Supplements I take for Narcolepsy and Mental Health

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Living with Narcolepsy is difficult. Most of us are scouring the internet looking for anything that will help us feel more awake or to decrease the side effects of our medications.

The supplement industry is not FDA regulated. There are not enough studies on supplements. I will always be open and honest with my readers and never promote anything that I would not personally use. This post will be about the supplements that I use every day, why I use them, and at the bottom of this post is the research I found. Always do your own research and have a discussion with your Physician and Pharmacist before starting a new supplement regimen. Supplements can interact with your current medications, thin your blood, or have other adverse reactions.

Please be wary of supplements and brands that promise things that are too good to be true. They have to contain this disclaimer for a reason, "This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease." Supplements are expensive and when you are desperate for a cure you can drain your account looking for relief. There are people in this world who prey upon people like us. There are tests your Doctor can do to see if you have a vitamin deficiency.

Supplements I take everyday

Supplement: Multivitamin Brand: NatureMade Multi For Her (they also have Multi For Him)

I don't always eat the best. I do intermittent fasting and sometimes only eat once a day. I have food aversions and don't feel like I get all of the vitamins and minerals that I need. Research has shown that if you are eating regular healthy meals you do not need a multivitamin unless you have a proven deficiency.

Supplement: Inositol Brand: Jarrow Formulas

I first learned about inositol when I was looking for something to help with the side effects from my stimulants. I take Inositol for OCD associated with stimulant use. It also helps with depression and PCOS.

My personal review: I feel like it has really helped my OCD. I am going to stop the capsules and get the powder to put in smoothies because in the reviews on Amazon people are raving over the benefits of the powder for OCD and I feel like I need to increase my dose.

Supplement: Magnesium Brand: Doctor's Best High Absorption Magnesium Lysinate Glycinate 100% Chelated

When I lay down to sleep at night my legs start to ache. This makes it miserable to fall asleep. Taking Magnesium at night helps me to relax and stops my legs from hurting.

My personal review: This works for me. If I don't take it, I have a harder time sleeping and if I am out for a few days my legs hurt at night so I know that for me at least this works.

Edit: after Doctor's Best reached out to me to let me know they do not disclose who the third party testing facility is I decided to change my subscribe and save to NatureMade I don't necessarily think there's anything wrong with the brand, I just like transparency and the fact that NatureMade is USP certified.

Supplement: L-Theanine Brand: Doctor's Best L-Theanine with Suntheanine

I have panic disorder and anxiety really sucks. I can't take traditional anxiety medications with my Xywav so I looked for alternatives.

My personal review: This works great for me. The only downside is that the bottle says to take it on an empty stomach which isn't always possible. If I am having a panic attack I still take it, regardless if I have a full belly.

Edit: Since Doctor's Best will not disclose information about third party testing I've decided to try these NatureMade L-Theanine and GABA gummies I will write a review once I receive these and have used them for a few weeks. My anxiety has been through the roof so I am excited to what what GABA is all about.

Supplement: D3 Brand: Naturemade Extra Strength D3 5000 IU

I take Vitamin D3 for depression, mood regulation, and narcolepsy.

My personal review: I can't really tell a difference. I can only hope that it is doing something.

Supplement: B12 Brand: NatureMade B12 1000mcg

I take B12 for narcolepsy and depression.

My personal review: I do notice a difference with B12. I wish I had a personal nurse though. Anytime my Dr. gives my the B12 shot, it is a huge difference compared to the capsules.

Supplement: Omega-3 Brand: MegaRed Superior Omega-3 Krill Oil

I do not eat fish and I don't eat enough foods high in omega 3. I take these because I do not burp fish with these. They are small and easy to swallow. They are certified sustainable. Omega 3 is great for the heart, brain, and eyes.

***While writing this post, I could not find any information about third party testing for MegaRed so I did some research and switched my subscribe and save to Sports Research Krill Oil Supplement with EPA & DHA Omega 3, Phospholipids & Astaxanthin from Antarctic Krill - Highest Concentration of Krill Oil for Men & Women - 1000mg, 60 Softgel Capsules who has this on their website:

All Sports Research products are tested by an accredited third party lab and are manufactured under current good manufacturing practices (cGMPs - Current Good Manufacturing Processes), in FDA registered and 3rd Party cGMP Audited/Certified manufacturing facilities.

These are a bit pricier than MegaRed, but contain a higher amount of Omega 3. I will update my review once I try these.

Brands

I was honestly surprised by some of these. When I first started taking supplements I did a lot of research. Or at least I thought I did. Going back over each one of the supplements I take for the post was very insightful.

NatureMade

I love that this brand is USP verified. United States Pharmacopeia (USP) works closely with the FDA. They are not a government agency. They are a third party, not associated with the manufacturer. They work with the manufacturers. Inspecting the facilities, testing the ingredients, checking where the ingredients are sourced from, and they also pull product from store shelves and test them to make sure they are consistent and meet quality standards.

A supplement successfully meeting our rigorous testing and auditing criteria receives the USP Verified Mark. When you see the Mark, it means the supplement:

Contains the ingredients listed on the label, in the declared strength and amounts
Does not contain harmful levels of specified contaminants
Is made according to FDA and USP Good Manufacturing Practices, using sanitary and well-controlled processes
Will break down and dissolve within a specified amount of time so the active ingredients can be released and absorbed by the body

Doctor's Best

I like Doctor's Best because it was founded by a Physician who wanted to create supplements rooted in research. On their website they say that every supplement is backed by research and they provide sources so you can read the research yourself. They are also 3rd party tested however I could not find any information on their website about who tests their supplements, but have reached out to them through email and will update when they answer.

Edit:

Jarrow

I like that Jarrow is involved in clinical research. They have an in house laboratory. They are NSF certified. They have won many awards.

MegaRed

They have a Modern Slavery Statement on their website that blew me away and made me extremely proud to support a brand that cares about people and the environment. They are sustainable. I could not find anything on their website about testing. I have reached out to them but have not received an answer as of this posting. I have taken this particular brand for a long time without issue but the research I did on this made me decide to change to a different brand with a higher potency.

I have ordered some Ginko Biloba and Red Panax Ginseng powder to add to my morning smoothies. Look for a post next month after I have had time to try these for my vertigo, depression, anxiety, energy, and memory. Ginko Biloba and Ginseng have been used for thousands of years and are among the most researched supplements so I am excited to learn more about them and try them. Stay tuned!

What supplements do you use? Have you found anything that helps your narcolepsy or mental health? Let me know in the comments!

Sources:

Consumer Reports: How to Choose Supplements Wisely

Consumer Reports: Shop Smarter for Supplements

Market size in the US

USP

NSF

FDA: Questions and Answers on Dietary Supplements

FDA: Information for Consumers on Using Dietary Supplements

WebMD: Inositol Overview, Uses, Side Effects, and More

VeryWellMind: What is Inositol

PDF: Nutrition, Narcolepsy, and Wakefulness