Skin and overall health, supplements that work and scams
EDS Skin Care Forums Forum Index » Skin Care and Makeup Forum

free skin care · Tue Jun 05, 2012 2:29 pm

egyptiangoddess wrote:

But I appreciate longer more detailed responses rather than childish one liners.

Thank you for pointing this out. Very Happy

This happens frequently with that particular poster. The silly one liners. Usually no explanation follows.

Thanks for all the great information here. I currently take 1000 mg of krill oil a day. It is expensive. I pay $38.00 for a bottle of 60 1000 mg capsules.

free skin care · Tue Jun 05, 2012 2:37 pm

Hello packratmack....I am very interested in Krill oil and would appreciate if you could tell us about your experiences with Krill Oil. Is one brand better than another? How long have you been taking it? What benefits have you seen? Does it have any benefits on the skin? Sorry, for all the questions. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

TIA

free skin care · Tue Jun 05, 2012 3:44 pm

Back with my 3-6-9 breakdown.
I take:
2 x (250mg DHA and 500mg EPA) / day from NOW Foods Ultra Omega 3:
http://www.nowfoods.com/Supplements/Products-by-Category/Nutritional-Oils/Fish-Omega-3-Krill-Oils/M095608.htm

and

2 x [(96mg DHA and 144mg EPA) + 160mg GLA + 420mg Omega 9 FA] / day from NOW Foods Super Omega 3-6-9, which contains borage, flax and fish oil:
http://www.nowfoods.com/Supplements/Products-by-Category/080622.htm

After some research, it turned out that these products work best for me in terms of concentration/serving/price, but I am open to criticism/suggestions.

I also take 600mg ALA per day and started taking 5000mg Evening Primrose Oil per day, in hopes my skin will clear up and stay clear.

free skin care · Tue Jun 05, 2012 4:55 pm

This is the krill oil my husband takes:

It sells on Amazon for $30.08 with free shipping.

free skin care · Tue Jun 05, 2012 7:45 pm

Regarding this debate about cod liver oil and fish oil, I just want to add the thing that concerns me: the plastic soup. I'm sure a lot of you have heard about it, but I am concerned about the toxic levels of plastic that fish are unfortunately being exposed to and even consuming. I read a recent article where a scientist claimed that there is actually no such thing as "organic wild salmon" because of what's going on in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. They say that this has the possibility of reaching humans through the food chain.

I'm not trying to sound like an alarmist or anything like that, but it's just something I think about. I certainly don't want toxins from plastics reaching me. I no longer eat salmon, but I take Cod Liver oil.

free skin care · Tue Jun 05, 2012 10:55 pm

leeleedeedee wrote:

Hello packratmack....I am very interested in Krill oil and would appreciate if you could tell us about your experiences with Krill Oil. Is one brand better than another? How long have you been taking it? What benefits have you seen? Does it have any benefits on the skin? Sorry, for all the questions. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

TIA

I take the NOW Krill Oil. I trust this brand as well as all of Andrew Lessman's products. Here is an article discussing krill oil from Dr. Mercola's website. It discusses reasons why krill oil may be better than fish oil in order to get your omega 3s. It also says that krill oil has greater antioxidant potency than fish oil. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/08/14/is-krill-oil-48-times-better-than-fish-oil.aspx I know he can be controversial at times, but he provides a lot of useful information.

free skin care · Wed Jun 06, 2012 5:48 am

packratmack....thank you very much for the info and the link. I will read it. I have tried "Now" supplements before and I agree with you that they are a very good brand. I didn't know that they sold Krill oil, but I'm glad they do. I will definitely look into it.

free skin care · Wed Jun 06, 2012 8:18 pm

Nah Mercola.

This Peat article is on his website explaining why coconut oil is better than unsaturated oils; fish oil which Mercola pushes is unsaturated.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2001/03/24/coconut-oil-part-one.aspx

Rabbit experiments, and studies of humans, showed that the amount of unsaturated oil in the diet strongly affects the rate at which aged, wrinkled skin develops.

The unsaturated fat in the skin is a major target for the aging and carcinogenic effects of ultraviolet light, though not necessarily the only one.

Mon Aug 06, 2012 6:53 am

Supplements i take.

Spirulina, chlorella, vit B complex, vit B12 powdered drink, vit c + garlic, super amino acid complex, hawthorn berry, tissue salts nerve tonic

free skin care · Mon Aug 06, 2012 6:55 am

It's very difficult to get all the nutrients that you need from food alone.

free skin care · Mon Oct 08, 2012 12:10 pm

fitgineer wrote:

I also take 600mg ALA per day and started taking 5000mg Evening Primrose Oil per day, in hopes my skin will clear up and stay clear.

Have you noticed a positive effect on your skin yet? It's been about 4 months, no?

I'm interested in EP oil for my skin.

free skin care · Mon Oct 08, 2012 1:57 pm

Immacolata wrote:

fitgineer wrote:

I also take 600mg ALA per day and started taking 5000mg Evening Primrose Oil per day, in hopes my skin will clear up and stay clear.

Have you noticed a positive effect on your skin yet? It's been about 4 months, no?

I'm interested in EP oil for my skin.

I wasn't seeing any improvement... so I dropped it to the manufacturer recommended dose of 1300mg (1 softgel) per day. I also take NOW Foods Super Omega 3-6-9 which has 400mg of Borage oil per softgel (note, serving size is 2 softgels, I only take 1 because I take fish oil and EPO as well). I can't see any improvements in terms of skin, but I've been taking fish oil and Omega 3-6-9 for a few years now and my diet is fairly clean and nutrient reach, so supplements may only impact me marginally. Looking back however, they have probably helped me look like what a healthy 27 year old should look like.
I guess one way to find out if the supplements I take help or not is to stop everything for a few months, but I'm not willing to do that Smile

I do take 1-2 week breaks once in a while.

free skin care · Mon Oct 08, 2012 10:04 pm

I've been taking Biotin for the past month. I'm about to start taking MSM and silica (from bamboo). I'm adding my supplements at the rate of 1-2 a month, so I can better gauge the effectiveness and actions of each one. Next month I'll add vitamin C - although I eat raw food, sometimes 5-6 different fruits a day and a myriad of greens, I think vitamin C is one of those that you just can't overdo.

Linus Pauling believed in supplementation of vitamin C - that we couldn't get sufficient vitamin C from our food sources. I tend to put a lot of stock in those Nobel Prize winners! LOL

free skin care · Mon Oct 15, 2012 3:36 pm

L-Carnitine is taken for fat loss. Works very well when taken 30 min before cardio sessions. Cla is also for fat loss. When used consistently over a period will prevent fat cells from being produced. I am a National level figure competitor and have been top 3 placings for 5 years and have reached below 8% bodyfat levels using these products and of course following proper diets.

free skin care · Mon Oct 15, 2012 3:39 pm

Also, fish oil is an essential fat. You can't loss fat without consuming essential fats. Glutamine aids in muscle repair and also treats heart burn. BCAA's also repair and grow muscle. Leucine (BCAA) burns fat.

free skin care · Tue Oct 16, 2012 9:32 am

bugaboo wrote:

L-Carnitine is taken for fat loss. Works very well when taken 30 min before cardio sessions. Cla is also for fat loss. When used consistently over a period will prevent fat cells from being produced. I am a National level figure competitor and have been top 3 placings for 5 years and have reached below 8% bodyfat levels using these products and of course following proper diets.

I'm not discounting your experience, but please keep in mind that everyone is going to respond to supplements differently. I've competed at regional level, figure class (natural) twice, and CLA, l-carnitine and such did nothing for me in terms of fat loss. The only thing that helped was the proper diet (and that is going to be different for everyone, too) and HIIT sessions. When I stopped the CLA, there was no difference in my body composition; as a matter of fact, I continued to drop .25% body fat per week.

free skin care · Tue Oct 16, 2012 10:54 am

Fitgineer, I appreciate this thread and would like some advice:

I am now taking MSM, Biotin and Bamboo Extract. I add the MSM in powder form to my morning green smoothie, and take the 2 other pills with it. So far so good! I've already noticed a difference in my fingernails, hair too early to tell. NO tummy issues at all with the MSM so far, which is a relief since I anticipated them. I'm a worrywart! LOL

I am about to add a vegan multi, Vitamin C powder (to add to smoothies), a D3 supplement, ALA and Resveratrol (sic?). Is there any order to how I should take these - can I take them all in the morning, as I do now, or should I break them up into 2 or 3 servings?

I figured I'd add the Vitamin C to the morning smoothie, which also has protein powder and MSM, then take the multi along with the Biotin and Bamboo Extract while I'm drinking the smoothie, then take the D3, ALA and Resvertrol at night.

I know that sometimes supplements enhance each other but that sometimes they should not be taken together. See anything in my regimen I should know? To recap, I'm taking:

Vegan multi
Vitamin C
Vitamin D3
MSM
Biotin
Silica (in the form of Bamboo extract)
ALA
Resveratrol

Any advice appreciated!

free skin care · Tue Oct 16, 2012 11:17 am

Immacolata, I will try my best to give advice, with the disclaimer that I am not a nutritionist, nor a physician, that every living organism responds differently to diet and supplements, and that I base everything on my own experience and research. Smile

That being said, I know that vitamin D and Magnesium have a close relationship, and Mg deficiency reduces Vit D efficiency:

Quote:

While many people are beginning to experience the tremendous health benefits that Vitamin D has to offer in the prevention of disease, according to the non-profit Vitamin D Council, along with many other prominent doctors and research experts, people may not be getting the optimal level of benefits that are possible from Vitamin D without also supplementing their diets with magnesium.

http://www.nutritionalmagnesium.org/articles/magnesium-deficiency/320-magnesium-deficiency-reduces-vitamin-d-effectiveness.html

In the book, "Your Skin, Younger", ALA is touted as one of the best antioxidants, both ingested and topical. I take 300mg in the morning and 300mg at night, before my meals. Since ALA is supposed to fight glycation (per Dr. Perricone and the book mentioned above), it would make sense to ingest it prior to the time glycation starts in your body, i.e. once you intake unbalanced amounts of sugar or exogenous AGEs from foods cooked at high temperatures without the presence of water (think fried foods, the charred parts of grilled meats, the browned parts of baked goods, etc).

I can't say that I have noticed a difference from taking ALA, but I have taken it for 3 years consistently, while on a clean diet and rigorous exercise regime. It's one of the supplements I would not give up, along with fish oil (general term, I am waiting for Green Pastures to restock their butter oil so I can get some with fermented cod liver oil).
Here is a study that has some good info (granted it was performed on rats... but you can search for more on the same site):
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23064900

Quote:

An improved glycemic status of LA-treated diabetic rats was accompanied by a significant suppression of oxidative stress and a reduction of oxidative damage of lipids, proteins and DNA.

I take MSM in the morning, only because I also take a supplement that combines glucosamine and MSM at night, so I figured I would spread it out. For me, the main purpose of taking these two is joint support. Yes, they have helped my knee Smile

I also take Ginko Biloba at night, it's another anti oxidant that supports brain function and reduces oxidative stress. Check out this study:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22815043

Quote:

Ginkgo biloba L. extract (EGB) is a potent antioxidant which can remove free radicals. The study was to investigate whether EGB can protect BMSCs from oxidative stress in vitro and enhance the efficacy of BMSCs in lowering blood glucose levels after transplantation.

I mainly take my vitamins during the day, and the anti-oxidants at night. If I have glass of red wine at night, I'll save the resveratrol supplement for the morning Smile

Hope this helps, let me know if you have other questions Smile

free skin care · Tue Oct 16, 2012 11:33 am

One more thing, since I train pretty much every day, it makes sense to take my anti-oxidants post workout/before bed. That's what my coach always recommended. I haven't searched for a study, but on body building community website, I came across this anti oxidant supplement and in their FAQ they explain why they recommend taking it before bed on training days:

Quote:

Q: When is the proper time of day to take NOxidant?
A: This largely depends upon if it's a training day or not. On training days we recommend that you take (3)capsules preferably before bed at night to combat the excessive formation of training induced free radical formation. Taking this before bed at night allows ample time for training induced free-radical formation to act upon cellular/muscle damage, and allowing for cell signaling to occur.(which is very beneficial leading to better gains). However, if this free radical chain reaction process is allowed to continue, the damage will eventually outweigh the benefits. Much research supports taking the dosing before bed to help limit the free radical cascade or chain reaction from getting to the negative point of compromising gains, instead of enhancing them.

This product provides your body with very effective Antioxidant protection to further enhance your overall training induced stimulation and recovery processes leading to better overall results.

On non-training days, we recommend you take NOxidant first thing in the morning. Dosing would be (3)capsules upon rising in the a.m.

http://anabolicminds.com/forum/recomp-performance-nutrition/92509-noxidant-write-up.html

NOxidant breakdown (I have never taken it, but I have taken the ingredients listed, most of them at least)

Quote:

Supplement Facts
Serving Size: 3 Capsules
Servings per Container: 30

Amount Per Serving % Daily Value
Gamma-Tocopherol 500 mg **
Selenium (yeilding 200 mcg Selenium) 100 mg **
Alpha Lipoic Acid 100 mg **
Grape Seed Extract 200 mg **
Green Tea Extract (50%) 300 mg **
Quercetin 200 mg **
Apple Polyphenols 300 mg **
Zinc Aspartate (20%) (standardized to 10 mg zinc) 50 mg **
Copper Gluconate (20%) (yielding 100 mcg copper) 500 mcg **
Manganese Chelate-(20%) (yielding .2 mg Manganese) 1 mg **
Vitamin C 250 mg **

free skin care · Tue Oct 16, 2012 12:41 pm

Well, you might not be a professional, but you can certainly speak to your own experience! You seem to be quite well informed, and I value advice from someone who isn't trying to sell me something! Wink

I think the main thing I was concerned about was mixing the MSM and Vitamin C together in a smoothie. Do these two supplements cancel each other out or effect the body in any negative way?

Is there anything on my list that sticks out at you? I'll thought of taking the ALA, Resv. (I hate that word, I can never spell it right so I'll abbreviate from now on) and D3 at night. So

Vitamin C, MSM, Biotin, Silica and vegan multiple (also has minerals) in the morning

ALA, Resv., D3 and maybe some more C at night

From what you're saying, I could just simplify things and take the D3 with the other vitamins and silica in the morning? The multiple also contains Magnesium, I'd have to check to be sure but I think it's at least 100% RDA.

free skin care · Tue Oct 16, 2012 12:58 pm

Glad I could help Smile

I've never heard of a negative interaction between Vit C and MSM... but I did find this:

Quote:

Some have suggested that vitamin C must be taken along with MSM to aid its absorption, or to ï¿½activateï¿½ it. There is no evidence of this. Like MSM, vitamin C does play a role in connective tissue synthesis, but the two nutrients work by different mechanisms, and neither ï¿½requiresï¿½ the other in supplement form.

http://www.msmguide.com/msm-practitioner/druginteraction/

By the way... I just got back from GNC, I was looking for some micronized glutamine and some whey protein isolate, and ended up with a new pre-workout... which, to my surprise, has anti-oxidants in it, such as resveratrol, ALA, grape seed extract even pine bark extract. That came as a surprise. Note this pre-workout was geared towards endurance and cardio and less towards weight lifting and muscle gains. The idea is that anti oxidants at any point in the day are supposed to reduce the number of free radicals (in this case, those produced by high levels of cortisol as a result of the workout). I have to do more research on this, but I doubt that taking anti oxidants pre workout would negatively impact someone who was looking to gain muscle (as per the post above with the FAQ from NOxidant). So, I do believe that splitting your anti oxidants day and night would be a good idea. Smile

free skin care · Tue Oct 16, 2012 1:15 pm

Immacolata, as per my own experience, your supplementation looks good, assuming you do not have any major deficiencies.
One thing I would like to point out: our bodies can only absorb so much from food sources and such. Adding supplements may not result in a healthier you if your body is already at an optimal level. This is what I've observed, at least. It doesn't mean that you will over dose on those substances, it just means that your body will eliminate them once you ingest them if it doesn't need them.
Moreover, certain substances are simply not as bioavailable in supplement form as they are in whole/living food form... That is a tricky one, and I am still trying to figure it out.
If I were you, I would add some EFAs in there, either some fish oil, flax oil, borage oil, evening primrose, or a combination of these... unless you eat fish a lot.

In the book "Your Skin, Younger", the authors claim that unless one eats fish 5 times/week, supplementation with Omega 3 become necessary for optimal health.

HTH

free skin care · Tue Oct 16, 2012 1:44 pm

I make raw crackers from ground nuts and flax meal so I think I'm covered there. Fish oil is out of the question, as is fish. I eat a lot of olive oil, sesame oil, and raw nuts and seeds like the aforementioned flax, sesame and sunflower, so hopefully get enough from there. If not, oh well...I won't put an animal product on my body, much less in it. Not preaching, that's just me being uncompromising! LOL

free skin care · Tue Oct 16, 2012 1:46 pm

Haha, fair enough. Walnuts are supposedly the best vegetarian source of Omega 3 actually Smile

Tue Oct 16, 2012 1:55 pm

Hi Fitengineer
I think I posted somewhere else on EDS about making your own butter oil. It's actually another name for clarified butter or ghee as it'S known in India.
you can do a google search for a video on how to make it but here's a short description:
buy organic grass fed butter (Anchor will do in the UK as it's in the supermarkets)
put 2 or 3 bars into a heavy based high sided pan and melt on medium heat, when it's melted, lower heat to min and wait till scum forms on surface and globules of solid matter gather on the base of the pan. Watch like a hawk as it turns from golden to amber to brown in a flash and has to thrown away if it's become brown (it's burnt)
Take it off the heat when the colour starts changing from a bright gold yellow and the scum on the top surface starts clearing away. The butter will continue cooking after it's been taken off the cooker, wait till it settles and filter off the butter leaving behind the residue at the bottom of the pan (which are milk solids). That can be thrown away. Put the golden liquid in a dry container and don't let in any water as the ghee will go off. To take it with the fermented cod liver oil, you can melt it as ti's hard to swallow in solid form. You can even mix the melted liquid with the cod liver oil

Automatic Message

If this is your first visit to the EDS Forums please take the time to register. Registration is required for you to post on the forums. Registration will also give you the ability to track messages of interest, send private messages to other users, participate in Gift Certificates draws and enjoy automatic discounts for shopping at our online store. Registration is free and takes just a few seconds to complete.

Click Here to join our community.

If you are already a registered member on the forums, please login to gain full access to the site.