Few things are as confusing as knowing which supplements to take every day. If you are like most CRPS patients, there is a good chance that you have probably already spent a fortune on supplements and natural potions. Most well-meaning people, if they know that you are not well, will bring the newest gimmicky supplement to your attention. Ditto if you sell the special newest multi-marketing you-can-only-pick-these-in-the-Andes-after-four-days-on-the-back-of-a-donkey mountain berry juice. People who don’t feel well are easy targets. Sure, the fact that you have only heard about this on late-night infomercials made you suspicious, but you were hurting and desperate, and it wouldn’t hurt to try, right?
The problem is, it hurts your pocket, and sometimes all you are doing is adding expensive supplements to your urine. They may pass right through you unabsorbed, they may not benefit you, and they may even harm you. This is especially the case if you suffer from cellular inflammation, as this makes the cell membrane hard and impermeable. What this means is that a lot of the (often expensive) supplements you take never even make it into your cells. It’s as if your cells are surrounded by water, yet dying of thirst.
Allopathic doctors are generally not very well versed when it comes to vitamins, minerals, or supplements. Up until very recently, recommending vitamins was still frowned upon by the AMA as nonscientific, unconventional, or a form of quackery. Medical schools still do not teach much about diet or supplementation. This is especially true in the world that CRPS patients move in. The focus is not on whole body health but on effective pain management at any cost, often leaving your detoxification organs, like the liver, to suffer in the wake of this approach. Your body is not only beat up by CRPS, but also by its management.
In medical school I had not received any significant instruction on the subject. I was not alone. Only approximately 6 percent of the graduating physicians in the United States have any training in nutrition. Medical students may take elective courses on the topic, but few actually do…the education of most physicians is disease-oriented with a heavy emphasis on pharmaceuticals—we learn about drugs and why and when to use them.
- Ray D. Strand, MD, the author of Death by Prescription
Scientific studies on supplements and vitamins are hard to find, and you won’t find many medical journals publishing papers about natural vitamins and supplements. The reason for this is that a decent study is very, very expensive and some entity, corporation, or interest group usually has to have a financial or other incentive to pay for these studies. Vitamins are not patentable, so drug companies can’t just sell a vitamin the way it appears in nature. In order to be patented so that they won’t lose all the millions of dollars they have invested in it, it has to be altered somehow, or made to be unique.
I have noticed a trend on the Internet: if someone speaks out about something that works, the collective response from other people suffering from the same condition is “show us the research.” Even natural or alternative health care providers may greatly disagree when it comes to what is or isn’t needed, or what is or isn’t good. When I set out on my quest to learn how to help people who suffer from chronic pain, I was especially daunted by supplementation. Just when you think you are comfortable in this field, a new study comes out, contradicting something you were certain before was right.
When I set out to learn how to add nutrition and supplements to my treatment regimen, I didn’t have time to reinvent the wheel. I had to find the best and learn from them. When I chose my teachers, I looked at some of the same criteria that I think patients should examine when picking a doctor. How healthy do they appear themselves? Smart doctors follow their own advice. If someone’s regime works, it should show in their figure, their skin, and their general vitality. Also, what are their verifiable patient outcomes? Do their patients actually respond to their care?
Based on all the collective knowledge I have gathered over the years from these teachers and nutritional industry experts, I have narrowed my list of vitamins down to the most beneficial and essential. Below is a list of some of the supplements and vitamins that I believe may be helpful to those who suffer from CRPS. Please note that this is not a complete list, as such a list would need a book of its own. Also, this is meant as a guide only, and not meant to replace the advice of your doctor.
Lastly, it is not my belief that supplements and/or vitamins can ‘cure’ CRPS. Remember, I don’t even like to use the word ‘cure’. However, your poor body suffers every day from indescribable levels of pain, and supplements can help. Pain fatigues your every cell, and places an undue burden on the body. Your body will find it very difficult to fight CRPS in this state. If there is any chance of you beating this monster, your body will need all the support you can give it. One excellent way to provide this support is through great nutrition, as well as taking the correct vitamins and supplements. In addition, you don’t want to add other conditions on top of the CRPS.
It is important that you clear every supplement you take with your doctor, as it may negatively interact with medications that you are taking. If you can find a doctor knowledgeable in Applied Kinesiology (or Muscle Testing), you can make sure that you only take the supplements that will specifically be beneficial to you. Many alternative health care providers have been trained in this skill.
Occasionally, you will notice that I recommend a specific vitamin or supplement. When I do so, it is merely because I am familiar and satisfied with that supplement’s performance. Rest assured that I am receiving absolutely no financial reward for promoting specific supplements.
All diseases or conditions, from cancer to CRPS, have the following in common: a body with an acidic pH; oxidation of the body; inflammation of the body; and a body that is tired, overloaded, and breaking down. Since we are surrounded by toxins and often overloading out body with chemicals, it is most important that you arm your body on a daily basis, optimizing it and making it strong in order to handle any stress thrown at it, be it physical, chemical, or emotional.
Whole Food Multivitamin
It is my opinion that you should take more than the recommended dose (with the exception of iron and a few fat-soluble vitamins listed below), preferably a few in the morning and a few with lunch or dinner. Do not exceed the recommended dose of iron for the day, which is 10 mg for males and 10–15 mg for females. Also, watch out for exceeding the maximum daily recommended intake for Vitamin A (10,000 IU) and Vitamin E (1,500 IU).
Even if you are a healthy eater, it is very difficult to get all the vitamins your body needs today just from your food and beverages. When it comes to a multivitamin, you must choose quality and be prepared to pay a bit more in order to obtain that quality. If you buy your vitamins in a big chain supermarket or pharmacy, chances are that they won’t be of superior quality. The companies that manufacture discount vitamins usually use cheap synthetic isolates (incomplete vitamins) combined with chemicals. Your body only absorbs parts of these vitamins, and what is absorbed can’t really be used.
Any multivitamin that promises that one a day will be enough is usually a giant waste of money. Even though technology is amazing today, it is still impossible to compress all the vitamins and minerals your body needs into one tiny pill.
Please make sure that any multivitamin you take contains fewer than 100 mcg (that is micrograms, not macro!) of copper. Why is this so crucial? Copper has been linked to dementia. A six-year study of more than three thousand seven hundred people sixty-five or older showed that those who consumed at least 1.6 milligrams of copper a day added almost twenty years to their ages in terms of mental decline.65
I recommend Dr. Mercola’s Multivitamin Plus® (www.mercola.com). He also carries a children’s vitamin, but my favorite multivitamin for children is by Natural Vitality: Kid’s Natural Calm Multi Liquid® (www.naturalvitalitykids.com, or call 866-416-9216).
Vitamin D3
Most people are Vitamin D3 deficient, especially in the winter months. According to Dr. Mercola, “It’s important to regularly measure your vitamin D levels to make sure you’re maintaining therapeutic levels of 50–70 ng/mL year-round. There are two vitamin D tests: 1,25(OH)D and 25(OH)D. The correct test is 25(OH)D, also called 25-hydroxyvitamin D. This is the better marker of overall D status, and is most strongly associated with overall health.” If you live in the United States, Dr. Mercola recommends that you use either tests done by Lab Corp, or the blood spot test that Grassrootshealth.net uses.
In the summer, you may need 2000–5000 IU, or 5000–8000 IU if you do not spend much time in the sun. In the winter, you may need up to 10000 IU. If you are depleted, you may need anywhere from 10000 to 20000 IU for six months to catch up. You will find that this is well above commonly recommended daily vitamin D3 intake. If you are taking these high quantities of vitamin D3, it is vital that you also take vitamin K2. Usually, studies that dispute higher recommended daily intake of vitamin D3 ignore the role of vitamin K2, greatly affecting the outcome of those studies and essentially invalidating them. More on this little-known vitamin will follow shortly.
When your body is exposed to UVB radiation from the sun, it forms Vitamin D3, an oil-soluble steroid hormone. However, in today’s world, where we do not spend much time outside and wear sunblock when we do go outside, and where winter months can rob us from sunshine, most people are vitamin D3 deficient. Vitamin D3 is also found in animal organs and fat, cod liver oil, fish, soymilk, and eggs. It is equivalent to the vitamin D3 your body makes when it’s exposed to sunshine. You should stay away from the synthetic D2, as it has been shown to be highly toxic at the higher dosages.
Vitamin D3 is absolutely critical for overall good health and disease prevention. It is a major player in cancer prevention. It also positively affects the immune system, auto-immune conditions, insulin, bone density, blood pressure, genetic material, and almost all your organs. Actually, it would probably be easier to list the things vitamin D3 doesn’t do than its benefits, since they are so numerous and widespread. A groundbreaking report suggests that taking vitamin D3 supplements may even reduce overall mortality rates: an in-depth analysis of multiple studies found that taking even modest levels of vitamin D supplements was associated with a statistically significant 7 percent reduction in mortality from any cause.66 Simply put, vitamin D3 will apparently help you live longer. That is enough motivation to take it for me!
Vitamin K2 (your calcium taxi)
Adults typically need about 800–1000 micrograms of this vitamin per day. Most people are vitamin K2 deficient.
Vitamin K is actually a group of three fat-soluble vitamins. The two main ones are K1 and K2; the third is K3. Chances are you have only heard of vitamin K1, which is found in green leafy vegetables such as kale, broccoli, and spinach, and is very easy to get through your diet. K2 is harder to get and is found in butter, fermented foods like sauerkraut, and animal products such as goose liver, ground beef, and chicken. (This lack of distinction has created a lot of confusion, and it’s one of the reasons why vitamin K2 has been neglected for so long). Vitamin K2 is also produced by bacteria in the colon that convert vitamin K1 into vitamin K2.
K2 prevents cancer (such as liver, prostate, and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma), helps to keep your arteries unblocked, and also works like a taxi for calcium, since it helps to move the calcium where your body needs it most, like your bones and your teeth. Actually, because of that function, you could say that this little-known vitamin is the missing link in fighting osteoporosis. One recent study found that vitamin K2 reduces fractures due to osteoporosis up to a whopping 87 percent.67
Because of this, it is crucial that if you are supplementing with vitamin D3 or getting lots of sunshine, you also take vitamin K2. Failure to do so may lead to calcification (for example, of your arteries) due to inappropriate calcium deposits.
Glutathione
The amount of glutathione you should take depends upon the form in which you take it. Please follow the manufacturer’s recommendation unless otherwise instructed by your doctor.
If supplements are boxers, think of glutathione as Rocky Balboa. Glutathione is a tripeptide (a substance that forms when three amino acids link together in a specific order). It is the most powerful antioxidant in your body’s arsenal against cancer and toxicity. Because CRPS patients are often highly toxic, and many cannot detoxify properly due to the MTHFR gene mutation, this supplement is especially crucial for these patients.
Glutathione is a unique antioxidant, since it works within the cell rather than from the outside. It maximizes all your other antioxidants, such as vitamin C. As you may be aware, antioxidants eliminate toxins and free radicals from your body. They are also one of your main defense systems against cancer. Glutathione protects the mitochondria in cells against oxidation.
Mitochondria: The cell’s powerhouse, producing energy used to fuel the functions of a cell.
Oxidation: The collective burden placed on cells by the constant production of free radicals in the normal course of metabolism plus whatever other toxins you are exposing your body to on a daily basis.
Glutathione strengthens your immune system, protects you from aging, and plays a major role in DNA repair. Glutathione deficiency has been linked to cancer, Alzheimer’s, and many other conditions.
Unfortunately, it is very difficult for your body to absorb glutathione from your digestive system into your blood. For this reason, please beware of buying oral glutathione supplements, as they are most likely a waste of your money. Glutathione IVs are effective but not practical for everyone, although certainly worth it. Glutathione suppositories are the next best thing (although granted, nobody’s favorite route of delivery). Only about 20 percent of it is absorbed through the skin. According to Dr. Mercola, “The overall top food for maximizing your glutathione is high-quality whey protein. It must be cold-pressed whey protein derived from grass-fed cows, and free of hormones, chemicals, and sugar. Quality whey provides all the key amino acids for glutathione production (cysteine, glycine, and glutamate) and contains a unique cysteine residue (glutamylcysteine) that is highly bioactive in its affinity for converting to glutathione.” We recommend that you add whey to smoothies.
Another way you can boost glutathione is by taking the building blocks that make glutathione, thereby boosting your glutathione production. These include:
N-Acetyl Cysteine
About 500mg a day. If you drink whey, try to take the NAC with your whey.
NAC is a slightly modified version of the sulfur-containing amino acid cysteine. It is a powerful free radical scavenger, and therefor decreases cellular inflammation. When taken internally, NAC replenishes intracellular levels of the natural antioxidant glutathione. NAC boosts the immune system, protects against the flu, fights oxidation, decreases inflammation, fights the bad bacteria Helicobacter pylori, which cause stomach ulcers, and is responsible for a host of other benefits. It has been shown by at least one study to be helpful for CRPS68.
Alpha Lipoic Acid
About 1200mg a day
A fatty acid and a very powerful antioxidant, it destroys free radicals like nobody’s business, can function in fat as well as water, and is the only known antioxidant that can get into the brain past the blood-brain barrier. Alpha Lipoic Acid also has been shown to restore intercellular glutathione. It also fights type II diabetes, helps lupus and erectile dysfunction, detoxifies heavy metals, and much more. It is found in yams, organ meats (particularly red meat), spinach, broccoli, potatoes, yeast, tomatoes, carrots, and beets, to name a few.
Fish Oil
Take two thousand mg a day. Make sure that the oil is heavy-metal and pollution free. I prefer the brands Nordic and Arctic. Do not buy at a chain store. When it comes to fish oil, most oils are contaminated by heavy metals, and, unfortunately, with this supplement you get what you pay for.
Unless you have been living under a rock, you have probably heard by now that fish oil contains omega-3 fatty acids and that is good for you. However, a lot of people still can’t tell their omega-3s from their omega-6s. Unfortunately, in modern society, we have become very scared of fats and oils. This has many ill effects on our health. (Remember, eating healthy fat will not make you fat. In fact, it will help you to maintain a healthy weight.)
Omega-3 and omega-6 are both essential fatty acids, meaning we cannot make them on our own and have to get them from our diet. In modern diets, there are few sources of omega-3 fatty acids, mainly the fat of cold-water fish such as sardines, salmon, herring, mackerel, and a few others. They are also found in krill (a small shrimp-like crustacean, the delicacy of whales), and in grass-fed beef. Omega-3s play an important role in lowering inflammation (also in joints), and fighting cancer, depression, and weight gain. They also improve the health of your heart, bones, arteries, brain, and all cells, to name but a few benefits.
In the typical modern diet, omega-6s are everywhere. Although found in seeds and nuts, they are also found in refined vegetable oils, fast food, soy, junk food, snack food, cookies, and sweets. If it’s the type of food you scarf down and feel guilty after, you can bet your bottom dollar that it contains omega-6s. Ideally, the omega-6/omega-3 ratio should be 1:1, although 2:1 or 3:1 is still acceptable. Unfortunately, a lot of people consume these fats in a ratio of 20:1 or even 50:1! This is why you must up your omega-3s and cut down on your omega-6s.
Now, I know this is not riveting stuff, but bear with me. There are two omega-3 fatty acids that our bodies must have: DHA (or docosahexaenoic acid), and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid). Plant sources contain a precursor omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid, called ALA) that the body must convert to EPA and DHA. EPA and DHA are the building blocks for hormones that control immune function, blood clotting, and cell growth as well as components of cell membranes. They are found in, for example, garbanzo beans (the beans that that delicious stuff called hummus is made from), as well as nuts such as walnuts and flaxseeds.
Freeze-dried Aloe Vera
(Take as needed).
(For this one, I have to thank Megan, a young CRPS patient from Canada who “tested” this in the field and first told me about this). Freeze-dried Aloe Vera Capsules have been shown in clinical trials to effectively reduce urinary frequency, burning, and pain that are a part of many bladder disorders, but especially interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome (IC/PBS) (sometimes also called prostatitis in men or chronic pelvic pain in women), that often affects patients suffering from CRPS. The Urology Wellness Center in Rockville, Maryland, conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled study of Desert Harvest aloe vera capsules in IC/PBS patients. The results showed that 87.5% of the patients who completed the study received relief from at least some of their symptoms. Fifty percent received significant relief from all or most of their symptoms and were able to return to a more normal lifestyle. Only one patient did not respond within the first 30 days.
Patients with interstitial cystitis should be cautious about using liquid aloe vera since it is often preserved with high concentrations of citric acid, which may be irritating to the bladder. Freeze-dried aloe vera from the whole plant–with no additives, no fillers, and no heat treatment–has been proven to be the most effective type of aloe for treating interstitial cystitis, painful bladder syndrome, nonbacterial prostatitis, and chronic pelvic pain.
The theory is that the aloe plant helps IC patients in several ways. When processed correctly, the powder maintains its high levels of the glycosaminoglycans (GAG). The first lining of the bladder destroyed by IC is a GAG layer. The aloe plant is also a natural anti-inflammatory, antibiotic, analgesic, and anti-microbial agent but only when used in its super-strength form. Take 100mg of flaxseed oil daily.
Pomegranate Juice
Take 8 oz daily
This is one of the only juices we advocate drinking. In general, juice contains massive amounts of sugar (even natural juices) that spike your blood glucose levels and leads to cellular inflammation. Although pomegranate juice is not really a supplement, research from around the world confirms that pomegranate is one of nature’s most concentrated sources of antioxidants. Pomegranate juice protects your heart, lowers blood pressure, fights cancer and aging, and most astoundingly, according to one new study, can reverse atherosclerosis,69 something that used to be believed not to be possible.
Adrenal Support
We recommend ‘High Absorption Stress & Adrenal Support’ chewable tablets by New Health Products (1-800-828-1108), one tablet three times a day.
Supplements designed specifically for adrenal fatigue will nourish, strengthen, support, and optimize your adrenal function. They will also help to support homeostatic balance in the body and optimize biochemical communication in order to obtain a healthy response by these glands to stress. All eight B vitamins are essential for healthy adrenal function, as they act as catalysts in adrenal functions. Of the eight, the most important are vitamins B3 (niacin), B5 (pantothenic acid), and B6 (pyridoxine). B vitamins should be taken sublingually (dissolved in the mouth). The reason for this is that it delivers B12 directly to the bloodstream, bypassing the digestive system, which results in its maximum absorption.
Methylfolate (5-Methyltetrahydrofolate (5-MTHF))
Start by taking 400 mcg every day. You may feel slightly “odd” for three days or so, as your body has to adjust. When this feeling does not go away, start by taking 250mcg with almond or peanut butter. When you have adjusted, add 1000mcg/day (you will go through an adjusting period again), repeating this process until you can tell that your energy is improved. This is your optimum dosage. You must take electrolytes and glutathione one hour prior to 5-MTHF. Drink natural electrolytes such as coconut water with lime, or water with lime and a magnesium/calcium supplement. You may also use herbal tea with lime juice. The lime juice should be freshly squeezed. Avoid folic acid blocking drugs such as birth control or Methotrexate, drugs which increase homocysteine such as Nitrous Oxide (most used in dentistry), and antacids as they block absorption of vitamin B12 and other nutrients.
Patients who suffer from CRPS should never take folic acid or eat foods enriched with folic acid, like pasta. Even if, by some slim chance, you do not suffer from this gene mutation, this is still sage advice to follow for anyone. Folic acid is synthetic and foreign to our bodies. 5-MTHF is a naturally occurring, predominant form of folate commonly found in cells and is essential for overall health, as it participates as a cofactor in a reaction that involves the remethylation of homocysteine to methionine. Unlike synthetic folic acid, 5-MTHF can be used directly by the body, without the need for an additional conversion via the enzyme 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR)
Magnesium, Your ‘Stress Mineral’
We recommended Natural Calm™ by Natural Vitality™, available on Amazon.com (dosage as recommended by manufacturer unless directed otherwise by your health care professional).
Involved in pain perception pathways and muscle contraction, magnesium may improve tenderness and pain. It is also involved in healthy brain and neurological function and bone density. Magnesium is beneficial in helping your body cope with stress and in helping you sleep. Enough said.
Selenium
I recommend taking 55 mcg of selenomethionine per day. Selenomethionine has the best bioavailability with an absorption rate of roughly 90 percent. It is organic and yeast-free. When compared with other selenium supplements, selenomethionine proves to be the most applicable and safest for long-term therapeutic use.
Selenium is a trace element that is naturally present in many foods such as Brazil nuts (up to seventy micrograms per nut!), liver, shellfish, and sunflower seeds, to name but a few. It is also available as a dietary supplement. Selenium is required by the body for proper functioning of the thyroid gland, for glutathione production, and for mercury detoxification. It is crucial in fighting peripheral neuropathy. It may help protect against free radical damage, cancer, and autoimmune disease. A deficiency in selenium can lead to pain in the muscles and joints, unhealthy hair, and white spots on the fingernails.
Ubiquinol (or Coenzyme Q10)
If you’re over forty, Dr. Mercola highly recommends taking a reduced form of coenzyme Q10 called ubiquinol, because it’s far more effectively absorbed by your body. (Ubiquinol is the reduced, electron-rich form of coenzyme Q10).
If you take statin (high cholesterol) drugs, it is crucial to take coenzyme Q10, since statin drugs interfere with your body’s natural CoQ10 production.
Take 150 mg twice a day for two weeks, and after that, 100 mg a day for the rest of your life.
Coenzyme Q10 is almost like a vitamin, but since the body naturally makes it, it isn’t called a vitamin. CoQ10 (as it is also commonly known) has been called “the single most crucial nutrient to supplement every cell in your body” by Dr. Mercola. Your cells use it to produce energy your body needs for cell growth and maintenance. Coenzymes help enzymes work to digest food and perform other body processes, and they help protect the heart and skeletal muscles.
Coenzyme Q10 also functions as an antioxidant that protects the body from damage caused by harmful molecules, and therefor decrease inflammation. CoQ10 has been shown to help prevent or retard development of a fatty liver related to obesity, to fight inflammation, free radical damage and cancer, to protect against high blood pressure, and to help prevent heart attacks.
Last but not least, and sure to appeal to everybody’s vanity, CoQ10 is an excellent tool in your anti-aging arsenal. Think of this supplement as your fairy godmother, giving you a makeover from the inside out. One study in Japan found a significant slowing down of the aging process in a group of mice that were given Ubiquinol.70
CoQ10 is naturally present in small amounts in a wide variety of foods, but levels are particularly high in organ meats such as heart, liver, and kidney, as well as beef, sardines, mackerel, and peanuts.
Acetyl-l-carnitine.
Take 250–500mg a day as needed for muscle pain. Although most people do not need extra L-carnitine, people who suffer from CRPS may benefit from supplementation. Vegetarians may also need to supplement. Best taken in its activated form
L-carnitine is an amino acid that is directly involved in cellular fatty acid metabolism. Although it can be obtained from your diet (red meats are a particularly rich source), it is also produced in your liver and kidneys. Most of the carnitine in your body is stored in your muscles and heart, where it is needed to transfer fatty acids into mitochondria so they can be oxidized for energy. An L-carnitine deficiency may cause muscle pain due to inefficient cellular energy metabolism (mitochondrial myopathy), and has been shown to be effective for nerve pain in some cases. L-carnitine has also been shown to improve mental clarity and overall energy, and to fight aging, type II diabetes, and cancer.
N-Acetyl-Cysteine
Take 600 mg tablets or capsules, twice daily
NAC is a slightly modified version of the sulfur-containing amino acid cysteine. When taken internally, NAC replenishes intracellular levels of the natural antioxidant glutathione (GSH), helping to restore cells’ ability to fight damage from free radicals.
D-Ribose
500 mg three times a day for four weeks and 500 mg twice a day after as needed.
This may be the most important supplement in your CRPS and chronic fatigue arsenal. D-ribose is a naturally occurring sugar that has been shown to support the production and recycling of ATP (think of it as fuel for your car), which helps to increase energy production in stressed tissues. It may even be effective to alleviate migraines, a symptom often suffered by CRPS patients..
Malic Acid
Most effective when combined with magnesium.
Start at a daily recommended dosage of 600 mg twice a day, coupled with 150 mg of magnesium twice per day, and slowly increase your levels to 1200 mg of malic acid twice per day coupled with 300 milligrams of magnesium, also twice per day, over 2–3 months.
Malic acid is an organic acid made by all living organisms. It is also responsible for that pleasantly sour tang in apples and other fruits, and is sometimes referred to as “fruit acid.” Malic acid is involved in energy production in muscle cells. It is necessary for glucose metabolism, which is important for nourishing muscles and nerves. Malic acid increases ATP production (cellular fuel). It will enhance your mood and may help reduce muscle discomfort and overall pain in those who suffer from CRPS.
Curcumin
Take 300 mg a day. Contraindicated for those on blood-thinning medications or those with gall bladder disease.
Curcumin is the key component of turmeric, and is responsible for the spice’s distinctive mustard-yellow color. This spice is popular in the Far East, especially in curry-spice blends. It’s a member of the ginger family and comes from a root just like ginger. Curcumin is a proven antioxidant and a powerful anti-inflammatory. Some research shows it can even boost your immunity, may show benefits in fighting cancer, and is a powerful antiviral. It has also shown benefits in helping to relieve the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) as well as arthritis and menstrual cramps. It also positively affects nerve pain.
Zinc
220 mg twice per day. Taking zinc together with vitamin C may cause nausea.
Zinc is an essential mineral that is naturally present in some foods such as oysters, crabs, wheat germ, pumpkin seeds, watermelon seeds, roast beef, dark chocolate and cocoa powder, lamb, and peanuts.
Zinc is required by your body for maintaining a sense of smell, keeping a healthy immune system, building proteins, triggering enzymes, tissue growth and repair, skin health, and making DNA. Zinc also helps the cells in your body communicate by functioning as a neurotransmitter. A deficiency in zinc can lead to stunted growth, diarrhea, impotence, hair loss, eye and skin lesions, impaired appetite, and depressed immunity. In addition, taking extra zinc during pregnancy has been shown to be much more effective at preventing stretch marks than rubbing oil or lotion on your tummy.
Please note that too much zinc may cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. If you experience these side effects, please back off your dosage.
Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Treatment Center – The Spero Clinic
The Spero Clinic focuses on treating the pain as a whole and has successfully helped CRPS patients enter remission. We don’t use opioids and refuse to mask the pain. Our goal has been and will always be to use non-invasive treatment methods to help patients lead pain-free life. Contact us today.
