MICROSCOPIC COLITIS SUPPORT

Hi Barbara,
It is a good idea to get a blood check from your Dr. on Vit D levels, you can ask for a magnesium serum test but if you are reacting it may not show much more than what is needed to keep the body going along because we need a certain amount in the blood and it will take it from bones and other tissues before it gets so low as to cause other serious issues like heart palpitations etc....

Thanks for the info, Erica. Preparing to start testing for food sensitivities soon - do you have any comments/guidance about that?

Hi Barbara,
The first an only test I’d do is Enterolab A1-C1….it’s a little pricey but really nails down what you are reacting to. You don’t need a dr referral for it, it may or may not be covered by insurance. One thing I’ve experienced is I didn’t really need to do any of the blood tests for food sensitivities, I could have used Enterolab and changed my diet and supplements and been dollars ahead, so that would be my biggest suggestion.
Cheers
Erica

Hi all,

Newly diagnosed with LC (though have been having stomach issues since Giardia infection and radiation poisoning from contaminated water while volunteering at an orphanage in 2003).
I have taken the Perfect Supplements VitD3 drops 100% Cholecalciferol Form of Vitamin D3 Sourced from Pure Grass-Fed N Sheep's Wool in medium chain triglycerides with tiny amount lemon & orange EO.
I also have taken (not at the same time) RealMsuhrooms D2Z supplement with VitD2, zinc bisglycinate, reishi and chaga mushrooms.

Any thoughts on those two VitD supplements? Is the D3 more bioavailable than the D2?

I like those brands because they are very transparent about their sourcing. I looked at Bluebonnet and Dr Best which are recommended in this thread but I could not find as detailed information as I would have liked on their websites. Just a lot of pretty pictures and slogans like “we only use the best quality” which don't really mean much to me. Sorry if I am jaded by marketing!

Thanks for all the great information and having this forum!

Tricia

Hello Tricia,

Welcome to the group. In general, when trying to select vitamin or mineral supplements, look at the ingredient list on the label, don't waste your time looking at the advertisements, because it's the ingredients that may cause us to react adversely, not the ad copy.

In previous years, doctors traditionally always prescribed vitamin D2 by default, when prescribing vitamin D (why, is a mystery). But published research shows that vitamin D3 is much more effective in human or animal patients, than vitamin D2, because vitamin D2 is found in most plants and yeast, whereas vitamin D3 is utilized by most animals, including humans.

Tex

Good morning,

I've been on the elimination diet for 5 weeks now, taking 400 to 500 mg of Dr's Best Lysine Glysinate magnesium, and 5000 iu of Vitamin D3 per day. I can honestly say I haven't felt this well in years. My BM's are not yet ideal (still a bit C), but I've had no D since I started the diet. My chronic hip bursitis seems to be a lot better too (I'm almost scared to say this in case it returns with a vengeance). I have lost a lot of weight, not that I was big before, but I carried a lot of inflammation and water. My energy is up. My moods are better too. It's pretty amazing.

My question is regarding the Vitamin D3. Should I keep taking such a high dose? The guidelines on the bottle of Aavalabs Vitamin D3 with olive oil says the dose is 1 soft gel every 5 days... Does my body weight need to be taken into consideration for the amount of D3 I take? I'm 1m74 for 62 kilos. My husband has started taking magnesium and the D3 too (only 200 mg of magnesium per day, he refuses to up it!).

Should I drop the D3 amount now? Maybe to one every 3 days?

Thank you for this incredible forum. It really is a gold mine.

Best wishes,

Francesca

The farther north we live, the more vitamin D we normally need, because the farther north we go, the less vitamin D we get from the sun. I live in central Texas, and I find that my vitamin D level is ideal if I take 5000 IU about half of the year, during the colder months, and 2500 IU (in other words a 5000 IU capsule every other day), the rest of the year, during the warmer months. As we heal, we don't need as much vitamin D and magnesium as we do when we're recovering. I have my vitamin D level checked every spring, and every fall, to make sure it's in the right range, because the level can change unexpectedly sometimes, because of various health issues. I only seem to need about 300 mg of magnesium glycinate these days, also, but I get a fair amount in my diet. But our supplement needs depend on our health, our diet, where we live, and our lifestyle, so our individual needs may vary.

Tex

Thank you, Tex.

xx Francesca

Is Magnesium Glycinate Lysinate the same thing?

They work the same way, and have the same effectiveness. Magnesium lysinate glycinate is double bonded to both lysine and glycine, whereas magnesium glycinate is bound to only glycine. Both are chelated, highly absorbable forms of magnesium.

Tex

Thank you Tex. It seems D3 with K2 is in favor these days. Your thoughts on that? Do you use Olive Oil with Vit D3 to increase absorption? Does that negate the need for K2? I know you’ve said, just stick with D & Magnesium during recovery.

I can not tolerate Olive oil so use a Vit d3 and K2 product that does not have any of my triggers in the inactive ingredients

in MC world we have to be super careful of the 'inactive ingredients' in supplements.

Hi folks! It’s been some time..
I am doing pretty good the last years accept for some histamine issues. I only take vit d3 for supplements. For some time I’ve been thinking to add Magnesium and a vit B complex again and maybe add K2 to the d3.
Thought it’d be best to consult the great minds here first. What is the consensus and which brands are recommended/considered safe?

Cheers from Belgium

Hi Henry,

Taking a magnesium supplement is a good practice, because adequate magnesium is necessary for the activation of many of the chemical processes that occur in the body on a daily basis, including converting many B vitamins into the active form, so that the body can use them. And adequate magnesium is necessary for the proper absorption of vitamin D3. Without adequate magnesium, vitamin D3 can cause a buildup of calcium (because vitamin D enhances the absorption of calcium, but it can't be activated and transported to the cells where it's needed, such as the bones, without adequate magnesium), and that can cause kidney stones, and calcification issues for some patients parents. That happened to me, years ago, when I was taking an inferior magnesium supplement. Many of us take magnesium glycinate, because it's In a form that's easily absorbed, and less likely to cause diarrhea than some of the other forms. There are numerous good brands, and many of us take Doctors Best brand of magnesium glycinate.

MC tends to deplete diamine oxidase (DAO) enzyme, leading to a buildup of histamine. Also, proper operation of the methylation cycle is necessary for the proper breaking down of monoamine neurotransmitters, including histamine, and whether or not the methylation cycle is working properly depends on whether any MTHFR gene mutations are present. About half of us have MTHFR gene mutations, and depending on which mutations we have, we tend to have methylation issues. Accordingly, many of us take a supplement made by Thorne Laboratories, that contains the important active B vitamins that tend to become deficient if we have methylation issues, known as Thorne Laboratories Methyl Guard, or a more potent version known as Methyl Guard Plus. I've been taking one Methyl Guard Plus capsule daily for many years.

I hope this helps.

Tex

Thanks Tex, hope you are doing well!

I will start with the standard methylguard and see if the histamine issues improve. Is k2 a necessary addition to the d3?