I am taking a supplement but I do not want to mention any names and upset anyone. I know that there are tons of them out there. Is there anyone who looks at different ones and can give me an opinion?

Jen

Jen;
I love natural medicine and will be glad to help if I can....
hugs,
Psalm91
Tricia

I understand your hesitation of sharing about supplements. There seem to be "supplement nazi's " prowling the forum and people can't seem to talk about it without someone interfering and telling them they are wrong for their choice or making it sound like there is no benefit to them.

I myself take supplements. I take GABA, L-Theanine on occassion. My regular doctor recommended 5-HTP and he turned around and said "those amino acids really do work". But I told him that I was already taking GABA and he was happy with that. He was happy with my decision to try the natural route.

I get downright frustrated when people like yourself don't feel free to discuss what they want to do without critisism or made to feel like they "imagine" their supplement benefits.

I encourage all people to do what's best for them. If it's meds, fine, that's their choice and they shouldn't feel bad about it. You don't see people posting all the negative crap about anti-depressants whenever they are brought up, therefore it shouldn't be that way with supplements either. But I encourage all people to take the safest, most natural route first, they have nothing to lose and if it works for them, GREAT...if not, there are other alternatives like medication.

Please feel free to email me at Mears11@comcast.net about anything that has to do with supplements, vitamins, etc....

In the future, we can hope that certain people in the forum will be a little more sensitive of those deciding to take the natural route of healing and be more supportive of their choice.

Take care jmw874 !! I hope you feel comfortable in the future to speak without feeling intimidated.

Sunset, I know where you're coming from.......that's how us "meds" people feel when we bring up the topic so we're all in the same boat as you can see.

As for me, I had a nutrionalist prescribe quite a bit. I've tried 5HTP, Gaba, Cal-Mag, Trivita-B complex, Vitamin E, valerian, and on and on. I had weekly check ups and follow ups to monitor them as well. I cant' say they did anything for me at all. Took awhile for me to let go of the guilt of having to admit that they didn't help enough. And this was for 2 years and a whole lotta wasted money so for "me", meds did the trick (along with this program).

Just get educated on what you're taking with the "facts", not what others say because all our bodies are different. Don't feel bad if something doesn't work for you or if it does. Listen to your own body and don't worry about what other people say. (I guess the assertive tape kicked in for me mostly! lol)

take care, B

Cute Sunset, real cute...

My comments about vitamin & energy were more directed at peacewithin than anyone else. She was saying how she wished that vitamins provided her energy. I just shared with her the scientific facts, and obviously she found it interesting. When others commented I just shared with them information on topics they brought up. -just showing how your statement is a bit distorted for those of us who share information on supplements

Sharing scientific facts isn't saying someone is right or wrong it is just sharing facts.

One other thing...
Nobody should feel ashamed about the placebo effect. It is a fact that the placebo effect happens. It is part of being human. It is not a weakness, it can happen to anyone. That is why the scientific method is so critical.

There really needs to be a moderator here. I've been gone for weeks recovering from pneumonia and you guys are still battling the same battle, blah-blahing the same crap. Only now it's all over the forum. It needs to stop. People feel they can't even ask a simple question anymore. I am so not up for this @#*!

The "supplement nazis" ha ha Good one!

Jen, You can always just hit the delete button on us all.

Craw,

quote:

There really needs to be a moderator here.

This topic of having a moderator has been brought up quite a few times in the last month or so. The staff at MWC just ignore it. I know of one member who just recently quit (she was a member,regular poster, for over 2 1/2 yrs.)
She emailed them many times in regards that this place needed some moderators. They did not even have the courtesy to reply to her emails.

I've been a member of many forums, of many topics for over 5 yrs. and they all had moderators.

Just my 2 cents.

Greg

I personally think it's good practice to speak our minds and feel "okay" about what we think. Afterall, this just mirrors the real world out there ya know? It may not always sound "nice" but at least it's safe to say what we feel afterall, we're only typing. Maybe they're not putting a moderator on here for that reason? Of course one would be needed if foul languange were used,etc but I just feel we're all sharing. And most of us do have good intentions . There is nothing wrong with providing facts. Don't kill the messenger type of thing. But some people are quite offensive just by the tone of their email so it tends to attract a defense from others.

But not to get on that topic. I think we've all pretty much gotten the idea, do what you think is best. Period.

take care,

You're absolutely right Brigitte.

My intentions are to give people information and they can take it from there. I don't have a problem with people wanting to discuss the content of what I post, but I do think name calling is silly or worrying about how or why I post what I do. People don't have to agree with me, but just know that I provide the information in hopes of someone finding it interesting or helpful. Like Brigitte said, I think it is best to assume intentions are good on the forum. Let's keep on a discussion about topics instead of worrying about how people say things or what they meant by sharing what they did.

To get back on the original posting...

jmw: Here is a some info from the FDA that can answer some of your questions: http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/ds-savvy.html . Don't be afraid to ask about specifics. We all are just trying to provide you with information to help you and you can take it from there. Since you did not give any specifics I can't help you there, but talking with your doctor or a registerd dietitian would be the safest route.

This is no longer a healthy expression. That line was crossed long ago.

I see obsessive people who target certain posts and stalk certain forum members who are trying to heal in what once was a supportive environment.

I see people who do not want to be responsible for their words but rather choose to explain away why they feel it's OK for them to belittle others and should be allowed to continue to do so.

NewDay,
I think I know the person you're talking about. I owe her an email anyway. Thanks for reminding me!

Craw, you're absolutely right and it's sad but let's not let the few bad applies ruin it for us. We all still have a lot of good stuff to offer the forum.

take care,

Sorry guys,

Have not checked the postings lately. I was a little worried about what you all are talking about but my main thing is that the supplement that I am taking is new. It is not just a general can be purchased anywhere thing. It is put out by a marketing company. I did not want to just throw it out here and make anyone think I am trying to advertise or push it on anyone. I am trying to decide if I should stay if nothing else to just use the product for myself because I really am not a sales type person. That just increases my anxiety. I really wonder if the product is worth me continuing with it. It sounds really good and they have some MD's and research to back it up, but I do not personally know anyone or any MD's who knows a whole lot about supplements to give me a honest opinion outside of the company. I should have explained myself better and I do know I have a problem do that. I am is usually too vauge or I go on and on. I am just trying to keep discression in mind. If anyone can help or if they know of anyone who can, please let me know.

Thanks Again,
Jen

Hi jmw:
I think I can help. I studied nutrition in a university accredited by the American Dietetic Association.

First, I wouldn't obtain health information from supplement companies. You need to obtain health information from people who are not going to sell you a product and who are well trained. Also, you mentioned that you can't really find much information about the supplement anywhere else. That is a good clue right there. If there isn't a whole lot of information out there from independent sources then I wouldn't take it.

It is critical that you get your information from reliable sources. When looking for a nutrition professional a �registered dietitian� is what to look for. A �certified nutritionist�, �nutritional counselor�, �nutritionist�, or �dietist� is certainly not the same thing. To become a registered dietitian you minimally have to obtain a BS degree in Food Science, Human Nutrition, or related field from an accredited college or university (accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the US Department of Education; you can see what colleges are accredited by going to the American Dietetic Association�s website). In addition, you must complete a clinical internship or equivalent for a year, pass a national exam administered over 5 competency areas by the American Dietetic Association (ADA), and participate in continuing education activities (attending seminars, taking courses, or writing professional papers) to keep up with the latest information (Whitney & Rolfes, 1996).

Those that DO NOT possess the title of �registered dietitian� may possess a fake nutrition degree from a school �accredited� by a phony accrediting agency. In fact it is so easy to obtain a fake certification that there are examples of pet owners having dogs and cats that obtained a �nutrition certificate� (Whitney & Rolfes, 1996). Just a little background for you.

Also, just because a site has MD's testimonials or endorsements doesn't mean much. Qualified MDs can go astray. What you want to make sure is that statements by MDs are consistent with what the vast number of MDs are saying. You can get accurate information from the American Dietetic Association ( http://www.eatright.org/Public/ ), the FDA ( http://www.fda.gov ), the USDA ( http://www.usda.gov ), http://www.quackwatch.org , and others (if you want others let me know and I can put together a more comprehensive list for you).

Also, supplement manufacturers are really good at making things look scientific when they aren't. Individual studies mean nothing. In order to mean something studies have to be replicated many times before conclusions can be drawn and recommendations made.

Check out some information I posted earlier. I think it would be of benefit to you. Here is the link: http://bbs.stresscenter.com/cgi-bin/ubbcgi/ultimatebb.c...t_topic;f=6;t=000238 .

I could go on and on, on the subject of nutrition . So if you have anymore questions or want specific information on anything, just let me know. Also, talk to your doctor or find a registered dietitian in your area by going to ( http://www.eatright.org/Public/ ) and in the left hand column you will see that you can enter your zip code and find a registered dietitian near you. You might try contacting the FDA at 1-888-INFO-FDA (1-888-463-6332) -- main FDA Phone Number (for general inquiries) . I've never tried so I don't know if they have people there that can answer your question or not. But you can try if you want. Otherwise talk to your doctor or registered dietitian.

Hope this helps.

PS: Don't worry about the postings that unfolded in your post. It wasn't about you or anything you did. You did not cause it.

REFERENCE
Whitney, Eleanor Noss & Rolfes, Sharon Rady (1996). Understanding Nutrition. St. Paul, MN: West Publishing Company.