Vitamin D is essential for calcium absorption and bone formation. Your body can manufacture its own vitamin D when exposed to sunlight, but this may not happen during the winter or when you are stuck indoors. The more I read about vitamin D, the more I take. My personal recommendation is that everyone should take 1000-2000IU per day. I currently take 3000iu per day and my 5 year old takes 1000iu per day.
. .. Glucosamine (GLS) is helpful to treat the symptoms associated with osteoarthritis. GLS has been shown to help osteoarthritis in the knee, but my customers tell me it also helps their shoulders and back. The recommended dosage for GLS is 500mg three times a day. With this supplement, at least 4-6 weeks of continuous use may be needed to see positive effects. The most common side effect appears to be mild stomach upset. A common question I get asked about GLS, and a similar product called chondroitin, is “which product is better and should they be taken together?” I feel that GLS is a better choice because |
of its lower cost and equal effectiveness. I usually recommend starting with 500mg of GLS three times a day for at least a month. If after that time, no or little benefit is seen, I recommend adding 400mg of chondroitin three times a day. If a further month produces no results, I don’t recommend continuing use unless the patient feels otherwise. Usually some results are observed within the first two months. Sometimes when a patient stops using GLS and/or chondroitin, after about a week they begin to notice that the stiffness in their joints has increased. In this case, a continuation of GLS/ chondroitin use may be a good idea.
. .. Ginseng is recommended to help increase mental alertness, reduce the effects of stress and increase athletic performance. There are several kinds of ginseng; Asian, Canadian and Siberian. If you are mainly looking to increase your energy choose Siberian or Asian. If you want to help cope with stress, you want Canadian Ginseng. But ginseng may not be for everyone. |
. .. The most common side effect with ginseng use is insomnia. Less commonly reported are symptoms of nervousness, increased blood pressure, diarrhea, breast tenderness and vaginal bleeding. Despite these last two side effects, ginseng appears to have no estrogen-like activity. All of the ginsengs may lower blood glucose and interact with several medications, including blood thinners. It may be best to talk to your Peoples Pharmacist to see if ginseng is right for you.
. .. Ginkgo Biloba is a popular choice to help improve memory and cognitive function. I have one small caveat; when you take a product to improve your memory, you might not notice great improvements. In studies, ginkgo (when taken with ginseng) has been shown to improve memory by about 8%. It may be difficult to tell if you are 8% smarter than last month. What I notice is that when I regularly take ginkgo I stutter less. This is not a big change, but is it is noticeable.
. .. The most common dosage of ginkgo is between 40-60mg three times a day, with a maximum dose
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