Supplements

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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
  • Seek total dose from sun, food, and supplements of 4,000 IU/day
  • Adjust to 25OHD level of 40 ng/ml (whites/Asians), 30 ng/ml (blacks)
Vitamin K2
  • Recommended dose: 100 mcg MK-7
  • Pharmacological, possibly therapeutic doses: 1000 mcg to 5 mg MK-4
Magnesium
  • Use chelate (e.g. glycinate) or citrate
  • Daily dose 200 mg
Iodine
  • Recommended dose 225 mcg/day (one tablet)
  • Nori sheets have about 50 mcg each; 2-4 per day replaces supplements
  • Supplementation is to prevent lengthy iodine droughts
Vitamin C
  • Low dose: 500 mg – 1 g per day
  • Under stress or viral infections, more may be needed
  • Powder is least expensive way to get large doses
Vitamin B-5 (pantothenic acid or pantethine)
  • 500 mg per day; we suggest daily due to its extreme safety
  • Acne/skin blemishes or low energy/endurance are symptoms of deficiency

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)
  • 50-100 mg weekly
B2 (riboflavin)
  • 100 mg per week
B6
  • For those who don’t take a B-50 complex
  • We recommend 50 mg to 100 mg per week
Biotin
  • We recommend 5 mg once per week
B12
  • We recommend 500 mcg to 1 mg once per week
  • Sublingual methylcobalamin is preferred
Zinc
  • We recommend about 50 mg per week
  • Be sure to follow our copper recommendations as copper-zinc balance is crucial
Boron
  • The 3 mg dose can be taken one to three times per week

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
  • Not necessary if you eat enough egg yolks and liver
  • But extremely important during pregnancy, and safe
Inositol plus Choline
  • Not necessary if you eat enough egg yolks and liver
  • If supplementing choline, good to mix in some inositol
Iron (optional)
  • About 30% of pregnant women develop iron deficiency anemia
  • Don’t guess, test; blood tests will indicate if you need iron supplements

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
  • Bifidobacterium spp can help with leanness and weight loss.
  • Lactobacillus spp can help with acid reflux, bloating, SIBO, prediabetes, high triglycerides
More Probiotics
  • Bifidobacterium spp can help with leanness and weight loss.
  • Lactobacillus spp can help with small intestinal issues
More Probiotics
  • VSL#3 is a good mix for inflammatory bowel diseases.
  • Prescript Assist includes soil-based organisms that are a little riskier and should be taken only occasionally, not continuously, for therapeutic reasons.
Chromium
  • If you don’t cook in stainless steel, we recommend 200 mcg chromium one to three times per week
  • Stainless steel pots may release 88 mcg chromium per day of use
  • Optional: vanadium 25 mcg one to two times per week
Lithium
  • Best is to take 1 mg per day; 5 mg once or twice per week is next best
  • Caution: too much lithium can exacerbate hypothyroidism and increase potassium excretion
Silicon
  • Up to 25 mg per day
  • Most people would benefit from more silicon
  • Seaweed is a good food source
Copper (Only If Liver Is Not Eaten)
  • Target of 2-3 mg/day can be met by eating 1/4 lb beef or lamb liver per week
  • Do not supplement copper if you eat liver
Vitamin A (Only If Liver Is Not Eaten)
  • Target of 50,000 IU/week with remaining A needs met from carotenoids (green leafy vegetables and orange plants like carrots)
  • Do not supplement vitamin A if you eat liver, unless for therapeutic reasons
Calcium (If No Mineral Water or Bone Stock)
  • PHD foods may fall short of calcium target by up to 400 mg/day
  • Standard PHD prescription is to make up the difference with bone stock and/or mineral water
  • These supplements also replace magnesium supplement; aim for 300-500 mg calcium and 150-250 mg magnesium per day
B-50 complex
  • An alternative to the other B vitamins for those who prefer to take fewer pills
  • Not recommended more than once per week due to folic acid and niacin content
Molybdenum
  • We recommend 150 mcg to 1 mg per week
Taurine
  • We recommend 500 to 1000 mg weekly for healthy persons
  • Supports production of bile salts
Vitamin E
  • Red palm oil is a good food source
  • If supplementing, take mixed tocopherols and tocotrienols

Therapeutic Supplements

These supplements are unnecessary for healthy people but may be helpful in various disease conditions.

N-acetylcysteine
  • Precursor to glutathione
  • Recommended dose is 500 mg
  • Can take more in cases of severe chronic infection
Glycine
  • Supports collagen production, bile conjugation, and glutathione production
  • Desirable if you don’t eat daily extracellular matrix (bones, joints, tendons, skin, hooves)
  • Up to 2 teaspoons (10 g) per day
Creatine
  • Supports muscle growth and preservation; especially valuable for the elderly
  • Up to 1 teaspoon (5 g) per day
Melatonin
  • An important sleep hormone, deficient in many brain diseases, has antimicrobial activity
  • Take 1 mg sublingually just before bedtime
  • For larger doses, combine 5 mg time-release with 1 mg sublingual
Detoxification Aids
  • These can help bind toxins and excrete them in feces, preventing them from being re-absorbed in the colon
  • Likely to be helpful for most people suffering from chronic infection or environmental mold.

Miscellaneous


These items may be helpful in implementing Perfect Health Diet and Lifestyle advice.

Pill boxes
  • Set out pills once per week, aids remembering to take them
Pill cutter
  • For cutting tablets to reduce the dose

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4,438 Comments.

  1. Spor October 6, 2015 at 1:17 am

    Hi Paul, Do you recommend Tryptophan for sleep?

    Reply
    • Paul Jaminet October 6, 2015 at 8:04 am

      Not generally, but it can be a useful diagnostic tool (tryptophan in morning, melatonin before bed) to diagnose a low-melatonin state.

      Reply
      • Donna October 6, 2015 at 10:40 am

        You mean if you take Tryptophan in the am and melatonin hs and your sleep improves, then you have a melatonin deficiency? What does the am Tryptophan do?

        Reply
        • Paul Jaminet October 6, 2015 at 2:19 pm

          tryptophan is a precursor to serotonin and melatonin. In brain infections, the immune response sequesters tryptophan so serotonin and melatonin are reduced. if you supplement tryptophan you defeat that process. It’s good to get the diagnosis but not necessarily good to take the tryptophan.

          Reply
          • Erik November 4, 2015 at 6:07 pm

            Hi Paul,
            Your comment about using tryptophan/melatonin to diagnose a low melatonin state is very interesting. I’ve had insomnia my whole life, and I’m quite sure that it’s caused by a low-melatonin state, since taking melatonin helps a lot. Unfortunately I’ve had to stop taking melatonin since it started causing very strange symptoms (waking up with a startle as soon as I fall asleep, twitching, breathing problems, anxiety/panic). Do you have any idea of what this could mean?

  2. Eric October 6, 2015 at 3:44 pm

    Hi Paul,

    Are probiotics recommended only for those who do not regularly eat fermented foods with live cultures (e.g. homemade kimchi)? Or do you think they would still have additional benefit on top of fermented foods?

    Possibly relevant: I continue to experience acid reflux symptoms most days, which you mention may be helped by probiotics. However, the symptoms have recently improved quite dramatically (from a dozen or more times every day down to once or twice most days) — after simultaneously replacing beef liver with chicken liver, replacing cashews with lower-copper tree nuts, decreasing chocolate consumption, and increasing zinc supplements from 7 mg per day to 22 mg per day.

    Thanks!
    -Eric

    Reply
  3. Steven H. October 8, 2015 at 3:49 pm

    Dear Paul,
    I recently ran a test for heavy metals at the local hospital and blood levels for cadmium and lead were above the high range while urine concentration was low (suggesting kidney dysfunction). I have no idea how I got so toxic – I don’t even smoke.
    What should one do to detox from cadmium and lead?
    Thank you.

    Reply
  4. Disa October 9, 2015 at 7:36 am

    Hi! In your book you recommend vitamin B5 to be taken once a week but on this website you recommend it to be taken daily. Can you plz tell me which advice is correct?

    Thank you! 🙂

    Reply
    • Carol October 27, 2015 at 5:17 pm

      Hi Disa, I’m going to answer this in case you’re still in the dark because I’ve seen Paul’s answer elsewhere. He upped the B5 to daily after the book came out because it’s exceedingly safe.

      Reply
  5. Eric October 10, 2015 at 6:35 pm

    Hi Paul,

    You mention seaweed as a good source of silicon… do you know how much seaweed would replace supplements? (I’ve searched online and cannot find anything.)

    Thanks!
    -Eric

    Reply
  7. Donna October 19, 2015 at 11:16 am

    Hi Paul, What form of selenium do you recommend as a supplement? I don’t see it in your list of supplements at all. Thanks, Donna

    Reply
  8. Randy Siler October 19, 2015 at 2:13 pm

    Donna,
    From the book, p 285:
    Selenocysteine is probably the safest form; this is the form found in animal foods (especially rich sources: kidney and shellfish).

    Selenomethionine is probably less safe; this form found in plants.

    Inorganic forms (sodium selenite or selenate) are probably the most dangerous.

    Paul summarizes:
    “We favor obtaining selenium mainly from animal sources, secondarily from plant sources, and not at all from inorganic supplements.”

    Reply
  9. Donna October 19, 2015 at 8:34 pm

    Interesting. Thanks!

    Reply
  10. Tom October 25, 2015 at 3:55 am

    Hi Paul, are there any supplements (if it’s possible at all) to reduce the number of moles on the body and/or make glasses unnecessary? Thank you 🙂

    Reply
  11. Rob October 26, 2015 at 6:21 am

    Hi Paul, I see that you are now recommending vitamin a supplements. would something like fermented cod liver oil be better if i do not always eat liver? or is a vitamin a supplement best? thanks.

    Reply
  12. Rick October 26, 2015 at 11:28 pm

    Hi Paul,

    I take a daily multi (Multi-Xtra from Xtendlife and it has 180mcg of K2 M-4. Would you recommend additional supplementation of K2 to this? Thanks

    Reply
  13. kate October 27, 2015 at 11:14 am

    Hello Paul,
    please, I want to take B-vitamin komplex once a week – because I have colitis ulcerosa, celiac, other gut issues/so it is good to take Bvitamins/, histaminintolerance, allergies, ekzemas, osteoporosis /I m 40yo women/, also for energy. But I have very strong allergy to nickel and cobalt and I read, that B12 is …cobalamin =so it contains cobalt – how can I have more Bvitamins from food? And does the B12 in food also have cobalt in it? Thank You for the answer!

    Reply
  14. Sara October 27, 2015 at 2:39 pm

    Hi Paul,
    Is there a way to measure my zinc or other nutrient demands so that I can individualize supplementation? There are many tests out there, but are any of them helpful?
    Thank you!
    Sara

    Reply
  15. Sara October 27, 2015 at 2:44 pm

    Hi Paul,
    Is there a way to measure nutrient demands so that I can individualize supplementation? There are many tests out there, but are any of them helpful?
    Thank you!
    Sara

    Reply
  16. Anon October 30, 2015 at 3:42 pm

    Hello,

    I have a question about Lithium.

    Under “Optional Supplements” it says: “Lithium 2.5 mg – A 5 mg tablet cut into halves.”

    On the same page it says “5 mg per week.”

    So which is it? I have 5 mg capsules so I can’t split them in half. Would I be ok to take the full 5 mg capsules once per week?

    Thanks in advance.

    Reply
  17. Stacy November 2, 2015 at 12:55 pm

    I currently take a multi Vitamin for 50 plus women, From Puritans Pride, As well as some other key supplements (D3,C,CoQ10,E,Iodine(drops)Curcumin) I see you recommend individual supplements? Why not a multi-vit?

    Reply
    • Anon November 2, 2015 at 2:29 pm

      From past reading of the supplements section it’s been my understanding that most multivitamins aren’t PHD dosage correct; you either get too much or too little. Likewise, the same reason individual B vitamin supplementation is encouraged. (More accurate and controlled.)

      Reply
  18. Anon November 4, 2015 at 4:15 am

    Currently I’m taking 21 supplements.

    Is there specific timing beyond daily/weekly?

    Specific supplements that I should not take together?

    I’m curious, because it would seem that taking 21 supplements at the same time after the first meal of the day may not be the best idea?

    Reply
  19. Andrew November 5, 2015 at 6:03 pm

    Hi Paul,

    I’m curious if there are any supplements you would add or remove from the regimen for those of us with Dupuytren’s contracture.

    It seems like supplemental collagen would be a bad idea. Would silicon be helpful or problematic? I’ve also heard NAC could be helpful.

    Also, any other general guidelines you might have for DC would be helpful.

    Reply
  20. Ginger November 5, 2015 at 9:47 pm

    Paul,

    Can you speak to why you mention that soil based probiotics like Prescription Assist can be risky?

    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Paul Jaminet November 6, 2015 at 8:06 am

      They can cause opportunistic infections.

      Reply
      • Webraven November 6, 2015 at 8:40 am

        Paul,
        for those of us who can’t use fermented foods due to (the aggravation it causes of) recalcitrant SIBO, do you only advise against SBOs or also individual bacterial or fungal strains such as L. Planetarum, S. Boulardii, etc that anecdotally are tolerated by SIBO patients?
        Thanks!

        Reply
        • Paul Jaminet November 6, 2015 at 8:59 am

          SBOs can be useful therapeutically for various gut infections, possibly including SIBO. I would put the fungal probiotics like S boulardii in the same group, they can also cause opportunistic infections. I wouldn’t recommend these for routine use but they have their place.

          Reply
      • Ginger November 6, 2015 at 9:35 am

        Thanks for the quick reply! I’d developed tinnitus, swollen eyelids, and neuropathy a couple of years ago while overseas, and after extensive gut testing the only thing that popped up was enterobacter, and then a positive test on several IGG/IGM bands of Lyme. So far Prescript Assist is the only probiotic that has moved me in a positive direction. I’m also taking high bifido count probiotics and fiber in hopes that this will provide some “insurance” against the SBO’s becoming pathogenic. I’ll try them for the short term and see if the boost continues.

        Reply
      • Ginger November 18, 2015 at 8:57 pm

        Paul,

        Sorry to bother again, but I was wondering your thoughts on other spore forming probiotics such as Megasporebiotic and AOR3? I wasn’t sure if these were soil based or not, but they tend to be highly recommended in tough cases of dysbiosis and SIBO.

        Thanks again,

        Ginger

        Reply
  21. Sara November 7, 2015 at 2:10 pm

    Hi Paul,
    What do you recommend for very low dhea levels? Cortisol was okay. I am in my 11th month of postpartum thyroid dysfunction. I was hyper thyroid. That normalized. But now I am heading toward hypo.
    Thanks for your help!
    Sara

    Reply
  22. Tom November 20, 2015 at 11:50 am

    Paul and Shou-Ching. Firstly thanks for what is a wonderfully informative and comprehensive website which has helped me enormously. Regarding your recommended vitamin k-2 supplements. I’m having difficulty reconciling the fact that in your description of the diet you say that soy should be absolutely excluded and in another comment you also mention that, even the fermented form of soy – natto, is fairly toxin rich. However the k-2 supplements you recommend all seem to be derived from soy beans. Could you clarify this? My instinct is to avoid supplementation and try and reach your 100mcg recommendation eating, aged cheddar, chicken liver, butter…etc What do you think?
    Tom

    Reply
    • Paul Jaminet November 20, 2015 at 8:23 pm

      we’re concerned about soy protein and omega-6 fats, not the fat soluble vitamins extracted from natto. I think you can get adequate vitamin k from diet if you try, so your instinct is not wrong.

      Reply
  23. Tom November 21, 2015 at 12:46 pm

    Thanks very much for your prompt reply.

    Reply
  24. Lorenzo November 23, 2015 at 4:57 am

    Morning all…
    I am trying to get my B vitamins in order and note that Paul says not to use B Complex more than once a week due to Niacin and Folic acid. I have a B-complex from Thorne which looks good and it has Folate in and not Folic Acid.

    My question is:
    Is Folate as part of a B-Complex OK? Also,
    The Niacin content of this supplement is 80mg. Would this be acceptable?
    I’d prefer one tablet a number of times a week as opposed to all separate B vits… Any thoughts?

    Reply
  25. Bruce November 23, 2015 at 7:30 pm

    Paul,

    Is taking 90mcg of K2-MK7 every other day any better or different than taking 45mcg daily?

    Bruce

    Reply
  26. Tom December 4, 2015 at 5:35 am

    Paul,

    I have been consuming large amounts of dairy (150g full fat yogurt and approx. 70g aged hard cheese daily) for the last few months as well as about 600ml of bone broth daily.
    After having read some of your comments about limiting bone broth consumption because of potential for excess calcium and phosphorus and reading elsewhere about the connection between excess calcium and weak bones/heart disease, I am slightly concerned.
    Do you think I should limit my consumption of any of these things? or could i mitigate any potential negatives with higher intakes of magnesium and vitamin K2? ( I currently supplement with 400mg transdermal magnesium chloride but not K2.)

    I would really appreciate your advice.

    Tom

    Reply
  27. Elsie December 4, 2015 at 6:32 am

    Paul,

    On a related topic to Paul’s, I have been consuming 1 bowl full of veg soup, most days, for over 2 years, made with well made bone stock from varied bones – chicken carcasses, beef marrow and joint. What is interesting is that both my husband and I both show lowish calcium scores ( other scores are good). I am 65 and my husband 77. Both of us take daily exercise – walking or cycling and although I have MS and my husband has had his thyroid removed we are in good general health and follow your diet and supplements. Is it possible that it is the scoring range is unrealistic? Thank you for your thoughts on this.

    Reply
    • testtest December 13, 2015 at 12:49 pm

      There actually isn’t a lot of calcium in bone broth. A bunch of articles in 2014-2015 looked into it and it’s low. Bone broth is mostly for collagen and gelatin amino acids and related compounds, but doesn’t provide a lot in way of minerals.

      So you may need a better source of calcium.

      Reply
      • Elsie December 14, 2015 at 2:08 am

        Thank you for this information – I believe a lot of people use bone broth for this very reason. Perhaps milk kefir would be a good source?

        Reply
  28. Melissa braswell December 6, 2015 at 12:13 pm

    What supplements do you recommend for children? I have a 9 & 6 year old. Also, confused on the amount of zinc to take for constipation. I ordered zinc, copper, vitamin c, and NAC. What do you recommend for my chronic constipation? Thank you for your time and consideration.

    Reply
  29. Lorenzo December 12, 2015 at 3:34 am

    Hi Paul/all

    I have been pondering the PHD recommendations for vitamins since I read the book well over a year ago. Since then I have been juggling and modifying with various combos. But, I have found what appears to be a very compliant multi. Not 100% exact and some additions needed but pretty close. I am using 3 per day instead of the 8. Anyway I wanted to throw this idea out there in case it might help folks or if anyone wanted to comment or critique.. The product is by Thorne and is Al’s Formula. I have no affiliation to this product but it seems very decent.

    Reply
    • Andrew December 13, 2015 at 7:33 pm

      Thorne make great products. It has a lot of folate in it though. Paul thinks it is better to get your folate from green leafy vegetables and not to be getting constant amounts from supplements. There is a more detailed explanation in the book.

      Reply
  30. lana December 18, 2015 at 11:49 pm

    When I first encountered Perfect Health Diet, I found that most of my diet was consistent with it; however supplement recommendations were very different. One big difference was that I took TwinLab Stress B Complex twice a day. Now, I take “B Minus” twice a week, along with pantothenic acid and a couple different choline supps, as well as plenty of eggs and a qtr pound of liver each week. in the past year or more I have noticed my hair is thinning, especially in front. I’m hoping to work for as long as a can, but this thinning hair is aging me. I’m wondering if it is the reduction in B vitamins. Anyone have any thoughts about this?

    Reply
    • Darrin December 19, 2015 at 12:33 am

      i don’t know the answer lana, sorry.

      but i personally take B vits more often than Paul suggests…& i ‘think’ i am better for it, but who knows.
      anyway…i use the Thorne Stress-B Complex & take one (1) capsule every other day. It contains only the good/active form of Folate (methylfolate).

      So perhaps you can try a similar strategy…ie. increase you B vits supp intake again. & see how you go/feel.

      I would avoid the TwinLab Stress B-Complex tho, it contains the ‘bad’ form of folate, Folic Acid, which Paul recommends avoiding in supps.

      Reply
      • Darrin December 19, 2015 at 12:40 am

        oh…
        & the niacin amount (another concern of Paul’s) in the Thorne Stress-B Complex is only 80 mg per cap. And it is in the form of Niacinamide (not actual Niacin) which i think is pretty safe(imo), esp at only 80 mg every other day.

        Reply
  31. Jo December 20, 2015 at 10:27 pm

    Would it be ok to add methyl folate to the vitamin regime that you have suggested?

    Reply
    • Paul Jaminet December 21, 2015 at 8:10 am

      We don’t recommend it, as you should eat folate-rich foods like egg yolks, liver, and green leafy vegetables, and food should be sufficient. If you do, keep it to 400 mcg/day or less (eg 1000 mcg 1x or 2x per week).

      Reply
      • Claire December 21, 2015 at 11:02 am

        What about supplementing folate during pregnancy or if someone has MTHFR defect (as they don’t absorb much folate).

        Reply
        • Paul Jaminet December 21, 2015 at 2:13 pm

          Choline is the more important nutrient, and getting adequate choline assures that normal food amounts of folate are enough, whatever your MTHFR alleles.

          Reply
          • Claire December 21, 2015 at 6:16 pm

            Yes, I remember your point about choline from the book. This perplexed me as I had previously read from Fr Lynch’s blog all about MTHFR and folate etc… and his focus is just on the folate issue. I haven’t read any mention of choline (unless I missed it) but I know he does include choline in his multivitamin formula but his main focus is on the natural forms of folate (methyl folate and folinic acid I think).
            Dr Amy Myers from what I’ve read on her blog also recommends folate supplements for people with MTHFR defects.
            I wonder whcy they don’t focus on the choline aspect…

  32. Eric December 21, 2015 at 5:27 pm

    Hi Paul,

    I have some questions about molybdenum supplements…

    The molybdenum supplements you link to say the molybdenum is provided as “molybdenum glycinate chelate”. Glycinate means the negative ion of glycine, so this means it’s some positive ion of molybdenum chelated to glycine. For the first two products you list, they say glycine:Mo ratio is 2:1; so that would mean the molybdenum is in a 2+ oxidation state.

    But I don’t think this is what we want; from wikipedia:

    “Though molybdenum forms compounds with various organic molecules… it is transported throughout the human body as MoO_4^{2−} [molybdate]… In animals and plants a tricyclic compound called molybdopterin… is reacted with molybdate to form a complete molybdenum-containing cofactor… Save for… some bacteria… all molybdenum-using enzymes so far identified in nature use the molybdenum cofactor, where molybdenum is in the oxidation state of VI, similar to molybdate.”

    So: Is Mo(II) glycinate chelate really superior to an inorganic molybdate salt (which provides the correct oxidation state)? [For example, this product: http://www.amazon.com/Allergy-Research-Group-Molybdenum-Liquid/dp/B000M8SM3M/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1450736761&sr=8-6&keywords=molybdenum%5D

    Best,
    -Eric

    Reply
    • Darrin December 21, 2015 at 7:56 pm

      i would also be interested to known the best type/form of molybdenum (if there is one),

      … or any types/forms that we should avoid…?

      The form in the supp linked by Eric is Ammonium Molybdate.

      Eric, some of those ‘other ingredients’ in the Allergy Research product don’t look to great(?); “…potassium sorbate, benzyl alcohol”.

      Nutricology also have a liquid molyb supp that looks pretty much identical to the Allergy Research one linked, including all the other ingredients.

      Reply
    • Darrin December 21, 2015 at 7:57 pm

      Source Naturals do a sublingual Molybdenum/Glutathione Complex supp called “Chem-Defense”.

      Would sublingual molyb be any better…? Paul?

      The Chem-Defense facts per tab are;
      Riboflavin (as 2.25 mg flavin mononucleotide [Coenzymated]) 1.6 mg.
      Molybdenum (as molybdenum chelate) 120 mcg.
      L-Glutathione (reduced) 50 mg.

      (other ingreds: Sorbitol, mannitol, natural orange flavor, and magnesium stearate)

      Reply
    • Paul Jaminet December 22, 2015 at 10:19 pm

      Hi Eric,

      This is beyond my expertise, but I think to a significant extent these compounds will dissociate in solution and ions will exchange electrons with other ions, so the oxidation state of molybdenum in the glycinate is not going to be fixed.

      I wonder if anyone has tested this. You are a great source of questions!

      Best, Paul

      Reply
      • Eric December 22, 2015 at 11:59 pm

        Hi Paul,

        Thanks for your response!

        Is there any benefit of the glycinate chelate which outweighs the risk associated with the wrong oxidation state?

        Note that inorganic molybdate salts already show around 90% bioavailability (e.g. http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/62/4/790.long), which doesn’t leave much room for improvement.

        Best,
        -Eric

        Reply
        • Paul Jaminet December 23, 2015 at 8:09 am

          Most people are deficient in glycine which is the most abundant amino acid in extracellular matrix.

          Reply
          • Eric December 23, 2015 at 11:23 am

            Hi Paul,

            Supplementing 500 mcg of molybdenum per week as molybdenum glycinate would average out to 0.000112 grams of glycine per day.

            In comparison, supplementing 200 mg of magnesium per day as magnesium glycinate would average out to 1.24 grams of glycine per day.

            …Perhaps I should switch from magnesium citrate to magnesium glycinate…

            Best,
            -Eric

          • lana December 23, 2015 at 11:59 am

            Eric, I was intrigued with the remarks about magnesium threonate, so, obsessed with the hope of maintaining my brain, I have switched to that for my magnesium. Do I notice anything? Could be placebo effect, but I think I do feel more “present.” 🙂 💡 Check out the FB magnesium advocacy group where they discuss the various magnesiums. Glycinate is a very popular one. I don’t ever want to be deficient in glycine because this past summer I had a terrible reaction to benzoic acid in a new deodorant I acquired. This was a second experience in four years, so I did a ton of research and learned that glycine binds with benzoic acid in the liver and, together, they exit the body. For a couple months after stopping the prolonged exposure, I reacted to benzoic acid foods — berries, cinnamon, herbs, yogurt, stone fruits — but, 5 months later, I’m finally able to tolerate these foods. Bone broth is high in glycine, so I try to never skip it.

            I’ve appreciated the discussion of molybdenum because these weekly supps always make me wonder if the substance hangs around for several days or disappears quickly.

  33. Darrin December 24, 2015 at 6:18 pm

    hi Paul, and merry xmas 🙂

    i have a Vitamin A supplementation query…
    i do not eat liver (except for the very occasional duck liver pate),
    I currently supplement with Vit A 20,000 IU per Week (10k twice p/week. Retinol form),

    Do you think that is sufficient…? (see more info below).

    More Info;
    My current D3 supp is between 400IU & 800IU, after stopping for a week.
    I was supping 2000 IU D3 p/day, but a recent blood test came back as 192 nmol/L (77 ng/ml).
    Before the test result came back, i was taking 2,000 IU p/d.
    It is currently summer where I am, so i think i may have been getting more sun than i factored in.

    In the past,
    during the Winter i increase my D3 from 2000 to 4000 IU p/d,
    and increase my Vitamin A from 20,000 IU p/week to 35,000 IU p/week.

    Thanks for your thoughts

    Reply
  34. Cindy December 25, 2015 at 12:04 am

    Hello Paul,

    Im new to this site and have a question. Are there any specific supplements that you recommend for those with a leaky gut and candidasis overgrowth?
    Besides dietary changes and plenty of bone broth and the daily supplements mentioned in this article. I have changed my diet and eat grass feed gelatin but I am still not feeling well. Thank you so much for any help.

    Reply
    • Paul Jaminet December 25, 2015 at 12:06 am

      Hi Cindy,

      Our normal advice is good for leaky gut and candida. Be sure to get vitamin A and vitamin D, vitamin C and iodine and vinegar, and entrain circadian rhythms, among other steps in the book.

      Best, Paul

      Reply
      • Cindy December 25, 2015 at 2:39 am

        Thank you so much Paul. I really appreciate the care you give to your readers. It shows genuine concern. I will look into your recommendations and keep working at it.

        Reply
        • Keven December 27, 2015 at 10:39 am

          Paul,
          Do you have any thoughts on taking aspirin as as a supplement for cancer prevention amoung other reasons? Dr Ray peat seems to believe that aspirin is very good at many things for health, is this a safe view?

          Reply
  35. Choosing Vitamins & Supplements – Advicy - pingback on December 25, 2015 at 6:10 pm
  36. Eric December 26, 2015 at 4:36 pm

    Hi Paul,

    Above you mention 4 sheets of nori can replace iodine supplements. Is there a reason you don’t suggest a smaller quantity of higher-iodine seaweed (e.g. 1.5 grams of dried dulse flakes) as another alternative?

    Thanks!
    -Eric

    Reply
    • Paul Jaminet December 26, 2015 at 10:04 pm

      Nori is just a readily available seaweed, that’s all. Seaweed is a nutritious vegetable, so eating more of the low iodine ones may be healthier, but dulse is fine.

      Reply
      • Claire December 28, 2015 at 5:04 pm

        What about Phytoplankton for iodine as well as all the other nutrients it has?

        Reply
      • Eric January 16, 2016 at 10:21 pm

        Hi Paul,

        Good point. You mention above that seaweed is a good food source for silicon; so would 4 sheets of nori replace iodine and silicon supplements, while 1.5 grams of dulse only replace iodine supplements?

        Two more quick questions about the optional supplements:

        1. The dose for taurine is given at 500 mg per day in the list, but 500–1000 mg per week in the table; which is correct?

        2. Are probiotics suggested for everyone, or only for those who don’t regularly eat fermented vegetables and fermented dairy?

        Thanks!
        -Eric

        Reply
        • Eric January 20, 2016 at 1:31 pm

          …And also, two questions about B vitamins:

          1. For vitamin B2, only about 27 mg can be absorbed at once [1]; the rest would therefore become available for intestinal bacteria. So why is 100 mg suggested, as opposed to 25 mg (taken for example biweekly on two adjacent days, or just taken once per week)?

          2. For vitamin B6, what is your opinion of pyridoxal 5′-phosphate versus pyridoxine?

          My guess is pyridoxal (non-phosphorylated) would probably be optimal — it is the predominant form of B6 found in breast milk [2] — but it does not appear to be commercially available.

          Thanks again!
          -Eric

          References:

          [1] https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Riboflavin-HealthProfessional/

          [2] http://advances.nutrition.org/content/3/3/362.full

          Reply
  37. lana January 1, 2016 at 3:10 pm

    Sorting my supplements for the week and want to finally ask about choline. As I have mentioned, I am obsessed (truly) with the hope of maintaining my brain, bones, and eyes as I age. I would like to work as long as possible.

    I’m confused about all the choline recommendations I’ve gathered from various sources. The expensive ones – uridine, CDP choline, and Alpha GPC are nootropic, my major concern. I think there are others.

    Questions:
    How does one decide? Examine.com has “which choline” discussion, but some guidance would be helpful.
    Is one sufficient, or are there various benefits with the various types?
    Long ago I read that choline and inositol should be supplemented together? Paul’s recommendations above seem to say that as well.

    Thanks in advance, and Happy New Year!! 😀

    Reply
  38. Sean January 2, 2016 at 3:12 pm

    Hi Paul,

    With regard to supplementing zinc, does the 50mg/week recommendation refer to 50mg of elemental zinc? Zinc supplements come in different forms and i’ve read that the percentage of elemental zinc varies by form. For example, how many of the Source Naturals OptiZinc 30mg Monomethionine tablets should I take to meet the 50mg/week recommendation? Thanks for clarifying.

    Sean

    Reply
  39. Stanley January 7, 2016 at 3:32 am

    Hello Paul,
    Can you please say if N-Acetyl-Cysteine (NAC) and Potassium Iodide are helpful for mold poisoning and mold infections?
    Thanks.

    Reply
  40. Marisa January 7, 2016 at 12:49 pm

    Do you have any recommendations for liquid iodine supplements? I take a TON of pills, and don’t eat enough seaweed every week, so I prefer putting liquid iodine in my coffee. The brand I have been using has preservatives that seem bad (World Organic Liqui-Kelp) .

    Reply
  41. ralph January 7, 2016 at 2:01 pm

    here’s the opposite opinion on vitamin D – think I will stick with sunlight instead of synthetics. Any feedback on this would be appreciated from Paul or anyone else.

    references:

    thepeopleschemist.com/three-supplement-fallacies-that-may-be-hazardous..
    and
    thepeopleschemist.com/stinky-sulfur-award-unapproved-drug-disguised-vi..
    (references at bottom)

    In their report, “The Endocrine System,” the University of Colorado, reminded us that, “”Ingestion of milligram quantities of vitamin D over periods of weeks of months can be severely toxic to humans and animals. In fact, baits laced with vitamin D are used very effectively as rodenticides.”

    “I was a victim of the calcium and Vit D. I had two stents put in due to calcified arteries to my heart.”
    Most people never make the connection. Health facts are shrouded in hype, misinformation, misunderstanding and bio-babble.

    Fact: Calcium and vitamin D pills come from Big Pharma. They are NOT vitamins!

    (The word vitamin was derived from “vital amines.” Early scientists discovered that we all need certain nutrients, namely proteins. Each
    protein has what chemists call and amine group. Hence, vital amines. There is NOTHING vital about synthetic calcium or vitamin D, AND NEITHER OF THEM HAVE AMINE GROUPS!

    Fact: Both are vastly different than what is found
    in the body and in nature.

    Fact: Both are exceedingly harmful. (Prior to being called “vitamin D,” it was sold as RAT POISON! Hence, it never even made it past clinical trials… it killed all the animals!)

    Fact: Vitamin D gets caught up in the body and accumulates, making it more poisonous as the weeks and years go by.

    Fact: You don’t need “vitamin D” levels sky high as marketed by Big Pharma and pushed by your doctor.

    For almost 50 years, the pharmaceutical industry has been profiting from fortification.

    Reply
  42. Federico Veronese January 9, 2016 at 1:13 pm

    Hi Paul. Is iodine safe for diabetes.

    Are necessary other or extra supplementarion for diabetes? Especially vitamina of B Group? Sometimes I’m mental confused Also in phd and I’ve read that with diabetes there are problem of methylation? Thank you for your work.

    Reply
    • Paul Jaminet January 9, 2016 at 4:07 pm

      Our standard supplements are excellent for diabetes. Most important supplements are the immune and bile supporting supplements: vitamin A or liver, vitamin D or sunshine, vitamin C, iodine, NAC, glycine, taurine. Most important of all is a good diet and good lifestyle.

      Reply
      • Federico Veronese January 13, 2016 at 6:19 am

        Thank you so much. Is molybdenum recomended for diabetes?. I’ve bought NAC, but there is Also molybdenum in the packet. I’m just using other supplementarion.

        Reply
  43. Keely January 11, 2016 at 9:04 pm

    I am new to this site, got hear via Dr. Junger’s program. buying the book and will give it a go. Paul – can you tell me with my mercury situation, should I deviate from the standard program?…. the story: I have a very high mercury level, which has been validated several times over many years, and recently validated again in blood, urine and hair, although most recent tests show absent in urine (so wondering if I have a kidney issue), anyway, a toxicologist (which took me many doctors and research to finally get to see) believes I have an extraordinary high level of organic mercury, coming from either food or supplements…we ruled out pretty much all sources (and I eat seafood maybe once every week or two only ?!). She believes my levels are due to my genetics causing a very slow excretion rate (again leads me to think about my kidneys just now). Oh, and we also tested my husband who’s levels were normal and we pretty much eat the same foods. So.. In order to see if we can bring it down, and then add things back and test to see what the real the source is (or never eat any seafood products or supplements again)… she recommends I abstain from all seafood and supplements for 3 months, then retest. SO, I guess my questions for you are: should I deviate from the standard program, and if so, how? Is there anything I should or should not eat / do to help my body excrete the mercury faster? and to avoid taking more in?

    Reply
  44. Stanley January 12, 2016 at 6:15 am

    Hello Paul,
    Can you please say if Kelp supplements are just as good as Potassium Iodide? Thanks.

    Reply
  45. Sherri January 15, 2016 at 2:30 pm

    What are the recommend doses for Taurine, Nac, and Glycine?

    Reply
  46. Lisa January 16, 2016 at 8:26 pm

    I recently started Natural Calm for magnesium because I did not want to continue with the bovine capsule type of magnesium citrate. I developed a back ache and a general headache. I waited a few days and mixed a quarter teaspoon in a cup of water and sipped on this during a whole day. Still the back ache. I waited a few days again and tried the low dose again with the same result. Does anyone know what would cause this? I do prefer magnesium citrate.

    Reply
  47. Brandon January 17, 2016 at 3:08 pm

    Fyi, vitamin B5 (pantothentic acid) is NOT safe at 500mg a day. High doses of B5 deplete the amino acid L-Cysteine. Cysteine deficiency causes hair loss and a host of other issues. Numerous reports of this can be found online of people now struggling with hair loss after taking high doses (500mg daily) of b5 for acne.
    See here for just one such example: http://www.acne.org/messageboard/topic/323948-vitamin-b5-hairloss-cured-pictures/

    High doses of b5 might be safer IF you also supplement with L-Cysteine or NAC at the same time to offset it but, I’d lower your recommended daily dose. It’s much safer to take a lower dose b5 over the long term to slowly and safely restore any possible b5 deficiency.

    Reply
  48. Bart January 19, 2016 at 10:19 am

    Paul,
    I am not a fan of pills.
    What is your though about lugols iodine?
    If it is acceptable, which one would you recommend at how many droplets?

    Reply
  49. Eric January 27, 2016 at 1:58 pm

    Hi Paul,

    There are several inconsistencies between the lists of optional supplements given, and the table that follows:

    – The optional supplements list contains selenium, but the table does not.

    – The optional supplements table contains vitamin E, but the list does not.

    – They give taurine at different doses (is it 500 mg per week or per day?).

    Best,
    -Eric

    Reply
  50. Supplements And Heart Health – Heart Guide - pingback on January 28, 2016 at 1:15 am
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