Posted by Lao Tzu on September 2, 2010, at 9:54:30
In reply to Re: Social Anxiety supplement formula, posted by proudfoot on August 31, 2010, at 20:26:40
Hi Doug! Thanks for your post and your kind words. I'm not an expert in nutrition, first and foremost. I've just experimented on myself over the past 4 years to see what benefits I could obtain from nutrients. I actually have learned a lot more from the people on psychobabble than I would have from just researching the internet, which you have to be careful about doing because there is so much misinformation out there in cyberspace. I haven't had any tests to detect serum levels of vitamins or minerals, but it may be a good idea to do that first only because if you are not deficient in certain nutrients, your diet probably would be sufficient in that regard or just by taking a multivitamin. Some doctors don't necessarily believe that taking large amounts of magnesium is necessary. They do, however, recommend calcium to women for osteoporosis. I take the magnesium and calcium mainly to help with sleep, and it does a good job at that. Some sources say that some people with schizophrenia require more magnesium and calcium than other people.
As far as vitamin E is concerned, personally, I have worked it into my regimen as follows: 200IU of natural Vitamin E in the morning and an additional 400IU at bedtime. Individual need varies from person to person. I just find that 600IU per day works for me, and I take it everyday. Not saying it is absolutely essential that you supplement with it. Some people may actually get enough from diet or a multivitamin, but I like the extra antioxidant protection because I smoke. Overall, it's a good vitamin to supplement with in certain cases as it may be good for cardiovascular health at lower dosages.
Vitamin C, well, I have tried many different dosages, some high and some low. After 4 years, I have concluded the best dosage that works for me is 500mg per day, that's all. Most people don't need a high dosage of vitamin C, although it is purported that high dose Vitamin C is helpful in some cases of schizophrenia. I never found that higher doses really helped me at all. In fact, I have side effects from too much vitamin C. I take the vitamin C because I smoke cigarettes, and it is said that people who smoke require more vitamin C for antioxidant protection from the tobacco.
Selenium is important in certain people who tend not to get enough from their diet or who have toxins in their system. Personally, I take only 100mcg per day, and find that my mood is slightly improved by supplementation. Some people get enough from their diet. The best source is Brazil nuts.
A good B-complex should be helpful to you. Are you taking a B-50 or a B-100 complex? Some people seem to benefit a little more with a B-100, but may be too much for other people. It depends on what you can tolerate. A B-50 complex would certainly be helpful in most cases to help with energy. There are some people who swear by taking hundreds of milligrams of all the B's, that their depression subsides with supplementation. The only B vitamin I take in a high dosage is vitamin B1. It is purported to be useful for psychosis. I take 200mg per day, and it does make a difference for me. It is an absolute essential for me as I respond very well to it.Zinc is necessary for just about everybody in small amounts. For me, I find that it does make an improvement in my depression and anxiety and it definitely recommended for schizophrenia. However, you may not necessarily need to supplement with real high dosages. Start off at a low dosage and gradually increase to the maximum dosage you can tolerate. I use Solgar's zinc picolinate which comes in a 22mg tablet. I find that two tablets a day works best for my depression.
The fish oil that I supplement with is called Eskimo-3 by Enzymatic Therapy. It is purported to be one of the best fish oils in purity. It comes in 500mg capsules, and I take a maximum of 3 capsules per day. That's all I can tolerate. I'd recommend spending a little more cash for a premium brand, not a generic fish oil product. There are many good ones to choose from. You can get them at your local vitamin shoppe or online. If you shop online which I do sometimes, you're more likely to get a bargain. I shop at House of Nutrition Online. They have a wide variety of fish oil brands. There prices are competitive, and they always get my order correct. I've never had a problem with this company, and I get the same product cheaper than I would at the Vitamin Shoppe. Also, you'd want a brand that states the fish oil is free of mercury and other heavy metals. If it doesn't say this on the package, don't buy it.
Again, I am a proponent of taking medication for severe illness, but the vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids are definitely helpful for those with mood disorders.
I had thought about trying TCM, and I still might. Instead, currently, I am trying individual herbs. Hombre has a very good insight into TCM. You might read some of his posts. A good herb for emotional balance is called Holy Basil. I got the tip from Morgan on babble.
It actually helps with my anxiety disorder. Other herbs he is trying include Schisandra and Cordyceps. Herbs which have not helped me include Licorice, Nettle Leaf, Ginkgo, and Gotu Kola. I can't stand these four herbs. They make me feel worse.Well, that's all I have for now, Doug! If I can answer anymore of your questions, I'll certainly try. Other people on babble have a lot of insight into specific therapies. I've been on babble for quite a while, and I always come back here to read the posts just to see what people have tried and whether it is effective. The people on here are quite serious about alternative therapies and quite knowledgable. Still, medication is a first line treatment for some people, like myself and like yourself, absolutely essential for health, and other therapies are like you said, icing on the cake.
Stay well!!
Lao
poster:Lao Tzu
thread:958030
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20100812/msgs/961032.html