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Creed3

Creed3

VR.org Supporter
Supporting Member
Joined
Sep 12, 2002
Messages
856
Location
Virginia
Hi Everyone!
I'm not sure anyone will be able to answer this, but I am throwing the question out there. I really value your opinions. I am finally going to start to try to get back into shape and better my eating habits. My husband is a very healthy and nutrition aware person. He suggested since I do not get enough protein in my diet to use a Whey Protein Isolate. Everything that is in it seems to be the same things that are in foods and nothing that would harm you, but you never know when you start taking a supplement. He also suggested something called Ny-Tro Pro 40. My husband is very confident that there is nothing in there that would harm me and he thinks that it would be much healthier for me than the way I have been eating. He does understand my concerns though. Is anyone familiar with either of these products? I also wonder if they would somehow effect the way my coumadin works. I am going to check with my doctor as well but I wanted to find out what everyone here thinks of this.

Thanks and Take Care!
Gail
 
Gail,
You asked for opinions, so here is mine, which is a strong one! In a nutshell, I am agreeing with Gina's good advice, "Why risk it?"

Supplements and herbal "remedies" are not subjected to the rigorous requirements and testing that prescription drugs are. Often, they are touted as "natural" implying they are somehow harmless. Bear in mind that all sorts of "natural" substances can be highly toxic to humans.

When it comes to getting in shape, experts routinely seem to agree on these three things:

1) weight control using the BMI (Body Mass Index) as a guide;
2) exercise, with an appropriate mix of aerobic and resistance training;
3) good nutrition, including cholesterol monitoring.

When it comes to nutrition and supplements, the question I have always asked when someone recommends something is: Where are the clinical studies showing the benefits? Usually, people will give you a whole bunch of anecdotal stories, or mention some athlete who takes it, etc. But, where is the proof of the benefits? Far more important, though, is the potential down-side to some of these supplements. Without long-term clinical trials, who knows what the possible interactions are with medications? Who knows what the contraindications might be? And finally, why in the world would you take that risk?:confused:

Beyond a basic daily supplement, your protein and other nutritional needs are easily met with a balanced diet.

I have been a health nut for over 15 years. Following those basic 3 guidelines, my weight is exactly where it should be, and I had the stamina to survive a 14-hour surgery. So, the question I would ask is, what possible benefits could the supplements you mentioned give versus the possible unknown risks?

I hope I don't sound like I'm picking on your husband's suggestions, but it is YOUR body and YOUR health.

*Stepping off my soapbox* :D

Best,
John
 
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Gina & John!
Thank you very much for your opinions. You are not stepping on anyone's toes here, because I posted the question here so I would get very honest opinions. I want to get as much information as I possibly can. I will definately discuss this information with husband. To my knowledge neither of these supplements have fat burners in them, but you never know. My sister-in-law recently took something to help her quit smoking. She bought it in a health store. I forget exactly what was in it, but it caused her to have a stroke. Very scarey stuff. I know my husband did a lot of research before starting this program. He knew I had a concern about him taking anything like a supplement. He assured me that it was safe, but I will definately keep at him, for his sake. I used to take a daily multi-vitamin every day. I haven't taken one since my surgery but would like to start again. I have to admit that since my INR is pretty stable right now, I hate the thought of adding a vitamin and taking the chance of upsetting that balance. Then I would have to start over with regulating my coumadin mg. UGH!:( I'm sure the benefits of the vitamin definately outweigh the inconvenience of reregulating. Do you know if a multivitamin would be enough to really upset the balance of my coumadin? Thanks again for your input. I appreciate it very much. I also agree, why would you want to take the chance?

Take Care!
Gail
 
Gail-

I think John has it right.
If you really want to use supplements find yourself a physician or registered nutrionist who understands them. Don't rely on the guy at GNC or the healthfood store.
I used some supplements before my surgery, but did so under a doctor's care.

I think I posted on here before about Chromium. I have a body builder pal from law school whose training buddy ended up an severe diabetic from using chromium supplements.
 
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I'm kind of thread jacking here, but who has or has tried SeaSilver? Any comments on that or is my daily pop tarts still the best choice outside of the grass on the lawn? :)
 
I know the "One a Day" supplements are recommended by many docs. I take the "One a Day for Men" which has no iron in it (iron is a supplement men should avoid). One caution I should add is that I know from experience that too much vitamin E can cause easy bruising and bleeding, so probably should ask your physician if you are on Coumadin how much E is safe. Without Coumadin, I had a problem with E at 400 IU, which isn't all that much.

--John
 
Vitamins?

Vitamins?

I know this is a very dumb:( question...but why do you all take these vitamins?If your b/p is normal (mine is good) You eat good..I do...(Too much) walk a lot (started back) sleep good (8-10 hours).....Is it energy ( I don't want any more=retired housewife),,I am age 62 and never taken a vitamin....I see my PCP once a month.( i think he loves me :D )..Should I ask him next week?....Bonnie
 
Ross, I know I am enabling a "thread Jacker" but I know Christina has said great things about SeaSilver and has lots of info on it. She should be back from Holland soon so I would ask her about it.

Creed,
I did start a Multi Vit without Vitamin K and it did not affect my INR. That did surprise me as I was fearful it would as it wasn't all that stable of a level when I started.. A Nurse told me to use Women's Multi Vit without Vit K and it should be ok with the Coumadin and it did seem to work for me.

Donna
 
prt supp.

prt supp.

Hi Creed,
When I needed to gain wt after surg. my cardio alays put me on sustagen. Cutting out snacks in between meals seems to also help. Hope that helps
Medtronic of Borg
 
Q. for John Cochran

Q. for John Cochran

John, you mentioned that Iron is a supplement that men should avoid.

I take a typical multivitamin and it has iron in it. What is the reason we should avoid Iron?
Kev
 
answers for Bonnie and Kevin

answers for Bonnie and Kevin

Kevin,

Dietary iron accumulates in a man throughout his life span, unlike women who experience menstrual iron loss. Iron build-up is recognized to be a significant risk factor for heart disease. It is a fundamental error for men to be given iron, unless a physician finds a need for supplemented iron.

The Mayo Clinic's April, 2001 newsletter addressed this topic, and recommended that, for men and post-menopausal women, any supplement should contain less than 9 milligrams of iron.

Bonnie,

You asked why people are taking multi-vitamins. All physicians are not in agreement about this. Many argue that a well balanced diet will provide all the nutrients necessary for good health. However, an increasing number of doctors now recommend supplements that include antioxidants at levels that would be difficult to get from a normal diet. A Web search on "antioxidants" will give you a ton of reasons for this. Mainly, though, many people have less-than-perfect diets, or their appetites have diminished. It is a good idea to discuss this with your doctor, as should anyone who has been through what we all have.

--John

P.S. red meat also contains significant amounts of iron, and should be eaten moderately if at all.
 
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bonnie


I'd like to add--I've read that some Drs. believe its important to add vitamins to your diet, even if you eat healthy . It is believed that as the body ages its efficiency at absorbing vitamins and minerals decreases. Maybe if you ate enough to get your weight to around 400 lbs, you could get all you need.:D
 
Ram,

I guess I have been eating enough to get all the vitamin, etc. That is why Bonnie and I are working hard to lose some of the lbs.

I may need vitamins from what you say.
Just a clown at heart, I guess

Thanks,
Bill
 
Stalking Bill

Stalking Bill

I sure don't need any to increase my appetite.....Just don't want to swallow any more pills..Icky. I have coumadin and I have b/p,,Enough..I'm going to try to find a friend here in Helen, Ga. where I live who has a website. She has the highest degree in vitamins...Will post it.. A huge vitamin store. Said to have been able to cure cancer.......
 
Nutrition and supplements seem to be a big interest here now. One of our members, azpam, is a registered nurse and a nutritionist. I also believe she is a friend of Christina. Someone might want to email her. I'll bet she could shed some light on the issues at hand.
Regards,
Blanche
 
"Seasilver".

"Seasilver".

Hi,

I've been taking nutritional supplements for more than 25 years. I heard about the above product and have been taking this for the past three months or so. I am very happy with it, and find it much easier to take than pills.
Seasilver is a liquid and has everything in it the body needs (69 different vitamins and minerals), but I found that my body needs extra calcium and glucosamine in addition to the suggested amount of Seasilver because when I just took the Seasilver my low backpain returned, but once I started taking the extra Calcium and Glucosamine again the pain gradually left again.
Anyone interested in taking the Seasilver can go to:www.seasilver.com. They will ask who told you about this product and you may give them my name. (Christina Winkelman)
FYI, please understand that I don't directly sell Seasilver. I just use the product, and I can't see anything wrong with it. The website is NOT my personal site. It belongs to Seasilver.
Your doctor has very little nutrition experience, and many are totally against anything alternative. All they know is to write prescription drugs and if one doesn't work he'll tell you to come back and he'll gladly write you another one to try. He/she maybe got about 6 hours of that subject in college, so not a great place to go for nutritional information.

Christina
AVR's 8/7/00 & 8/18/00
Tucson, AZ
 
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Thanks Christina.
An old flame of mine had told me about Sea Silver and me, being a skeptic, wanted to know if anyone else had any experience with the product. Kim had nothing but praise for it, to the point that she almost sounded like an Amway salesperson selling the stuff. I'm hoping that isn't the case and it was because the product really has something to it. I have visited the site quite a few times, but I'm still skeptical of it.:)
 
Seasilver

Seasilver

Seasilver is sold via a MLM (multi-level marketing) scheme. A search on "Seasilver" on Google returns over 96,000 Websites. These sites make an incredible range of claims, from "cleansing your cells and organs" to "curing cancer." Interestingly, the exact amount of vitamins and minerals in Seasilver is not listed.

Seasilver has been addressed by www.quackwatch.org and has received heavy criticism for claims unsubstantiated by clinical studies. Like most supplements, the FDA does not monitor or control Seasilver's manufacture or distribution.

Draw you own conclusions, but PLEASE consult your doctor before abandoning physician-recommended supplements regardless of the amazing claims made by those involved in pyramidal sales schemes.
 
www.Healthhaus.com

www.Healthhaus.com

Sorry, should have started Jane's site with a capitol H..She will answer your question on Seasilver...She has a Ph.d...Read her background. Very impressive..BTW..I clicked on Ross site to see how much..clicked on the form and puter froze...:mad: Came back on...:)
 
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