I probably rattle as I walk....
Below is an overview of all the vitamins I take regularly - please ensure you do your own research and get medical advice. I never purchase multi vitamins as I don't believe they ever have enough in them to be of real value.
Omega-3 (Fish Oil)
I've been taking supplements for quite some time now, initially I started taking Fish Oil (Omega 3) as I started getting brain fog around the time my walking was deteriorating. I had read somewhere that fish oil helps, and I can say it absolutely does. It probably took a few weeks of taking the tablets daily when I noticed it had disappeared - forward 5 years and I haven't suffered with brain fog since so I absolutely recommend taking it daily. I used to take Sainsbury's own brand until my friend who is a qualified nutritionalist recommended the MyVitamins ones. They quite often do deals so definitely work signing up to their mailing list. They are really easy to swallow. I take 2 every morning.
Vitamin D3
The sunshine drug - I wish someone had told me years ago to up my Vitamin D3 level - in fact it's not just people with MS who should - we all need it. Did you know that increasing your Vitamin D3 level can significantly reduce your risk of multiple sclerosis. In fact taking Vitamin D3 has many benefits and if you haven't had your levels checked you should request a blood test via your GP/MS Nurse. I have my levels checked every 3 months as part of my Lemtrada post-treatment monthly blood tests. When I first had mine checked I was deficient (normal range (UK) is 50-374 nmol/L) I have been taking 10,000 IU daily for the last year or so and I am still only at 214 which is within the range but I have read that people with MS should aim for higher. I possibly need to look into a better quality version than the one I am currently taking. It is important to take K2 alongside Vitamin D3 - I am not knowledgable in this area so I might have to get my lovely friend to write a piece about this for me so I can share it with you all. I make sure my son takes 2,000 UI D3 supplements (I have asked him to take them daily but he's a teenager and I know he doesn't remember but some is better than none especially when his favourite place to be is in his bedroom with the blind shut!) Since taking such a high dose of Vitamin D3 I have noticed I am rarely ill (touches wood), I truly believe it's because of this. In fact, if it wasn't for the MS I would say I am really healthy. Good diet, eliminating inflammatory foods (gluten, dairy, sugar, processed foods) and taking supplements in my opinion gives you more energy, stops you getting ill and is 100% the best way to be for feeling good every day.
B12
Another supplement we should all take regardless of MS. B12 has many benefits including the reduction of memory loss when taken alongside Omega-3, can reduce the risk of age-related eye disease, can improve your mental wellbeing, can improve your energy and can help increase the production of red blood cells as well as other benefits BUT more importantly for MS sufferers B12 can help maintain your nerve myelin sheath which is crucial as we want to save as much of it as we can. Again, I was deficient in this when I first was tested, I am now at 435 (normal range is 211-911 ng/L), I take one B12 tablet a week as previously I was taking them daily and my levels went well over the normal range. I am not sure whether you can overdose on it but my GP recommended decreasing the amount I was taking.
D-Mannose
Many people with MS suffer from UTIs - I am quite lucky in that I usually have an asymptomatic UTI which means if it wasn't for my monthly urine tests I wouldn't even know I had one. However, UTI's can trigger relapses and antibiotics make me feel rubbish so I would rather not have UTI's continually. The only thing I have found that stops them from reoccurring is taking 2 x D-Mannose tablets every day. I have used a couple of different brands and have found they work well so definitely recommend taking these daily.
Vitamin E
I only started taking these recently after reading 'The XX Brain' by Lisa Mosconi - although this book is about Dementia it is actually more importantly about the menopause and has lots of really good advice. Thankfully I am not there yet but much of the advice in book suggest starting to prepare once you hit 40. Vitamin E helps maintain healthy skin and eyes but more importantly strengthens the body's natural defence against illness and infection so definitely worth adding to the daily mix of supplements. The book is definitely worth a read if you are a female as it's really interesting and I learnt a lot.
Apple Cider Complex
Thanks to my IBS I do suffer with a bloated stomach, which is horrible. I absolutely hate it - it makes me feel like a beached whale and it's really uncomfortable. These tablets definitely help, in fact I ran out once and couldn't get them for a couple of weeks, and guess what, I was really bloated during that period. This reminded me as to why I take them and will continue to do so. Don't get me wrong, if I am having a naughty day and eat a slice of cake - I will still bloat up but it's a one-off rather than a constant.
Magnesium
Magnesium without a doubt helps reduce spasticity so it is a must for anyone with MS. Apparently many people are deficient in magnesium - do your legs twitch at night? Try some magnesium it is likely to help you. My levels are currently at 0.75 (normal range is 0.7-1 mmol/L) - I have two types. Magnesium Malate which I take in the morning if I am feeling stiffer than normal but be warned this type of magnesium can make your stools go soft, I used to take 3 every evening and this is why I stopped taking these ones as my main source. These might be useful for some people with MS who struggle with constipation. I now take Magensium Glycinate every evening which I believe has helped massively alongside the Taopatches. I guess it's hard to know which is reducing my spasticity more but whilst everything is going well I would hate to cut one thing out and feel rubbish so I will continue to do everything in combination.
Nourished
I discovered Nourished on my Linkedin newsfeed, this is a new way of buying your vitamins. They are 3D printed stacks containing 7 different vitamins which form a tasty 'sweet' - a bit like a healthy fruit pastille. They have a selection of pre-designed stacks which cover different health areas like 'menopause', 'well-being' etc.. or you can take a quiz that then gives you a mix of what they think will be help you or you can build your own stack. I initially took the quiz and had a stack as listed in the image below. These are not cheap £40 per month, however, if you were to buy these 7 vitamins independently you would probably end up paying the same for quality supplements. Plus, this is way easier to take. I have been doing this combination for 3 months now and have felt great but I wanted to try a different combination so next month I will be getting the following in my stack:
Ginger Extract
Commonly used to reduce nausea, migraines and inflammation
Helps reduce muscle pain and soreness
May reduce menstrual pain
Powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects
Tart Cherry
Rich in antioxidants
Improve endurance and athletic performance
Improve cognitive brain function
Prevents exercise-induced muscle damage
Zinc
Necessary for a healthy immune system
Decreases inflammation
Helps process carbohydrate, fat and protein in food
Increases the speed of healing muscles and wounds
Hydrocurc & Black Pepper Extract
Highly effective anti-inflammatory properties
Improves exercise recovery
Improves joint health
Linked with positive mood & overall well-being
Selenium
A powerful antioxidant
Important for healthy functioning of the thyroid
Has been shown in some studies to slow premature ageing of skin cells
Helps reduce oxidative stress in cells
Lactospore Probiotic
Fortifies immune system function
Improves gut health & digestion
Enhance absorption of nutrients
Fights inflammation around the body
Careflow Mango Powder
Helps improve blood flow & circulatory health
Has been shown to help to lower blood pressure
Supports improved glucose metabolism
A powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant agent
FANCY TRYING A STACK? Use my referral code to get £20 off your first order
Working out what works for you
If you are going to start taking supplements you should ensure you take them for at least a month before you see a difference, it's also worth introducing them one at a time so you can assess what works for you.
Do you take anything else that you think helps your MS? Let me know in the comments as always keen to learn more.
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