Ask HN: What supplements do you take? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: What supplements do you take?

9 pointsrory_isAdonk17 comments

After many years researching and optimising for my own physiology prompted by the need to improve my fertility, I landed on the following: - Vit D - K2mk7 - Magnesium - Omega 3 - Zinc Picolinate a few times a week, not daily - 2 Brazil Nuts

This is in addition to making sure i'm eating a decent variety of whole foods avoiding processed foods as much as possible.

- D3 + K MK-7

- Calcium citrate

- Magnesium glycinate

- Zinc picolinate

- Multivitamin (gender specific)

- B complex (B12, B9, B7, B6, B5, B3, B2, B1, C)

- Fiber

For men, it's further important to cut simple carbs (sugar and HFCS), fried food, high PUFA nuts (walnuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, pine nuts, flaxseed, chia seeds, sesame seeds/tahini, pecans), soy, mint, black licorice, high PUFA veg oils. Also eat a few pistachios, cashews, and sprouted roasted pumpkins seeds (pepitas) daily because only cashews have low PUFAs. Any metabolic, endocrine, weight disorders, and lack of physical conditioning need to be treated too.

What is the issue with males and PUFA (Polyunsaturated Fat I'm assuming)? I recently bought some organic walnuts assuming that they would be beneficial for my health (Omega-3s, mediterranean diet's love for nuts, etc.), and now I'm questioning my decision.

Walnuts inactivate free T by upping SHBG. Better look at what lowers/raises T.

I don't know anything about supplements, but why do people recommend specific things instead of a multivitamin that covers everything? (Eg all multivitamins have some vitamin d and magnesium as suggested elsewhere in this thread)

Is it just because the dosage is too low?

> Is it just because the dosage is too low?

Or too high. If you get enough of some vitamins in your diet, you don't want or need a supplement for them. And some deficiencies are sufficiently bad that you need a much higher dosage. I don't know if it's been undiagnosed for a while or if it's a combination of COVID isolation + winter, but my vitamin D is very low (found out last week) so I'm on a very high dose vitamin D supplement for the rest of this month before another test to see if it's improved.

Hi HN,

I’ve spent the last three years experimenting with supplements, consulting both the Internet and trusted sites like Quora and Reddit. Here’s my current stack (not medical advice and do not treat as recommendation)

Magnesium

So only the Magnesium?

Ya but if you have any other recommendations let me know!

Magnesium and Vitamin D - as far as I can tell there is plenty of evidence about the need for supplementation and effectiveness of both.

Currently experimenting with L-theanine to see if it helps me work better.

Try iron too. 183k deaths each year due to iron deficiency!

"Try X!" Not if you're young, old, or male and eat a Western diet. smh. Look at the DALY of iron-deficient anemia, which I had growing-up; it's very low compared to many other conditions, it's noticeable, and easily treatable. Iron overload, OTOH, is a much bigger problem because there is no direct, excretory pathway for iron to take. You're suggesting a much more harmful panacea to prevent a hypothetical risk. That's the definition of insanity, ignorance, or both.

If you take vitamin D, you should also take vitamin K2MK7.

Do also blood test every 6 weeks of 25ohd to detect if your dose is sufficient. And don't forget to take 10 minutes of Sun while it's in its Zenith to get vitamin D dissolved in water.

Man we should have a thread for exercise routines or meal preferences, they go hand in hand.

Fiber. I already had difficulties with constipation and this pandemic made it only worse.

None.

I take vitamin d (I took 5k IU for a while, I'm taking 2k IU now), a probiotic pill, and most recently started magnesium (MagSRT).

I notice a very large difference in my mood and energy and feeling well-rested after taking MagSRT. I don't think it's a placebo, it really feels night and day and persists over weeks now.

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