This page lists our supplement recommendations with links to products at Amazon. By purchasing via links on this page, you support the blog at no cost to yourself. Thank you for supporting our work!
Supplemental Foods
We recommend eating these “supplemental foods” on a regular schedule:
- 3 egg yolks daily, 5 yolks daily for women who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant (for choline, folate, vitamin A)
- A bowl of soup made from bone, joint, tendon, foot, or hoof stock, 3 days per week (for calcium, phosphorus, and collagen)
- Fermented vegetables such as kimchi, sauerkraut, or fermented mixed vegetables (for nucleotides, probiotic bacteria, and vitamins K2 and B12), and other vegetables such as tomato, avocado, potato, sweet potato, banana, green leafy vegetables, and seaweeds such as dulse, daily (for potassium)
- ¼ lb beef or lamb liver, weekly (copper, vitamin A, folate, choline). If you like, substitute ¼ lb chicken, duck, or goose liver weekly plus 30 g 85% dark chocolate daily
- fish, shellfish, eggs, and kidneys, weekly (for selenium)
Daily Supplements
These are supplements we recommend be taken daily:
- Sunshine and vitamin D3 as needed to achieve serum 25OHD of 40 ng/ml.
- Vitamin K2 100 mcg or more
- Magnesium 200 mg
- Iodine 225 mcg
- Vitamin C 1 g
- Pantothenic acid (vitamin B-5) 500 mg
Vitamin D3
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Vitamin K2
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Magnesium
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Iodine
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Vitamin C
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Vitamin B-5 (pantothenic acid or pantethine)
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Weekly Supplements
These are supplements we recommend be taken once a week:
- B vitamins:
- 50 to 100 mg each of B1, B2, and B6
- 5 mg biotin
- 500 mcg B12
- Zinc 50 to 100 mg
- Boron 3 mg
B1 (thiamin)
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B2 (riboflavin)
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B6
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Biotin
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B12
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Zinc
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Boron
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Prenatal Supplements
The most important prenatal supplements are:
- Extra duck, goose, or pastured chicken liver.
- Extra egg yolks.
The following supplements may also be helpful during pregnancy or in the months leading up to conception. Note: We do not recommend prenatal multivitamins.
Choline
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Inositol plus Choline
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Iron (optional)
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Optional Supplements
These supplements may be helpful for a significant fraction of the population. Experiment to see if they help you:
- Probiotics
- Chromium, 200-400 mcg per week (not necessary if you cook in stainless steel pots) and (optional) vanadium, 25 mcg per week
- Lithium 5 to 10 mg per week
- Silicon 5 mg to 25 mg daily
- FOR PEOPLE WHO DO NOT EAT LIVER: Copper 2 mg per day
- FOR PEOPLE WHO DO NOT EAT LIVER: Vitamin A from cod liver oil, 50,000 IU/week
- FOR PEOPLE WHO DO NOT EAT MAKE BONE STOCK OR DRINK MINERAL WATER: Calcium up to 400 mg/day
- B-50 complex (as a substitute for individual B supplements if you prefer fewer pills
- Molybdenum 150 mcg per week
- Taurine 500 mg to 5000 mg per week (higher doses may be therapeutic for small intestinal or systemic infections)
- Selenium 0 or 200 mcg per week depending on selenium content of food (if food is produced in dry, flat areas = high selenium, no supplements; rainy, well-drained areas = 200 mcg/wk)
Probiotics
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More Probiotics
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More Probiotics
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Chromium
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Lithium
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Silicon
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Copper (Only If Liver Is Not Eaten)
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Vitamin A (Only If Liver Is Not Eaten)
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Calcium (If No Mineral Water or Bone Stock)
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B-50 complex
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Molybdenum
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Taurine
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Vitamin E
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Therapeutic Supplements
These supplements are unnecessary for healthy people but may be helpful in various disease conditions.
N-acetylcysteine
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Glycine
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Creatine
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Melatonin
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Detoxification Aids
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Miscellaneous
These items may be helpful in implementing Perfect Health Diet and Lifestyle advice.
Pill boxes
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Pill cutter
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Hello Paul.
What about a daily dose of taurine ? I remark feeling not so good when I do not take it daily. (It seems helping mood, digestion, ability to digest much more easily when added fat, ability to digest easier meat).
Taurine seems to be an athletic supp. consumed each day by athletes, but is it ok for “non athletes” people.
Thanks Paul for your answer,
Best,
July
Hi July,
That’s fine. Taurine is important for bile and aids fat digestion. It is fine for non-athletes.
Hi Paul,
I was wondering if you can help with this issue: i’ll start with the questions and then explain.
A. Is it wise to take B-vitamins while still having gut infections like bacterial yeast or parasites?
B. Many of B-products are made from yeast or grains – or is it a different kind of yeast – some said “inactivated yeast” other brewer yeast.
Would that be a problem while having candida?
I’m facing multiple gut infections (parasites, candida, bacterial) and adrenal fatigue.
Some people with candida or AF do take a vit.B supplements and report no problem.
I’ve read B vitamins are very usefull for adrenal fatigue – not healing but good support, detox, mood etc. I want to have some to reduce the weakness and so on BUT
Searching more for an answer I found that some pathogens feeds on B vitamins – but I’m not sure if they are just feeding or are strenghetn by B vitamins …meaning harder to eradicate with B vitamins supplied…hm…one example. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giardia_lamblia
Thank you
Paul,
You might want to research differences in need for copper in people with different metabolisms/health conditions. I am a woman who is hypothyroid and from what I can tell from my own experience and from study I have done, I have to be careful a out not overdoing it with copper. I tend to get too much copper very easily and be deficient in iron and zinc. If I eat high copper foods or supplements I get very tired and my symptoms worsen whereas if I avoid them and get more iron and zinc my energy improves and all symptoms subside. I have found some interesting info on this online. A particularly interesting website is ithyroid.com. This site was started by a guy who had Graves’ disease and did a lot of combing through studies to find info on the mineral imbalances involved in thyroid disease. He siites a lot of studies from pubmed and other places. Long story short, copper functions as a brake on thyroid function and metabolism and iron and zinc function as accelerators. People who are hyperthyroid tend to be more deficient in copper and those with hypo tend to be more deficient in iron and zinc. Selenium and manganese are frequent deficiencies for hypothyroidism as well. My experience lines up with this info. I feel terrible when I eat high copper foods frequently and much better when I supplement zinc and iron. The higher estrogen in women causes the tendency to accumulate copper according to what I have read. Unfortunately, ithyroid is not being maintained any longer, it appears to have been abandoned. You can still go there but the links don’t work. The way I go to the individual links is by googling them. I google ithyroid and the name of the link such as supplement list.
I have learned from this site the effects of different minerals and how to listen to my body and fine tune dosages. I can’t eat beef liver for example because pretty quickly it makes me feel exhausted. I have repeated this experiment several times and the result is always the same: my energy and feeling of wellness go down eating beef liver but are ok with chicken liver which is low in copper. Another indicator that I am high in copper is the fact that I am 45 years old and have dark hair with hardly any gray. Copper preserves hair color.
Also it seems to me that you must not understand that a person only absorbs a small percent of a mineral supplement. You recommend if I remember correctly getting an extra 10 mg of zinc a day but to get that you recommend just 50 mg of zinc a week. I guess you must mean Mon thru Fri cause that would be 70 mg at 10 mg per day if you included Sat and Sunday. But 50 mg of zinc picolinate for example which is one of the more absorbable forms only has about 9 mg of elemental zinc. This means you can only get a maximum of around 9-10 mg of zinc from 50 mg of zinc picolinate. So you would have to take 50 mg daily to get 10 mg extra daily.
When taking minerals it is important to know how much elemental mineral is in it as that will let you know how much you will absorb maximum. It could be even less if you have any malabsorption problems. I take 50 mg of ferrous gluconate which is 32 % elemental iron. I am not getting 50 mg of iron but more like 16-18 mg or so max.
Thanks for the reminder on how deceptive supplement companies can be in labeling their products. Typically, when a mineral is listed as “Mineral (from some complex)” on the label, it is the elemental amount. But when it is listed as “Mineral (as some complex)” it is the full complex and not the elemental. Sometimes both are intermixed such as “Copper (as copper sebacate 22mg)” but then the elemental amount is listed as 3mg.
I don’t recall if the RDA/DRI is elemental or food-state complex, but I am pretty sure it is the latter. So it shouldn’t matter for the most part as all mineral complexes have pretty much the same elemental content. Of course, absorption and bioavailability will vary. There are best practices minerals, i.e. Albion.
I am curious about whether or not high intakes of zinc “requiring” copper refer to the elemental or complex amount. Taking 90mg of OptiZinc only provides 18mg of actual elemental zinc. One value is a lot larger than the other!
I also meant to say that based on tests I know that I tend to be iron deficient. My ferritin goes too low unless I make concerted efforts to keep it up.
I have the same experience regarding copper. I am hypothyroid (conversion problem, not hashimotos) and HTMA shows toxic levels of copper being retained in the tissue. After adjusting diet and supplementation based on this finding, and avoiding copper rich foods and copper supplements, my energy levels are much higher. My experience regarding iron does not mirror yours, though, as I am intolerant of iron supplements. Dark-haired with virtually no gray hairs at 51 though.
I agree that is important to acknowledge that copper levels tend to rise with certain conditions, and under stress. Chronic severe stress being as prevalent as it is in today’s society, I suspect that this state of affairs is not too uncommon.
Hi Paul,
Some B complexes are co-enzymates and contain methylfolate instead of folic acid. Can these be used daily, in case they are low potency?
By the way, the co-enzymates B complexes are being marketed as being more easily
Hi Paul,
Some B complexes are co-enzymates and contain methylfolate instead of folic acid. Can these be used daily, in case they are low potency?
By the way, the co-enzymates B complexes are being marketed as being more easily absorbed. Are they really preferable?
Hi Paul,
I currently take Vitamin C, Chelated Magnesium, Vitamin K2-MK7, Copper, Zinc in the recommended amounts; Additional – Astaxanthin(antioxidant). Is it safe to take all of these vitamins at once with food or should some vitamins be taken separately and/or without food? Your comment is appreciated, thank you!
Tell Your Senators to Oppose Sen. Durbin’s Dietary Supplement Labeling Act
The Dietary Supplement Labeling Act has been introduced in the Senate by Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL). The bill targets nutritional supplements and supplement manufacturers in an effort to pass unnecessary new regulations and give the FDA vast new powers.
https://secure3.convio.net/aahf/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=1627
This is technically a reintroduction just as Congress prepares for a recess. The last time Durbin introduced his bill, it got shot down due to overwhelming grassroots (i.e. you) opposition. Obviously, the guy is either a cronyist or a maroon — you decide!
Just sent message…..this needs to be a high priority for PHDers and the Paleo community.
Question about supplements: I have migraines. I just received your book and have started on the diet. I have also started taking the combination supplements in the “Forever Well Gut Brain Therapy”.
Are these supplements enough or should I be taking additional supplements that you outline here?
Also, are there certain cheeses that are better? My acupuncturist recommends avoiding cow’s milk and sticking to goat’s milk and almond milk products.
Thanks!
Dear Andrea
My migraines have disappeared since being on PHD and since having lots of coconut oil in my coffee. Definetely worth trying!
Hi paul,
I have had my thyroid tested last month and each time I get normal range 2.4 tsh but gained 40 lbs tired dizziness and joint pain have been going on for a year. New endo doc put me on armour thyroid to see if I would feel better but I had a bad reaction to it so I stopped.
I really don’t want to take medication and would like to do it through diet and natural remendies. Do you have any suggestion ? What is normal numbers for your thyroid?
Thanks for all your help
Hi Kelliann,
Normal TSH is 1.0 to 1.5. 2.4 could be a low-level hypothyroidism. Armour has performed T3 and could easily be too much. Usually docs would start you with T4 only (levothyroxine) at a low dose to do a test. Thyroid hormone is fairly benign so I would consider redoing the experiment with a low dose of T4.
But you’re right, diet and lifestyle are the best remedies. Are you eating our diet and following the lifestyle advice in our book? That would be my primary advice.
Best, Paul
Now I’m confused – my TSH was 2.85 uIU/mL – and my Doc said I was fine.
If it is relevant, my Free T4 was 1.24 uoM.
Do you think this is a problem?
Hi merle – not sure if you’ll see this since you posted awhile ago, but many, possibly most, physicians are relying on lab “normal” ranges that are outdated and (like glucose normal ranges) need to be revised downward. Your TSH should be close to 1.0 in order to be optimal.
Thank you for your reply. I am realizing that most Allopathic Doctors have different standards than the Integrative Specialists. I decided to take a supplement for mild hypothyroid – it’s a whole food supplement with selenium, zinc, iodine and some herbs by Megafood.
I should get tested again, but I think it’s helping….
I’m always open to further input if you have any…
THANKS again!
Paul, I have read that, besides the possibility of difficulties converting T4 to T3, there can also be difficulties with T3 getting into the cells (so all tests TSH, free T3/T4 could be normal and still there could be clinical hypothyroidism). What helps that problem (if you agree it exists)? Thanks, Donna
Paul, I have read that, besides the possibility of difficulties converting T4 to T3, there can also be difficulties with T3 getting into the cells (so all tests TSH, free T3/T4 could be normal and still there could be clinical hypothyroidism). How would you test that & What helps that problem (if you agree it exists)? Thanks, Donna
I have run into the same problem with conventional medicine. They tell me that as long as my TSH is below 5, I’m ok…..not! I’ve lost most of my outer eyebrow hair and can only eat 1100 calories / day without gaining weight. I’m on meds now with a TSH about the same as you (2.85) for a year and nothing is being done yet. They are going to measure thyroid with a 24 hour urine test and see….
Optimal range for thyroid is .35 to 2.1. If a physician does not agree, find another physician.
As high as 2.1? interesting. Evidently, MDs have concerns about me being on too much medication due to it’s effects on lowering my (already extremely low) bone density.
Paul:
I had some blood tests re-done and I have brought my very high
cholesterol level down from 292 to 250 and my risk ratio to a little
over 3…
But this time I had my ferritin checked and it was 400 !!!
My MD is on vacation this week so I’m quite concerned about this
reading…
I know it goes with metabolic syndrome which includes the high
cholesterol. But still….
Any thoughts???
Thanks,
Linda
Hi Paul,
Hope you can help me concerning our 20 months old son. He seems to have re-occuring colds/flu/mucus since he was small.
We have tried probiotics and different sirups with herbs and vitamis and also keep giving him daily baby vitamis. However, he seems to cure one cold and then straight into another after a week or so… Would you recommend any supplements. We live in UK and I can not find some mentioned above.
Many thanks,
Looking forward to hearing from you
Hi Lenka,
I would recommend liver (1/8 pound per week), vitamin D (2 hours sun exposure per day, or up to 1,000 IU/day supplements), vitamin C (get the powder and mix a bit into water until it tastes pleasant; but don’t give so much that he gets digestive distress (gas, diarrhea, nausea, queasiness), and maybe some zinc, eg a 50 mg tablet once a week in some yogurt. The liver and sun are the most important.
The most important thing is probably to eat in accord with our diet, and get the circadian rhythm benefits of things like sun exposure in the day.
Best, Paul
Hi Paul,
Thank you ever so much for your kind response! I have ordered vitamin D and C. I have made a home made pate but can’t get him to eat it no matter what form I put it in.
I have read somewhere supplementing children with Fermented Cod liver oil. What is your opinion as it seems to have vitamin D, A and K as well.
Many thanks
Lenka
Take him in for shonishin pediatric acupuncture. I often treat kids and adults with these kinds of symptoms. In fact, an immunologist refers them to me regularly. People who have been on antibiotics for 2-3 years going from one cold and flu to sinus infection to bronchitis in a never ending cycle. Acupuncture (and for kids shonishin) always works on this in my experience. If people are willing to make dietary and lifestyle changes then the results are even better.
Hi Paul,
I wonder if you have any contacts that could enable you to manufacture and sell ‘PHD-approved’ multivitamins (1 daily and 1 weekly – only the non-optional ones).
Having to take all those different pills is really a lot of trouble (and makes me look like a weird health-nut); and I thought, since people like Mark Sisson and Chris Kresser already have their own brands of supplements (Primal Blueprint and Paleologix), why not an all-in-one PHD supplement? Would that be possible?
Many thanks,
Laura, from France
I second this.
Hi Laura,
I’m considering it and I’ve started reaching out to people in the industry to learn the best way to go about it. But I have other priorities this year (Cookbook and Perfect Health Retreat, also starting to do videos, and updating the site with a forum, plus helping the Ancestral Health Society start a journal), so it will have to wait until 2014. It would be very convenient to have a PHD multi.
Best, Paul
I use Spectracell micro-nutrient testing in my practice and my patients love it. It helps those who can’t/won’t make dietary changes to identify the specific nutrients they’re lacking, supplement and feel better so maybe they will then have the energy to implement changes. For those who already have good diet, it gives precise information on what is deficient, rather than guessing. They can then choose to either supplement or further refine their diet. I also really like the EXA test for minerals. Right now these are only available through healthcare providers but I believe Spectracell is considering making it available directly to patients.
I was really disappointed with the SpectraCell test…found it to be questionable, if not unreliable. My test results came back showing my vitamin C levels were ideal, when I hadn’t supplemented with C in years and years, and also had been eating a diet of mostly cooked foods.
It also suggested my immune function was in great shape, yet I’ve been sick with a TH-1/Th-2 imbalanced ME/CFS for over 15 years now.
And why they don’t test for iron is beyond me…
Testing for vit c is really a test for ascorbic acid. useless. most blood tests for nutrients are useless as the body robs what it needs from anywhere and the blood is but the transport medium. test for organ system health by the standard way has historical and clinical usefulness and add more items to the test if you like (ferritin, HA1C, CA125 etc)
Kelly I’m sorry you were disappointed in Spectracell testing. I’ve been using the test since 1/13 in my practice and have tested a few dozen people so far. I haven’t found that Vitamin C deficiency shows up very frequently–does not seem to be a problem for my patients so far. I agree that the Immunidex is of limited utility, but I find that true of most index type scores on different nutritional tests I’ve tried. The exception is that I think the Carbohydrate Metabolism index on Spectracell is excellent. I and my patients have have found the test to be enormously helpful. I had chronic Lyme symptoms for years with a damaged gut from antibiotics. The test identified numerous deficiencies I had despite a good diet and supplementing has helped me feel hugely better. Just to give a couple examples: I had a menopausal patient with daily migraines. She is extremely fit and eats an amazingly good diet. The only deficiency found on Spectracell was inositol. With supplementation she has not had a migraine in over 2 months. This is not something we could have easily guessed at. I have had several patients who have dealt with infertility for years and got pregnant within weeks of the appropriate supplementation program. I have also found that it is a great coaching tool in that people are more willing to make dietary changes when they see how poor their nutritional profile is. Just my two cents.
Cyrus, Spectracell tests intracellular levels of nutrients, rather than serum levels. I have had several patients now, for example, who’s serum levels of Vitamin D were deficient, yet their Spectracell test results were high. My understanding is that this may reflect a chronic infection. I have also had many patients whose serum levels of B12 and minerals were normal yet they were deficient in intracellular testing. You can read more about it here: http://www.spectracell.com/clinicians/clinical-education-center/online-library-mnt-serum-vs-intracellular-deficiency-abstracts/
Thanks, Kelly. I found this: Since lymphocytes are produced in the bone marrow and stored in the peripheral locations for long periods of time (the average life span of a lymphocyte is approximately four to six months), SpectraCell’s measurements provide a powerful portrait of each patients’ long-term nutrient status.
So I guess we’ll have to assume that the intracellular content of lymphocytes represent that of the average cell? Cyrus
I would actually like to disagree with Andrew and Laura from France, respectfully! I’m not sure where Andrew is located, but in the United States, it’s refreshing to have someone with health information who is not pushing a product besides their book. Seeing someone who, in their answers, continually refers newcomers to supplements is very off-putting. So many doctors and nutritionists, or health advisors and specialists, are pushing their own formulations on their sites that it is hard to know who to trust. I know it’s difficult for you guys who are abroad, but I think it would decrease the trustworthiness of their message…
Some food for thought I suppose. and obviously I support as many people getting help as people. But please also consider what this does to your credibility with doctors.
May I recommend Pure Encapsulations with Vitamin K for those looking for good vitamins? (I don’t work for them, have just noticed that Chris Kresser recommends them as a prenatal).
I think it has the B-vitamins in the right forms (for example, B12 in methylcyanocobalamin, the more useable form; folate NOT folic acid) – the only problem of course is not getting an excess of certain vitamins and minerals when taking it every day….
Good luck considering this question.
Hi LJ, Just like to clarify the vitB12. As have just started taking myself and so researched. Think you mean the Methylcobalamin is the best and absorbable form.
The cyanocobalamin contains as it’s name indicates cyanide. Not recommended (can’t understand why it is the form in Dr Mercola’s VitB12 spray)However. I use the oral spray type, absorbed in the mouth by Better You product name Boost. Before using I had vitB12 blood test: on lowish side of normal. To quote Dr Amen ‘this is one vitamin in which you need to be top of the class/top of the range.’ Remember too that if you are high in folate then B12 could be drawn from cells to balance in blood so a good level is not necessarily a true picture
Thanks Lynne! I did mean that methylcobalamin is the better form, and more absorbable form than cyanocobalamin. Thank you for catching my mistake.
FYI, Mercola has changed his B12 sublingual spray to Methylcobalamin (early this year).
Hi,
I just bought your book and am looking forward to reading it.
You list Lithium as a recommended supplement, which I wonder if it’s the same Lithium that is given to people who are bi-polar? I used to work in a medical lab, where people on Lithium came regularly to get their blood taken for monitoring purposes. I could spot them a mile away, and knew they had come for their Lithium blood tests because they were in a zombie state. I always thought Lithium was a terrible drug, so I’m curious to know if there’s any relationship between that Lithium and the one you recommend.
Thanks!
p. 330:
“It looks as though low doses of lithium – around 3 milligrams per day – are highly beneficial. Note that these doses are far lower than the therapeutic doses given in bipolar disorder, which can range from 100 to several thousand milligrams per day; these doses distort immune function and damage thyroid function.”
So yes, same stuff, different doses.
the reference in the book to the lithium dosing for ‘bipolars’ is slightly misleading (in my opinion)…
as the numbers refer to Lithium Carbonate, not elemental lithium.
for example,
250mg lithium carbonate is ~47.5mg lithium, &
2000mg lithium carbonate is ~380mg lithium.
Still a lot higher than Paul’s optional (experimental) recommendation of 2.5mg lithium (elemental) per day, but worth clarifying all the same.
The 5mg Lithium supp Paul lists above, is from 125mg Lithium Orotate (half tablet 2.5mg lithium from 62.5mg lithium orotate).
The lithium used medically is carbonate which is inorganic and poorly absorbed, hence the need for high doses. Dietary supplements are lithium chelated to orotates or aspartates which have improved bioavailabity, hence the need for low doses.
Hi Paul,
I have noticed that FCLO is a bit of a concern for you due to the possible oxidation from long term storage.
I have a related question with fish sauce and histamine. I believe I have a histamine intolerance. Since fish sauce is fermented , could the bacteria produce a high level of histamine after long term storage?
Erich
Yes, if you are histamine sensitive you may react to fermented fish sauce. If it’s just anchovy extract, maybe not.
Hi Paul,
I keep hearing about the anti-aging effects of carnosine when taken orally at the does of 1 gram a day. What is your take on this? Should we be supplementing with extra carnosine, or are we getting enough by eating grass-fed beef several times a week.
Thanks,
Corte
Hi Paul,
Do you have any thoughts on creatine, beta-alanine, and possibly other supplements with regards to exercise as well as overall health?
I currently only take 15 grams of BCAA in a 4:1:1 ratio favoring leucine, and I am wondering if I can optimize more here.
Thanks,
Erich
Where can one get the mineral testing that
the acupunturist is talking about in the previous
entry? I live in the San Fernando Valley area
of Southern Calufornia.
You can check the Spectracell website for a list of providers, or call them. Or you can ask your current healthcare provider if she will order the test for you. If it’s a new provider tell them to make a (free) appt with the Spectracell clinical director so they are giving you the best interpretation possible of the results.
Paul:
I wrote earlier about an elevated serum
ferritin test- 400.
I was asking your thoughts about possible
reasons and what to do about it.
I never saw my question come through so
I’m asking again.
Thanks, Paul.
Linda
Donate blood.
LisaMarie;
Thank you. I have heard about donating
blood. Hemachromatosis has to be ruled out
first.
Linda
Hi Paul,
I am taking most of the above supplements and eating a fair bit of celtic salt with my meals but most nights/mornings I am still getting cramps in my calves. (I work out quite reguarly)
Any suggestions ?
Hi Zaum, are you eating enough carbs? Try adding starch if you are low-carb. Also, be sure to get plenty of potassium-rich vegetables, eg tomatoes.
Paul, I’m eating low carb and am trying to stay in ketosis.
I’ll try adding tomatoes.
I do eat sweet potatoes if I have a big workout planned.
Thanks.
Paul:
Any thoughts on how to reduce serum ferritin levels??
Will your diet recommendations be helpful with that goal???
Would so appreciate your thoughts.
Linda
I believe he talks about this in his book, but donating blood is the best way.
For those that can’t or won’t donate blood, IP6 will chelate iron out. IP6 is — ironically – phytic acid. But it must be taken on an empty stomach and away from food and other ingredients to be effective as any interactions will easily deactivate it. No idea how much it reduces ferritin compared to a donation (50 ng/ml).
Hi Paul,
Please forgive me if this has been mentioned, but I was looking for a non-GMO vitamin K2 (MK7) since it is a soybean and I got an eyeful on the internet! Plus, it seems that all of the Vitamin C’s out there are GMO’s made from corn or sugar beets. The stuff we are trying to avoid. What are your thoughts on these as I don’t feel comfortable taking them now. I feel like Monsanto and the likes are harming our health while we are trying to do the opposite! Frustrating!!
Thank you,
Janis
Hi Janis:
Here’s your answer:
Vit C: Solgar http://www.amazon.com/Vitamin-C-1000mg-100-VegCap/dp/B00020IBF4/ref=sr_1_6?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1378497079&sr=1-6&keywords=vitamin+c+solgar
Vit K2MK7: Jarrows, Doctors Best or Mercola
Hi Eddie,
Thank you for your response. Since I didn’t get an answer right away, I contacted Jarrow and they stated that their Vit K2 MK7 is non-GMO and that their new label will reflect that. I checked out the Solgar, but didn’t see any documentation that it is non-GMO. Im wondering what information you had? I emailed them and am awaiting their response. I also emailed The NON-GMO Project, so hopefully I can get some answers. I haven’t seen any companies through my searches, that offer a non-GMO Vit. C, but we’ll see. I’m looking forward to hearing from you! Thank you!
Janis
Hi Janis,
I take raw organic Camu Camu berry powder for vitC. It is supposed to contain one of the highest content 20% of vitc. A 5 gram level teaspoon will therefore give you 1 gram of vitc. Mix powder in water to drink, can’t get better than natural food source of vitamins as will also contain other stuff all working synergistically. Camu Camu berry origin South American tree.
Hi Lynne,
Thank you so much for the information. I recently read something about Camu Camu. I will look into this further and hopefully this will end my dilemma with the Vit C and GMO issue. Makes sense to take something more natural. I appreciate your comment!
Janis
Paul:
What connection do you see between high levels of serum ferritin and high levels of cholesterol: total and LDL???
Do they affect one another???
Linda
Hi Linda,
I don’t see them as directly affecting one another. High ferritin is part of the immune response to infection, iron is sequestered in ferritin to keep it away from microbes. High LDL is typically due to endotoxemia from gut infections / bad gut flora / leaky gut. So you can have a common cause for both high LDL and high ferritin.
Is there a reason that Paul doesn’t seem to be
answering questions recently???
Did I miss something???
Linda
Hi Linda,
I’m trying … just busy with other obligations. It’s the same reason there have been fewer blog posts recently.
Paul:
I’m so glad to hear that you are just very busy, and that’s the
reason you aren’t as present on the blog…
Good news to my ears…Busy is good…
Best,
Linda
I read your book, and follow the recommendations for the most part. Any specific things to focus on if I am waking up too early. I don’t have trouble falling asleep.
Hi YE,
Circadian rhythm tactics: cycle light (bright blue in day, dim red at night), ambient temperature (warm in day, cool at night), feeding times (eat only during daylight hours), activity (get 20-30 minutes vigorous exercise each day, again in daylight hours), social interactions (interact / view faces / hear voices in the day).
Also eat extra carbs, protein, and vegetables in the last meal.
Paul:
Thanks so much for this information.
That helps me understand what’s going on…
It makes perfect sense…
And it is relieving…
I shall follow-up with my MD…
Linda
Paul (or anyone else):
What are the possible reasons for reacting very poorly to even 150mcg of iodine?
My metabolic rate drops for about 12 hours (low body temp, less saliva, less appetite, headaches, feel generally bad, etc). Yet I immediately can sweat much more easily during the day, have a little more mental energy, and once the 12 hours are up: my temps are soaring high.
My best guesses are: A – It’s a detox reaction from being on a low-iodine diet for so long, or B -It’s exacerbating a possible selenium deficiency.
Any other ideas? Thanks.
I’d say you are iodine deficient and get an immediate reactive hypothyroidism when you take it followed by hyperthyroidism. I would try cutting the dose in half to 75 mcg and take it daily; when you no longer react, try 150 mcg.
Hi Paul,
I’m looking into ways to improve circadian rhythms, and I’m interested in using light therapy. However, research indicating that blue light causes retinal damage has me concerned. I was wondering what your view is on light therapy. Do you use it yourself? Do you think it’s safe?
I had problems with too early menstruation, and I was suggested to take primrose oil and it helped me a lot! Evening primrose that is. Also my skin got much better when I take it! + feel lees tired
Thanks for your brilliant information and contributions. Watched the Mercola interview today and found it very interesting. Thanks
What was the topic of the Mercola interview you are referring to?
Hi Paul,
Since Vitamin D synthesis from sunlight degrades cholesterol in the body for its formation. Should we supplement D only as a last resort due to increase in cholesterol and LDL from bypassing the degradation pathway natural to UV induced D formation. And aim for 48-80 ng/dl blood levels soley from sun or UVB lamp as shown in humans with daily full body exposure. 40ng/dl seems low unless you have to rely only on supplementing in which case may be safer due to possible direct relation to LDL vs indirect relation when relying on sunlight.
In Belgium getting it from sun exposure is pretty much impossible.
We have supplemented it and I dont have an increase in cholesterol.
Hi Paul,
Because Vitamin D synthesis from sunlight degrades cholesterol in the body for its formation. Should we supplement D only as a last resort due to increase in cholesterol and LDL from bypassing the degradation pathway natural to UV induced D formation. And aim for 48-80 ng/dl blood levels soley from sun or UVB lamp as shown in humans with daily full body exposure. 40ng/dl seems low unless you have to rely only on supplementing in which case may be safer due to possible direct relation to LDL vs indirect relation when relying on sunlight.
Hi paul,
Wondering what your thought are about dr. David permutter ‘s new book, Grain Brain? He is advocating a low carb diet to prevent alzheimer and parkinsons diseases. (60 gms/day). The book is not released yet, (this week) but there has been lots of media and it is selling like hotcakes on amazon. He is citing lots of research in the book.
Thanks,
Ann
Hi Ann,
I think 60 g/day is too low, I don’t believe there is additional benefit for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s once you get below 150 g/day and I think going lower increases risk of some other diseases such as ALS.
Thats a real warning, i think thats not mentioned in your book.
It is mentioned in the discussion of dangers of fasting / calorie restriction.
Do you have the link to this discussion? I can’t find it
Thanks, i knew you were goingto say that! I worry about all these people going too low carb!
How far away from the body should one place the UVB bulbs you recommend for someone with pale skin? The instructions for the stronger bulb indicate that it is effective up to 50 cm, but that is for a reptile. Roughly how long should these bulbs be used daily?
Hi Euthyphro,
I don’t think distance matters except for dose, the farther away it is the less radiation you get for good or ill. As far as eye health goes, I would place it behind you in your normal working position, so that it hits your skin but rarely your eyes. And don’t look at it. If you were short pants and point it at your legs with an opaque lampshade blocking the path to your eyes, you should be all set.
The brightness is low compared to the sun so I would think there would be no problem using it throughout daytime hours.
Also, to what extent do I need to protect my eyes from the bulb? Should I use sunglasses?
go to Mercola.com and read his newletter today “Common Myths About Sunglasses That Can Hurt You”; as well as do a search on his site on sun exposure. Lots of info there. He is an advocate of safe sun exposure for the skin and eyes.
I’m with you on that, but my question is not about exposure to the sun. Rather, I would appreciate more specific and detailed advice about the use of these UVB reptile bulbs for humans. Just as one shouldn’t look directly into the sun at noon, I doubt one should look directly into a UVB reptile bulb, and the strength of these bulbs may change dramatically depending on their distance from the body. I just want to know how to use them both safely and effectively.
Mercola (who sells a tanning bed) provides sun goggles with it. He recommends NEVER exposing the eyes to a tanning light.
Right, this is why I’m curious about the proper use of the pet store bulbs that Paul recommends on the Supplements page. I’m not a lizard, so I just want to get the rundown on the use of a lizard bulb for a human being.
These are some quotes from the Exo Terra Repti-glo site.
“The distance from the bulb to the animal is equally important. The further the animal is away from the bulb the lower the UVB radiation, the closer the animals are to the bulb the higher the levels of UVB.”
“Effective up to 30 cm (12”)”
“10-12 hours daily has proven to be a satisfactory exposure level for most species.”
“200 mW/cm2” – “400 mW/cm2” of “UVB”
How does any of this translate to a human who wants to maintain vitamin D status during the winter?
Euthyphro,
Check out Sperti vit D lamp for humans. Only one shown to raise serum levels in clinical trials. 15 cm away working up to 5 min per body area per day. Study shows 10 ng/ml increase 5 min 3 times a week after 8 weeks. I am alternating multiple body areas with daily use. Have not rechecked personal labs yet, and will take some time to find what works for good levels. But I know it is working because of hypercalcemia symptoms hit hard, so I added back K2 and magnesium supplements and immediately felt better.
Fascinating, and it’s interesting that it is intended to be used within 15 cm. Thank you for the information.
Sorry that was supposed to be 15 inches at least to prevent burn.
Hi Paul,
I was taking a 12.5 mg Optimox iodoral daily for about a year to help clear up some bromide toxicity. Several months ago I lowered my dose to a half iodoral and didn’t notice any change.
At this point I’m wondering if it’s safe to jump down to 1 mg or 225 mcg, or do I have to titrate down further?
Hi Andrew,
I would go down further. I think you can drop the dose at once, I don’t think you need to be too concerned when decreasing dose.
Paul:
What is your latest recommendation regarding Iodine supplementation?
In the past you’ve recommended 225mcg per day. But your recent
comments about Iodine lead to my question. Do you have a new
recommendation that is lower than 225mcg per day???
Please advise.
Thanks much,
Linda
Hi Paul,
I am a very active guy i train 6 days a week. One of my coaches has suggested i take Choline, Inositol, Lecithin and B-complex one hour after each meal.
Do you see any downside to taking this type of dosage?
I try to follow the PHD as best i can.
Thanks
Daniel
This is at higher dose (500 μg twice a day) than Paul recommends(200 μg 1 to 3 times a week), but thought it was worth sharing.
Chromium supplementation in non-obese non-diabetic subjects is associated with a decline in insulin sensitivity.
http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6823/12/31
Do note that study used chromium picolinate which is toxic vs chromium polynicotinate: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12324196