  2. Multiple recalls with “high-end” online stores and supplements…etc. so I usually don’t recommend a “brand” because most of these things aren’t strenuously regulated. At the bottom, I’ve listed some tools to help pick safe options. ConsumerLab.com is a nice resource because it’s the most independent. Amazon usually has honest reviews. The FDA also has a section for recalls but is more general. Preferably you should know what you’re ingesting but people don’t really think about a problem until things go wrong so checking out the recalls can be really important.
  3. What about prescribing supplements? I personally don’t because it’s normally cheaper to pay out-of-pocket. Plus, state insurance usually doesn’t cover this or most pharmacies don’t formally prepare them like prescribed medications. Sometimes the co-pays and deductibles can be more expensive than paying for the supplements and medications themselves. A quick tip, ask the pharmacist, which way will be cheaper because they don’t have to disclose this information, my nasal sprays, and many other generics are just cheaper to pay out of pocket.
  4. Look at the apps. I tell my patients to check out the apps of these major health stores, which may show what’s on sale, buy one get one for free, coupons, reward points… Some apps also can let you know when the prescription is ready or they should call first to make sure it’s ready and check out the supplement area while picking up or waiting for their medications. It’s a personal pet peeve for people to just keep driving around or going back and forth to stores wasting gas money or risk getting into an accident.

Supplements/Alternatives That Work

Benadryl: I’m constantly draining so it’s a never-ending battle, the only thing that truly helps is fastings (a video about it below) and avoiding dairy, alcohol, avoiding smoke, or irritants. I use the liquid, dye-free form because I’ll probably react to the dye as well. We have to be mindful that foods and our environment are becoming more contaminated and polluted than ever but that’s life (so I try to avoid the irritants as much as possible) and always promote alcohol and smoking cessation or at least cutting back to the patients.

Charcoal: If I went overboard with the supplements especially with antihistamines or too much food, sugar, candy, etc. at least once a week, I’ll take 1-2 charcoal pills. We used to give it all the time when someone OD in the ER, but they sort of strayed away from that unless it’s truly indicated. Why? probably because it can cause n/v/d EXPLOSIONS but the hospital uses a monster amount of charcoal, sometimes Q4, depending on what was ingested. The pills are more tolerable but again they can cause explosions so once a week or when you don’t have to work and run around may be more ideal vs daily. Charcoal is truly like a reset button for the body but just don’t overdo it. Also, be mindful of the milligrams, if a certain dose isn’t tolerable.

Iron: iron supplements are difficult for most people to take but they do have slow-release tablets that are supposed to not cause constipation or GI symptoms. However, what’s cheaper, better, and easier on the stomach? Cereal. If you can’t eat meat all the time, struggling with spinach, or whatever, a bowl of (fortified) cereal can be a great option. Other methods include prenatal vitamins,  multivitamins, Boost, & Ensure.

Lysine: Patients report it helps with shingles and anything with shingles/herpes is a lifestyle change. Avoiding foods high in arginine may also reduce recurrences. Higher levels of arginine are found in foods such as chocolate and many types of nuts. Excessive coffee (caffeine), red wine, and smoking are also triggers for some people –about certain foods. Other considerations include stress management, smoking cessation, the elderly, taking some Vitamin C (a decreased immune system will trigger outbreaks), and avoiding tight clothes/friction/heat. It’s an amino acid so you can take as much as needed till remission/prevention without issues. Some patients don’t even have to take anti-virals, but I do recommend if the shingles are extremely painful, affecting ADLS, eyeballs uneven, and spreading everywhere then PLEASE go to the hospital.

Probiotics: can be $$$$$ so it’s difficult to find a good brand, but this is one that I use, it’s affordable on Amazon compared to CVS, Walgreens, and other stores, especially with that high amount. However, it seems like it’s not that many capsules, so I only use them so often. However, probiotics are great if you have malabsorption issues and gut health is important!

Vitamin C: I’ve always taken vitamin C because they (the left side pic) taste like sweet tarts so I had an addiction when I was younger but working in the height of the pandemic, I was taking 1-2ooomg/day. But day to day activities, I’ll just use 500mg. I remember reading this article that gave some reassurance, and this was BEFORE the v@ck so I’m not making any claims and wanted more protection. Some “immunity” products put Vitamin C with other supplements but it’s usually not a high amount. Anyway, I tell people if you keep getting sick, try to improve your immune system with a higher dose. Other vitamins I used were Vitamin D, Zinc, Magnesium, and Folate but the main one was Vitamin C. Also, look at the milligrams, try to buy >500mg so you don’t have to take 10-20 100mg tablets for a higher dose. Make sure you rinse the mouth afterward because it’s acidic and it shouldn’t just sit on your teeth. A quick point, in the article the doctor was using 1500mg IV but I’ve seen some articles suggesting 4-5o00mg, it goes through the kidneys (water-soluble) so you shouldn’t have to worry about it building up in the body or an OD but also caution >2000mg for GI upset, kidney stone risks, etc. –Healthline. I only did high doses when I worked the frontline and have never been sick…

Sleep: I probably need something prescribed but since that’s not likely, I still use melatonin, and the Benadryl and magnesium are helpful off/on. I limit coffee to half a cup/day and drink tea once a week. I go to bed early and just hope to mummify myself or pass out. I accepted that I’ll probably get 4 hours max of sleep on a good day but it’s been like that since middle school and at least I’m generally happy.

What didn’t help

  • ASA: I don’t recommend this due to bleeding risks, but I’ve been taking a coated 325 ASA at least once a week, especially if I ate a large meal and don’t want to stroke out. I do credit taking aspirin on a regular basis for years for not having any blood pressure or medical issues. Of course, people have wear and tear but I also usually avoid salt so that may also make a difference. I don’t take it daily because of the risks but FYI it’s supposed to be taken in the AM with FOOD to avoid ulcers.
  • Fish Oil: I have no idea why I was buying this but I do have the tendency to buy things on sale to at least give it a try. It probably helps with joints but walking helps my knees the most and I’ll rather eat the fish.
  • Ginkgo Biloba: it did not help with my memory or make me less scattered -be mindful that it also can thin the blood and it doesn’t reduce/prevent dementia…(Gingseng and garlic also have bleeding risks).
  • Multivitamin: some people claim if you’re deficient in one nutrient -then more than likely it’s multiple deficiencies and that may be true BUT they make me nauseated. You’re supposed to take it with food, which I don’t usually have time for…but always consider having bowls of cereal or protein drinks (Boost, Ensure).
  • Serotonin: I decided to trial OTC serotonin to see if it’s worth it. I had some GI symptoms but I didn’t see a major difference in the mood but may help others with mild depression/anxiety. Sam-E is too $$$$.
  • Theraflu Pouch/Nasal Sprays/Nettie Pots: Even if it’s supposed to be a night/PM sleep version, phenylephrine keeps me AWAKE. I already can’t sleep and with Nettie Pots, I’m concerned about my sinuses draining back into my brain but it has improved symptoms with many others. Flonase helps but it’s more so used prophylactically, not with current symptoms.
  • Vitamin D: I just go outside more, It’s spring and cheaper. However, in the winter, sometimes it’s easier to supplement but it’s not necessary.
  • Valerian Root: I can’t get past the feet smell, it’s in my melatonin gummies, which I didn’t know until I smell the stench. I need to read the fine print more often but I usually don’t if it’s on sale. OTC sleep aids can be expensive so if you need something stronger, it’s probably cheaper to get a prescription.

Additional References and Resources 

Here are some standard resources for supplements:

 

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