Silicon Investor - vitamins herbs supplements longevity and aging

[Yorikke] A growing number of sites featuring nutritional advice are AI generated. Common...

Yorikke — 9/1/2026 2:05:34 PM

A growing number of sites featuring nutritional advice are AI generated. Common 'presenters' often feature differing voices, accents, and noticeable repeats of information. Often what is presented as the topic of the presentation is NOT what is presented. YouTube seems to be overwhelmed by this and deals with only the most egregious exploitations.

When these YouTube videos are not attempting to exploit popular presenters, they feature AI generated personalities which are likely sold as a part of the AI system to create these features. When they move to create pseudo talks from established real individuals they often run into more problems and are often deleted as a result of complaint.

Not all the AI information is bogus. Its just being presented by AI personalities. Converting text into a video presentation is a lot of what is going on. But as Pogeu has pointed out. There is a growing level of videos that are outright scams. Many of them are aimed at creating familiarity and then slipping in a fee.

[Pogeu Mahone] The "15-Second Vicks Trick" featuring Elon Musk is a completely fabricated socia...

Pogeu Mahone — 8/30/2026 11:54:03 AM

The "15-Second Vicks Trick" featuring Elon Musk is a completely fabricated social media scam. Elon Musk has never promoted Vicks VapoRub for memory loss or dementia, and the viral videos online use AI deepfakes to impersonate celebrities and medical professionals. These advertisements manipulate real people’s likenesses to trick consumers into purchasing unproven supplements or clicking on malicious links. [ 1, 2, 3]

[Pogeu Mahone] 60 minutes Elon Musk Reveals The 15-Second Vicks Trick For Memory Loss and Deme...

Pogeu Mahone — 8/30/2026 10:16:58 AM

60 minutes

Elon Musk Reveals The 15-Second Vicks Trick For Memory Loss and Dementia!

Updated 30 minutes ago 08/30/2026

zinwiree.com

[Pogeu Mahone] CoQ10 supplements are snake oil. What Happens to Athletic Performance When You ...

Pogeu Mahone — 8/27/2026 9:57:08 AM

CoQ10 supplements are snake oil.

What Happens to Athletic Performance When You Take CoQ10 Supplements

By Megan Nunn, PharmD
Published on August 26, 2026

Medically reviewed by Patricia Mikula, PharmDBy Megan Nunn, PharmD
Published on August 26, 2026

Medically reviewed by Patricia Mikula, PharmD

CoQ10 may modestly improve anaerobic workouts, but further research is needed

.Extreme Photographer / Getty Images

Key Takeaways

Limited evidence suggests CoQ10 could modestly improve anaerobic workouts, such as weightlifting, but it may not significantly enhance aerobic performance.
CoQ10 may indirectly improve athletic performance by reducing fatigue, pain, swelling, and muscle injury caused by strenuous exercise.
CoQ10 interacts with various medications and may cause gastrointestinal side effects or trouble sleeping. For best results, take CoQ10 with a high-fat meal and divide large doses throughout the day to improve absorption.

Supplementing with coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is more likely to enhance workout recovery than directly boost your athletic performance. Here’s the latest research.

How CoQ10 Relates to Athletic Performance

CoQ10 is an antioxidant compound made in the body that helps cells generate energy and fight muscle damage caused by free radicals.1
CoQ10 levels decline as you age. Lower levels are associated with reduced strength, energy, and exercise endurance.2
Taking CoQ10 supplements increases CoQ10 levels in your blood but is unlikely to increase CoQ10 in your muscles or significantly boost athletic performance.34

Deng H, Song T, Yin M, et al. Coenzyme Q10 supplementation increases blood concentrations but shows limited and inconsistent effects on exercise performance: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Br J Nutr. Published online December 29, 2025. doi:10.1017/S0007114525106211
Some evidence supports CoQ10 for muscle recovery, which could indirectly improve your workout frequency or intensity.5

Role in Muscle EnergyCoQ10 helps cells produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP), an energy source needed for muscle contraction.126

Limited evidence suggests CoQ10 may modestly improve anaerobic workouts, such as weightlifting or bodyweight exercises.
For instance, a clinical trial showed that athletically trained men who took a form of CoQ10 for two weeks were able to lift heavier weights, complete more reps, and experience less fatigue than those who took a placebo (sugar pill).7
Another small trial showed that older adults who supplemented with CoQ10 for 8 weeks increased lower-body strength.2
There’s no strong evidence that CoQ10 improves performance in aerobic (“cardio”) activities like running.5

Role in Exercise RecoveryCoQ10 may improve recovery after a workout by mitigating the harmful effects of strenuous exercise: fatigue, pain, swelling (inflammation), and muscle injury.5

As an antioxidant, CoQ10 reduces dangerous reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced by the body during intense workouts.8
A review of 28 clinical trials showed that CoQ10 reduces markers of muscle breakdown and damage due to high-intensity or endurance exercise. These markers include creatine kinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase, and myoglobin, which are muscle proteins that leak into the bloodstream during inflammation.910
Notably, some recent research concludes that CoQ10’s effects on markers of muscle damage are inconsistent. While some trials show it decreases CK, other data suggest CoQ10 either does not affect or even increases CK.10 lol CoQ10 is a fake oil

CoQ10 has been studied for its effects on workout performance and recovery at doses ranging from 30 to 300 milligrams (mg) daily.5
Keep in mind that long-term (chronic) supplementation is your best bet for athletic gains, though benefits are likely to be modest.4
For best results, take CoQ10 supplements with a high-fat meal or snack, and divide large doses throughout the day to increase absorption and boost CoQ10 levels in your body. 1112
If you’re looking to supplement stack (combine supplements to optimize their effects), consider pairing CoQ10 with creatine, omega-3 fatty acids, or curcumin for added benefits.10

Is CoQ10 Safe For Me?Like all dietary supplements, CoQ10 may cause side effects, drug interactions, and risks for certain populations. If you decide to try it, be mindful of the following precautions.

Side effects associated with CoQ10 may include the following:1

Trouble sleeping (insomnia)
Rash
Nausea
Stomach pain
Heartburn
Dizziness
Light sensitivity
Headache
Irritability
Fatigue

CoQ10 interacts with many medications, including the following:1

Statins, gemfibrozil, and diabetes medicines lower CoQ10 levels.
Beta-blockers, used to treat heart conditions or high blood pressure, reduce the effects of CoQ10.
CoQ10 reduces the effects of the blood-thinner Coumadin (warfarin).
You may need a lower dose of insulin if you start taking CoQ10.

For personalized recommendations and optimal health, discuss the use of CoQ10 or any other supplement with your healthcare provider, pharmacist, or registered dietitian before adding it to your medicine cabinet. Here are some general tips on choosing a top-quality supplement.

[Yorikke] I understand what you are saying....it just that your anger and irritation often...

Yorikke — 8/27/2026 12:28:27 AM

I understand what you are saying....it just that your anger and irritation often walk in the way of the common sense your are uttering. Have you become a ghost of E Charters.?

As far as the parade article is concerned, they are cautioning people to beware of a natural substance because it interferes with the administration of high valued phama drugs. For some reason I take offence at this stupidity and avarice.

I have never really questioned your D3 comments. I take it regularly. It would appear, from the Parade article and general postings and reference from you, that CoQ10 acts to repair the damage done by Pharma drugs. There may indeed be much of it in the system as a product of cellular activity; but there appears to be enough of it to potentially throw off the income calculations of the pharma monopsony. Hence their over the top scheeching about COQ10 being such a danger. (Not to the common man, but to the common investor and shill artists of the Pharma industry. )

[Pogeu Mahone] Let me clear up what I have been saying for the last decades: Vitamin D3 is a U...

Pogeu Mahone — 8/26/2026 10:27:08 AM

Let me clear up what I have been saying for the last decades:

Vitamin D3 is a Universal essential provided by nature to all living things..... essential

Forget the rest of star fish ingredients {prevagin} supplements and eat real food to get your Vitamins and minerals

Scientific Evidence: Clinical proof supporting its memory benefits is weak, limited, and mostly derived from small, company-funded studies. [ 1, 2] None

Legal Actions: Following lawsuits by the Federal Trade Commission and the state of New York, federal courts ordered the makers of Prevagen to stop claiming the product improves memory or cognitive function due to a lack of solid scientific proof. [ 1]

Is this clear enough?

'I've had a problem figuring out what you are saying for almost 20 years."

[Pogeu Mahone] No mention of COQ10!..... no one needs coq10 ...Statins can lower natural CoQ10 ...

Pogeu Mahone — 8/26/2026 9:40:28 AM

No mention of COQ10!..... no one needs coq10 ...Statins can lower natural CoQ10 levels in the body.
-------------------------------------------------------------

High-dose vitamin D may boost brain heath in older adults at risk of dementia

Supplementing vitamin D may help protect brain health in older adults at risk of dementia. SolStock/ Getty Images

In 2021, there were about 57 million people globally living with dementia.
Early symptoms of dementia can include signs of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and sleep issues.
Previous research shows certain nutrients may help slow dementia progression, such as vitamin D.
A new study suggests that consuming a higher amount of vitamin D may improve cognitive function in older adults who have both MCI and problems sleeping.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), in 2021 there were about 57 million peopleTrusted Source globally living with dementia, an umbrella term for diseases that impact a person’s ability to think and remember, such as Alzheimer’s disease.

Early symptoms of dementia can include signs of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) like memory loss, inability to problem solve, or difficulties speaking or remembering words, as well as sleep issues.

Previous research shows that dietTrusted Source can play an important role in the slowing of progression of dementia. Some foods, such as those that are high in nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids, B vitaminsTrusted Source, antioxidants, and vitamin D, may be especially relevant to this equation.

Now, a new study published in the journal Sleep Medicine says that consuming a higher amount of vitamin D is linked to improved cognitive function in older adults who have both MCI and problems sleeping.

What’s the link between MCI, sleep issues, and vitamin D?

For this study, researchers recruited 54 adults with an average age of about 67 who had diagnosed or suspected MCI and sleeping problems.

Study participants’ cognition was assessed through the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), and their sleep quality was assessed via the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) or the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS).

Study participants also self-reported their daily vitamin D consumption and dosage.

“Vitamin D is especially interesting because it’s part of everyday life, yet we’re still learning about the role it may play in cognitive health,” Victoria Pak, PhD, MS, MTR, associate professor at Emory University in Atlanta and senior author of the study, told Medical News Today.

“We focused on people with sleep disturbances and mild cognitive impairment because sleep and cognition are closely connected, and we wanted to understand whether vitamin D supplement intake was associated with differences in cognitive function in this group,” added Pak.

Taking vitamin D increased cognitive score by 13%

At the study’s conclusion, researchers discovered that study participants who reported taking 5,000 international units (IU) or more of vitamin D each day scored more than 13% higher on the MoCA, when compared to those who didn’t take a vitamin D supplement.

“Scores differed by approximately four points on the MoCA,” Pak said. “This was an observational study, so we need to be cautious about how we interpret the finding. What makes the result important to investigate further is that we observed this relationship in people with mild cognitive impairment and sleep disturbances.”

“The amount of vitamin D someone needs can vary, so anyone concerned about their levels should talk with their healthcare provider about whether testing is appropriate,” she added.

For the next steps in this research, Pak said they plan to test these findings in a clinical trial to determine whether vitamin D supplementation can influence cognition.

“If the trial shows that vitamin D contributes to the differences in cognitive function we observed, that could open up new possibilities for supporting cognitive health,” she said.

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Highlighting a noninvasive intervention for an at-risk group

MNT had the opportunity to speak with Manisha Santosh Parulekar, MD, FACP, AGSF, CMD, chief of the Division of Geriatrics and co-director of the Center for Memory Loss and Brain Health at Hackensack University Medical Center.

Parulekar, who was not involved in this study, commented that her first reaction to this its findings was one of optimism.

“The findings highlight an accessible, noninvasive intervention for an at-risk group,” she explained. “It reinforces the hypothesis that dietary modifications impact cognitive decline.”

MNT also spoke with Dung Trinh, MD, an internist for MemorialCare Medical Group and chief medical officer of Healthy Brain Clinic in Irvine, CA, who likewise was not involved in this study.

Trinh said that he found this to be an intriguing and clinically relevant finding, particularly because sleep disturbance is so common in patients with mild cognitive impairment and may contribute to worsening cognitive health over time.

“The study found that participants taking 5,000 IU or more of vitamin D daily had better cognitive scores, but I would emphasize that this was a small, cross-sectional study involving only 54 participants, so it shows an association rather than proving that high-dose vitamin D improves cognition,” he continued.

“Still, the magnitude of the observed difference is enough to justify larger and more rigorous studies,” he emphasized.

What are the cognitive function benefits of vitamin D?

When asked how vitamin D might help improve cognitive function in people with sleep disturbances and MCI, Trinh said one possible explanation is vitamin D’s role in regulating inflammation and immune function.

“Poor sleep has been associated with increased inflammatory activity, and neuroinflammation may contribute to cognitive decline and neurodegenerative processes. Vitamin D may help modulate inflammatory signaling, and there is also some evidence that vitamin D status is related to sleep quality. That creates a plausible biological pathway in which adequate vitamin D could potentially support both sleep and brain health, although this study did not directly demonstrate that mechanism and the broader research on vitamin D and cognition remains mixed.”

– Dung Trinh, MD

Monique Richard, MS, RDN, LDN, FAND, IFNCP, a registered dietitian nutritionist and owner of Nutrition-In-Sight — who was not involved in this study — added that in addition to inflammation, vitamin D appears to influence other pathways relevant to brain health, including oxidative stress, neuronal signaling, and neurotrophic factors.

“Sleep disturbance itself can also amplify inflammation and metabolic stress, so vitamin D may be one piece of a much larger sleep–brain–immune connection,” Richard continued.

“My perspective is that the greatest potential benefit may be in identifying someone who is insufficient or deficient rather than assuming that ‘more is always better.’ Evidence from larger trials remains mixed, which is an important part of the story, emphasizing the fact that personalizing recommendations is best,” she told us.

“Vitamin D may not be a magic memory pill, but correcting a deficiency could be one modifiable piece of the brain-health puzzle,” Richard added.

Should you take a vitamin D supplement?

For those worrying about their vitamin D intake, Richard recommended first looking at the whole picture rather than immediately reaching for a high-dose supplement of D2 or D3.

“Vitamin D is naturally present in relatively few foods, but fatty fish such as salmon and trout, egg yolks, and fortified milk or plant-based beverages can contribute in meaningful, beneficial amounts. Reading labels, understanding sources and whether that item — irradiated mushrooms, for example — are contributing reliable amounts, are a few additional tips to consider with Vitamin D.”

– Monique Richard, MS, RDN, LDN, FAND, IFNCP

For people with limited sun exposure, low dietary intake, or other risk factors, Richard said supplementation may be appropriate — but ideally based on an individual’s health history, dietary pattern, medications, ethnicity, conversion rate, and, when clinically indicated, a 25-hydroxyvitamin D blood test.

“Importantly, the 5,000-IU dose in this study should not be interpreted as a universal recommendation,” she continued. “The NIH lists 4,000 IU/dayTrusted Source as the tolerable upper intake level for most adults from food and supplements combined, although higher doses may sometimes be used under medical supervision to treat deficiency.”

“Consulting with a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) can help meet people where they are at and tailor an appropriate recommendation and game plan for their needs,” Richard added.

“The goal with vitamin D is to identify whether it is a missing piece of that individual’s health picture and then how that piece can be addressed most appropriately to reap the benefits and support the body and mind’s needs,” the dietitian concluded.

Medically reviewed
A guide to nutrition and diet with MSYvonne was a big junk food fan when she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. This is how she changed her habit.

Read More

[Yorikke] I take it because someone told me it was like legal grass and if you smoked eno...

Yorikke — 8/25/2026 4:04:00 AM

I take it because someone told me it was like legal grass and if you smoked enough of it you could get high.
That is my "Yardstick of supplement health' Goes back to the days when 'If you smoke enough of this chit you can get a buzz on!! and that was the yardstick of supplementation. I'm not sure that was such a bad way to deal with things. After all it was mostly organic herb and was not going to kill you; even at a rate of a few oz per day, or one beeeg hooka bowl. You know things are screwed up when the sixties mentalities which were generally harmless (very few people took acid or hard drugs, and mostly drank beer and rolled bomber joints of oregano.) are demonized in favor of 'can kill you' pharma drugs at prices so inflated they got to get the government to help them rape the public. COQ10 is basically harmless as a supplement--Unless you are drugging yourself up with crap that will kill you regardless.

[Yorikke] If you are saying that Statins and Blood Sugar meds are the answer and that COQ1...

Yorikke — 8/25/2026 3:50:08 AM

If you are saying that Statins and Blood Sugar meds are the answer and that COQ10 is not a help to the system I must disagree. What I pointed out is that Parade presented this as a individual on Statins and Blood Sugar meds was the NORM. COQ10 was classified as dangerous because it screwed with the norm (of loading up on pharma prescriptions). COQ10 is not necessarily the cure to being stupid, but it wont hurt you in non-excessive doses as the body produces a lot of it itself WHEN it is healthy. It will however play a bit of havoc with pharma products and their dosing.

Most people can not really read, or don't bother to try. I'm often in that second category . But this article is a load of crap only meant to panic.

I've had a problem figuring out what you are saying for almost 20 years. Usually when I figure that out I find we agree in general.

[Pogeu Mahone] Looking at obese America sugar is the problem CQ 10 is not needed Healthy adu...

Pogeu Mahone — 8/24/2026 7:05:26 AM

Looking at obese America sugar is the problem

CQ 10 is not needed

Healthy adults who eat a balanced diet do not need CoQ10 supplements because the body makes enough on its own. Supplements are generally unnecessary unless a doctor suggests them for specific health needs.

When Supplements Are Not Needed

Healthy Bodies: Your cells make all the CoQ10 required for daily energy.

Balanced Diet: Foods like fish, meat, and nuts provide extra trace amounts.

General Aging: Normal aging alone does not mean you lack the nutrient.

When Doctors Might Discuss CoQ10

Statin Use: Some patients take it if cholesterol drugs cause muscle discomfort.

Heart Support: Doctors may review it for specific heart conditions.

Migraines: It is sometimes tried to help reduce headaches. [ 1, 2, 3]

[Pogeu Mahone] ignorance is not the answer if one is not smart enough to distinguish between t...

Pogeu Mahone — 8/24/2026 6:56:35 AM

ignorance is not the answer

if one is not smart enough to distinguish between the universal naturel given cure

and snake oil c'est la vie

[Yorikke] Furthermore....if you read the last few paragraphs you find that taking COQ10 h...

Yorikke — 8/24/2026 1:25:29 AM

Furthermore....if you read the last few paragraphs you find that taking COQ10 has a tendency to reduce blood sugar, and to deal with high blood pressure and the things that Statins deal with. ie COQ10 usage has a tendency to reduce the need for these products, (Billion dollar revenue producers) This is presented as a terrible threat, because it throws the cycles of income way off. Instead of speaking to doctors and saying try reducing your prescriptions a bit and supplementing it with CoQ10.

I have been recommended prescriptions for Statins (because I am at that age?) and some kind of crap to lower my BS. I actually took some Statins and suffered from a bout of head aches with a week. I have brought my BS down by severely watching my diet. I expect a call from the Health Defenders who will ask me to explain why I'm not willingly participating in the pharma mass suicide.

But Parade is a nothing more than a paid advertisement, and this article is a hit piece defending the income producing drugs that feed the pharma giants.

My feeling.....if you can not read perhaps you deserve to lose your seat on the plane 't'.

Again the 'you' is always generalized and not aimed at Pogeu personally.

[Yorikke] So, if one takes COQ10 along with 'standard medical treatments' (ie Blood Press...

Yorikke — 8/23/2026 6:29:56 PM

So, if one takes COQ10 along with 'standard medical treatments' (ie Blood Pressure Meds and other ESSENTIAL what-nots that make the medical profession rich. ) you are endangering yourself. BETTER to just rely on your quack doc and let them term you out along their predetermined life channel.

Come on Pogue. Read the GD articles and see through the hype and fear mongering. It is just BS. I got a few friends who have honed in on this crap and now refuse to take any supplements. And they are low in D3, and a host of other things......they are old men losing weight and refusing to take the propper steps to care for themselves.....these kinds of articles just hasten their departure.

COQ10 may or may not be beneficial if overdosed but I see no evidence that taking Blood Pressure meds is gonna extend your life.....over what you have already fked yourself for by being a bloody idiot through the decades.

[Pogeu Mahone] No one needs this: aol.com Cardiologists Warn: CoQ10 Supplements May Harm Hear...

Pogeu Mahone — 8/18/2026 11:44:43 AM

No one needs this: aol.com

Cardiologists Warn: CoQ10 Supplements May Harm Heart Health and Waste Your Money

Beth Ann Mayer

Mon, August 17, 2026 at 9:25 PM EDT

14

As a consultative cardiologist, Dr. Rigved Tadwalkar, MD, FACC, says supplements operate in the “wild west” of the health system.

“When I prescribe a medication, I know exactly what’s in the bottle, how it’s manufactured and precisely how it interacts with the body because it has undergone years of rigorous, large-scale clinical trials,” he tells Parade.

But Dr. Tadwalkar warns that supplements aren’t held to the same regulatory standards as medications.

“Often, the marketing is driven by profit rather than peer-reviewed data,” he explains. “As a patient, you have to play detective, asking questions like: Who is selling this? What is their incentive? If it sounds like a miracle cure, it’s almost certainly marketing bravado rather than medical science.”

Yet, if you’re one of the more than 20 million adults in the U.S. living with heart disease, it’s natural to want a cure. Unfortunately, supplements are also billed as “natural,” which Dr. Tadwalkar says doesn’t always mean “safe,” especially if you have or are at risk for heart disease.

“Supplements can alter the metabolism of life-saving medications or add unnecessary strain to your system,” he explains. “We need to be careful that your ‘wellness’ routine isn’t quietly working against your heart prescriptions.”

One trending supplement, billed as a tool for cardiovascular disease, may actually do more harm than good (or just no good at all). Four cardiologists agree that this supplement is mostly a waste of money for heart health, and that people taking statins need to be especially careful with it. Scroll on to learn more, including research-backed ways to protect your heart.

?? SIGN UP for tips to stay healthy & fit with the top moves, clean eats, health trends & more delivered right to your inbox twice a week ??

This Supplement Is a Waste of Money for Heart Health, Cardiologists SayFour cardiologists agree that CoQ10 is generally a waste of money for heart health, even though it’s promoted as a miracle cure for cardiovascular disease, statin-related muscle pains and even aging (which, um, doesn’t need to be cured).

“Despite the glowing marketing claims, the official stance from major medical organizations tells a different story,” Dr. Patrick Kee, MD, Ph.D, a cardiologist at Vital Heart & Vein, tells Parade. “The American Heart Association (AHA) explicitly states that CoQ10 remains ‘of uncertain value’ in heart failure management, and it does not replace standard, guideline-directed medical therapy.”

If your algorithm hasn’t pushed TikTok videos promoting this supplement as a blanket fix for “all the things,” you may wonder: “Hey, what is CoQ10 anyway?”

Coenzyme Q10, or CoQ10, is a naturally occurring antioxidant. Every cell in your body has it, says Dr. Ryan Kaple, MD,an interventional cardiologist and the director of the Structural & Congenital Heart Program at Hackensack University Medical Center.

“It plays a crucial role in creating energy within your cells and protecting them from damage,” he says. “Think of it as a tiny spark plug for your cells’ engines. Your body produces CoQ10, but its levels can decrease with age or in people with certain conditions, like heart disease.”

But that doesn’t mean CoQ10 supplements are a great way to reduce the risk of heart disease (or slow it). Unfortunately, though, that’s why people often one-click buy them.

“Manufacturers heavily promote it with a ‘health halo,'” Dr. Kee points out. “It is widely sold under the premise that taking extra pills will naturally boost your heart’s pumping energy, slow down aging or magically shield your cardiovascular system.”

Yet, cardiologists say the hype isn’t usually right here.

Related: Cardiologists Are Begging People To Stop Pairing This Common Supplement With Blood Pressure Medication

The Truth About CoQ10 and Heart HealthDr. Kaple warns that CoQ10 can interfere with blood thinners, including warfarin, and could lower blood sugar, a potential concern for people taking diabetes medications (Remember: people with diabetes are more likely to live with heart disease, too). Lack of oversight is also a problem.

“You can’t always be sure of the quality or dosage of the supplement you’re taking,” Dr. Kaple warns.

However, Dr. Tadwalkar is generally less concerned with toxicity than with the opportunity cost. “Many patients spend time and money chasing a supplement that doesn’t move the needle, potentially delaying the lifestyle changes or evidence-based treatments that actually save lives,” he explains.

For instance, there’s some anecdotal evidence that CoQ10 helps some people on statins with muscle aches. “But clinical trials have been largely neutral,” Dr. Tadwalkar clarifies. “It’s not a dangerous interaction, but it’s rarely the fix people hope it is.”

Another cardiologist agrees. “There are some studies that have demonstrated some mild cardiac benefits,” states Dr. Mohanakrishnan Sathyamoorthy, MD, the chair of internal medicine at the Burnett School of Medicine at TCU. “These, however, are significantly outweighed by the time you invest in optimizing your nutrition, daily exercise, restful sleep and socialization.”

Related: ‘I’m a Cardiologist—Here’s How To Know When You Should Go on Blood Pressure Medication’

When CoQ10 May Be HelpfulDr. Kaple doesn’t recommend CoQ10 for most of his patients but says the supplement might have a place in some holistic treatment plans. Dr. Kaple shares that times when CoQ10 might be considered include:

True CoQ10 deficiency (very rare)
Heart failure, along with standard medical treatments (“This is not a replacement for proven therapies,” Dr. Kaple emphasizes.)
Migraines

Importantly, Dr. Kaple stresses these plans should always stem from “consultation with a doctor.”

Related: Cardiologists Are Begging People To Stop Pairing This Common Supplement With Blood Thinners

3 Ways To Improve Your Heart Health That Aren’t CoQ10 SupplementsThere’s no one-size-fits-all prescription for better heart health. Instead, cardiologists recommend starting with lifestyle changes. Below, they detail three effective ways to improve your heart health with more backing than CoQ10.

1. Adopt a heart-healthy dietDr. Kaple recommends following a diet plan that prioritizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins and healthy fats, such as the Mediterranean or DASH eating plans. These diets also minimize intake of processed foods, saturated and trans fats, added sugars and sodium. Dr. Kaple shares that these eating plans can help you keep your weight, cholesterol and blood pressure in check and lower your risk of chronic conditions that can strain the heart.

Want to get some CoQ10 the “food-first” way?

“The most heart-healthy source is oily fish like salmon, char, trout or mackerel,” shares Dr. Sathyamoorthy. “For vegetarians and vegans, walnuts, tofu, cauliflower and soybeans.”

2. Log exerciseDr. Kaple suggests aiming for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, like brisk walking, swimming or cycling, each week. Moderate-intensity simply means your heart rate goes up, but you can still carry on a conversation.

“Exercise strengthens your heart muscle, improves circulation, helps control your weight, and can lower your blood pressure and cholesterol,” Dr. Kaple says.

Speaking of strength, don’t forget to add at least two resistance-training exercises to your regimen each week.

“There is a massive misconception that heart health equals hours on the treadmill, but lifting weights improves insulin sensitivity and lowers blood pressure,” Dr. Tadwalkar adds.

3. Prioritize sleepYour heart, mind and whole body will thank you. “Deep, restorative sleep gives your heart a necessary rest period, lowers your baseline heart rate and regulates stress hormones that can otherwise trigger inflammation and hypertension over time,” Dr. Kee reports.

[Pogeu Mahone] edit

Pogeu Mahone — 8/18/2026 11:40:10 AM

[Pogeu Mahone] I told you this stuff was not needed years ago. Cardiologists Warn: CoQ10 Suppl...

Pogeu Mahone — 8/18/2026 11:38:22 AM

I told you this stuff was not needed years ago.

Cardiologists Warn: CoQ10 Supplements May Harm Heart Health and Waste Your Money

Beth Ann Mayer

Mon, August 17, 2026 at 9:25 PM EDT

14

As a consultative cardiologist, Dr. Rigved Tadwalkar, MD, FACC, says supplements operate in the “wild west” of the health system.

“When I prescribe a medication, I know exactly what’s in the bottle, how it’s manufactured and precisely how it interacts with the body because it has undergone years of rigorous, large-scale clinical trials,” he tells Parade.

But Dr. Tadwalkar warns that supplements aren’t held to the same regulatory standards as medications.

“Often, the marketing is driven by profit rather than peer-reviewed data,” he explains. “As a patient, you have to play detective, asking questions like: Who is selling this? What is their incentive? If it sounds like a miracle cure, it’s almost certainly marketing bravado rather than medical science.”

Yet, if you’re one of the more than 20 million adults in the U.S. living with heart disease, it’s natural to want a cure. Unfortunately, supplements are also billed as “natural,” which Dr. Tadwalkar says doesn’t always mean “safe,” especially if you have or are at risk for heart disease.

“Supplements can alter the metabolism of life-saving medications or add unnecessary strain to your system,” he explains. “We need to be careful that your ‘wellness’ routine isn’t quietly working against your heart prescriptions.”

One trending supplement, billed as a tool for cardiovascular disease, may actually do more harm than good (or just no good at all). Four cardiologists agree that this supplement is mostly a waste of money for heart health, and that people taking statins need to be especially careful with it. Scroll on to learn more, including research-backed ways to protect your heart.

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This Supplement Is a Waste of Money for Heart Health, Cardiologists SayFour cardiologists agree that CoQ10 is generally a waste of money for heart health, even though it’s promoted as a miracle cure for cardiovascular disease, statin-related muscle pains and even aging (which, um, doesn’t need to be cured).

“Despite the glowing marketing claims, the official stance from major medical organizations tells a different story,” Dr. Patrick Kee, MD, Ph.D, a cardiologist at Vital Heart & Vein, tells Parade. “The American Heart Association (AHA) explicitly states that CoQ10 remains ‘of uncertain value’ in heart failure management, and it does not replace standard, guideline-directed medical therapy.”

If your algorithm hasn’t pushed TikTok videos promoting this supplement as a blanket fix for “all the things,” you may wonder: “Hey, what is CoQ10 anyway?”

Coenzyme Q10, or CoQ10, is a naturally occurring antioxidant. Every cell in your body has it, says Dr. Ryan Kaple, MD,an interventional cardiologist and the director of the Structural & Congenital Heart Program at Hackensack University Medical Center.

“It plays a crucial role in creating energy within your cells and protecting them from damage,” he says. “Think of it as a tiny spark plug for your cells’ engines. Your body produces CoQ10, but its levels can decrease with age or in people with certain conditions, like heart disease.”

But that doesn’t mean CoQ10 supplements are a great way to reduce the risk of heart disease (or slow it). Unfortunately, though, that’s why people often one-click buy them.

“Manufacturers heavily promote it with a ‘health halo,'” Dr. Kee points out. “It is widely sold under the premise that taking extra pills will naturally boost your heart’s pumping energy, slow down aging or magically shield your cardiovascular system.”

Yet, cardiologists say the hype isn’t usually right here.

Related: Cardiologists Are Begging People To Stop Pairing This Common Supplement With Blood Pressure Medication

The Truth About CoQ10 and Heart HealthDr. Kaple warns that CoQ10 can interfere with blood thinners, including warfarin, and could lower blood sugar, a potential concern for people taking diabetes medications (Remember: people with diabetes are more likely to live with heart disease, too). Lack of oversight is also a problem.

“You can’t always be sure of the quality or dosage of the supplement you’re taking,” Dr. Kaple warns.

However, Dr. Tadwalkar is generally less concerned with toxicity than with the opportunity cost. “Many patients spend time and money chasing a supplement that doesn’t move the needle, potentially delaying the lifestyle changes or evidence-based treatments that actually save lives,” he explains.

For instance, there’s some anecdotal evidence that CoQ10 helps some people on statins with muscle aches. “But clinical trials have been largely neutral,” Dr. Tadwalkar clarifies. “It’s not a dangerous interaction, but it’s rarely the fix people hope it is.”

Another cardiologist agrees. “There are some studies that have demonstrated some mild cardiac benefits,” states Dr. Mohanakrishnan Sathyamoorthy, MD, the chair of internal medicine at the Burnett School of Medicine at TCU. “These, however, are significantly outweighed by the time you invest in optimizing your nutrition, daily exercise, restful sleep and socialization.”

Related: ‘I’m a Cardiologist—Here’s How To Know When You Should Go on Blood Pressure Medication’

When CoQ10 May Be HelpfulDr. Kaple doesn’t recommend CoQ10 for most of his patients but says the supplement might have a place in some holistic treatment plans. Dr. Kaple shares that times when CoQ10 might be considered include:

True CoQ10 deficiency (very rare)
Heart failure, along with standard medical treatments (“This is not a replacement for proven therapies,” Dr. Kaple emphasizes.)
Migraines

[Yorikke] Glycine Dosing and Uses. Glycine has a remarkably wide safety margin, but "high...

Yorikke — 8/13/2026 5:11:53 PM

Glycine Dosing and Uses.

Glycine has a remarkably wide safety margin, but "higher" supplementation changes its biological behavior depending on the dose tier. While a standard dose for sleep is 3 grams, clinical trials for complex metabolic and neurological conditions have safely evaluated high doses ranging from 15 to 30 grams per day, and historically up to 60 to 90 grams per day under strict medical supervision for schizophrenia. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
When escalating glycine intake beyond standard nutritional baselines, several distinct physiological shifts and potential side effects occur: [6]
Dose-Dependent Negative Effects & Risks

Gastrointestinal Distress: This is the most common side effect of escalating doses. Consuming more than 15 to 20 grams at once frequently causes mild stomach pain, nausea, abdominal cramping, or loose stools. Taking the supplement with food can significantly reduce this discomfort. [1, 6, 7]
Profound Daytime Drowsiness: Glycine functions as an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system and lowers core body temperature to signal sleep. At high daytime doses, this calming effect can cross over into counterproductive daytime sedation, sluggishness, or a flat affect. [1, 6, 8]
Potential for Excitotoxicity at Extreme Mega-Doses: While glycine is primarily inhibitory in the spinal cord, it acts as a mandatory co-agonist at NMDA receptors in the brain's cortex and hippocampus. In vitro and animal models show that extreme, super-physiological tissue saturation (>500 mg/kg of body mass) can trigger paradoxical hyperexcitatory pathways, contributing to localized neurotoxicity or acute glutamate toxicity. [1, 9, 10, 11]
Hyperammonemia (Sub-populations): In roughly 10% to 15% of individuals, massive doses of isolated amino acids can overwhelm the liver's urea cycle, leading to mild hyperammonemia (elevated blood ammonia). This typically presents as mild confusion, fatigue, or headaches. [6, 12, 13]
Medication Interferences: High doses of glycine can directly block the therapeutic effectiveness of the antipsychotic medication Clozapine (Clozaril). [3, 14, 15]

Known Therapeutic & Positive Effects at Higher Doses

Drastic Acceleration of Collagen Synthesis: While 3 grams is standard for sleep, optimal structural support for joints, ligaments, and skin requires significantly more. Clinical data shows that taking 10 to 15 grams of glycine daily triggers a 60% to 75% increase in Type II collagen production, which helps rebuild degraded cartilage matrixes. [3, 4, 16, 17, 18]
Enhanced Intracellular Glutathione Synthesis: Glycine is one of the three foundational precursors needed to produce glutathione, your body's master antioxidant. Pairing high-dose glycine with N-Acetylcysteine (the "GlyNAC" protocol) at tiers up to 30 grams daily has been shown to deeply restore cellular mitochondrial health, reduce systemic oxidative stress, and improve metabolic efficiency in tissue models. [1]
Cardiometabolic & Fatty Liver Protection: High-dose protocols (roughly 20 to 30 grams daily) have demonstrated a clinical capacity to lower overall visceral fat stores, decrease circulating plasma triglycerides, and reduce dangerous liver enzymes (like ALT and AST) by accelerating hepatic mitochondrial function. [19, 20, 21, 22, 23]
Deep Sleep Architecture Support: A 3-gram dose taken 30 to 60 minutes before bed effectively stabilizes sleep by cooling core body temperature. Higher doses within safe bounds help reduce next-day cognitive fatigue, reduce nighttime urinary urgency, and improve morning reaction times. [1, 3, 17]

Safe Practice Framework
If you plan to experiment with higher-dose glycine, avoid consuming a massive dose all at once. Splitting a high daily target into three smaller doses taken with meals significantly minimizes gastrointestinal distress and prevents sudden, sharp spikes in brain NMDA receptor activity. [6, 7, 24]
To help frame this safely, what daily milligram or gram amount are you planning to take, and what primary health objective are you trying to achieve with a higher dose?

[1] drstanfield.com
[2] drstanfield.com
[3] mitohealth.com
[4] purovitalis.com
[5] mitohealth.com
[6] synapse.patsnap.com
[7] joinmidi.com
[8] navacenter.com
[9] webmd.com
[10] pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
[11] pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
[12] consensus.app
[13] pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
[14] rthm.com
[15] empowerpharmacy.com
[16] purovitalis.com
[17] healthline.com
[18] pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
[19] nature.com
[20] openheart.bmj.com
[21] biomedres.us
[22] pubs.rsc.org
[23] pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
[24] supplementneeds.co.uk

[Yorikke] Anti Oxidant periodization This runs a bit counter to a great part of dialogue ...

Yorikke — 8/13/2026 4:58:54 PM

Anti Oxidant periodization

This runs a bit counter to a great part of dialogue of this thread. But I believe it is in the spirit of E. Charters. Things change over time.

When too much is just as bad as too little. Cytokine and ROS Benefits to the body's growth processes.

Much of this post addresses Astaxanthin, but it is really about all antioxidants, and the sum total of their presence in ones system, particularly through supplementation.

To safely generate the acute inflammatory cytokines and reactive oxygen species (ROS) required to trigger muscle growth while leveraging astaxanthin’s extreme protective benefits, you must practice Antioxidant Periodization. Because astaxanthin has a long half-life of 16 to 52 hours, you cannot simply time it hour-by-hour around a workout. Instead, you must cycle your dosages across larger training blocks. [1]

The optimal routine to balance muscle hypertrophy with maximal systemic protection involves the following phased schedule:

Phase 1: The Hypertrophy & Cytokine Window (Weeks 1–4)This phase prioritizes muscle growth, strength gains, and mitochondrial biogenesis by allowing natural exercise-induced stress to signal cellular adaptations.

The Goal: Allow acute inflammatory cytokines (like IL-6) and ROS to trigger the mTOR pathway, which drives muscle protein synthesis.
The Astaxanthin Routine: Completely discontinue astaxanthin or drop down to a minimal baseline of 2 mg to 4 mg per day.
The Protocol: Engage in your high-intensity hypertrophy or heavy resistance training blocks during this window. Your muscles will experience normal micro-tears and soreness (DOMS), which is the necessary signal your body uses to build back bigger and more resilient fibers. [2, 3, 4, 5, 6]

Phase 2: The Clearing Block (Weeks 5–6)Because astaxanthin builds up heavily in fat cells, your body requires an intentional clearing phase between training cycles to completely free up muscle tissue signaling.

The Goal: Clear residual carotenoids from your tissues to ensure your body responds fully to the next round of exercise stress.
The Astaxanthin Routine: 0 mg per day (complete cessation).
The Protocol: Continue training with progressive overload. Skipping the supplement ensures your muscle fibers are fully sensitive to baseline cellular signaling molecules. [4, 7, 8]

Phase 3: The High-Protection & Recovery Cycle (Weeks 7–8)This phase shifts your physiological focus away from raw muscle growth to maximize tissue repair, lower systemic inflammation, and boost overall endurance. [9, 10, 11, 12]

The Goal: Rapidly reduce structural muscle damage markers (like creatine kinase), restore immune function, protect lipids, and build peak UV skin protection. [3, 13, 14, 15, 16]
The Astaxanthin Routine: 12 mg to 24 mg per day, always taken with a fat-inclusive meal to maximize absorption. [14]
The Protocol: Shift your training toward deload weeks, high-volume endurance blocks, multi-day outdoor events, or intensive cardio. The astaxanthin will efficiently shield your mitochondria, preserve muscle glycogen, and support cardiovascular recovery during this highly demanding phase. [17, 18, 19, 20]

Key Macro-Rules for this Routine

Keep it Food-Based During Hypertrophy: During Phase 1 and 2, get your antioxidants exclusively from whole foods (like berries, leafy greens, or wild seafood). Whole-food matrix antioxidants do not blunt muscle growth or inhibit mitochondrial biogenesis the way concentrated, isolated supplements do. [4, 17]
Avoid the 60 mg Tier entirely: Even during Phase 3 (High-Protection), cap your maximum intake at 24 mg per day. Exceeding this amount provides no additional muscle or cardiovascular protection due to tissue saturation limits, but it significantly elevates your risk of gastrointestinal distress and carotenodermia (orange skin).
Time it to the Evening: When you are in the High-Protection phase, take your daily dose with dinner. This places the peak 8-to-12-hour absorption window during your deep sleep cycles, when the majority of systemic tissue repair and immune system normalization occurs. [4]

How long do your hypertrophy training blocks typically last compared to your endurance or deload blocks? Sharing this will allow us to map these specific astaxanthin phases directly onto your existing workout calendar.

[1]nutrisense.io

[2]onlinelibrary.wiley.com

[3]mdpi.com

[4]youtube.com

[5]vitaminshoppe.com

[6]stamox.com

[7]vibrant-wellness.com

[8]setforset.com

[9]algatech.com

[10]nutraceuticalbusinessreview.com

[11]speediance.com

[12]perfectb.com

[13]pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[14]ubiehealth.com

[15]grassrootshealth.net

[16]acibademinternational.com

[17]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[18]academia.edu

[19]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[20]ai.hubermanlab.com

[Yorikke] Astaxanthin, and associated dosing regimes. (other antioxidants can follow muc...

Yorikke — 8/13/2026 4:53:24 PM

Astaxanthin, and associated dosing regimes. (other antioxidants can follow much the same routines)

Naturally derived astaxanthin is generally non-toxic even at high doses, but routinely exceeding standard clinical amounts (typically 4 mg to 12 mg per day) can trigger distinct physical changes and biochemical trade-offs. While regulatory bodies generally cap standard, daily recommended intakes around 12 mg, clinical trials have safely evaluated doses up to 40 mg to 48 mg per day for short-term durations. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

The known positive and negative effects of high-dose astaxanthin supplementation include the following:

Known Negative Effects & Drawbacks

Red Fecal Discoloration: The most common and visible effect of high dosing is a distinct red tinting of the stool. While medically harmless, it can easily be mistaken for gastrointestinal bleeding during routine medical evaluations. [2, 5]
Gastrointestinal Distress: Escalating your daily intake up to 20 mg or above frequently leads to mild digestive disruptions. Reported side effects include increased bowel movements, mild stomach pain, and occasional abdominal cramps. [1, 4, 5]
Blunted Exercise Adaptations: High doses of systemic antioxidants can inadvertently hinder muscle growth and endurance gains. Because the body relies on moderate bursts of reactive oxygen species (ROS) during exercise to signal cellular adaptations and mitochondrial biogenesis, super-physiological doses of astaxanthin can suppress this beneficial stress response. [5, 6]
Elevated Liver Enzymes: Meta-analyses have noted isolated, mild elevations in alanine aminotransferase (ALT), a specific liver enzyme, at high dosing tiers. However, this typically occurs without impacting other foundational liver markers. [2]
Medication Interactions: High doses can amplify the effects of blood-thinning medications like warfarin, accelerating bruising and bleeding risks. Because it can lower blood sugar and diastolic blood pressure, it may also interact unpredictably with diabetes and hypertension drugs. [1, 2]

Known Positive Effects

Triglyceride & HDL Improvement: Clinical trials observing higher dosing bands (12 mg to 18 mg per day) have demonstrated a significant capacity to lower overall triglyceride levels. Parallel improvements include a notable rise in cardioprotective HDL ("good") cholesterol. [7]
Enhanced Skin Photoprotection: Escalating the dose helps accumulate this carotenoid pigment directly inside dermal tissue layers. This buildup effectively increases your minimal erythema dose (MED), meaning it raises the baseline threshold of UV light exposure required to induce a sunburn. [5]
Sharper Cognitive & Metabolic Support: Doses hovering around 12 mg daily have been validated to accelerate recovery from age-related cognitive decline over a standard 12-week timeframe. It also functions as a potent insulin sensitizer, which aids in optimizing whole-body glucose management. [8, 9]

To further tailor this information, could you share why you are looking into high doses (e.g., for athletic performance, skin health, or cardiovascular support) and what specific daily milligram amount you consider high?

[1]https://www.clarus-health.com/blog/astaxanthin-dangers

[2]https://examine.com/faq/what-are-astaxanthins-main-drawbacks/

[3]https://examine.com/supplements/astaxanthin/

[4]https://www.rxlist.com/supplements/astaxanthin.htm

[5]https://drstanfield.com/blogs/articles/astaxanthin-benefits-forms-dosing-and-side-effects

[6]https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6627865/

[7]https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12389351/

[8]https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6878783/

[9]https://www.health.com/astaxanthin-benefits-8613082

Taking 60 mg per day of astaxanthin is a mega-dose that significantly exceeds the standard, evidence-based clinical range of 4 mg to 12 mg per day. While natural astaxanthin has shown an incredibly high safety profile and low toxicity in human trials—with temporary single doses tested up to 100 mg—sustaining 60 mg daily to target endurance, cardiovascular health, and UV skin resistance will likely trigger a phenomenon of diminishing returns and explicit physical trade-offs. [1, 2, 3]

A breakdown of how a 60 mg daily dose alters your three target outcomes, along with the expected biological responses, reveals the following:

1. Endurance & Exercise Performance: The Direct Negative Trade-offTaking 60 mg will likely hinder, rather than help, your athletic progress.

The Mechanism: To build muscular endurance, strength, and mitochondrial efficiency, your body requires the acute stress of exercise. Physical exertion generates free radicals (reactive oxygen species), which act as crucial cellular signals telling your body to adapt, rebuild stronger, and increase capillary density. [4, 5, 6, 7, 8]
The High-Dose Problem: Because astaxanthin is an exceptionally powerful antioxidant, a massive 60 mg daily dose aggressively neutralizes these free radicals before they can fire off their signaling cascade. This effectively blunts your natural training adaptations, leaving you with fewer fitness gains from your hard workouts. [9, 10, 11]
The Evidence-Based Alternative: The clinical studies demonstrating positive endurance and recovery outcomes uniformly utilize much lower doses—typically right around 4 mg per day. [12]

2. Cardiovascular Support: Saturation and Diminishing ReturnsWhile astaxanthin safely supports your lipid profile and heart health, 60 mg is unnecessary for optimal results. [13, 14, 15, 16]

The Mechanism: Astaxanthin improves cardiovascular health by lowering systemic inflammation, reducing malicious lipid peroxidation, lowering triglycerides, and boosting HDL ("good") cholesterol. [13, 14, 17, 18, 19]
The High-Dose Problem: Your body’s cellular receptors and tissues have a maximum saturation point for carotenoids. Once your cellular tissues are fully saturated, the excess astaxanthin cannot be utilized further for cardioprotection. It is simply processed by your liver and excreted via your spleen and digestive tract. [20]
The Evidence-Based Alternative: Robust cardiovascular trials observing distinct drops in triglycerides and improvements in blood rheology establish peak efficacy at just 12 mg to 18 mg per day. [14, 21]

3. Skin Resistance to UV: Physical Discoloration RisksAccumulating astaxanthin in your skin tissue does provide an internal shield against sun damage, but a 60 mg dose comes with highly visible cosmetic side effects. [22, 23, 24]

The Mechanism: Oral astaxanthin safely migrates to the skin, where it increases your minimal erythema dose (MED)—the amount of UV light required to cause a sunburn. It acts as a cellular internal sunscreen to mitigate UV-induced collagen breakdown. [23, 25, 26, 27]
The High-Dose Problem: Carotenodermia. Because astaxanthin is a deep red-orange pigment, consuming a sustained 60 mg dose will heavily saturate your subcutaneous fat layers and skin cells. This commonly causes your skin to develop a noticeable yellowish, orange, or reddish tint, particularly on the palms of your hands and soles of your feet. [28, 29, 30, 31]
The Evidence-Based Alternative: Dermatologists and photoprotection studies find that consistent, daily usage of only 4 mg to 6 mg per day is highly effective at boosting UV skin resistance and minimizing wrinkle depth without discoloring your skin. [2, 12, 23]

What to Expect Physically at 60 mg DailyIf you proceed with a 60 mg daily regimen, you should anticipate prominent, though medically benign, side effects:

Bright Red Stool: A large portion of the unabsorbed pigment will pass completely through you, consistently dyeing your stool dark red or bright orange.
Frequent Gastrointestinal Distress: Mega-dosing heavily taxes the digestive tract, often causing mild stomach cramping, bloating, nausea, and more frequent, loose bowel movements.
Hormonal Footprint: Astaxanthin can weakly inhibit 5-alpha-reductase (the enzyme that converts testosterone into DHT). At 60 mg, this could theoretically impact your baseline hormone ratios, altering libido or performance in unpredictable ways. [1, 15, 21, 32, 33]

Proactive Summary Recommendationn
To optimally hit your goals without blunting your athletic endurance or turning your skin orange, consider tapering down. A targeted daily dose of 12 mg taken with a fat-containing meal (as astaxanthin is fat-soluble) maximizes cardiovascular and skin benefits while staying clear of the threshold that compromises your workout recovery. [34, 35, 36]

Are you planning to take this mega-dose via a single formulation or by stacking multiple supplements, and are you currently taking any concurrent medications (like blood thinners or blood pressure drugs) that we should evaluate for safety interactions? [32, 37]

[1]https://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-supplements/astaxanthin

[2]https://ubiehealth.com/doctors-note/astaxanthin-skin-aging-uv-repair-derma-recommend2751q4

[3]https://www.instagram.com/reel/DAE6aGzSoos/

[4]https://www.geneticlifehacks.com/quercetin-scientific-studies/

[5]https://biogena.com/en-gb/knowledge/blog/astaxanthin

[6]https://www.mitoq.com/blogs/journal/researchers-discover-mitoq-increases-power-outputs-with-hiit-exercise-training

[7]https://drstanfield.com/blogs/articles/alpha-lipoic-acid-antioxidant

[8]https://backbayfit.com/vo%E2%82%82-max-testing-explained-what-it-is-and-why-it-matters/

[9]https://www.lifeextension.com/wellness/supplements/astaxanthin-benefits

[10]https://www.popsci.com/what-are-antioxidants-good-bad-enough-too-much/

[11]https://www.instagram.com/reel/DAN9r26xvht/

[12]https://drstanfield.com/blogs/articles/astaxanthin-benefits-forms-dosing-and-side-effects

[13]https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/27/2/700

[14]https://jksus.org/astaxanthin-a-promising-nutraceutical-for-cardiovascular-health/

[15]https://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-supplements/astaxanthin

[16]https://welltchemicals.com/blog/what-is-the-strongest-antioxidant/

[17]https://healthpath.com/gut-health/astaxanthin-benefits/

[18]https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/astaxanthin-benefits

[19]https://yourhealthmagazine.net/article/supplements/beyond-the-glow-the-comprehensive-health-benefits-of-astaxanthin/

[20]https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8247/18/10/1482

[21]https://examine.com/supplements/astaxanthin/research/

[22]https://www.cytoplan.co.uk/ask-the-expert/astaxanthin-benefits-skin-health

[23]https://www.biospherenutrition.co.nz/blogs/astaxanthin/9-evidence-based-benefits-of-astaxanthin

[24]https://www.instagram.com/reel/DYPdh7Gxs62/

[25]https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6073124/

[26]https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9008233/

[27]https://www.darwin-nutrition.fr/en/active/astaxanthin/

[28]https://www.amazon.sg/Vitamins-Macular-Degeneration-Zeaxanthin-Supplement/dp/B09ZQ34S68

To safely generate the acute inflammatory cytokines and reactive oxygen species (ROS) required to trigger muscle growth while leveraging astaxanthin’s extreme protective benefits, you must practice Antioxidant Periodization. Because astaxanthin has a long half-life of 16 to 52 hours, you cannot simply time it hour-by-hour around a workout. Instead, you must cycle your dosages across larger training blocks. [1]

The optimal routine to balance muscle hypertrophy with maximal systemic protection involves the following phased schedule:

Phase 1: The Hypertrophy & Cytokine Window (Weeks 1–4)This phase prioritizes muscle growth, strength gains, and mitochondrial biogenesis by allowing natural exercise-induced stress to signal cellular adaptations.

The Goal: Allow acute inflammatory cytokines (like IL-6) and ROS to trigger the mTOR pathway, which drives muscle protein synthesis.
The Astaxanthin Routine: Completely discontinue astaxanthin or drop down to a minimal baseline of 2 mg to 4 mg per day.
The Protocol: Engage in your high-intensity hypertrophy or heavy resistance training blocks during this window. Your muscles will experience normal micro-tears and soreness (DOMS), which is the necessary signal your body uses to build back bigger and more resilient fibers. [2, 3, 4, 5, 6]

The Goal: Clear residual carotenoids from your tissues to ensure your body responds fully to the next round of exercise stress.
The Astaxanthin Routine: 0 mg per day (complete cessation).
The Protocol: Continue training with progressive overload. Skipping the supplement ensures your muscle fibers are fully sensitive to baseline cellular signaling molecules. [4, 7, 8]

The Goal: Rapidly reduce structural muscle damage markers (like creatine kinase), restore immune function, protect lipids, and build peak UV skin protection. [3, 13, 14, 15, 16]
The Astaxanthin Routine: 12 mg to 24 mg per day, always taken with a fat-inclusive meal to maximize absorption. [14]
The Protocol: Shift your training toward deload weeks, high-volume endurance blocks, multi-day outdoor events, or intensive cardio. The astaxanthin will efficiently shield your mitochondria, preserve muscle glycogen, and support cardiovascular recovery during this highly demanding phase. [17, 18, 19, 20]

Key Macro-Rules for this Routine

Keep it Food-Based During Hypertrophy: During Phase 1 and 2, get your antioxidants exclusively from whole foods (like berries, leafy greens, or wild seafood). Whole-food matrix antioxidants do not blunt muscle growth or inhibit mitochondrial biogenesis the way concentrated, isolated supplements do. [4, 17]
Avoid the 60 mg Tier entirely: Even during Phase 3 (High-Protection), cap your maximum intake at 24 mg per day. Exceeding this amount provides no additional muscle or cardiovascular protection due to tissue saturation limits, but it significantly elevates your risk of gastrointestinal distress and carotenodermia (orange skin).
Time it to the Evening: When you are in the High-Protection phase, take your daily dose with dinner. This places the peak 8-to-12-hour absorption window during your deep sleep cycles, when the majority of systemic tissue repair and immune system normalization occurs. [4]

How long do your hypertrophy training blocks typically last compared to your endurance or deload blocks? Sharing this will allow us to map these specific astaxanthin phases directly onto your existing workout calendar.

[1]https://www.nutrisense.io/blog/is-inflammation-good-for-muscle-building

[2]https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/fsn3.70470

[3]https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/18/10/1570

[4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXwQV_IwGJc&t=170

[5]https://www.vitaminshoppe.com/blog/astaxanthin/

[6]https://stamox.com/en-no/blogs/recovery/antioxidant-recovery-post-workout

[7]https://vibrant-wellness.com/blog/strength-training-oxidative-stress-how-to-optimize-muscle-growth

[8]https://www.setforset.com/blogs/news/3-hit-training-programs

[9]https://www.algatech.com/astaxanthin-optimal-sports-nutritional-supplement/

[10]https://nutraceuticalbusinessreview.com/the-power-of-natural-astaxanthin-for-increased-muscle-performance-100998

[11]https://www.speediance.com/blogs/fitness/12-week-body-transformation-program

[12]https://www.perfectb.com/wolverine-peptide-bpc-157-tb-500/

[13]https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37025615/

[14]https://ubiehealth.com/doctors-note/astaxanthin-muscle-sports-recovery-doctor-protip6451q4

[15]https://www.grassrootshealth.net/blog/omega-3s-inflammation-and-muscle-recovery-what-the-latest-meta-analysis-reveals/

[16]https://acibademinternational.com/health-library/how-to-boost-immune-system-quickly-a-doctor-reviewed-answer/

[17]https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5778137/

[18]https://www.academia.edu/14722385/Astaxanthin_improves_muscle_lipid_metabolism_in_exercise_via_inhibitory_effect_of_oxidative_CPT_I_modification

[19]https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10511399/

[20]https://ai.hubermanlab.com/s/Ac17ao5B

[Yorikke] Antioxidant Periodization Is it safe to assume that all antioxidants supplemen...

Yorikke — 8/13/2026 4:39:02 PM

Antioxidant Periodization

Is it safe to assume that all antioxidants supplements are best administered in a periodic format?

Yes, it is entirely reasonable and biologically accurate to assume that almost all isolated antioxidant supplements are more effective when consumed in intervals or cycles rather than taken continuously.
This concept, known in physiology as Antioxidant Periodization, applies to nearly all major isolated antioxidants, including Vitamin C, Vitamin E, CoQ10, N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC), and Alpha-Lipoic Acid.
The biological mechanisms that explain why interval dosing is universally superior include:

1. Preventing the "Antioxidant Paradox"

The Mechanism: Your body features its own powerful, built-in antioxidant defense system, which creates compounds like glutathione and superoxide dismutase (SOD). [1]
The Problem: When you take high doses of isolated antioxidants continuously, your body senses that free radicals are constantly being neutralized externally. As a result, it downregulates its own internal production of glutathione and SOD. [2]
The Interval Benefit: Blasting the system with supplements continuously makes your body lazy. Cycling off forces your cells to maintain their natural, robust defense machinery.

2. Preserving the Hormesis Curve

The Mechanism: Hormesis is the biological rule that a small, temporary amount of stress makes a cell stronger, while too much stress kills it, and zero stress makes it weak.
The Problem: Chronic supplementation completely flattens the stress curve, eliminating the beneficial micro-shocks your body needs to adapt. This is why continuous high-dose Vitamin C (over 1,000 mg) and Vitamin E have been shown in multiple clinical trials to blunt muscle growth, reduce insulin sensitivity, and stall endurance gains.
The Interval Benefit: Interval dosing allows for necessary bursts of cellular stress (like exercise or cold exposure) to trigger growth, followed by a supplementation phase that helps clean up the resulting damage. [3]

3. Preventing Pro-Oxidant Shifts

The Mechanism: At excessively high or completely saturated levels, certain antioxidant molecules can flip their behavior and become pro-oxidants. [4]
The Problem: In a saturated environment, molecules like Vitamin C or beta-carotene can begin generating free radicals and causing cellular damage rather than preventing it. [5]
The Interval Benefit: Periodic breaks ensure your tissue concentrations never cross the threshold into pro-oxidant territory.

Exceptions to the Rule: When Not to Use Intervals
While cycling works best for performance and longevity, a few exceptions require consistent, daily dosing:

Chronic Clinical Deficiencies: If a doctor diagnoses a severe deficiency (such as scurvy or severe vitamin E malabsorption), daily non-stop dosing is required to restore baseline health.
Whole Food Antioxidants: You do not need to cycle off antioxidants found in a whole-food matrix (like blueberries, dark leafy greens, or green tea). Whole foods contain thousands of co-factors and fibers that slow down absorption, preventing the body from being overwhelmed and ensuring they never blunt muscle growth. [6]

Summary Strategy for All Supplements

If you want to apply this interval mindset to your entire supplement stack, a highly effective universal framework is the 4:2 or 5:2 strategy. You can either take your supplements for 4 weeks on and 2 weeks off, or simply take them for 5 days during the week and completely fast from all supplements on the weekend. This simple habit prevents cellular saturation and keeps your body's natural adaptation pathways sharp.
What other antioxidant supplements do you currently include in your routine? Sharing your full list will help identify if any of them have specific clearance rates or half-lives that require unique cycling schedules.

[1] longevity.technology
[2] healthline.com
[3] blog.nasm.org
[4] cymbiotika.com
[5] cymbiotika.com
[6] cymbiotika.com

[Carolyn] I take glycine every night. Ok, here goes: I bought a grounding mat from Earth...

Carolyn — 8/2/2026 6:41:15 PM

I take glycine every night.

Ok, here goes:

I bought a grounding mat from Earthbound and have been using it for a week. I have never slept better. Used to get up 2 times a night, tossed and turned. No more. Sleep for much longer hours before awaking.

[Yorikke] Try adding about 3 grams of Glycine to your schedule. A lot of pain is related ...

Yorikke — 8/2/2026 5:32:12 PM

Try adding about 3 grams of Glycine to your schedule. A lot of pain is related to chemical actions in the body that rely on glycine availability. As we age our internal manufacture of glycine declines. We suffer the effects of that by increased breakdown of standard functional processes. We run through it, and then our systems get sketchy and creak.

Lots of YouTube vids on glycine and its functions and benefits.

[JakeStraw] Yorikke, I've been using Zyflamend for a few months. I don't know if it's a "pla...

JakeStraw — 7/30/2026 2:05:03 PM

Yorikke, I've been using Zyflamend for a few months. I don't know if it's a "placebo" effect, but I have noticed some relief from from on/off pain in my back, elbow and knee.

[Yorikke] $67 per bottle on Amazon. I could use a good 'natural' pain reliever. But ...

Yorikke — 7/30/2026 12:25:39 AM

$67 per bottle on Amazon. I could use a good 'natural' pain reliever. But not at this price. ($.80 per dose, with likely a few doses per day. I'd go with Amazon's product and see if the basic combo's work.

Let us know how you do with it, if you decide to use it.

Aloha

[JakeStraw] Anyone have any opinion(s) on Zyflamend supplements..? newchapter.com

JakeStraw — 7/29/2026 4:07:54 PM

[Pogeu Mahone] Retina chips, or retinal prostheses, restore functional sight by bypassing dead ...

Pogeu Mahone — 7/23/2026 11:04:05 AM

Retina chips, or retinal prostheses, restore functional sight by bypassing dead photoreceptors in the eye. A wireless chip is implanted into the retina and paired with augmented-reality glasses, which use a camera to beam images onto the chip. The chip converts these images into electrical signals that travel to the brain.
The most notable device is the PRIMA system, developed by Science Corporation. [ 1]

How it works: A tiny 2 × 2 mm wireless chip (about 30 microns thick) is implanted under the macula. The patient wears specialized glasses featuring an integrated video camera and a tiny infrared projector. The camera captures the visual environment, and the glasses project this data onto the chip, which acts like a miniature solar panel to stimulate remaining healthy retinal cells.

Who it helps: It is primarily designed for patients suffering from age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and geographic atrophy, a condition where the light-sensing cells in the center of the retina die off but the surrounding neural wiring remains intact. It is also being researched for conditions like Stargardt disease and retinitis pigmentosa. [ 1, 2, 3]

Results & Progress: In clinical trials, the system allowed about 84% of participating patients to read letters, words, and sentences, giving them a meaningful improvement in their visual acuity. “We have a cochlear implant for vision now,” as noted by Science founder and CEO Max Hodak.

Availability: The PRIMA device has received its CE mark and began commercial sales in Europe, with plans to debut in the U.S. soon. [ 1, 2]

Would you like to know more about the surgical implantation procedure for the PRIMA device, or are you interested in how patients undergo visual rehabilitation and training after receiving the chip?

Eye prosthesis is the first to restore sight lost to macular degeneration
Oct 20, 2025 — The device consists of a small camera mounted on glasses that captures images and projects them to a wireless chip implanted in th...

Stanford Medicine
Chip implant designed to regain sight lost to macular degeneration | Medical Center Development | Stanford Medicine
A Stanford researcher invented a tiny prosthetic retinal device that can restore eyesight to some people who are blind. The device...

Stanford Medicine
'Cochlear implant for blindness' debuts in Europe, could ...
Jul 22, 2026 — Startup unveils retinal implant for people with partial vision loss from macular degeneration. Manage alerts for this article. A r...

STAT
Chip implant restores some vision lost to retinal disease
Oct 21, 2025 — sometimes a person can be bilat

[Yorikke] youtube.com@Prof.Perspective

Yorikke — 7/16/2026 5:05:43 PM

[Pogeu Mahone] Could you please post the ones that you enjoyed. youtube.com@Campbellteaching/c...

Pogeu Mahone — 7/16/2026 2:58:17 PM

Could you please post the ones that you enjoyed.

youtube.com@Campbellteaching/courses

[Yorikke] Dr. John Campbell has a new Youtube channel where he deals with some of the same...

Yorikke — 7/15/2026 7:10:35 PM

Dr. John Campbell has a new Youtube channel where he deals with some of the same issues we have talked about recently. ie. supplement use, misuse, and what some of the dangers might be. I view Campbell an honest, no hype, kind of doctor. His pandemic posts, his support of Kenyan outback doctors, and his willingness to go up against 'The Authority' has earned my respect. If the two posts to this channel are an indication of what he intends I would recommend that everyone here subscribe and like. Though I have to be honest in saying that the first post left a sharp and pungent taste in my mouth.

[Pogeu Mahone] You are correct about the abysmal food quality. We have enjoyed Broccoli Rabe un...

Pogeu Mahone — 7/12/2026 11:19:17 AM

You are correct about the abysmal food quality. We have enjoyed Broccoli Rabe until 2023

Now it is just a very bitter disgusting vegetable. Wherever it is grown the soil is depleted

Broccoli rabe is incredibly good for you. This nutrient-dense cruciferous vegetable is packed with vitamins A, C, and K, as well as fiber, calcium, and iron. It is extremely low in calories and contains potent antioxidants and glucosinolates that help fight inflammation and support cellular health.
WebMD +4

Top Nutritional Benefits:

Bone Strength: Exceptionally high in Vitamin K, which promotes strong bones and healthy circulation.
Eye & Skin Health: Contains lutein for retina protection and Vitamin A to support immunity and vision.
Digestion & Weight Management:
High in dietary fiber and water, which keeps you feeling full and supports gut health.

Metabolic Health: Glucosinolates support your body's natural detoxification pathways and overall metabolic vitality.
Andy Boy +3
AI Overview

Broccoli rabe (also known as rapini) originated in the Mediterranean region and has been cultivated for centuries. It is most closely associated with Southern Italian and Chinese cuisines. Despite its name, it is not a direct relative of broccoli; it is actually a subspecies of the turnip.
Wikipedia +4

Key Origin and Historical Details:
- Mediterranean Roots: The wild ancestor of the plant is native to the Eastern Mediterranean and Asia Minor. It evolved into a cultivated crop in Italy—particularly in regions like Apulia, Campania, and Calabria—where it remains a culinary staple.
  grand voyage italy +2
- Chinese Cultivation: The vegetable is also deeply rooted in Chinese agriculture and cooking, where it is often referred to as Chinese flowering cabbage.
  www.bluebookservices.com +1
- Etymology: The name "rabe" derives from the Italian word "rapa," meaning turnip. It is widely known in Italy by regional names such as
  cima di rapa or friarielli.
  
  grand voyage italy +3
- Introduction to the U.S.: The vegetable was brought to the United States in the late 1920s by Sicilian immigrants, notably the D'Arrigo family, who introduced the well-known "Andy Boy" brand.
  BellaVita Foods
If you are looking to cook with it, you can explore traditional pairings and preparation techniques in this Bon Appétit Broccoli Rabe Guide, or learn about its specific botanical background on the Wikipedia Rapini Pag

[Pogeu Mahone] Boost Your Mobility With These Gait Training Exercises By Brett Sears, PT Upda...

Pogeu Mahone — 7/12/2026 9:19:10 AM

Boost Your Mobility With These Gait Training Exercises

By Brett Sears, PT
Updated on July 06, 2026

Medically reviewed by Mohamad Hassan, PT

Table of Contents

Key Takeaways

Gait training exercises can improve balance, stability, and coordination.
You can do ankle pumps and calf towel stretches to improve your range of motion.
Strength-training exercises like squats and step ups help power the legs and improve stability.

Gait training exercises can significantly enhance your mobility by improving balance, stability, and coordination. These exercises, often part of physical therapy, are also easy to perform at home with guidance from your healthcare provider.

Measuring the arc of motion of the knee joint.Jan-Otto / Getty ImagesRange of Motion ExercisesRange of motion (ROM) is how far a joint or muscle can move comfortably, which may be limited after injury or surgery. Gait training exercises help improve this range.

ROM gait training exercises include:

Ankle pumps: Sit or lie down and flex your feet, as if you're trying to bring your toes toward your knees. Then, point your toes down toward the floor. Continue at a quick pace for two minutes.1
Calf towel stretch: Sit on the floor with your legs extended in front of you and a towel looped around the middle of your right foot. Gently pull the ends of the towel toward you until you feel a stretch in your right calf. Hold for 10 seconds and then release and repeat on the left leg.2

Gait training exercises may be part of a physical therapy program for a person recovering from a stroke, an injury, or surgery, as well as those dealing with a chronic condition that affects their ability to walk.3 Check with your healthcare provider before starting an exercise program.

Single-Leg Raise.Ben GoldsteinLower-Body Strength Exercises Strong muscles in the legs, ankles, and feet are crucial for walking and enhancing stability.

Strength-training exercises for gait training include:

Straight leg raises: Lie face up with your arms extended at your sides, palms on the floor. Extend your left leg on the floor and bend your right knee, placing your right foot on the floor. Lift your left leg several inches off the floor, then lower it and repeat. Do 10 reps, then repeat on the opposite leg.
Squats: Stand with feet hip-width apart and extend your arms at shoulder height in front of you, palms facing the floor. (Place hands on the back of a chair for support, if needed.) Push your hips back as you bend your knees as if you're sitting down in a chair. Stand up to return to the starting position. Do 10 reps.
Step ups: Stand facing the first step of a staircase. Place your right foot on the step and bring your left foot up beside it. Reverse the motion (step down with your left foot and then your right) to return to the starting position. Do 10 reps, then repeat on the opposite side, stepping up with your left foot first.

Sam Edwards / Caiaimage / Getty Images

Obstacle TrainingStepping over obstacles mimics the motions (such as hip flexing and raising the knees) legs go through when walking.

Here is how to perform obstacle training:

Set up five or six small obstacles in a row about 15 inches apart. (Obstacles can be rolled towels, athletic hurdles, or small stacks of books.)
Stand facing the obstacles, and step over one with one foot. Place your other foot next to your first foot.
Repeat walking over the obstacles with one foot. Then, turn around and step over the obstacles leading with your other foot first.
Continue walking over the obstacles for 10 repetitions.

Side-Stepping ExercisesStepping sideways over obstacles can improve your stability when walking in different directions.

Here's how to perform side-stepping gait exercises:

Stand with your obstacles to your side.
Step one foot sideways over the first obstacle, raising your knee high.
Place your foot down on the other side of the obstacle, leaving enough room for your second foot to land.
Lift your second foot up, raising your knee high, and then place it next to your first foot. Repeat, moving over all the obstacles.

Target SteppingTarget stepping helps enhance coordination and control over foot placement during walking. Here's how to perform it:

Place four or five targets on the ground in a semicircle, about one foot apart. You can use small pieces of paper or paper plates as targets.
Stand to one side of the targets on the floor and slowly step with one foot to tap a target.
Return that foot to the starting position, then reach out again to another target and tap it with your foot.
Continue, tapping each target with one foot, and then repeat with the other. Try to softly and slowly land each tap.

Retro WalkingRetro (backward) walking may be recommended by your physical therapist to help improve your gait.4 The benefits of backward walking include:

Improved hamstring flexibility
Improved quadriceps activation
Improved balance
Improved coordination5
Improved walking speed
Improved step length and stride length

Here's how to safely perform retro walking with a treadmill:

Set the treadmill to the slowest speed and turn around so you're facing backward.
Start the treadmill and reach one foot backward, moving through the toes, midfoot, and heel.
Continue, walking backward.

Retro walking should be done slowly so you remain in control. Use the safety emergency stop function on the treadmill.

The "hold" position for the Single Leg Cone Reach, a golf balance exercise.Photo courtesy of SeanCochran.com; used with permissionBalance ExerciseWalking requires you to stand on one foot while the other swings forward through the air. That means that single-leg balance is an important component of safe walking.

Try this single-leg balance:

Bend one knee, so your foot is raised off the ground and your weight is on the other leg.
Hold for 10 to 20 seconds, then repeat on opposite leg.
To make this exercise more challenging, perform it with your eyes closed or while standing on an unsteady surface such as a BOSU.

The Gait Cycle
The gait cycle includes all of the movements involved in walking: lifting the foot, moving it forward, putting it back down, rolling through the foot, and lifting it off the ground again.6 A comprehensive gait-training exercise program should include components that address every part of this cycle.

Read More:

6 Sources

By Brett Sears, PT
Brett Sears, PT, MDT, is a physical therapist with over 20 years of experience in orthopedic and hospital-based therapy.

[Yorikke] Pogeu, you are not taking into account the rapidly declining nutritional level ...

Yorikke — 7/9/2026 6:30:17 PM

Pogeu, you are not taking into account the rapidly declining nutritional level of the food supply. I don't contest that one needs to be very careful about the sources of the products that are being consumed, but one also needs to understand that what we are eating is turning into a poor level of crap. Supplementing, if one chooses to do it, is not a matter of just reading the names on the labels. One must research and study.

For instance. Not only are multiple sources of B12, there are multiple formulations. One can take the wrong one and not get anywhere. But these is no denying that in many people today there is a need to supplement B12. Its just a fact. How one does this is very complex, or simple based on what one chooses to eat; or can gain access to, to eat.

[Yorikke] I don't want to outperform anything I have ever done...........it will kill me ...

Yorikke — 7/9/2026 6:17:16 PM

I don't want to outperform anything I have ever done...........it will kill me (fukin)!!

And if you are stupid enough to believe what you hear......you may die as a result.

Keep that in mind as you weigh lost dreams with the harsh reality of getting older.

Do kegels. Do Sat Kria. do 'lower fists' They are all basically the same, they are not easy to maintain in practice. But they are the ancient ways of overcoming the common problem without pouring chit into your system just to chase an unattainable reality or face the harsh facts of deteriorating systems brought on by the advancing years.

In the end.....the quest arises....If your spouse was as nasty and petulant as the wenches in the commercials, it is likely that you would be better off employing a rubber dildo.

[Pogeu Mahone] Mayo Oncologist: Most Supplements In Your Cabinet Are Doing Almost Nothing This...

Pogeu Mahone — 7/9/2026 10:01:53 AM

Mayo Oncologist: Most Supplements In Your Cabinet Are Doing Almost Nothing

This is why my only supplement is D3.

Tried B12 for 6 months , I could not see or feel any benefit.

Supplements sell 73 billion dollars worth yearly. Most People are suckers and go on and on about the bene's. LOL

The U.S. dietary supplement industry has grown into a massive market, with sales approaching nearly $73 billion annually. Despite these massive consumer expenditures, health experts point out that most healthy adults do not need them, as they are not a substitute for a balanced diet and exercise.
Here is why this industry continues to boom despite scientific skepticism:
Loose Regulatory Framework: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates supplements as a subcategory of food, not as drugs. This means manufacturers do not have to prove that a product works—or even how it works—before it goes to market. [ 1, 2]
Targeted Marketing & Lifestyle Trends: Younger demographics, including Gen Z and millennials, are fueling a surge in specialized products, including sports nutrition and condition-specific formulas. [ 1, 2, 3]
Limited Health Benefits for the General Public: Research from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and panels like the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force have repeatedly found insufficient evidence that multivitamins prevent cancer or cardiovascular disease in otherwise healthy adults. [ 1, 2]
Who Actually Benefits: Medical professionals emphasize that supplements are generally only necessary for specific groups with proven deficiencies, such as pregnant patients, strict vegans, or individuals with specific medical conditions that affect nutrient absorption.

[Maple MAGA ] 12 mg is the magic number for perfect sleep.

Maple MAGA — 7/5/2026 12:36:24 AM

[Yorikke] I didn't see any references to the essential aspects of Melatonin, nor to the d...

Yorikke — 6/24/2026 3:04:18 PM
I didn't see any references to the essential aspects of Melatonin, nor to the dosages of those individuals being monitored. Melatonin is an essential aspect of the natural bodily produced anto-oxidants. It is often prescribed/recommended to increase anti-oxidant load. It can be obtained over the counter in 3mg to 20mg forms. I have read recently that evening doses to aid in sleep should be limited to <5mg, as Melatonin's anti-oxidant activity can disrupt night rest cycles.

This is one of those 'shout outs' for returns to controlling supplement use. It is in my opinion, a cause to evaluate ones dosing and timing, but I put very little faith in it as the entire nature of the study seems to have been predetermined. No article that does not discuss the nature of the product, its uses, its dosing, nor clearly define the study group, can be of much use.

If one goes to the web site it is trashed with ads. Which confirms the intent is to lure clicks and gain hits on its own spiderweb of low grade ads. Other than the name, it has little to do with science.

[Pogeu Mahone] A recent analysis of adults with insomnia has linked being prescribed melatonin...

Pogeu Mahone — 6/23/2026 10:26:26 PM
A recent analysis of adults with insomnia has linked being prescribed melatonin for more than a year to a greater risk of heart issues.

Among more than 130,000 adults across multiple countries, those who were prescribed melatonin long-term were more at risk of heart failure and death in the following five years than those who were not prescribed it.

sciencealert.com

[Pogeu Mahone] Is Omega-3 good for your brain? New study raises doubts over benefits of supplem...

Pogeu Mahone — 6/23/2026 1:32:17 PM
Is Omega-3 good for your brain? New study raises doubts over benefits of supplement

For consumers, caution is key. Supplements should not be treated as a shortcut to brain health

Amanda Lloyd The Conversation, Alexander Nigel William Taylor & Alina Warren-WalkerTuesday 23 June 2026 10:36 EDT

Many of us would like to keep our brains sharp as we get older. That has helped create a growing market for “brain-health” supplements. These include fish-oil capsules and postbiotics, the beneficial, non-living compounds and byproducts produced by “good” gut bacteria (probiotics) when they digest dietary fibre or prebiotics.

But assessing these products is complicated.

A study found that omega-3 supplement use was associated with faster cognitive decline in older adults. Researchers analysed five years of data from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative and found a more rapid decline on several cognitive measures among people who reported taking the supplements than among matched non-users. Brain scans also showed lower glucose metabolism in vulnerable areas, meaning those brain regions appeared to be using less of their main energy source.

A study found that omega-3 supplement use was associated with faster cognitive decline in older adults (Getty Images)
The study cannot show that the supplements caused the differences. It was observational: the researchers compared people who chose to take omega-3 supplements with similar people who did not. They did not assign participants to supplements or placebo, so other differences between the groups may have influenced the results.

The findings do not show that eating fish is harmful. Previous omega-3 research has produced mixed results, and supplements should not be treated as interchangeable with eating fish as part of a balanced diet. A 2023 meta-analysis of longitudinal studies found an association between dietary omega-3 intake and a lower risk of dementia or cognitive decline.

Another recent study illustrates a different aspect of the problem. In a randomised controlled trial, researchers found that taking a daily multivitamin for two years was associated with a modest slowing of changes in two measures of biological ageing known as epigenetic clocks, which estimate ageing-related changes by looking at chemical marks on DNA. The authors stressed that more research is needed to establish whether these small changes translate into meaningful health benefits.

Together, the studies highlight a central problem in supplement research. A product may affect the brain or body without producing an obvious improvement in everyday functioning. A measurable change in the body may show that something is happening, but not whether it matters for memory, wellbeing or daily life.

Looking beneath the test score
One approach is to ask whether people perform better on cognitive tests after taking a supplement. Digital cognitive assessments can provide a practical way to measure aspects of cognitive function. But, like any measure, they need to be validated and interpreted carefully.

Cognitive tests can also be blunt instruments, particularly when researchers are studying healthy adults who are already functioning well. A person can achieve the same score twice while their brain is working differently underneath. Stable performance may sometimes reflect the brain’s ability to adapt or compensate.

Researchers studying healthy cognitive ageing are increasingly interested in how the brain maintains performance over time.

Our ongoing better brain trial is designed to explore whether supplements and other nutrition-based products can change the way the brain supports cognitive performance, even when improvements are not immediately visible on a standard test. The findings are still being analysed and have not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal.

In our randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, adults aged over 55 took supplement combinations or matched placebos each day for 60 days. They completed tasks examining working memory and attention while their brain activity was recorded using electroencephalography (EEG).

EEG is a non-invasive method that uses sensors on the scalp to measure tiny changes in electrical activity associated with the brain’s responses during a task. It does not read thoughts.

Participants completed an n-back task, in which they responded when a letter matched one shown earlier. They also completed the Stroop task, which requires people to focus on one feature while ignoring a conflicting cue, such as identifying the ink colour of the word “red” when the word itself is printed in blue.

Researchers can compare scores and reaction times with tiny changes in brain activity known as event-related potentials (ERP). These changes happen in the milliseconds after someone sees or responds to something. ERP measures can help researchers investigate cognitive processing during tasks. They may reveal subtle shifts that test scores alone miss.

Researchers still need to establish whether a change is reliable, whether it can be replicated and whether it is associated with an outcome that matters in people’s lives.

Not just the brain
Nutrition affects the whole body, and the body communicates with the brain through metabolism, inflammation, blood vessels, hormones and the gut-brain axis, the two-way communication between the digestive system and the brain.

The better brain trial also uses metabolomics, a technique that measures small molecules in biological samples such as blood or urine. These molecules can provide clues about biological processes. Metabolomics may also help researchers explore whether people respond differently to the same intervention.

Studies often report an average result across a group, but an average can conceal variation. This technique may identify patterns worth investigating in larger trials. It cannot, on its own, prove that a supplement improves memory or protects the brain.

A cognitive-test score can show whether a person completed a task more quickly or accurately. EEG can provide information about the brain activity associated with that performance. Metabolomics can reveal changes elsewhere in the body.

Each method captures part of the picture. A supplement should not be marketed as supporting memory simply because it changes a biomarker. Researchers need to know whether an effect is robust, whether it lasts and whether it translates into a meaningful benefit.

For consumers, caution is key. Supplements should not be treated as a shortcut to brain health. Evidence reviewed by the 2024 Lancet Commission on dementia prevention supports the importance of physical activity, social contact and management of long-term health risks such as high blood pressure.

In a market where claims can easily run ahead of evidence, measuring more does not remove uncertainty. But it can help researchers ask better questions and explain their findings more honestly.

[Pogeu Mahone] [graphic] Michael F. Holick Professor of Medicine Physiology and Biophysics at...

Pogeu Mahone — 6/7/2026 10:45:43 PM

Michael F. Holick

Professor of Medicine Physiology and Biophysics at Boston University School of Medicine

About
Dr. Holick has made numerous contributions to the field of the biochemistry, physiology, metabolism, and photobiology of vitamin D for human nutrition. Dr. Holick has established global recommendations advising sunlight exposure as an integral source of vitamin D. He has helped increase awareness in the pediatric and medical communities regarding vitamin D deficiency pandemic, and its role in causing not only metabolic bone disease, and osteoporosis in adults, but increasing risk of children and adults developing common deadly cancers, schizophrenia, infectious diseases including TB and influenza, autoimmune diseases including type 1 diabetes and multiple sclerosis, type 2 diabetes, stroke and heart disease. He also observed the pregnant women who were vitamin D deficient were at increased risk for preeclampsia and requiring a C-section. He has written more than 400 pier reviewed articles, edited or wrote 12 books including The Vitamin D Solution and is the recipient of numerous awards including the Linus Pauling Prize in Human Nutrition.
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[Pogeu Mahone] [youtube video]

Pogeu Mahone — 6/1/2026 11:22:19 AM

[Yorikke] Appears that sometimes it is best to suffer through what you have convinced your...

Yorikke — 6/1/2026 1:53:27 AM
Appears that sometimes it is best to suffer through what you have convinced yourself is untenable. This is particularly so when society and immediate relationships appear to be really fked up. Better to take a deep breath, breath deeply for a few years, and get on with the other aspects of existence. Assume that you were, and are, doing the things that are best for you, and let the world play out its assorted psychoses. Such things as changing one's sex, getting married at 65, moving to another country after retirement, or buying an expensive car to twang your hormonal appeal; all because they feel good or right, will hopefully, pass; and you can go back to worrying about the really important things in life like moving your bowels, your heart rate, blood sugar, and whether you need to feed the dog, and OF COURSE your D3 levels.

The Last Poets lend some rhythm and beat to this feeling in their two iconic raps When the Revolution Comes, and N****rs (aka 'we all') are afraid of Revolution. Both worth a listen and a nod. youtube.com

Underlines that fact that NOTHING you do or experience today is going to mean a damn thing to anyone else a few years from now. The most important things in life, like moving your bowels and getting-it-up regularly regardless, have been woked out of existence in a institutional effort to shorten your life and steal your savings. Rebel! Take that dump, be a fkn Jrk-Off and spend everything your earn before your leave.

[Pogeu Mahone] This certainly does not look good for one's health: [graphic]

Pogeu Mahone — 5/30/2026 3:09:02 PM
This certainly does not look good for one's health:

[Pogeu Mahone] May 29, 2026 Source:Stanford University Summary:Scientists at Stanford may hav...

Pogeu Mahone — 5/30/2026 11:49:42 AM
May 29, 2026

Source:Stanford University

Summary:Scientists at Stanford may have uncovered a hidden reason our brains decline with age. Studying the ultra-short-lived turquoise killifish, researchers discovered that the cellular machinery responsible for building proteins begins to jam and malfunction over time. Tiny structures called ribosomes start colliding and stalling while reading genetic instructions, triggering a chain reaction that leads to faulty proteins and harmful clumps linked to diseases like Alzheimer’s.

Stanford scientists uncovered a molecular “traffic jam” in aging brains that may help explain memory decline and diseases like Alzheimer’s. Credit: Shutterstock

Scientists at Stanford University have uncovered a major clue to why the brain deteriorates with age. Their research points to breakdowns in the cell's protein production system, a process that appears to trigger widespread dysfunction linked to cognitive decline and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's.

The study, published in Science, focused on how aging disrupts "proteostasis," or protein homeostasis. This system helps cells correctly build, maintain, and dispose of proteins. When proteostasis fails, damaged proteins can accumulate into harmful clumps that interfere with normal brain function.

sciencedaily.com

[Hugh Bett] Dr. Bryan Ardis, D.C. on X: "The app we've been building is finally real. VaxApp...

Hugh Bett — 5/29/2026 9:56:05 PM
Dr. Bryan Ardis, D.C. on X: "The app we've been building is finally real. VaxApp launches June 2026, and the waitlist is officially open! Built by Dr. Bryan Ardis and Dr. Sherri Tenpenny, VaxApp puts real vaccine education in your pocket: plain-language breakdowns of all vaccines, the ingredients, the t.co; / X

[Pogeu Mahone] Thank you for this: To: TobagoJack who wrote (223132) 5/23/2026 1:00:55 PM Fro...

Pogeu Mahone — 5/23/2026 1:09:54 PM
Thank you for this:

To: TobagoJack who wrote (223132) 5/23/2026 1:00:55 PM
From: Pogeu Mahone of 223236

You are right to be concerned about supplements And PRESCRIPTION DRUGS!
Transcript

Hello, this is the Surviving Healthcare Podcast and I have Tamara Santayana here to discuss what's in the bottle and what that means is what the heck are we doing with these supplements and the problems with the supplements and why do we endorse

Fullscript which costs a little more and you guys have seen that link at the top of all my posts and I'm going to Tamara and I are going to explain it. And I've got my American Patriot flag shirt on for the occasion.

Oh, wow.

So, Tamara, do you want to get started?

Sure. I'm ready.

Okay. So, supplements are problematic. And between 2007 and 2016, The FDA identified 746 dietary supplements that were actually mixed with pharmaceuticals and 48% were recalled and I don't know what they did with the rest. And there are a lot of other problems. The ingredients originate in China where the industrial pollution is incredible and Fullscript is an amalgamation

platform which takes the best brands which are manufactured in the United States and tested for purity and puts them in a in one outlet where you can buy it and these have commissions that Tamara and I get but we have decided to give a 20% rebate on the on the retail price

This is not the end of the article....

back to the patients so they wouldn't feel like they were getting ripped off. And that's most of the commission. That's most of the commission. And so we genuinely feel that these are the smart move. And I recently threw out a bunch of my supplements because they were older.

433. What’s in the bottle?
The problems with supplements

Robert Yoho, MD
robertyoho.substack.com

May 14, 2026

READER RESOURCES: THE APOCALYPSE ALMANAC: Hidden cures in our dystopian age. Check out the “ Cure Cancer in Your Kitchen” chapter. FULLSCRIPT SUPPLEMENTS: top quality and economical. AFFILIATE STORE: I offer competitively priced products HERE that I have personally tested and used.The Rumble link is HERE.

Summary

• Two-thirds of Americans take supplements daily, and independent testing finds widespread potency failures, contamination, and adulteration.

• Between 2007 and 2016, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) identified 746 dietary supplements adulterated with pharmaceuticals, and 48 percent of them were recalled.

• In October 2024, NOW Foods tested 24 SAM-e (S-adenosyl methionine) products on Amazon: 20 of 23 failed potency, 16 had under 20 percent of the labeled potency, and 6 had zero.

• Roughly 80 percent of global vitamin ingredients originate in China, the same country that supplies most fentanyl precursor chemicals reaching the United States.

• Fullscript is a dispensing platform that vets 375+ professional brands for cGMP (current Good Manufacturing Practice) compliance. At the top of every Yoho post is a Fullscript link. It offers readers a 20 percent discount built into the account, making the best-quality supplements cheaper than Amazon’s prices.

• Product quality is half the equation. Clinical guidance on dosing, timing, and interactions is the other half, and you need a professional to provide it.

The data on what’s in the bottle

Two-thirds of Americans swallow supplements daily and trust the label. The label often lies, however

Between 2007 and 2016, the FDA identified 746 dietary supplements adulterated with pharmaceuticals such as anabolic steroids and erectile dysfunction drugs. Voluntary recalls were issued for 48 percent. The rest stayed on the shelf.

Heavy metals appear at concerning rates. An analysis of 121 products found 5 percent exceeded safe arsenic limits, 2 percent had excess lead, cadmium, and aluminum, and 1 percent had too much mercury. In 2019, the FDA seized 300,000 bottles for exceeding lead limits. A New York Attorney General probe prompted CVS to test 1,400 of its products; 7 percent failed potency or contamination tests. A DNA-barcoding study found that 59 percent of botanical supplements contained plant species not listed on the label, and that ingredient substitution occurred in 83 percent of the companies tested. These identified problems are certainly the tip of an iceberg of adulteration and bad content.

The Amazon marketplace

NOW Foods, a supplement company, began checking lesser-known Amazon brands in 2017 after watching no-name sellers climb the rankings. Independent testing of 175 products documented a pattern: products below label potency, heavy metals, and synthetic ingredients.

In October 2024, NOW bought 24 suspicious SAM-e supplements on Amazon. 20 of 23 failed potency testing. 16 had less than 20% of the labeled potency. 6 had zero potency. One product sold as vegetarian capsules tested positive for animal gelatin. 5 brands flagged in 2020 are still for sale.

Amazon’s 2020 supplement policy requires a certificate of analysis from an accredited laboratory, but the testing data show enforcement is uneven. The risk is concentrated among unfamiliar brands and third-party sellers, not on the platform as a whole. Brand-name products from Thorne, Pure Encapsulations, and Life Extension are sold on both Amazon and Fullscript. Buyers who know the brands and verify that the seller is the manufacturer or an authorized distributor substantially reduce their exposure. The hazard is the marketplace’s openness to anonymous fly-by-night sellers, not the entire site.

Costco and the warehouse middle ground

Kirkland Signature is a step up from anonymous brands. Many Kirkland products have the USP (United States Pharmacopeia) Verified mark. Costco also stocks Nature Made, which holds USP verification on more than 68 items.

The Kirkland tier works for general nutrition, with fish oil, vitamin D, multivitamins, and single-ingredient minerals, and USP verification confirms potency and purity. It doesn’t work for clinical-grade nutrition. The dosages and forms used in functional medicine protocols (active B vitamins, methylated folate, specific magnesium chelates, therapeutic CoQ10, mitochondrial cofactors) are a different tier of product entirely.

China dominates the raw material supply

Roughly 80 percent of global vitamin C comes from China, and the share climbs each year for most vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and herbs. Chinese industrial pollution is severe. As much as 80 percent of industrial waste is discharged untreated into rivers, and 86 percent of urban water bodies are significantly polluted. Crops and raw materials grown in that water get exported as supplement ingredients.

Greenpeace East Asia tested 36 samples of Chinese herbal products pulled from stores in London, Virginia, Paris, Amsterdam, Hamburg, Milan, Toronto, and Vancouver. 32 samples, nearly 90 percent, contained 3 or more pesticides. Almost half contained pesticides in the World Health Organization’s two most hazardous classes.

Labor cost is the reason. In 2018 a Chinese nutrient-factory worker earned $1.32 an hour against $17.57 in the United States. Domestic vitamin C is up to 5 times more expensive.

India is an alternative, with caveats

India’s supplement market is projected at $14.7 billion in 2024, growing 8.7 percent a year. United States firms treat it as an alternative to China. India hasn’t joined the International Council for Harmonization, the body that sets global drug-production standards. There’s no national pharmaceutical regulation; each of 38 states sets rules separately. India also imports nearly 70 percent of its API (active pharmaceutical ingredient) supply from China, so Chinese raw material flows through Indian factories to American shelves anyway.

I reviewed the nearly identical travesty of prescription drug sourcing from the Far East

Here is the chapter about this from Butchered by “Healthcare”.:

The history of the twentieth century was dominated by the struggle against totalitarian systems of state power. The twenty-first will no doubt be marked by a struggle to curtail excessive corporate power.

Eric Schlosser in Fast Food Nation

We have allowed our patent drugmakers to gouge us so thoroughly that we can no longer afford their products. The result is that ninety percent of America’s medications are now generics. Until recently, I believed that these were practically equivalent to the brand names, but it stunned me to learn I was wrong.

Generics are not exact copies of trade-name drugs. The manufacturers do not have the original recipe, and production outside the brand factories tends to be less careful. Overseas, there might be hygiene problems or extra ingredients added. These can change the way a drug works or even be harmful.

We permit new companies to manufacture drugs after the patent expires. Other companies make generics in foreign countries where patent laws are ignored. The drug’s chemical name is used to market generics rather than the original trade name, and sometimes the generic drugmaker makes up its own trade name.

Lipitor generics illustrate how it works. Richard Mason (Harvard) collected 36 samples of this statin drug from 15 countries and 2 dozen manufacturers between 2011 and 2013. Analysis proved that thirty-three had impurities that thoroughly compromised them. This is beyond atrocious, but the backstory is worse.

When the patented version of Lipitor was originally studied during its approval process, only two small groups lived longer: those who had a previous heart attack and (possibly) those with hereditary high cholesterol. This alleged success was used to support marketing to nearly anyone with slightly high cholesterol. There are now 35 million US citizens taking Lipitor. It is not just the bestselling statin, but in 2011, it was the bestselling medication of all time.

Lipitor was an ideal drug for fraudulent generic copies because the genuine item was nearly worthless. Neither the doctors, the public, the study authors, nor the writers of the two otherwise excellent resource books I used for this chapter ever understood the irony.

Although the brand-name drugmakers are guilty of many sins, they are rarely accused of poor manufacturing standards. They get so much money from the monopoly and third-party reimbursement that they can afford to make drugs accurately. Their only recent production issues have been Gilead’s hepatitis C drug and a few cancer, migraine, and HIV medications.

The generics are another story. Because of our soaring drug prices, eighty percent of all US medications now originate in India or China, counting both ingredients and finished products. A 1970 Indian law allowed copying patented drugs. The only requirement was that the manufacturer had to alter some step in their process. Soon, they were producing forty percent of our generics. Some are close replicas, but others are weak, and some have extra ingredients that produce harmful effects. When doctors use weak (substandard) or ineffective (counterfeit) drugs for sick people, suffering and occasional death result. With antibiotics, weak ones breed resistant bacteria, the “superbugs.”

Proper drug manufacture requires painstakingly clean and sometimes sterile chemistry. Testing and documentation at every step is the traditional way to assure quality, and this is expensive. If the makers cut corners, the savings are at least 25 percent. The horror stories about careless overseas manufacturing include tablets containing bugs, glass, and hair. Inspectors have discovered facilities with bird infestations and a sterile factory in the middle of a pig farm. There are thousands of drug-making shops, and monitoring them all is impossible.

Katherine Eban, in Bottle of Lies (2019), depicts the FDA as sluggish, grossly underfunded, understaffed, uncaring, incompetent, and sometimes corrupt. Worst of all, they are under severe political pressure to speed up the approval of cheap foreign generics.

To finish reading the chapter, download it below:

Download

Download

The fentanyl supply chain context

China is the principal global source of precursor chemicals for illicit fentanyl and methamphetamine. Chinese chemical companies supply over 80 percent of the methamphetamine precursors purchased by Mexican cartels and a comparable share of fentanyl precursors. The April 2024 House Select Committee report concluded that the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) directly subsidizes the manufacture and export of these materials through Value-Added Tax (VAT) rebates, monetary grants, and awards to companies openly trafficking fentanyl analogues. The rebate level on fentanyl precursors reached 13 percent, the highest available subsidy under the entire PRC (People’s Republic of China) export rebate system. Most legitimate goods get 3, 6, or 9 percent.

The committee also documented that the CCP holds direct ownership stakes in chemical firms tied to drug trafficking, including a state-run prison-operated company. PRC e-commerce platforms allow open advertisements for fentanyl precursors despite the most extensive internet surveillance system in the world. A review of only 7 PRC e-commerce sites found over 31,000 listings of illicit chemicals tied to drug trafficking. Censorship triggers exist for domestic drug sales but not for export sales.

Illicit fentanyl killed more than 64,000 Americans in 2021 and has been the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18 to 45 since 2019. The committee report calculated the daily toll at over 200 American lives, the equivalent of a packed Boeing 737 crashing every day. The same supply infrastructure that produces these precursors produces the bulk of nutrient raw material American supplement firms depend on, often from the same industrial parks. Country-of-origin information on a supplement label isn’t a marketing afterthought; it’s a quality signal.

What clean manufacturing looks like

Pure Encapsulations operates an open-plant policy, lists every ingredient’s country of origin, and refuses fillers like magnesium stearate and soy lecithin. Thorne Research makes most of its products in Summerville, South Carolina, tests in its laboratory, and publishes results. Both hold NSF (National Sanitation Foundation) Registered cGMP certification. NSF runs annual audits, retests products, and screens for unlisted ingredients and contaminants. USP awards its Verified Mark only to products that pass strict purity and potency testing, and more than 700 million product labels now bear it.

Trustworthy manufacturers include Pure Encapsulations, Thorne Research, Life Extension, Jarrow Formulas, NOW Foods, Nature Made, Designs for Health, OrthoMolecular, Vital Nutrients, Standard Process, and Biotics Research. Dr. Joseph Mercola’s brand also belongs on the list; key products have NSF Contents Certification, and the brand publishes its testing protocols, which puts it well above the Amazon no-name field. His Complete Probiotics is shelf-stable, an underrated advantage given that refrigerated probiotics shipped through warm trucks and warehouses are often dead on arrival. Most professional lines aren’t sold direct-to-consumer at all. Access is through practitioners.

How Fullscript works

Fullscript is a dispensing platform used by 100,000 practitioners. It isn’t a manufacturer. Every brand in the catalog must hold third-party cGMP certification, with proof renewed annually. The platform partners with more than 375 professional-grade brands, including Thorne, Pure Encapsulations, Designs for Health, Biotics Research, Standard Process, Vital Nutrients, and OrthoMolecular. A subset undergoes additional third-party laboratory testing through the Fullscript Quality Program. No brand pays for inclusion. Distribution runs through 5 NSF GMP-registered centers.

These professional-grade products are typically only available through a practitioner’s office. At full retail, they are premium-priced. Yoho’s Apocalypse Store is the Fullscript outlet that Dr. Santa Ana and I maintain for you. We decided to give back most of the provider commission to you by applying a 20 percent discount to the account. Free shipping kicks in at $50, against $250 to $500 minimums at some other practitioner suppliers. Orders placed before 3 p.m. typically arrive the next day, otherwise in 2 days. Heat, light, and time in transit degrade many active compounds; fast shipping protects what the patient is paying for.

Sign-up is straightforward: name, email, phone number. Once enrolled, patients adjust orders directly through the platform without calling the office. Every ingredient and source is visible on the product page. If a protocol changes, the order changes the same day.

The point of the Fullscript portal is to provide readers with products that retain their potency and to put them under the eye of a clinician who knows the interactions. I’ve recently thrown away dozens of supplements that I bought online after finally understanding their risks.

Testimonials

From Dr. Tamera’s patient Melissa Lampiris: I highly recommend using Fullscript for health supplements. They carry the highest-quality professional products with ingredients I trust. The website is easy to navigate, and they ship for free for orders over $50. It is an easy way to order everything I take at one site. I am grateful that my doctor led me to Fullscript!

From Dr. Tamera’s patient Stephen: I’ve purchased supplements from most of the top online vitamin vendors over the years. TLDR Yoho’s Fullscript Supplement Shoppe is the best. About a year ago, I created an account with Fullscript using Dr. Yoho’s affiliate link and have since used Fullscript to purchase nearly everything I take. Why? First — and most importantly — everything Fullscript carries is sourced directly from the manufacturer (no 3rd-party vendor listings, unlike one large, well-known online vendor). Second, the store carries just about every nutriment one can imagine. I’m always pleasantly surprised when I search for an esoteric mineral or peptide and find multiple options. Third, free shipping above a low dollar amount and a flat $5 to expedite an order. And finally, who wouldn’t want to support America’s best doctor?

Dr. Yoho: Yes, there are small commissions for us, but we desire to give you 20 percent of the retail price back as a discount. We do not know anyone else who does that.

Bulk powder vendors

Two bulk-powder vendors are often asked about: BulkSupplements.com (Henderson, Nevada) and PureBulk.com (Roseburg, Oregon). Both run cGMP-registered facilities, both claim third-party laboratory testing, and both run 30 to 50 percent below premium consumer brands. The rumor that they test for purity is broadly accurate.

PureBulk publishes Certificates of Analysis tied to specific lot numbers on its website. BulkSupplements provides COAs only on request, a substantial gap. ConsumerLab tested 17 BulkSupplements products and approved 13, with 6 named Top Picks. That is a stronger showing than the Amazon no-name field but below what Pure Encapsulations and Thorne deliver.

Three caveats. First, BulkSupplements is currently the defendant in a federal class action (Miran v. Hard Eight Nutrition, LLC) alleging that its magnesium glycinate powder is mathematically incapable of containing the 400 mg of elemental magnesium per serving its label claims. The chemistry is straightforward: magnesium glycinate is 14.1 percent magnesium by weight, so 400 mg would require roughly 2,830 mg of compound, not the 2,200 mg the label specifies. A separate complaint alleges some “magnesium glycinate” lots contained the cheaper magnesium oxide instead, and a third complaint targets the pea protein products’ Daily Value claims. Second, both vendors source raw material globally, including from China; the same supply-chain exposure described above applies. Third, the powder format requires a milligram-accurate scale at home to determine the proper teaspoon volume for any compound where dose matters. This is an extra aggravation that most readers will not want to add for daily-use vitamins.

These vendors are a budget tier for forgiving single-ingredient powders (creatine, glycine, taurine, magnesium for general use, vitamin C) where the buyer is willing to weigh the first dose and figure out the volume. These scales are about $20, but it is a hassle, at least until you figure out how many teaspoons or tablespoons you need. They are not the right tier for clinical protocols, methylated B vitamins, narrow-therapeutic-index compounds, or any other compounds a practitioner uses as part of an active treatment. For those, the practitioner pathway is still the right answer.

Practical rules for buying online

If you buy from Amazon, here are three rules. First, buy only from the manufacturer’s official storefront. The product page lists “sold by”; if it shows the brand name (Thorne, Pure Encapsulations, Life Extension, NOW Foods), the product moved through authorized channels. If it shows a third-party seller with a generic or unfamiliar name, skip it. Second, check the brand’s website for an authorized seller list. Most reputable brands publish one and update it regularly. Third, steep discounts are a red flag. Counterfeits typically price below the brand’s suggested retail price. If a 60-count Thorne bottle on Amazon is 30 percent below the same bottle on Thorne’s website, the inventory is suspicious.

For independent verification, ConsumerLab.com is the best resource. Founded in 1999 by Tod Cooperman, MD, ConsumerLab purchases supplements off the shelf and tests them in an accredited laboratory against label claims, with screens for heavy metals, pesticide residue, and microbial contamination. Subscriptions run about $50 a year. The service has flagged hundreds of failed products since launch, including some from name brands. For anyone who has a substantial supplement budget across multiple brands, the subscription pays for itself the first time it steers you away from a mislabeled bottle. For readers unwilling to pay, Labdoor.com publishes free supplement rankings based on independent retail-purchased testing, with a smaller catalog than ConsumerLab but coverage of most major brands.

Supervision is mandatory when treating medical problems.

Dr. Tamara Santa Ana: To benefit the most from supplements, you need supervision. For example, statin drugs inhibit HMG-CoA reductase, the same pathway the body uses to produce CoQ10 (coenzyme Q10). Anyone on a stat

[Hugh Bett] 433. What’s in the bottle? - by Robert Yoho, MD

Hugh Bett — 5/21/2026 10:32:54 PM

[Yorikke] Ken, Reducing sugar reductioin is a key factor in health. Ten years ago I cut...

Yorikke — 5/21/2026 9:51:33 PM
Ken, Reducing sugar reductioin is a key factor in health. Ten years ago I cut my beer consumption, but it was not until about five years ago that I attacked my sugar addictions. (The same shadow drifting along with me in a slightly different form.) I use psyllium, but the best way to maintain activity is to get out and get some good exercise. walking is good, but a a good cardio routine over trails will work the abdomen to the point where yo wont have to think about what you are taking and why.

In any case, I appreciate your input, and urge you to hit the outside trails now that we have some good weather.

[Pogeu Mahone] I have been saying D3 is a better pain reliever than morphine for decades. Peop...

Pogeu Mahone — 5/20/2026 9:58:45 PM
I have been saying D3 is a better pain reliever than morphine
for decades. People do not think for themselves! I was told to have 2 knee replacements
more than 25 years ago instead I took A few stoss doses of D3 and then 50,000iu daily since.And still have my original knees.
About time scientists started to catch up!

Scientists discover strange link between vitamin D and pain
{and they still do not know if you take a few stoss doses then reduce it to 50,000 daily
You do not need morphine or any opiate to kill all of the pain!}
.
Science News
from research organizations

Scientists discover strange link between vitamin D and pain

Low vitamin D may be making breast cancer surgery recovery far more painful — and increasing opioid use afterward.
Date:May 19, 2026 Source:BMJ Group Summary:

Low vitamin D levels could be quietly making breast cancer surgery recovery far more painful. In a new study, patients deficient in vitamin D were three times more likely to experience moderate to severe pain after mastectomy surgery and ended up using significantly more opioid medication to cope. Researchers say vitamin D may help regulate how the body processes pain through its effects on inflammation and the immune system.
A new study found that breast cancer patients with low vitamin D levels suffered more pain and needed substantially more opioids after mastectomy surgery. Researchers say boosting vitamin D before surgery might offer a surprisingly simple way to improve recovery. Credit: Shutterstock

Women with low vitamin D levels may face a more painful recovery after breast cancer surgery and could require significantly more opioid medication afterward, according to research published online in the journal Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine.

The findings suggest that breast cancer patients with vitamin D deficiency (below 30 nmol/L) might benefit from taking vitamin D supplements before undergoing a radical mastectomy.

Researchers say growing evidence points to vitamin D playing an important role in how the body senses and regulates pain. Scientists believe this may be connected to the vitamin's anti inflammatory properties and its effects on the immune system. Vitamin D deficiency is also frequently seen in people with breast cancer.

Study Examined Pain After Breast Cancer Surgery

Women with low vitamin D levels may face a more painful recovery after breast cancer surgery and could require significantly more opioid medication afterward, according to research published online in the journal Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine.

The findings suggest that breast cancer patients with vitamin D deficiency (below 30 nmol/L) might benefit from taking vitamin D supplements before undergoing a radical mastectomy.

Researchers say growing evidence points to vitamin D playing an important role in how the body senses and regulates pain. Scientists believe this may be connected to the vitamin's anti inflammatory properties and its effects on the immune system. Vitamin D deficiency is also frequently seen in people with breast cancer.

Study Examined Pain After Breast Cancer Surgery

Doctors and nurses caring for the patients did not know their vitamin D status. All participants received the hospital's standard treatment before, during, and after surgery.

During the operation, patients were given fentanyl to control acute pain. After surgery, everyone received intravenous paracetamol every eight hours. Patients were also able to self administer tramadol, another opioid pain medication, by pressing a control button.

Patients With Low Vitamin D Needed More Opioids

Pain levels were recorded immediately after surgery and again at 6, 12, 18, and 24 hours later. Researchers also tracked nausea, vomiting, sedation levels, and length of hospital stay.

Patients with vitamin D deficiency were three times more likely to experience moderate to severe pain during the first 24 hours after surgery compared with patients who had adequate vitamin D levels.

Researchers noted that none of the patients in either group reported severe pain of 7 or higher on the standard 0 to 10 pain scale. The difference was entirely related to a higher number of patients experiencing moderate pain levels between 4 and 6.

The vitamin D deficient group also required more opioid medication. On average, these patients received 8 µg more fentanyl during surgery, which researchers described as a modest increase.

However, after surgery, the difference became much larger. Patients with low vitamin D used an average of 112mg more tramadol than those with sufficient vitamin D levels. The medication was patient controlled, with doses capped at 50mg per hour.

Vitamin D and Recovery Complications

Opioid medications can lead to side effects such as nausea, vomiting, drowsiness, and confusion. They also carry risks of dependence and addiction.

The study found postoperative nausea occurred more often among patients with vitamin D deficiency. Vomiting was only reported in the deficient group, although researchers said the difference was too small to be considered statistically significant.

The researchers acknowledged several limitations. Because the study was observational and conducted at a single medical center, it cannot prove that low vitamin D directly caused the increase in pain. The team also did not measure inflammatory markers that might explain how vitamin D influences pain. In addition, information about anxiety, depression, cancer stage, previous treatments, and sleep problems before surgery was not collected.

Even with those limitations, the researchers concluded, "Vitamin D deficiency is associated with a higher occurrence of moderate to severe postoperative pain and increased opioid consumption in patients undergoing unilateral modified radical mastectomy."

They added, "Preoperative vitamin D supplementation in breast cancer patients with vitamin D levels below 30 nmol/L may have a role in modulating postoperative pain.

{get your D level to 120 before surgery of any kind}

Story Source:

Materials provided by BMJ Group. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

Journal Reference:

Mahdy Ahmed Abdelhady, Maged Labib Boulos, Mohamed Ahmed Hamed, Doha Hamad Masry, Safaa Gaber Ragab, Mohamed Hasan Ragab. Association between preoperative vitamin D level and postoperative pain in patients undergoing breast cancer surgery: a prospective observational study. Regional Anesthesia, 2026; rapm-2025-107495 DOI: 10.1136/rapm-2025-107495
BMJ Group. "Scientists discover strange link between vitamin D and pain." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 19 May 2026. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/05/260519224308.htm>.

Vitamin D Boosts Breast Cancer Treatment Success by 79%
Apr. 28, 2026 ? A daily vitamin D supplement may quietly supercharge chemotherapy. In a small study, women who took low doses alongside treatment were far more likely to see their cancer vanish than those who ...
Many Youths Continue to Take Opioids Months After Surgical Procedures
July 11, 2024 ? A multi-institutional study found that 1 in 6 youths fill an opioid prescription prior to surgery, and 3% of patients were still filling opioid prescriptions three to six months after surgery, ...

Vitamin D Deficiency May Increase Risk for Addiction to Opioids and Ultraviolet Rays
June 11, 2021 ? Lab animals deficient in vitamin D crave and become dependent on opioids, which is curbed when normal levels of the vitamin are restored. Human health records indicate that people with low vitamin D ...

[Yorikke] Thanks, but I don't have a constipation problem. I can just reduce my intake of...

Yorikke — 5/20/2026 3:23:35 PM
Thanks, but I don't have a constipation problem. I can just reduce my intake of astaxanthin if necessary. I use psyllium regularly in any case. I'm trying to deal with a physical reaction to high intake astaxanthin which is being billed as a new 'cure' to a lot of problems.

I agree with you with regard to exercise. I find that even a half hour of high level cardio can make a big difference in my life. A fast walk every evening, particularly one that includes some elevation can do wonders for the body and mind. Getting the heart rate up, expanding the lungs, working the larger muscles of the lower body, all contribute to a more sound and happy individual.

[Pogeu Mahone] Regular exercise is one of the most powerful tools to prolong life. Studies show...

Pogeu Mahone — 5/18/2026 8:49:08 PM
Regular exercise is one of the most powerful tools to prolong life. Studies show that meeting minimum activity guidelines (150+ minutes of moderate exercise per week) cuts the risk of early death by roughly one-third. It dramatically reduces cardiovascular risks, prevents chronic diseases, and helps individuals retain physical independence into older age. [ 1, 2, 3, 4]
Key Benefits of Movement:
Life Expectancy: Exceeding the minimum recommended weekly exercise can reduce the risk of all-cause mortality by 21% to 31%.
Cardiovascular Health: Regular activity lowers blood pressure, improves lung capacity, and keeps your heart and blood vessels strong.
Mental & Cognitive Health: Staying active reduces the risk of dementia, lowers depression, and mitigates age-related cognitive decline.
Bone & Muscle Strength: Incorporating strength and resistance exercises preserves muscle mass and bone density, significantly reducing the risk of injuries from falls. [ 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]

Where to Start:
You do not need to be an elite athlete to reap the benefits. Experts emphasize that simply finding a movement routine you enjoy—whether it's brisk walking, swimming, cycling, or playing a social sport—is the best path to longevity. [ 1, 2, 3]

To learn more about how much physical activity is ideal for your specific health goals, consult the American Medical Association or review the insights shared by Harvard Health on cardiorespiratory fitness. You can also explore curated movement ideas from AARP for specific exercises designed to help you live longer. [ 1, 2, 3]

Massive study uncovers how much exercise is needed to live ...
Jan 23, 2024 — Additionally, adults who worked out two to four times more than the recommended amount of vigorous physical activity —about 150 to...

American Medical Association

Benefits of Exercise for Aging and Living Longer - Allina Health
Jan 9, 2020 — They found that the active older men and women had comparable heart and lung capacity and muscle strength of those who were 30 yea...

Allina Health

Yo Abuelita get off your fanny
Can exercise extend your life? - Harvard Health
Mar 13, 2019 — A retrospective study in JAMA attempts to answer this question. The study explores the association between long-term mortality and...

Do genes determine how long a human lives? No

Genes play a massive role, but they do not act alone. Recent research shows that genetics account for roughly 55% of the variation in human lifespan, double previous estimates. The remaining 45% is dictated by a mix of environment, lifestyle, and pure chance. [ 1, 2, 3]
Understanding the balance between nature and nurture clarifies how you can influence your own lifespan:
The Genetic Blueprint: You inherit a genetic baseline for your lifespan, which shapes your intrinsic biological aging. A deeper look into DNA can be found in this Scientific American overview or this study on Science | AAAS.
The Power of Lifestyle: While you cannot change your genes, lifestyle choices like diet, exercise, and avoiding harmful exposures can shift your genetically influenced age by up to 5 years.
The Role of Chance: Unexpected events (such as accidents or infectious diseases) and modern medical advancements heavily impact whether you reach your genetic ceiling. [ 1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

For a deeper dive into how your ancestors' DNA affects your potential, explore these articles on MedlinePlus (.gov) or the National Institutes of Health (.gov).