This is the final part in the Supplements For Fibromyalgia series. Because it is my experience that fibromyalgia is caused by some combination of several possible underlying conditions and although a “shotgun” approach to a fibromyalgia diet works in most cases, it is necesseary to determine what the underlying causes of the individual’s fibromyalgia symptoms are in order to choose the best fibromyalgia supplements for each individual case. In Part 1 of this series, I explained how a person’s weight gain pattern gives clues as to where problems are occurring in the body. In Part 2 and Part 3, I discussed the different common causes of chronic fatigue and associated symptoms that give further indication of what exactly is going wrong. In Part 4, I discussed the common types and causes of sleep disturbance that occur in fibromyalgia cases. In Part 5, I discussed the various digestive tract problems that are a common part of fibromyalgia symptoms and what they usually indicate. Now it is time to put all of that information together and help you figure out what remedies will likely work best for you.To get started, you may wish to review the previous parts of this series and make note of the various indicators that apply in your particular case. Pay extra attention to underlying issues that come up more than once as you go through the various symptoms you are experiencing. For example, if you have the adrenal weight pattern, the adrenal fatigue pattern, and the adrenal type of sleep disturbance, plus one or more of the additional adrenal symptoms, that is a sign that the adrenals are in serious need of help. In other words, the best remedies for your needs will be prioritized by how often (and /or how severely) a particular underlying cause shows up in your overall symptom pattern.
Your body weight pattern is usually the most definitive indicator of the worst problem. In reviewing Part 1, you may feel that your body weight matches the pattern of more than one of the 4 categories. Make a note which one or ones you think match you the best.
Go back through the other Parts of this series and make a note of what patterns of fatigue, sleep disturbance, and digestive tract problems fit your symptoms. Any underlying problem that shows up more than once for you is a high priority, so begin with those issues first.
The following are recommendations for Nutri-West supplements for the listed conditions. I have confidence and experience with using Nutri-West’s product line and that’s why I recommend them, but if you prefer to shop around for other supplements, you can use the NutriWest product information as a guide for what to look for.
Before I go into specific recommendations, there is one supplement that I think just about anyone can benefit from and that is a good quality omega-3 fatty acid supplement, such as NutriWest’s Complete Omega-3 Essentials. Omega-3 fatty acids help control inflammation, help with depression, and have numerous cardiovascular benefits. Because the typical diet today is largely devoid of this critically important nutrient as discussed in this post, I recommend supplementation to just about everyone, at a level of 1 to 3 capsules per day. The only exception to this is people on blood thinning medication such as coumadin, because there is a potential for dangerous interaction.
Now, on to specific recommendations…
Adrenal problems usually respond well to DSF Formula. For those with major fatigue problems, their energy usually increases dramatically within a day or two of starting on DSF. For most people, I recommend a doseage of one to two per day, but individuals under an unusual amount of stress may benefit from taking as many as four per day. It is best to take DSF with the morning and afternoon meals. I have also found that DSF seems to work better over the long run if you take a day or two off from the supplement every week or so (for example, I usually don’t take it on the weekend). I don’t know of any good reason why this would be, but that has been my personal experience taking DSF and several of my patients have reported similar experiences.
Liver and gallbladder problems will usually benefit from a product called Total Liver D-Tox. I suggest taking one three times per day, taken with meals. This product helps the liver to recover from the effects of poor diet, excess alcohol consumption, and overuse of drugs/medications, as well as helps the liver clear various toxins we are exposed to in the environment. In addition, it is important to ease up on the fatty foods, particularly fried food, as these are very irritating to the liver and can place excessive demands on the gallbladder.
Thyroid issues vary somewhat from person to person, and for anyone who is already taking thyroid medication, you probably cannot completely replace the medication with supplements, and definitely not if you have had your thyroid removed or “burned out” with radiation or chemotherapy. For less severe thyroid issues, or for those of you with classic thryoid symptoms but normal blood tests, a couple of supplements usually help quite a bit. The first is Total Thyroid, which supports overall healthy thyroid function. The second is Total Mitochondria, which supports the production and function of the “energy factories” of the cells, called the mitochondria. At its most basic, the main job of thyroid hormone is to stimulate the production of mitochondria in the cells, and the mitochondria in turn burn calories for energy for all cellular functions. Total Mitochondria supports the ability of the cells to build new mitochondria. Both Total Thyroid and Total Mitochondria can be taken at doses of one to two per day each.
Estrogen and female hormone problems usually respond well to Total Female (one to two per day), which provides overall support of female glandular function for pre and post menopausal women. For those women taking birth control pills or hormone replacement, it is often necessary to get off of those hormones. Estrogen, particularly synthetic estrogen which is used in most birth control and hormone replacement can cause a number of problems with normal body function, and in particular can interfere with normal thyroid hormone function. For those of you who are on hormone replacement or use birth control pills for the primary purpose of handling PMS symptoms, I suggest trying to find a health care practitioner who will work with you on hormone testing and natural hormone balancing.
The appropriate supplements for anemia will depend on the type of anemia. For iron-deficiency, I suggest Ferrous-Fumuro Chelate, but ONLY if you have blood test results that show you actually have iron deficiency anemia. Since it is difficult to tell the difference between folic acid deficiency and B-12 deficiency (also called pernicious anemia), I suggest using a good quality mulitvitamin such as Core Level Health Reserve to get an oral supply of both and use B-12 Lozenges (you MUST allow them to dissolve under the tongue) as a form of sublingual B-12 to be sure you get adequate absorption of the B-12. For those who have vitamin B-12 deficiency anemia, the other option is to periodically get B-12 injections from a physician. Dosing recommendations will vary depending on what other supplements you are using. For more information, contact me.
For those with generally poor digestion, I recommend Total Enzymes. Most people get good resuts with one capsule per meal, but in extreme cases, two or three per meal may be needed initially. Typically the more fresh vegetables and fruits you consume, the less enzymes you’ll need.
For those with the yeast pattern of poor digestion (bloating after eating sweets and carbohydrates, and major cravings for those same foods), I recommend Total YST Redux (usually one per meal when in the symptomatic phase and then one per day on a preventive basis).
If you have a history of recurring gastrointestinal “bugs” and/or digestive problems following a course of antibiotics, I recommend Total Probiotics (one to two capsules per meal) to help restore the normal balance of healthy bacteria in the gut.
If you have reason to suspect a parasitic infection (digestive problems, voracious appetite without major weight gain, a history of human-transmittable parasites in a pet, and/or a history of travel in Asia, South/Central America, or Mexico), I suggest starting with Total Para (one to two per meal when first starting, then decreasing to one per day for at least 2 months once symptoms subside). If you are not significantly better within 1 to 2 weeks, fecal testing for parasites is recommended so that the parasite can be identified and the most effective medication can be prescribed.
For those with difficulty falling asleep, I recommend Total 5-HTP. This supplement contains 5-HTP which supports normal seratonin levels, as well as melatonin to further assist with normalizing sleep cycles. Start with one about 30 minutes before bedtime, and go to two if needed.  It works best if taken with a small amount of carbohydrate (half a slice of bread, a small handful of cereal, fruit, etc.).
For specific recommendations on your case, especially if you have identified multiple underlying factors and want to narrow down the list of recommendations further, or if you have any other questions, please feel free to contact me.
Although this is the final part of the Supplements For Fibromyalgia series, there will be updates in the near future on this topic. I am currently in the process of development on a website that will walk you through the underlying causes for fibromyalgia and other health problems and will then formulate an overall set of treatment recommendations for each individual, including diet, exercise, supplement, and other natural remedies. So stay tuned to my natural remedies blog for more fibromyalgia updates.