Too many supplements?

[catatonic]

I've started to feel like my kitchen could function as a decently stocked health food store. The number of vitamin bottles and protein powder cans and little daily pill holders has spiraled out of control. I'm sick of the very sight of vitamins, nauseated by their smell, no longer sure that the big fistfull I force my son to toss down his throat each morning is doing what I think it's doing. In short, my human science fair experiment has gotten out of control!!!!!!!!!!!

I've pulled my son off his supplements completely. It's been almost 3 weeks now since he's swallowed a fish oil capsule or guzzled a breakfast protein shake. What changes has this caused? Not a whole lot that I can tell. He still is strictly on the Feingold diet, and does seem to react more easily to forbidden foods that he "accidentally ingests, but I haven't (yet) seen major behavior slippage.

Of course, his nutritional status is MUCH better than it was a year ago. He's no longer severely magnesium deficient, his fatty acid supplementation has been going on long enough that he probably has enough healthy reserves to last him a while, his overall vitamin intake has been good for a long time so it would probably take quite a while for all of his nutritional problems to begin impacting his behavior again. So I am NOT saying that the supplements do nothing. On the contrary, I think they are VERY important.

But I do think this is a good time to step back, slow down, and re-evaluate each supplement one at a time. Even if he's just on a "basic" regimen, that's still a lot of vitamins...fish oil, vitamin E, multi-vitamin, magnesium. I'd like to restrict the number of add-ons and make sure they're the most effective ones. So this is pruning season.

It's hard to discriminate, though. There are so many things out there that "might" help, and it's not realistic to expect to be able to try every one of them. I'm grateful that the Feingold program is so effective that I can pull him off his supplements and not have his behavior deteriorate too badly.

But I frequently feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information out there...and by the fact that almost all of it is "maybe" type stuff, not conclusive findings that actually tell you what you should do. Grrrrrrr. Am I the only one who feels like a ping pong ball bouncing aimlessly around inside a glass fish bowl?

[finnmom]

Catatonic

Oh no, if you give it up, how can I manage ;D

No, seriously, you do what you see is the best thing to do for your kid You´re a great mo, you know best!

I feel like Alice in wonderland every time I come to this section and read all your thread´s I wish I could have youe strenght and investigator´s soul too. You have so much information, please keep it coming anyway, please

In the mean time, just hang in there and observe, what would do the best for your son, you can do it!

Marja

[lisle]

Hi, Catatonic:
I am very interested to read this about your supplement holiday. We are doing the same thing with the Pfeiffer supplements. We are continuing the fish oils and an antioxidant with a food source. I know for a fact that the fish oils have improved his cholesterol which was high in the past. But only those two now. That's it. And I do think it makes a difference; we aren't doing Feingold and never have. It's been 2 mos (about how long it takes to notice the zinc deficiency)and my son is much more hyperactive, though I can't tell if it is a consequence of the vitamins finally leaving his system, school almost being over (bad time for him every year), or of some bad news we received a couple of weeks ago that would have to affect him, though he is acting as if it doesn't. So it may all be acting out because of the news. He is more physcially hyperactive and more oppositional. Though the oppositionality started right before quitting the vits. To make matters more confusing, puberty has kicked in. So as always it's nearly impossible to tell what is going on. That's why I wonder so about whether some of our successes are a placebo response and wishful thinking. Yet I believe they aren't with my heart and soul. Only time will tell.
lisle

[catatonic]

My son is also more physically hyperactive and oppositional, which I'd been attributing to seasonal allergy problems, but really might have to do with not taking his supplements. (I've noticed a similar pattern in the past when he's gone without Omega-3 for a week or so while ill.)

I think it's a good idea occasionally to take a breath and evaluate what you've been doing. Sometimes a supplement won't be doing what you think it is. Other times, you might not have recognized the benefits of a supplement because its effects get lost in the "background noise".

I know what you mean about wishful thinking and placebo effect...which is another reason for our supplement holiday. Sometimes I lose confidence in my own powers of observation. And sometimes, when motivated strongly enough, my son is capable of surprising self-control which I may confuse with the effects of some supplement he's taking.

So this can be confusing and frustrating and overwhelming, but I have no intention of quitting, because I too know in my heart that it works and that it's the right thing to do for my boy. We just need a little break right now. And in the meanwhile, I'll be hitting up the MedLine publications and making a short list of promising treatments that will give me even MORE pills and potions to experiment with on my boy.

[DenverSarah]

Funny you should post this today. I just decided to cut the multi in half (I feel badly that I wasn't being more careful actually because the regimen I was using had a 200% RDA level of vitamin A and long term I'm sure you're aware that can be very bad news). Once school gets out I plan on further reducing the fish oil as well. Supplements are great but I do think they can end up being unhealthy if used long term. My goal is to not need anything extra other than a healthy diet and excercise!
Enjoy your break!

[AustinsMom]

catatonic,
I can understand exactly where you are coming from. When you want so much to make things better for your child, it's possible to enter into that "too much of a good thing" area. I think a break and re-evaluation is not a bad thing at all.

One thing I struggle with is trying something that seems to really work, based on a few days or even weeks trial (example: glyconutritional supplement) but then later you can't even see a difference if you use it or not. Do you think it's placebo, or do some things work but then the body accomodates and the difference isn't apparent?? I see that in reverse too. I started our B 50 and could see no difference in behavior. Then later when I stopped, and started again I could see an obvious negative effect it was having.

My son is pretty good about taking his vitamins, yet sometimes doesn't want to take them too. Pfeiffer helped, turning 5 supplements into one pill in a.m., 2 in p.m. I also ordered the ProOmega from Nordic Naturals, which turns 2 capsules into 1. So I have what I consider essential ones--the Pfeiffer ones and the Nordics, plus evening primrose oil. I have a couple of others, like lecithin, that I am not sure of their effect still, but give on a fairly routine basis.

I hope this breaks brings new information to light for you. You are so obviously doing so much for your kids. They are lucky to have you working on their behalf.