That would be great! If I am ever in the area I will let you know!
I am glad the Udo’s is working for you. I take it (almost) daily.
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@Eric, how many total mgs do you take in total per day? and, do you divide up the dosing? (like 3/Day) or all at once?
my Turmeric comes in 600mg capsules but I take 2 of them 3/day (fast, lunch, dinner).
I take 1 of the ALA in the morning.
I have noticed the anti-inflammatory effect on my arthritis, but I haven’t really noticed much pain relief. but, I’ll take anything I can get without having to use something other than an herbal supplement.
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I take 1,000 mg, all at once after a workout. Not every day, but most days. Like maybe 5 times per week.
But I also take the tart cherry, which is another anti-inflammatory.
I’m quoting myself because I want to give an update on this! 
I started taking the Turmeric, the ALA and the B complex supplements early January for the New Year. I took all of these per product instructions in the morning with breakfast. By the next morning I could hardly walk from an aching body, including back pain which I never get! I don’t know if it was coincidental, and probably it was, but I ended up stopping all of them for about a week when I finally recovered.
I decided just to add one, new supplement at a time. I’ve been taking the ALA for about 3 weeks now. I have to say, I noticed an improvement in insulin sensitivity right away. I can’t be certain it is due to the ALA but I didn’t change too much else in my life the last few weeks. I take it in the morning along with a Magnesium capsule usually w/ breakfast, if I eat, or just coffee. If I do eat, it seems like breakfast spikes are almost non existent, rarely over 120, since I started ALA. It does not seem to have quite the same effect in the evening post dinner though.
Yesterday I added the B Complex (with Sublingual B12) supplement, along with the ALA and Magnesium. I don’t know what to expect, but so far, at least I’m not ill! It seems like a good supplement for me since I have thallasemia minor and could use any energy boost! If all goes well this week, I will add Turmeric next week.
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That’s awesome!
I don’t think there is any single thing that does a lot by itself, but the cumulative nature of it all can help - diet, exercise, supplements, etc.
I have been taking ALA since the dark ages!
I wonder if that was related. Please let us know if you figure anything out. I feel like I am much less sore than I used to be before taking the turmeric.
Have you been running much?
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I actually think it was just coincidental rather than due to the new supplements, but it could be that my body just wasn’t accustomed to so MANY supplements all at once. In any case, I’m fine now! I only took the turmeric for a day but hope to add it into my routine from next week. I’ll know more then!
I also bought tart cherry juice! I’ve tried it a few times but not consistently, mostly because I completely forget about it! Maybe I will try it today after my run! As a kid, we had a tart cherry orchard along w/ apples and pears, and loved the tart cherries! They are some of the most beautiful trees esp when in bloom!
Well, I’m not back up to my normal schedule, but I am able to get 4-5 runs / week in since the New Year. My goal is 5-6. I’ve been having more lows during my runs as I add the more frequent runs. I guess it just takes time for my body to get accustomed to the new schedule. 
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@Trying - wanted to let you know that I noticed tart cherry juice at Costco today - in a big, shelf-stabilized container. I forgot to note the price, though, sorry! I haven’t made it to TJs to look at pricing there (Costco and TJs are dangerous for me – our household sinks under the bulk of Costco purchases and under the SNACK of the TJs purchases!). I almost grabbed the Costco tart cherry juice (I was thinking of you!), but thought the better of it – there’s no way I would finish a gallon of it before it went bad! Will buy some when I make it (i.e., allow myself into) to TJs.
@Eric - I’ve been taking the ALA and haven’t noticed any insulin sensitivity improvements. If anything, I’ve become less sensitive, but might be fighting a cold or other virus. Everyone in my family has been sick. I’ve also added B12 (might help with ongoing frozen shoulder issues?) and it seems like one more supplement to the mix and the downing of 10+ pills in a row has made for some stomach upset on some days. So I’ve also not been as consistent in taking all of the supplements every single day.
Ohhh - also, not a supplement, but I have also started taking gabapentin at bedtime as I’ve discovered that it really helps the nerve associated shoulder pain from frozen shoulder that I seem to have every single hour through the night (that wakes me up and forces me to walk around and swing my shoulder around for a few minutes – I was convinced I was going to die from the lack of sleep). The side effects from gabapentin are pretty rotten - I am super groggy in the morning and feel like I can’t see straight when I wake in the middle of the night (which I still do b/c of muscle pain associated with the damn frozen shoulder), but I’ll take them given that I am getting better sleep with the drug. But damn am I feeling overmedicated and like nothing is working well. I wish I had a magic pill? -Jessica
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Thanks, Jessica! I bought mine from Amazon. It says that you could freeze the cherry juice if you can’t finish all of it. I’ve started adding 5 tbsp of it to my water to help from going low while I run. It seems to help, but it is very sweet.
I’m sorry about the pain you experience with your shoulder. I go through that, too. I will take 3 Advil before bed which helps me sleep but I only take it if I am in pain before bed. I hope the gabapentin continues to work for your pain.
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I think the ALA is slightly helpful but it is not a miracle cure or anything, so it may not be very noticeable. Like a lot of these things, it is just small check in the plus-column. You just add them up.
ALA is a naturally occurring anti-oxidant, and it has a lot of benefits, so I don’t think there is any downside to it. Other than cost, I guess.
I don’t have any experience with it, but I think @elver and @MM2 may have some insight on it.
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This thread is interesting - do those of you taking supplements for arthritis find they help? I have bunions that hurt me every day and interfere with exercise. I am desperate to find some sort of pain relief, but taking Advil/Tylenol every day doesn’t seem the best solution. I’ve read about pain relief gel type things, and wonder if they might help. I am open to any suggestions! I have already implemented everything suggested by my podiatrist (good quality wide shoes, custom orthotics, toe spacer thingies, bunion protector thingies, foot stretches and exercises). I haven’t tried ice or a heat pack, so maybe those things would help, but my problem is they don’t typically hurt when I’m just sitting around (sometimes they do, but not daily), only when I’m actually walking for any distance.
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Prior to replacing my knees, I took ALA, MSM, Chodroitin and Glucosamine to help with everyday pain. For years I swore it was an urban legend that these items helped. In my experience over the last 20 years, the 2 that helped the most with arthritis pain are chondroitin and Glucosamine.
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I just picked up a supplement that’s a combination of both of these, so will try it and see if it helps.
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Hi @Jen there are many mixes on the marketplace. The “standard” formulation is 500mg Glucosamine and 400mg Chondroitin. I hope it helps.
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Awesome, thanks for the information, @elver! The one I picked up is 500 mg glucosamine, 400 mg chondroitin, plus a few other things (20 mg vitamin C, 1 mg boron, 0.667 mg maganese). Here’s hoping it helps me because I’d walk a LOT more (and therefore be healthier, lose weight, better blood sugar) if my toes didn’t hurt all the time.
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Reviving this old thread to post this picture. I was getting my pills for the day (you young folks will understand this latter in life), set them down on the counter while getting some coffee to take them with. Now, there are pills of different shapes and sizes; I haven’t figured out why, but it seems doctors enjoy prescribing smaller and smaller meds to we of the older generations, I think they take pleasure in the fact of our trying to maintain control of the little buggers with often times larger fingers, certainly less dexterous, sometimes less feeling capable fingers. In particular, the little pink lisinopril pill likes to hide in corners or under other pills; the D3 little football likes to roll away at self-determined winding routes. This morning it was the little yellow enteric coated baby aspirin…I felt it slip out of my hand, then bounce off the counter only to refit my hand, and certainly fell to floor. Now we installed a new wood patterned brown thick vinyl flooring recently and you’d think the little yellow bas…thing would show up. I looked for several minutes, enlisted the assistance of the wife (I hate doing that, I’m a grown man and not going to let a little yellow pill defeat me! Anyway, the thing is no where to be found…not under the wife’s kitchen desk, not under the wine rack, not hiding behind the coffee maker, best disappearing act I’ve seen in quite some time. Then the wife, of course, spots it! Damn things are supposed to be helping me…apparently when they do their disappearing acts, I’m supposed to learn patience…but this little aspirin has taken it to a new level!
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First Eric I’m crushed you left me out of the exercisers list 
When I moved back here to the home place I took a job as a cable splicer for GTE. Not my area of expertise but it kept body and soul together for my family.
The climate here 150 miles north of the Gulf is probably similar to yours with the 2 Hs- Hot and Humid in the summer.
On my truck was a 2 1/2 gallon water cooler. When I drove into the yard at end of day it was empty. That was drunk not poured over my head.
Little or no urination until I got home and it was the palest yellow. I suspect that my sweat glands were doing most of the kidneys functions filtering out toxins and electrolytes.
BTW- I had a lab recently that tested sodium, potassium and calcium all OK but not magnesium. I have labs for my endo soon. I’m going to request magnesium be added.
About B12 Metformin is known to reduce absorption even more than normal. My B12 levels have been high to high normal. When I took sublingual B12 it was in the stratosphere. It’s good to have blood test for electrolytes, iron, sink and vitamin levels.
My PCP suggested I take a prenatal vitamin because of extra iron as I routinely test a bit low on hemoglobin, hematocrit and iron. Baby hasn’t come yet🤪
I’ve been on Alpha Lipoic Acid for 25-30 years for nerve health. If I don’t take it for a week I get something like restless leg syndrome. I have low normal BP and take the lowest dose of lisinopril 2.5mg for kidney protection. Fairly new, I’ve added D- Mannose to prevent kidney infection, good for bladder infections but I don’t have one.
I take a glucosamine msm and condrotin (sic), Crestor and Vascepa. Oh and Synthroid, Hasimoto’s is fairly common with all types of DM.
Over the years I have self tested quite a few touted supplements that are supposed to improve BG management for T2DM. Not one past the meter or lab tests, not even true cinnamon 
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Nice shot, @TomH!
It reminds me of the image I posted a while back, when I dropped a syringe cap and it landed like this…
I have dropped many pills in my time. But once a pill hits the floor, it’s done. 
I just get a new one.
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I think this thread was before you joined FUD!
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I should’ve been here long ago.
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I thought I’d share my ALA story. I started to get pins and needles and eventually numbness in my first finger and thumb that I couldn’t cure with massage, changing my keyboard time, or any other behaviour change. Dr Google eventually lead me to ALA which I bought from Amazon and tried for a while. At an initial 1800mg dose, it helped. Feeling to my fingers came back. I cut back to 1200mg and 600mg. At 600mg, the tingles started again, so I’ve been taking 1200mg ever since. At the time, I didn’t note any changes to insulin sensitivity, so I can’t comment on that as an effect of the supplement. I also take a multivitamin daily, and I take all of my pills in the morning after breakfast. I’m an ALA believer.
I subscribe to this pill on Amazon: Amazon.com: Superior Labs Alpha Lipoic Acid - Pure Non-GMO ALA 600mg (4 Month Supply) 120 Servings - Zero Synthetic Additives - Supports Healthy Aging, Nerve Health, Tingling Feet, Hands & Overall Wellbeing : Health & Household
There have been times where Superior wasn’t available, and I’ve used this alternative with no noticeable difference (but I always go back to Superior out of habit): Amazon.com: Pure Naturals Alpha Lipoic Acid 600 mg 120 Capsules Supplement | Non-GMO | Gluten Free | Made in USA : Health & Household
Always read the labels and make sure you understand what the dose is per pill. Some bottles say 600 per “serving size”, but the the “serving” is 2 pills. I’m less price-per-pill sensitive if I see benefits from the supplement, and I’ve been brand loyal despite finding lower cost alternatives. Just my human behavior and I’m not paid for stumping any products.
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