Confusing Supplement Schedule?

By Jini Patel Thompson

White PillsHow do you figure out when to take all your different supplements – especially when some of them need to be consumed on an empty stomach. And what do you do if some of your supplements are not compatible with each other?

Here are some tips to help you figure out your supplement schedule:

* Take the supplements that are absorbed the fastest, first.

* If a supplement does not specify that it needs to be consumed on an empty stomach, then it’s probably okay to take it together with other substances.

* If a supplement is recommended to be taken on an empty stomach, is it because the empty stomach is a pre-requisite for adequate absorption? Or, is it because it’s a substance that needs to have a clear surface to apply it’s healing properties? Supplements like slippery elm, aloe vera juice, and marshmallow root fit into the latter category and therefore can easily be taken together – since they’re all trying to accomplish the same thing.

The trickiest supplements for everyone to schedule are probiotics vs. anti-pathogen agents like wild oregano oil. Here are the shortcut rules to keep in mind for these two substances:

1. Probiotics have to be taken completely on their own – 2 hours away from any antibiotic or anti-pathogen (this includes wild oregano, potentized garlic, olive leaf, etc) and 20 minutes before food, or 2 hours after food.

2. Wild oregano oil is best taken on an empty stomach, but can be combined with any healing type of substance that also requires an empty stomach – like aloe vera, MucosaHeal, slippery elm, marshmallow root etc. It needs to be taken 20 minutes before food, or 2 hours after food.

Read on to see how these guidelines are applied to a real-life situation. This correspondence between myself and one of my readers also demonstrates how sometimes you have to experiment to determine the best schedule to achieve maximum potency and effectiveness from your supplements….

 

 

Hi Jini,

 

I Need some help, I’m confused. Perhaps you could share your schedule of how you took or take your supplements. How far apart (time limit) should the following be taken from each other?

 

1. Natren’s probiotics and Psyllium?
2. Natren’s probiotocs and DGL?
3. Natren’s probiotics and L. Glutamine, NAG &
Slippery Elm( these 3 taken together)?
4. Natren’s probiotics and George’s Aloe Vera Juice?
5. Psyllium and vitamins & minerals?

 

The problem I am experiencing is that I take:

 

1. Natren’s 3 time a day (A.M, NOON & P.M-bedtime)
2. Psyllium twice a day (AM & NOON best if taken before meals??)
3. DGL before or after each meal
4. L. Glutamine, NAG & Slippery Elm 3 times a day on empty stomach
5. Aloe Vera Juice juice before retiring for the night
6. Vitamins & minerals three times a day

 

My concern is that Natren’s states on their bottle that any herbs (DGL, Slippery Elm, aloe vera juice) should be taken at least 2 hours apart from their probiotics. I can only assume that herbs may kill the good bacteria in Natrens.

 

I hope that you can see my dilemma. I follow the Minimize Gas & Bloating Diet and it will be one year in Sept. that I am Colitis free. I’ve improved my bones from osteoporosis to osteopena. Your book “Listen to Your Gut” has been a God send. Any input you can pass along will be greatly appreciated. Thanks Jini for all you do for us.

 

Warm Wishes,
K.B. Canada

 

 

Dear K.,

Congratulations on your wonderful progress! I think you’ll also see some really good results from Jini’s Wild Oregano Oil Protocol. Also, you can speed up your bone-building even faster if you use nanoparticle-sized minerals – my whole family takes these now and for your condition you would definitely benefit from both the Trace Minerals and the Bone Support. Here are my suggestions in response to your questions:

Keep in mind that our food can contain many natural antibacterials (like garlic, onions, etc.) and Natren has had to set a time limit that applies to a wide variety of substances at all strengths/potencies. For example, if you’re taking Wild Oregano Oil or Olive Leaf, then you definitely cannot consume the probiotics sooner than 2 hours as you’d be wasting your money, however, other supplements (and foods) are far less potent against bacteria. Therefore, you may be okay to implement the following schedule:

Before a meal:
take the Natren Probiotics
wait 20 minutes
then take the NAG, L-Glutamine, Slippery elm and psyllium (in that order – you’re taking the most rapidly
absorbed substances first) after the meal take the DGL

Before bed:
take the Natren probiotics
wait 20 minutes
then take the George’s aloe vera juice

OR

You may want to try this schedule:

Before each meal:
take the NAG, L-Glutamine, George’s aloe vera juice, Slippery elm and psyllium (in that order – you’re taking the most rapidly absorbed substances first) after the meal take the DGL (or in this case, you can also take it before the meal, if you prefer, since you’re not consuming the probiotics at this time)

Before bed:
Take 1 – 2 teaspoons of each Natren probiotic (Megadophilus, Bifido Factor, Bulgaricus)

Perhaps you may want to experiment with both schedules and see which one gives you better results. The Natren probiotics may work better for you in multiple doses and may not be affected much by the other supplements, or, they may work better taken on their own in a large dose. A good way is to test both and see which one works best.

 

 

Hi Jini,

 

Thank you for the two schedule suggestions, this clears up my confusion. I’m confident that I’ll have better results from my supplements now that I have a clear understanding of how to take them. I tell my husband I have two Bibles, one to save my soul and one to save my gut. Thanks for your wonderful support, God Bless.

 

Regards, K.

 

 

 

Visit our Holistic Health Shoppe to find out which supplements I recommend and to learn more about them – you don’t need to order from there, just use it as a resource to find out which brands I recommend and why, then you can write them down and have your local health store order them in for you.

 

Jini Patel Thompson’s books on natural healing for digestive diseases have sold in over 40 different countries. Her health articles have been published in journals and magazines in the U.S., Australia and U.K. www.ListenToYourGut.com

 

(c) Jini Patel Thompson. You can copy or distribute this article as long as you include the author's name and this bio: Jini Patel Thompson's books on natural healing for digestive diseases have sold in over 40 different countries. Her health articles have been published in journals and magazines in the U.S., Australia and U.K. www.ListenToYourGut.com