Update for my current protocol.
Recently Changed or Started
- Pantethine – Just started yesterday and seem to already be feeling better. This may have been the missing link! 450mg twice a day.
- Phosphatydlserine – Started several weeks ago seems to be helping but could be some others below. 100mg three times a day.
- 5-HTP – Took me a while to try this. My doc said I should take it but didn’t give me much reason why. Most of my research says that it can help with sleep which therefore helps adrenals. I have been taking 50mg before bed for the last 4 nights. Seems like I’m having more dreams. Also waking up earlier, but not necessarily feeling more rested.
- Salt – Started about a month ago and it seems to help quite a bit. Heard about it from Dave Asprey and tried a pinch of salt in the morning, this was months ago, and it didn’t do much. Finally came across this article and decided to really load up on salt in the AM. I’ve been taking 1/4-1/2 tsp in the morning and then also adding more salt to food and having a cup of water with 1/4 tsp in it a few times throughout the day. Helps with energy and body temp.
- Hydrocortisone – 5mg/day prescribed by doc. Once I started the salt, I decided to stop this. I don’t like the idea of taking steroids even at such a low dose and the salt really helped me improve to the point of not noticing a difference when not taking the HC tabs.
- Increase Carbs – In a lot of ways I have been too dogmatic in the past about being low carb. Also, having insulin resistance makes me extra carb-phobic. Anyway, I recently starting increasing my carbs and it’s helping me feel a bit better. I think I just need to keep them balanced with fat and protein.
- Adenosylcobalamin – This is the mitochondrial form of B12. I’ve tested low in B12 in the past so I normally take methylB12. I’ve had some headaches recently that seemed correlated with MB12 intake, so wanted to try another form. Headaches are still here. Oh well, I need B12 either way so I’ll use it.
- Grape Seed Extract – I forget how I came across this. My doc actually recommended it a long time ago, but I didn’t understand what she said. She didn’t call it grape seed extract. I bought something else that wasn’t the same thing. More recently, I realized my error and started reading about a lot of benefits of GSE for anti-inflammation, anti-oxidantiont and improvement of cholesterol numbers. I’ve started taking 300mg/day. No noticeable difference, but we’ll see if my numbers improve.
- B-Complex – Accidentally bought one with folic acid. It’s an older version of my preferred brand that now has only methylfolate. Stopped taking it, thinking it might be related to my headaches and knowing that I shouldn’t take folic acid.
- Thiamin (B1) – Again, I don’t quite remember how I came across this one, but I think it had to do with it’s ability to increase stomach acid. Upon further research and also knowing that I have a greater need because of a Nutreval test, I decided to take this. 100-300mg/day. Supposed benefits include, reversing insulin resistance, helping with carb and fat metabolism, improving stomach acid, repelling mosquitos, possible help with hairloss. Thiamine insufficiency is also correlated with lots of bad stuff.
- Vitamin E – Mixed tocopherols. Just started. Not sure of any benefit yet. Want it to help preserve progesterone.
- MagMind – Might or might not be helping. 3/day
Been Taking a While
- Manganese – 10mg every other day. Tested low.
- Alpha Lipoic Acid – 100mg/day
- Calcium AEP – 500mg/day
- L-Arginine
- Mixed Amino Acids
- Methylfolate
- And more, but I’m tired of typing.
To Try in the Future
- Adaptogenic Herbs – I’ve tried these in the past for my adrenals and had some strange reactions. Doc wants me to try again. I think it is a good idea since I think my nutrient status is improved now.
- Stop Caffeine – I’ve been avoiding this for a year now. Everything I read about adrenal fatigue says to stop caffeine. It’s hard to stop. I have severe withdrawal symptoms. My denial was helped when my doc was less assertive with this one, probably because I really only have 1 cup/day.