Calcium question again

[opus88]

hi everyone, I have another question from you people who know vitamins so well...hope you can help.
Today I purchased Calcium(citrate) 1:1 magnesium...200mgs from a health food store...brand SISU, the bottle says 2 tablets per day, that sure sounds low doesn't it?

another question..someone recommended lipoic acid to me for nerve pain issues, is it safe to take with a variety of other medications for pain ie gabapentin, percocet(prn) , lamictal and a high b/p med too??
I was also told at the health food store that this is an excellent anti oxidant, do you agree with that?

thx

[Paxiled]

Not even food gets 95% absorption.  And did they say anything about oxidation?  And just how can you take chelated calcium and not break it down?  It has to be broken down, that's how the body digests nutrients and gets them to where it needs them.  Don't believe everything you read on the internet, including this.

[DeltaSark]

Hi there,
I hope you've had some luck with your supplements. Its a bit of a mindfield out there!

Have you tried Isotonix? They are liquid supplements, ensuring 95% absorption. I was shocked to hear that on average our bodies can only absorb 20% of any vitamin/supplement in pill form due to coatings and binders. Isotonix on the other hand have the same fluid pressure and PH as our body fluids (i.e. blood) so dont need to be broken down, instead are absorbed at a concentrated rate.

They do have a Calcium Plus one and a B12 formula (using it for general womens stuff)...plus a powerful antioxidant called OPC-3 which they say is the most potent on the market but 100% natural.

If you're already happy with your supplements thats great but its definitely worth researching Isotonix. I found them at www.shoppingoracle.com

Good luck!

p.s I found lipoic acid fine but it was better taking it away from other vitamins.

[Paxiled]

Yeah, they say it makes you taste and smell like sulphur.  But you gotta do what you gotta do.

[opus88]

do you know that it is absorbed by the body so quickly that you can put a dab on the soles of your feet and taste it on your tongue within seconds....I know for a fact the Veterinarians use it!! yuk

[Paxiled]

I think DMSO is actually a wood solvent.  It's pretty controversial, but as a carrier of other things to where you want them to go I've heard very good things about it.  I don't know where you can get it; we always sold it in the health food stores here in the States.  I would assume it's available on the internet; pretty much anything is.

[opus88]

oh wow I didn't even know they still sold the stuff DMSO I mean, my mom used it years ago....its a horse liniment from what I understand., she did swear by it, and where would  I buy that from in Canada now a days?.....
thx again for all your help both of you

[M4Y0U]

Thanks Pax i would never have thought of DMSO. Will try it let it rest a bit, then apply the transdermal magnesium for maximum absorption! Thanks!

[Paxiled]

Have you tried mixing a good liquid magnesium with DMSO?  Never tried DMSO myself, but I know people who swear by its ability to carry other things through the skin to get them where you want them.  You can also try homeopathic magnesium, probably cal mag, but homeopathy is hit or miss.

[Paxiled]

If you're on medications, be careful with the milk thistle and dandelion.  They are liver cleansers, and as such are very good to take from time to time, but because most medications are absorbed through the liver and are considered by the body to be foreign and at least somewhat toxic, taking liver cleansers can clean meds out of your system before they can be absorbed.  It's ironic, but you have to keep your liver open to toxins if you're on medication.  On the other hand, you can take antioxidants such as lipoic acid and the precursors to glutathione -- it's not absorbed well as a supplement, but the amino acids that make it are but I forget which ones they are -- and tumeric.

[M4Y0U]

In case you have question about the dosage for lipoic acid and acetylcarnitine well there you go:

Lipoic acid: 300mg 2 times a day
Acetylcanitine: 1,000 to 3,000mg but even lower dose might work for you

You must note that it can take a few months to kick in and get a good relief.

2,000UI vitamin D and B vitamins are also important to complement the treatment. Multi-nutrient powder should be considered too.

Please note that the suggested dose are based on study's group and may vary from person to person. They must only be considered as suggestions.

[M4Y0U]

Acetylcarnitine and lipoic acid will both help for nerve pain. They are both powerful antioxidants too. I am trying to get both for my occipital neuralgia at the moment but I'm still trying to figure out what's the best deal i can find and the best quality. I'm also looking for good transdermal magnesium to apply directly to my neck spasms.

[opus88]

oh thanks so much for your input also Pax...I too thought its a low dose, yes it says 100mg x2 daily...I am taking it just for bone health and the magnesium to also help with all the muscle pain in my legs, I don't really get many muscle cramps but always have the tightness that feel like spasms.
I am also adding the Lipoic acid now, it does sound like a good one to be on. another poster on the pain forum said dandelion root 540mg and milk thistle 150mg as an antioxidant....probably taking them all is over kill?
I couldn't buy the acetyl-l-carnitive here in Canada(not yet anyway)...health food store man said he would try to get some in for me, I think it was you who mentioned it helps with nerve pain(neuropathy) that I have in my legs.
thanks again

[Paxiled]

I take a 1:1 calcium citrate from Solaray, and it says to take six a day, which equals 1000mg of each (there's also a little calcium hydroxide and magnesium oxide in it, which makes it cheaper).  I take three a day, because I think that's enough.  I guess it depends on why you're taking it, but 200mg is pretty low.  Are you sure it's just once a day?  The way M4 is taking his is actually better.  By dividing doses, he's maximizing absorption, but I take mine at night because I'm taking it for the magnesium to avoid the muscle cramping I get from ssris and it's worse at night.  It's good to take some of it at night the way M4 is doing for another reason -- calcium and magnesium are absorbed well during sleep.  Lipoic Acid is one of the best antioxidants you can take, and it also helps the body's production of energy.  It protects the liver, and because it's the only antioxidant that's both fat and water soluble it protects all the other antioxidants from oxidation, particularly vitamin C.  

[M4Y0U]

I take 2x 200mg chelated magnesium in the morning and 2x200mg magnesium before i go to bed. See it depends on how much elemental magnesium you get in your pills. In my formula i know i get 200mg of magnesium from  2,000 mg magnesium glycinate/lysinate chelate.

It's best magnesium formula i know...

Doctor's Best High Absorption Magnesium:

Ingredients
Supplement Facts Supplement Facts Serving Size 2 Tablets Servings per container 60 servings Amount Per Serving % Daily Value Magnesium (elemental)from 2,000 mg magnesium glycinate/lysinate chelate**) 200 mg 50% Black pepper extract (fruit)(BioPerine) 4 mg *%Daily Value not established. Other Ingredients:Microcrystalline cellulose, croscarmellose sodium, magnesium stearate(vegetable source), stearic acid.

[opus88]

yes I do take Vit D...liquid always and theres also some in the Calcium/Mag capsule, so they say on the bottle 2 caps per day...thats only 200 mg, isn't that awfully low?

[M4Y0U]

Forgot to tell you to add vitamin D if you lack sun exposure for a better absorption.

[M4Y0U]

You can take lipoic acid with your meds simply because it is found in all foods...

For the calcium magnesium i would go with a chelated magnesium with amino acids (Doctor's Best is the best brand i know for that). Calcium citrate is the best because it's best absorbed in an acidic environment (your stomach for example). If you have magnesium to be applied to a specific place you can look for transdermal magnesium applied directly to the area.

Yes lipoic acid is a good antioxidant. Lipoic acid's curative effects are due to modulation of regulation in eukaryotes.

Best regards,
M4