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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Hi Paul,
I have been reading a few articles lately saying that ascorbic acid (synthetic vitamin C) kills good and bad gut bacteria. I have IBS and take probiotics so if my vitamin C supplement is doing that, that is the opposite of what I want. I started looking into whole food vitamin C supplements and my question for you is, Is supplementing 500mg-1,000mg still necessary from a whole food source or is it more potent and 120mg-400mg a day (average doses I am seeing) will do? Thanks in advance!
Hi Gabby,
Only if you are overdosing will vitamin C reach the colon and disturb gut bacteria there. Killing bacteria in the small intestine is a good thing. Just stay well below bowel tolerance and you’ll be fine. I favor pure ascorbic acid. Food sources are great but not more potent.
That was good to know thanks.
So I assume Vitamin C would be very useful for treating SIBO in that case? For SIBO would it be worth increasing the Vit C dose?
Okay great, thank you!
Is there a specific probiotic or other supplement you would recommend after a couple rounds of antibiotics (levofloxacin was one) for pneumonia? Haven’t had a solid bowel movement since I got pneumonia a month ago. I do standard PHD supplements with NAC and choline/inositol (aversion to egg yolks) and probably too little sun/extracellular matrix/iodine which I’m trying to fix.
Hi Paul,
My parents are both vegetarians and unlikely to convert(they eat dairy and eggs however). In what ways can they improve their diet while sticking to vegetarian stuff, and what can be made up for using supplements such as fish oil(i know you don’t recommend capsules, so do you have an alternative that would be healthy for them?). Thanks a lot.
Hi Paul,
I’m confused since you stated:
Optional Supplements
Taurine 500 mg per day
and then you wrote
Taurine
We recommend 500 to 1000 mg weekly
which is correct?
Thank you!
Was there an answer to this question? I was curious about the same thing.
same question
Hi Paul, i wonder why i can not tolerate coffe after h pylori eradication four years ago. It could be(among other factors) that with the antibiotic treatment i wiped out the bacteria which produces vit k and my stomach lining does not regenerate as it should? Add Candida to that and here i am!
By the way Thorne sf722 it’s making something!
Thank you
Rodrigo, sorry to ask but how did you manage to get rid of HP? What was your regimen if you can share? Supplements and foods…
Re- coffee what do you mean by not tolerating coffee? It happens i share similar infections and possible simptoms.
Thanks
Hi Dave, i eradicate it three years ago, after one year of suffering after being undiagnosed with the “gold standard” the endoscopy plus biopsy. Damnit the only reliable test is the urea test! By the time i eradicated i was on vacation and i was given amoxicillin clarythromicin plus omeprazol. I also used one week of matula tea prior to this and probiotics. And absolute elimination of gluten and soy and dairy.
Be aware to change diet and eliminate the common offenders like them. My body was so out of shelf that i couldn’t tolerate any of the natural treatments. This bug is a beast, combine all you can to smash it.
Other important thing: very important:
Most people diagnosed with h pylori also carry SYSTEMIC CANDIDA. if you don’t get better after eradication you suffer from the nastiest, stealthiest, powerful of all bugs. For me Candida is the worst of the plagues, it is absolute stealth.
After h pylori eradication i suffer from dairy, gluten, soy intolerances, plus reflux, indigestion, not as bad as with h pylori, but so disturbing. I didn’t get better, and i could not test for it here in Spain. But after much researching i arrived to the hypothesis of Candida. And after doing a few things i am gained weight, i tolerate dairy better, the reflux is under control,etc.
I hope you the best because the suffering is immense in this stage. Keep fighting and don’t give up.
Regards
Hei Rodrigo,
Thanks so much for sharing your experience. and also for encouraging me!
You are totally right about sistemic yeast I already got it. More than that I have also SIBO so double issue. Im still wondering what to tackle first HP or yeast ;). Maybe one step at a time is a good approach.
Most of the simptoms you describe I already have +.
Let me ask you what brought relief for you re- candida? And for how long were you taking antifungal …
Unfortunately cant take antibiotics anymore. have to find an alternative solution for HP<
Thank you again and sorry for late answer.
Still brain fog every day.
Hi Paul, (or any PH experts)
What do you think of liver capsules?
Sorry, if this topic has been covered before. I’m a PH newbie! Thanks!
Hi Dave, at the moment I’m taking prescript assist probiotic every other day, Thorne sf722, this is the only thing i feel is killing the yeast. Gutpro infant probiotic every few days,(all lacto bifido probiotic disturb me in one way or another, insomnia, not doing anything) seeking health probiota bifido was one of the few conventional probiotic that i tolerated.
I followed Paul advise(copper, iodine, chromium, intermittent fasting, circadian entrainment) but the supplements give me crazy insomnia.
And of course follow the perfect health diet as i notice is the most complete and nourishing. Low carb is nuts.
I’m trying vit k2 but is giving me insomnia and almost frenzy, aggressive behavior, and insomnia do I’m saying it good bye.
Is a bit chaotic but is what comes to my mind right now.
Regards
Paul,
Is there a specific reason why you don’t recommend dairy as a source of calcium? There doesn’t seem to be much in bone broth: http://adc.bmj.com/content/9/52/251
Paul,
I’m beginning with k2 mk7 following your insights, but i have an astounding reaction to it. First it gave me insomnia, second it gave me an aggressive behavior, for no reason. Gastrically speaking it helped a lot with reflux, almost eliminated it.
Do you think it’s sensible try k2 mk 4 instead? Or couple the mk7 with vitamin d?
Thank you
It does sound like have some sort of SIBO and the MK-7 is supporting bacterial energy production in the small intestine. I would work on clearing the SIBO with vitamins A, D, C, vinegar, taurine, glycine, egg yolks, intermittent fasting, circadian rhythm entrainment. Those will help with the reflux too. You can try switching to MK-4 also but may need to keep the dose down until you improve your gut.
Paul,
to your knowledge, should individuals with VDR polymorphisms that render the receptor less effective increase their vitamin D intake (or sun exposure), or is it not possible to compensate for the polymorphism through higher vitamin D levels?
Thanks in advance for any insights you may be able to offer.
I think you should make sure your vitamin A and D levels are optimized; and you may benefit from more dietary calcium than other people, so drink mineral water or supplement a bit. Other than that I wouldn’t change anything. Almost everyone would benefit from more sun exposure, but I’m not sure if VDR polymorphisms affect that.
Thank so much you for taking the time to respond, Paul.
So I take it that, while the potential downsides of some snps can be overcome through e.g. nutritional supplementation, VDR snps can’t be compensated for by elevating vitamin D levels, and the best one can do is to make sure not to further compound the problem by also being deficient in Vitamin A and calcium?
Since these are snps that according to the literature can have significant deleterious effects I think it would be extremely important to find out, especially since some such snps seem to be quite common. I have not been able to find a definitive answer through my, admittedly brief (due to being limited mainly to abstracts) literature search.
So if you have the time for a brief follow-up reply through a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’, would you please confirm that I have understood your view correctly when I assume that there is nothing to be done to *compensate* for the VDR snps?
Thank you in advance!
Webraven
Hey, take a look at Thorne sf722, i can fully digest dairy since taking four pills a day, it is the only thing that kills Candida! It’s a bit though on my stomach but hey i go every day like a hen!
Even downing three almendrado icecream. The ones they sell at lidl here in Europe are made with Palm and coconut oil…. yummy yummy yummy
Regards
You never cease to amaze Paul,
Thank you very much as always.
In your book you recommend Himalayan salt where half a gram of Himalayan crystal salt provides 250 micrograms of iodine why then supplement extra 235 micrograms?
good question Reggie,
i just did a kindle search for Himalayan on the 2012/13 publication of the book, & found no mention of Himalayan salt.
which version of the book do you have, is it the first edition (2010).
Hi Reggie,
You are mistaken. Iodized salt, i.e. salt with iodine added, has about 250 micrograms per teaspoon (or 5 grams, not 0.5 grams). That is the richest salt in iodine.
Sea salt has less than that, and Himalayan pink salt, which comes from a mountain in Pakistan not from the ocean, has less than sea salt.
I’m perfectly fine with people getting 500 mcg iodine per day. Intake from food and salt is unlikely to be more than 250 mcg, so a 225 mcg supplement is safe and will often be beneficial.
Best, Paul
Paul:
I’ve heard that the longest lived indigenous people ate mostly starch and a small portion of meat daily. Do you agree with that?
Does low carb dieting deplete minerals and, therefore, electrolytes?
Lastly, might Vitamin K2 have a negative effect on Candida and mold problems,
making those conditions worse?
Thank you, Paul,
Linda
Paul, in one of your interviews you said you had great results with chromium for treating candida. As I’m trying to ged rid of it myself, I’d like to ask what is the proper dosage of chromium for a candida treatment. Is it the same you recommend for general health (1-3 200mcg / week)?
Will potatoes every day lead to diabetes?
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2016/03/03/will-potatoes-every-day-lead-to-diabetes/?utm_source=The+People%27s+Pharmacy+Newsletter&utm_campaign=5122bc153b-Health-Headlines-Email+3%2F4%2F16&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_7300006d3c-5122bc153b-220280577&ct=t(Health_Headlines_5_29_155_28_2015)&mc_cid=5122bc153b&mc_eid=e84ad105f2
Paul, what if I have rice 3x per week instead of potatoes everyday?
Hi Paul & Shou-Ching,
In the 2013 edition of your book, you recommend supplementing with pantothenic acid on a weekly basis, but here on your website, you recommend daily supplementation. Am I correct in assuming the recommendation on the website is the most current one?
Also, I have read that biotin and pantothenic acid compete for the same receptor sites, so taking biotin together with pantothenic acid could lead to a deficiency in the the latter nutrient. What is your take on this?
Thanks!
Dear Paul,
I stumbled across your PHB site today while doing some self help research on how to self heal IBS. I have not been able to stop reading the amazing information on your site It has blown my mind that you have all the answers advice and proof that I might be able to find answers solutions to my dire & chronic health issues!
Can your PHD be the answer I am looking for PLEASE PLEASE HELP ME!
I’m a 60 yr old female with Type 2 diabetes. My most recent visit to my Endochronologist filled me with shock & then rage when she told me that years of taking Insulin to treat diabetes has almost stopped my pancreas from producing insulin so that in time I’ll be a type 1.
Can you imagine my shock in realising that treating insulin resistance with Insulin is like treating an alcoholic with Alcohol.
This condition and its chronic death dealing co-morbidities has now killed 8 of my immediate family members 1 of whom is a Type 1 diabetic.
My 2 daughters have PCOS & Insulin resistance.
So this is my state of health can you help me with this PLEASE.
Type 2 Diabetes Insulin resistance. Due to Anaphylaxis to Sulphur drugs this is treated with Insulin. I can not tolerate Metformin which gives me diarrhoea.
I am anaphylactic to contrast iodine.
Can not tolerate codeine, morphine, digesic, pethadine.
I am allergic to mushroom & garlic & cannot tolerate fungus say on cheeses such as Brie.
I have extreme IBS Symptoms & have to take Immodium or gastro stop x 3 everyday otherwise I can not leave my house due to non stop diarrhoea. I can not miss even 1 day without these.
My HBA1c was 11.2
Vit D almost non existent
Reverse T3 off the scale
Copper levels excessively high
I recently had a stent of my right coronary artery due to 80% blockage & have minor blockages to 3 main left Coronary arteries.
I am loosing my sight due to cataracts & Diabetic retinopathy requiring Injections in both eyes to avoid detached retina’s and have 100’s of laser treatments for this.
Now my feet are going numb due to neuropathy & I get electric shock feelings all over my body.
As you can imagine my total cholesterol is highish & my HDL/LDL ration very bad as are my triglycerides.
My cholesterol test also showed I have lots of very small droplets not big fluffy ones hence the recent coronary artery disease & Stenting 6 months ago.
I am very happy to buy and read your book and follow your diet plan if you believe it can treat & maybe even reverse some of these associated chronic health co-morbidities of diabetes.
I am not prepared to keep living this way and desperate for a life changing intervention otherwise I don’t know what to do to prevent this causing the same kind of death for myself. My family members that died from this chronic illness all passed away before or at age 60. I will be 61 in a few weeks.
Any suggestions or advice would be greatfully appreciated.
With thanks Deni. 🙁 🙁 😥
another book you might read is Eat Fat Get Thin by dr. mark hyman from the cleveland clinic. He has had success in treating many of the things you mention. What kind of food have you been eating?
Please research toxic mold to see if it may be part of what is making you sick. It has made me very sick for a long time. Many of your symptoms suggest it. However, I am not a doctor, and the topic itself is controversial. I just think you should look into it, if you haven’t already.
Hi Ralph,
My previous diet was part of the standard old diabetic diet low fat high carb. But in the last few years I changed to higher fat low carb. I even started a ketogenic plan until my Endocronologist had a fit telling me it was all wrong. So I was confused.
I just started seeing an integrative medicine Doctor who suggested changing back to a ketogenic diet with some supplementation.
Up until then I was depressed and just didn’t care about anything I ate for about 3 months so my last lot of Blood tests were a shocker.
Getting the right advice & support can be very conflicting & confusing especially when working with a combination of GP’s and Soecialists who write to each other with differing advice.
I also am on a combination of aspirin therapy and an anti-platelet drug therapy to prevent a clot forming in my DEA Stent for 12 mths. It’s just 6 months since my stent procedure.
Sorry if I’ve over stated everything here! I really appreciate any thoughts and suggestions. 😀
Hi Susan,
No I haven’t done any research into Toxic mild I wouldn’t know where to begin.
Where would I come into contact with it?
The chronic Diarrhoea started just after I had an accident back in 2008 after I had a work accident and smashed up both my knees. After a couple of ops to remove the cartledge from both knees which had schreded I was went through 2 years of rehab therapy physio. Cortisone injections into the knees and artificial synovial fluid injections as well as an SSRI anti depressant which I have reduced to 1/4bthe original dose.
I got cellulitis 18 months ago and was put into hospital on IV antibiotics to save my foot and continued oral antibiotic therapy for 21 days after discharge.
I don’t doubt all of the above has not done my health or gut any favours. Since then I also developed Orthostatic Hypotension so when I stand or walk for any length of time my BP drops to 90/55 and I pass out fall over and get very very unwell.
Not much fun these days but I’m learning the whys and wherefores at last.
I will go check out Toxic Mould Susan right now.
DeniG.
You can come in contact with it from water damaged buildings. Many buildings have it in the walls where you can’t even see it. Often it’s where you live or where you work. Schools are notoriously bad, unfortunately. It’s a complex issue, but here are a couple of places to start:
http://www.survivingmold.com/
http://paradigmchange.me/
BTW, POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome) can also be a symptom. I hope you get some answers and start feeling better.
(Not all schools, just too many of them.)
Thanks Ralph I’ll check out this Book. 🙂
Thanks Susan I’ve been doing some research on this subject. Very interesting indeed.
It’s only since we moved into this house 6 years ago that I really started having this IBS problem. We have been renovating there was asbestos problem & some bathroom mold. The contaminants removed correctly. Walls floors and all removed and completely replaced since.
I don’t can’t work due to failing health so here is the only place I spend much of my time.
I will checkout the links you posted.
The IBS symptoms are with me no matter where I am on holidays in another state or away for a few weeks it doesn’t matter what environment or location. But I will keep researching.
Thank you for your help.
DeniG, I hope toxic mold is not your problem. It’s a difficult thing to deal with and hard to be taken seriously by doctors. I just thought you needed to know about it to be able to make up your own mind. Good luck and good health to you.
Hi Paul,
I have a concern about zinc. I’ve taken it twice so far (100 mg with a meal), and both times I had a stomach ache that lasted for almost 20 minutes. Felt nauseous and almost like I was going to upchuck. I do not eat liver and haven’t been supplementing copper, but I don’t know if that is a contributing factor to the pain. What do you think?
Best,
Patrick
Update: I reduced my zinc supplementation to 50 mg per week instead of 100, and that seems to have eliminated the accompanying stomach pain. Well thank goodness, that will save me some money.
Hi Paul,
what are your thoughts on colloidal mineral supplements?
Thank you 🙂
Fleur
Hi Paul,
I purchased an ebook copy of your PHD book from Scribe as I’m in Australia & have hardly put it down.
While I wrapped at all the valuable information & knowledge I now have, I am also very very upset to find myself identifying the very chronic state of my health.
Where do I start. There are so many issues I don’t know where to start with the PHD.
I’m really overwhelmed.
I was diagnosed a few years ago now as having very high antibodies to CMV cytomegalovirus. Indicating at time of diagnosis a vey recent exposure.
I have all the complications of type 2 diabetes with cataracts extreme in my left eye.
I am so sleep deprived it’s not funny and battling to keep BSL under 10 mmol and not jumping up to over 25 mmol after eating. Even fasting glucose 12 to 16hrs of fasting without any food only water it can be up to 15mmol.
I’ve cut out all the foods now that your book tells me to but it seems that I’m very very confused and scared none of this will be enough to change things anytime soon. I feel like a walking time bomb at the moment and worried what will light the fuse to set it off.
My first post to you got a couple of nice responses from others which set me off researching and I started straight away on your diet a switch from a very low carb approach I started a few weeks earlier which replaced an attempt at a juice fast.
I’m taking heaps of supplements but need to add a few others.
So I’m taking
Vit D3
Zinc
Magnesium
ubiquinal coQ10
Selenium
Vit C
Lutein for eyes
High Potency B Complex
Chromium picolinate
I’ve also been taking Niacin (B3) but from what I’ve read in your book this is the worst thing I can take if I have parasites quite possible given my leaky gut & non stop unabating diarrhoea! I take pills from the Pharmacy everyday just so I don’t crap my pants everyday.
My comment to you on March 24th gives a run down of where my healthy been at so
I can see from my Lab results that my immune system is cactus due to many factors but knowing where to start or who to see health & medical wise is also a huge dilemma.
Your advice or suggestions would be very much appreciated.
Anyone know of any good practitioners in Sydney Australia worth consulting for support?
DeniG
Dr Ashley Berry, Letitia St Clinic is excellent if you can get in.
Located in Oatley Sydney.
He’s thorough and knows his stuff.
Oh yes I’m also taking Alpha Lipoic Acid.
Thank you Fleur,
That’s amazing. I used to Live in Letitia Street, Oatley 6 years ago before I moved to the Illawarra in fact my best friends live just near the Post Office across the road from the RSL there.
My favourite Coffee Shop in Oatley is Dolce!
Have you been to him yourself? Does he know all about this type of protocol? Is he an integrative medicine practioner?
Again thank you so much I’ll call the clinic this morning. 🙂 😀 🙂
I have been to him, but we now live too far away.
He is integrative, knows a lot and specialises in cancer I think. But knows about gut health etc etc and all the complicated stuff. He keeps really up to date with current research.
He does testing, which can be pricey, but that kind of goes with the territory i figure.
Sorry I don’t know Dolce, we were from Newcastle 🙂
All the best!
Thoughts about best supplements to take after getting a concussion? My son got a bad one 3 weeks ago and we’re trying to figure it out. Taking magnesium, coconut oil, CoQ10, B vitamins, and vinpocetine (but not sure about that one). Thinking about lots of others but don’t want to go overboard plus a teenager only wants to take so many pills. What about NAC for glutathione?
Hey Paul,
You recommend to get 50,000 vitamin A. I am a bit confused from your phrasing. Do you mean 50,000 IU animal-based retinol and then have vitamin A from plants to round out any other needs? Or 50,000 total from animal-based retinol and plant carotenes combined?
If it is the former, how do we aim to get 50,000 IU of animal based retinol? Because you said not to bother with retinol as long as we have the weekly recommended amount of beef liver which should yield about 20,000 IU.
Am I getting something wrong?
Kindest Regards,
Dominic
I would like to take “zinc carnosine” as part of my healing from H. pylori, however the dosage is 8 mg of zinc, three times a day. Is that going to mess with my copper? I generally have a quarter pound of liver per week. Currently, taking dessicated liver caps as that is what I took during a vacation, but will prepare my liver pate and get back on that every couple days.
Slightly confused about lithium – you have it as a weekly supplement on the website but as daily in the book. Any adverse effects from taking 10 mg all at once once a week?
It’s most beneficial to take 1 mg per day; you can achieve that by purchasing a 5 mg capsule of lithium, emptying it into a jar, and taking 1/5 the powder every day. It’s listed as 5–10 mg per week here because it’s easier for many people to simply take a 5 mg capsule once or twice a week (the 1 mg dose not being available).
I recently purchased Zinc Glycinate because I love Magnesium Glycinate and got excited. I realized later the dosage is only 30mg a pill. Is this acceptable seeing as it is a chelated form with potentially higher absorption? Or should I take 2 pills a week equaling 60mg? Thank You so much.
Paul’s recommendation of 50–100 mg already assumes it is a chelated form with higher absorption. So take 2.
Hi Paul, you recommend Prescript Assist “only occasionally”. What does that mean (especially after taking antibiotics)? Several days? 1 month? …?
Thank you very much!
I consider it a therapeutic rather than a routine-use probiotic. So it means when you have a health condition that may be appropriately treated by Prescript Assist.
Hello Paul
The website shows TAURINE 500 mg as daily and then shows
500/1000 mg weekly.
Which do you recommend.
Thanks
Marcus
same question
Hi Paul, what is your opinion of the Juice Plus supplements?
Hi Diana,
They have several different products; but the ingredients list on, for example, their “garden blend” product is:
Vegetable juice power and pulp from carrot, parsley, broccoli, spinach, kale, tomato, garlic, oat bran, rice bran, beet, cabbage; gelatin, glucomannan, calcium ascorbate, natural tocopherol blend (gamma, delta, alpha, beta – tocopherols, sunflower alpha-tocopherol), natural carotenoid blend (lutein, beta carotene, lycopene, astaxanthin, zeaxanthin), calcium carbonate, spirulina, natural enzyme blend, Lactobacillus acidophilus, folic acid.
Fruits and vegetables, even juiced and dried, are pretty bulky. So I’d bet the majority of the vitamins and minerals here are not from the vegetable juice powder and pulp, but instead from the added nutrients (calcium ascorbate, beta carotene, alpha tocopherol, folic acid).
Indeed, their nutrition facts label lists only four nutrients — vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin E, and folate — which are precisely the four nutrients they’ve added.
And the folate is provided as folic acid, which is inferior to the naturally-occurring folate. Not to mention that food usually provides plenty of folate anyway, and more could be harmful.
And their formulation includes oat bran and rice bran, which are toxin-rich.
I think you’d be much better off eating more fruits and vegetables and taking Paul’s recommended supplements: http://perfecthealthdiet.com/recommended-supplements/
Best,
-Eric
Paul
In your book you list B5 as a weekly supplement but your blog includes it as a daily.
Would you recommend not taking it before and post surgery?
Pauline
I don’t know about surgery but I know Paul changed b5 to daily as he finds most people are deficient and it’s a safe one to take.
Thanks Livebetter.
Paul I would appreciate your thoughts re pre/post surgery B5. I’m thinking about it feeding bacteria
B5 doesn’t feed bacteria. It supports fat metabolism.
Hi Paul,
I’m curious about the rational for the B5 dosage. The suggested dose is now more than an order of magnitude above what anyone could possibly obtain from food… Is that because such high doses have minimal risk and might offer more benefit for some people over an order-of-magnitude smaller dose? Or merely because it’s best to take B5 daily and it isn’t commercially-available in smaller doses? (For example, would you be indifferent between a daily 500 mg dose and a daily 25 mg dose, if the latter were commercially available?)
Best,
-Eric
P.S.: The dosage for taurine given in the summary of optional supplements and in the table don’t agree…
Just wondering is there any thought on Pyroluria here and a treatment. I have been disgnosed with this but am low in copper too. Just wondered if there is any thoughts out there?
Hi Paul, it’s mosquito season now and my husband and one of my children are getting many bites and swelling from them so I’ve been looking into preventing the bites. I read that taking 100mcg of Vit B will deter the mosquitos from biting you. I know you recommend weekly B vitamins not to feed too much bacteria but do you think it would be acceptable to have the daily Vit B1 if it does work against mosquitos. Thank you.
Hi Claire,
Go ahead and try it! The mosquitos are more dangerous than the B1.
Best, Paul
Thanks. I think we’ll try it!
Would welcome any other ideas for preventing mosquito bites from anyone!
Garlic is the “old wives’ tale” home remedy. Seems to work fairly well for me. It also seems to have some not-well-understood positive effects on blood pressure and “bad” cholesterol levels. And, it’s delicious! I add a garlic capsule daily to Paul’s supplementation list and I cook with it whenever possible.
Hi Paul! What is your opinion about supplementing with CO Q 10. Do we need it? Thanks!
Hi Paul,
I take 500mg each of B5 and niacinamide and 60 mg of riboflavin 5-phosphate every day to support cellular respiration. Your thoughts on this regimen?
Hello Paul,
In one of your older posts you recommend 12mg of Iodine for chronic infections. Since Iodine is toxic to both pathogenic and beneficial organisms, is there a risk to sterilize to gut with such a dosage? Also for how long can one take this amount?
Thanks.
Hi Miles,
There is also risk of thyroid injury; see: http://perfecthealthdiet.com/2011/05/iodine-and-hashimotos-thyroiditis-part-2/comment-page-5/#comment-1538051
Best,
-Eric
Paul,
You recommend vitamin c as absorbic acid but is this really a real vitamin c?
Would not it better be to supplement to with some real natural vitamin c instead of absorbic acid?
I have severe Candida, therefore i don’t tolerate any vit c, my body doesn’t detoxify as it should.
It is a vicious cycle, but i have found the key to breaking this cycle: bypassing the digestive tract.
I am taking LIPOSOMAL VITAMIN C, wow this is the only kind i tolerate, and the results are nothing short of amazing. I recommend you start utilizing transdermal magnesium and other liposomal supplements.
This is the only way to getting better. Everyone of us who had digestive problems can not absorb any nutrients. To break this cycle you have to bypass the digestive tract. And later on you will be able to withstand a lot of other supplements and things you currently doesn’t.
Best regards
May I ask what strain of Candida you have? Also, is it in just one site or is it systemic (disseminated)?
I don’t take a lot of Vit C but I do use liposomal about 2 times a week due to price.
I take a LOT of supplements as I can no longer tolerate food. Any carbohydrates now cause an itchy rash on my whole body with small red papules. I used to follow the strict Candida diet, for the past year, yes, a year, but recent stress has caused bad reactions to foods I used to be able to eat.
I have C. Glabrata and have found that what works for Albicans doesn’t always work for Glabrata. Getting worse by the month. Running fevers a couple times a week now. No help from doctors as there is no test for the Glabrata strain unless one can biopsy it. Doctors believe it’s in my head. However, they got minorly concerned after I lost 21lbs after an ER doc mistakenly gave me a dextrose infusion because I was mildly low on magnesium. I wonder how I could have caused the unabating diarrhea through psychosomatic means directly after a dextrose infusion. I expected just a rash.
Hi Dana,
It sounds like a bacterial infection of the digestive tract. You wouldn’t get diarrhea so quickly if it was fungal. Bacteria are better known for causing diarrhea.
Some keys for you: intermittent fasting, vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin C, vinegar, taurine, glycine, iodine, balanced diet, circadian rhythm entrainment, zinc and copper per PHD advice (eat liver!).
Best, Paul
Yes, thats what the doctors thought. I was tested for everything. I had no bacterial infection but I do have an incredible Glabrata load.
And, yes, Glabrata and other Candida strains do cause a LOT of loose stools when a superinfection is present.Probiotics do wonders at reducing the loose stools along with digestive and systemic enzymes. The supplements you suggested, I am alrady taking because my diet is extremely restrictive.
Believe me, for the last 8 years I’ve been tested for everything, literally, at least twice. The only thing positive is Glabrata in mucosal cultures. There’s no serum test for the Glabrata strain yet and it is VERY different from the typical Albicans Candida strain so the Albicans rules don’t all apply.
Thank you for your response.
Dana
Paul,
I have been taking a vitamin D supplement with 1 mg Sea-Iodine added (LEF Vitamin D + Sea-Iodine product). After reading your recommendations, is it possible I have been taking too much?
Disregard – I just read the past few pages of these comments and am all caught up on the iodine issue and recent change in recommended intake. Will be sticking with 225 mcg iodine (kelp / potassium iodide).
Hi Rodrigo,
I also cannot tolerate vitamin c. I break out in rash. What are your symptoms? Also what liposomal vit c do you use? Do you also take vit k2 transdermal?how do hou apply liposomal vit c?
Thank you!
I do have hashimotos but no much symptoms except cold hands and feet during winter and in colder environments. I supplement with vitamin c but I have read that vitamin c as absorbic acid is not a real vitamin c and that’s why I raised the question wondering why Paul recommends it?
http://www.thedoctorwithin.com/vitaminc/ascorbic-acid-is-not-vitamin-c/
I couldn’t tolerate any vit c either. But with the liposomal is different, i even take it on an empty stommach!! I use the nutricology brand. I bought through iherb. But k2 gave me insomnia months ago, before the liposomal c. Today i began with copper following the insights of Paul and i seem to tolerate now. I tolerate kefir also which gave me lactic acidosis.
Is like this: if you like me have Candida (to give it a name) your digestive system is wrecked no matter what you try. You won’t absorb it. You have to bypass the digestive system.
Now i can take 9 milligrams of melatonin per Paul insights, before 3 milligrams gave me insomnia.
First you have to take liposomal c, two weeks later a multivitamin with active b vitamins i take Thorne two per day. Paul doesn’t recommend it but, if i take isolated vitamins i can not take them. Iodine for example, gave me anxiety, but in the supplement is just fine.
I use milk thistle, nigella sativa, dgl licorice to soothe the stomach, transdermal magnesium and liposomal glutathione. And some other else.
Thank you Rodrigo ! I will try the liposomal vit c
My plasma zinc is always below range. Does anyone know is this test reliable?
Hi Paul,
Are all the recommended supplements and their dosage safe during pregnancy?
Thanks!
Rowena
Yes. Generally you need increased nutrition during pregnancy and amounts safe before pregnancy will continue to be safe during pregnancy. Be sure to eat extra egg yolks and seafood during pregnancy.
Thank you Paul!
Dear Paul,
I would love your thoughts on how to apply your keto diet in my peculiar situation. I developed infrequent, though scary, seizures this past winter after an intense lung and inner ear infection/vertigo during which I was also exposed to xylene in an industrial environment. Aka I breathed it in at the absolute worst possible time (when sick). The xylene showed up in an otherwise normal urine test so is confirmed. I was diagnosed by an ENT with BPPV but she would not give me ABX.
A few days later, I was cooking when I fainted and convulsed. In the hospital (large, major city with top neurologists) they saw nothing on my MRI or EKG. My bloodwork was normal apart from thyroid (fixing) but my EEG showed a slight temporal lobe wave. I was diagnosed with idiopathic epilepsy and given an anti-epilepsy drug that I have luckily not had side effects with but would prefer not to be on, of course. I begged my regular doctor to let me try a course of ABX and he gave me a week of amoxicillin. It cleared up the ears and vertigo but I felt like it wasn’t enough nor sufficiently targeted for what was happening for me. My neurologist is not really interested in my “infection theory.” I was fine for six months and though I was done with seizures.
Then two weeks ago, I had, once again, the feeling of clogged ears and a foggy brain — like a bad cold and some vertiginous sensations. My little son had a sinus thing and we were run down. After a week of the clogged ears I had another seizure, this time not as severe, but I began to look into managing this with diet along with the drug, as nutrition is much more my speed. I have used your regular diet for years with success, but it seems now I need the keto version to manage whatever is going on (infection induced seizures?)
I was wondering if there is anything I should modify within the keto diet given the documented exposure to xylene? I read in your book to use BCAA’s (specifically leucine/lysine) and MCTs/coconut oil and continue w 200 carb calories. I am also taking Synthroid at a TINY dose (25mcg cut in half so 12.5) because my TSH was 5 in the hospital and it is now normal. I was also anemic but am not any longer because I’ve been taking iron as well.
I would so appreciate any advice about combining a detoxification protocol with your keto protocol. I am so grateful for your advice and willingness to take time to advise people individually. I could not cobble together an answer to my specific question through searching your site but I did learn a ton about how to implement keto diets more safely, which was very valuable.
Many blessings to you and thank you in advance,
K.
Kristen,
Please consider the possibility of toxic mold poisoning. This happened to me. Regular doctors do not test for this, so of course they don’t find it. You will probably need to do some research on your own.
Susan
One of the more astute ENT docs I know likened the approach of medicine to fungi (mold) today to that of the medical profession regarding bacteria in the days of pioneering physician Semmelweis in the 1800’s. Semmelweis was put in an asylum for his now vindicated theories regarding bacterial infections.
Doubtless fungal toxins cause some problems in humans (e.g. aflatoxin), but I have not seen much solid research supporting mycotoxins as causative in a significant amount of human illness.
More and more published research is supporting other mechanisms by which fungi cause or contribute to human illness. Certain “live” fungi can infect humans, e.g. pulmonary aspergillosis or coccidiomycosis. Alternatively, even the tiniest dead fragments of certain fungi may display Pathogen Associated Molecular Patterns (PAMPS) which trigger innate and adaptive human immune reactions and hypersensitivity, especially in individuals who become hypersensitized. The resulting immune response may result in autoimmune-like symptoms from “friendly fire” of the immune response, including neurological manifestations. Finally, some fungi have been demonstrated to serve as “adjuvants”, i.e. substances that magnify and outsize human immune response to other allergens/antigens.
If fungi/mold are contributing to medical issues, a priority is minimizing exposure. If nothing else, many have found it helpful to make a cheap do-it-yourself filter arrangement in their homes where fungus and mold problems are suspected. It is quite simple. You take a cheap 20″ square box fan. You obtain a 20″X20″ 3M Filtrete “furnace” filter with the highest filtration rating, usually about 2800 MPR, available from internet sellers for a modest cost. You tape the filter to the back of the fan, put it or them in the home, and turn the fan on. The fan continuously pulls air through the filter and traps immunogenic particulates. Many folks experience great relief from sinus, asthma and lung problems with this DIY apparatus running in a home. Usually one filter will last for months and filters well even as it blackens with what it traps. Not exactly a decor piece, though, I am afraid.
On another subject, some of the research I have reviewed regarding the blood-brain barrier suggests that it is subject to some of the same vulnerabilities as gut barriers, and I would hypothesize that an approach such as the Perfect Health Diet would support the integrity of the blood-brain barrier as well as the gut, tending to diminish some neurological problems in addition to helping with gut issues.
Andrew, is your astute ENT in the NYC area by any chance?
Best,
Kristen
Hi Paul,
Why is 30 ng/ml for 25OHD appropriate for blacks?