Playing with supplements is never a good idea. It’s downright dangerous. How do I know? I’ve done it.
I’ve always been leery of herbal medicine because I don’t think enough is known about long term consequences. Should a situation ever arise where I want to go the herbal route, I would definitely want to find an expert.
But for some reason, supplements seemed safer. We all know not to play with Vitamin D or Vitamin A. It’s common knowledge that if you take too much Vitamin C, you get the runs. But overall, it seemed like safe territory.
I recently picked up a liquid magnesium & calcium supplement to see if it really would help my teeth. And had I just used it as a rinse like the one article suggested, I probably would have been OK. But I drank it too. The verdict is still out on whether it would actually help rebuild tooth enamel or help gums re-grow.
But then I read about a new cancer treatment where you actually spray magnesium on your skin and it is absorbed. And since magnesium is also important for vein health, I thought I would try putting it on some of my spider veins and see if it did anything.
Well, I already get a lot of magnesium in the foods I eat. And I take a calcium and magnesium pill supplement everyday. Can you say overload?
I started getting cramps and runs, so I knew right away to stop – but it was too late.
I blew out another vein last Saturday. Partially because I work on my feet all day, but I believe it is tied to the extra magnesium.
Then I started having the eye problems I wrote about in “My Recent Health Scare.”
I seem to be ok now, but I found that overdosing on magnesium can cause kidney failure. I don’t think I did the experiments long enough to cause long term damage. I hope not.
I also learned the hard way that you can’t just stop taking CoQ10.
So, learn from my mistakes. Eat right. Take normal supplements – and don’t go over the RDA.
I’ve always taken a multi – a Vitamin C, a Vitamin E, a Calcium & Magnesium with D, and a Fish Oil – and I’ve done great. I started taking CoQ10, and it was fine – until I ran out and didn’t take it for a few days. So I guess it’s permanently in my vitamin ritual now. And that seems to be OK. I think I’ll stay away from any more experiments for a while….
I was told a few years ago that you experience a drop in energy if you stop taking CoQ10 – is that what happened to you?
Hi Jennie,
Yes, I had a big drop in energy, and my heart would be beating like crazy when I walked up the hill in my yard. Pretty scary actually.
What is CoQ10? I have never heard of this and what are the benefits of taking it?
Hi Kay,
CoQ10 is a naturally occuring chemical in your body. It provides energy to every cell. As we age, our bodies naturally produce less. Statin drugs also deplete your body’s supply, so it’s very important that people on statins take a CoQ10 supplement.
It’s also been used in high doses to treat heart disease and clear clogged arteries – but these treatments should never be tried on your own.
Since it provides energy to every cell in your body, it’s hard to pinpoint exact benefits. I’ve seen it talked about in relation to eyes, brain function, diabetes and reducing sugar levels. I guess the benefit is that it slows the aging process.
From what I’ve read, if you’re under 40, your body probably produces enough – so it would provide no benefit at all.
I hope this helps!
Carole