my supplements aren't meds

[lategainer]

I just went in for a 3 month followup visit with my family doctor. The prior visit was my first visit with this new doctor and he is watching a mildly higher level in liver measurements (don't know which one), but as he expressed, it is likely due to the need for me to pull off more weight and therefore I suspect it is more of a fatty liver measure. I remain optimistic that it will go away in the near future, as I am putting in good workouts, changing up my workout regimen every six weeks, taking a 3 day split 2 day off routine, watching what I am eating (lots of chicken and tuna with a major cut back on beer and junk food), I am also taking supps (bcaa, fish oil, daily multi, l-carnitine, l-glutamine, creatine, whey isolate, cla), and my measures show gains in thigh (1 inch), calves (1.5 inches), chest is up (2 inches) upper arm is up .75 inches, and waist is down (3.5 inches), all while dropping 4 lbs in the past 12 weeks. The vascularity is coming along and co-workers are saying I look like I am losing weight, as well as my mother-in-law saying I look more toned. My blood pressure is coming down along with the muscle gains and fat loss, I am on my way to knocking out the liver measures and dropping more fat weight. FYI - I am truly clean - no cycles of anything ever in my life just the supps above.

But - My posting is actually about something more troubling. I get into the doctor's office and his assistant wants to right away make sure I have my medications with me so the doctor can see the bottles. This is something his office requests. I immediately said "I am not on any medications", to which his assistant says, "well what about these that you listed before, are you still on those?".

Wow, is that a troubling perspective to have. My Medications? Remember, I am on fish oil, bcaas, whey protein, l-carnitine, l-glutamine, cla, and multi-vitamins. When I got home, I said to my wife as she ate her salad, that eventually, if the FDA ever catches on that food is good for us and has healing or beneficial properties we won't be able to eat without a prescription.

What is this world coming to in terms of perspectives? Basic core supplements are components of food and not medications! It is a scary viewpoint that my doctor's office thinks I am "on something" for taking these basic things.

I like the new doctor, but somewhere in my life I would like to find a doctor who can be realistic about these things and recognize supplements are not medications and can be beneficial. I am not a freak for supplementing, nor is everyone taking a supplement "on something" (referring to being juiced up). But what if I was? Should I ever get all crazy chucking pills or sticking needles, not that I will, but what if I did? Where is my partner in this medical system equation? I would hope he could support my efforts and make sure my measures are correct for HPTA function and all other levels.

 

[A_I_Sports_Nutrition]

Just sounds like she really did not have a clue.

 

[DreamWeaver]

Just sounds like she really did not have a clue.

That is usually the case...

 

[Bionic]

Do you think it's unreasonable for the doctor to ask all of the stuff that you take? Your use of these products could have been the reason or part of the reason for your liver issue. Are you just concerned with the wording that was used? If so, that's really a non-issue.

 

[DreamWeaver]

Do you think it's unreasonable for the doctor to ask all of the stuff that you take? Your use of these products could have been the reason or part of the reason for your liver issue. Are you just concerned with the wording that was used? If so, that's really a non-issue.

The problem is that doctors generally don't have a good idea what the supplements are or what they do. If they don't do they're own independant research it is really moot.

 

[Steveoph]

In defence of the clinic, you have to understand that medications means anything you are taking. We regularly ask are you on any prescription medications, OTC medications, or herbal products. People bring in vitamins all the time with their prescribed medications; perhaps supplements are a better word for it but they're just used to calling everything meds. Plus there can be lots of various substances in a capsule.

It would be interesting to find out exactly which liver enzymes were elevated and how high; AST and ALT can be mildly elevated from exercise and of no concern. Also I think it is important to note that any herbal supplement can be tainted with potentially hepatotoxic substances; I'd like to say you can trust every company out there, but something may have gotten into your powder in China and could be damaging your liver explaining elevated liver enzymes. Unlikely, but possible and it's the doctor's job to consider everything.

 

[Bionic]

The problem is that doctors generally don't have a good idea what the supplements are or what they do. If they don't do they're own independant research it is really moot.

I'm guessing that's why they asked him to bring them in; so they can research the ingredients/actives.

 

[A_I_Sports_Nutrition]

In defence of the clinic, you have to understand that medications means anything you are taking. We regularly ask are you on any prescription medications, OTC medications, or herbal products. People bring in vitamins all the time with their prescribed medications; perhaps supplements are a better word for it but they're just used to calling everything meds.

It would be interesting to find out exactly which liver enzymes were elevated and how high; AST and ALT can be mildly elevated from exercise and of no concern. Also I think it is important to note that any herbal supplement can be tainted with potentially hepatotoxic substances; I'd like to say you can trust every company out there, but something may have gotten into your powder in China and could be damaging your liver explaining elevated liver enzymes. Unlikely, but possible and it's the doctor's job to consider everything.

This may be true but I have never had a doctor ask me to bring in non RX meds. Some will ask if you take supplements but not ask that you bring them in. I brought a bottle of Havoc to ask him what he thought about me taking it. He looked at the back of the bottle briefly with a confused look on his face and said it was fine. When I told him it was a steriod he changed his tune real quick LOL.

 

[thebigt]

anabolic innovation makes cycle support, or you could just get milk thistle. also i have been experimenting with samE. give up the beer and all alcohol. and avoid tylenol or anything with acetaminophen in it-beer and tylenol are bad enough solo, but if you were to mix tylenol AND alcohol it would be very harmful to your liver. acetaminophen is very toxic- it should be banned before ph's imo. avoid it.

 

[DreamWeaver]

I'm guessing that's why they asked him to bring them in; so they can research the ingredients/actives.

Possibly, the heath care is better there cuz you pay for it, here they don't bother and they are quite ignorant about supplmentation.

 

[mildot]

I am sure part of it is a lack of knowledge about supplements. Hence the Havoc post. But they have to be thorough since many otc herbal products have unintended consequences for the patient. Wasn't St Johns Wart the one that has been linked reactions with heart patients?

 

[lategainer]

I agree that the assistant was the one without a clue and I freely gave their office the complete list of things I take previously. I knew they would need to know in case. I guess my issue is in the choice of wording that suggests medicines not supplements. The doctor never said a thing when he came in. He did say he was glad to see my dedication to working out, that I did what I said I was going to do, and to keep it up.

I wonder how they will react when I update them with my latest shipment of bulk herbal powders that I have yet to start taking: Tribulus, Yohimbe Bark, Maca Powder, Horny Goat Weed, and Celery Seed Powder. At 40+ my testosterone measures normal but my libido is in the can (like roll over and go to sleep in the can) - gotta do something about it (that is the major reason for the herbal assault). Cheaper so far than other ways to supplement. The last thing I want to add is bulk resveratrol and switch up my creatine from monohydrate to ethyl ester. I may add in a fat burner when I go into my HIIT and go high rep 70% weight rep to failure regimen and considering some liver-RX or something else similar to keep the liver happy as an in-case.

 

[kingdong]

Ya, they probably just whant to see if your putting anythig weird in your body. Not every supplement is a nutrient that the body already craves.

 

[BigBlackGuy]

I'd rather have my doctor ask me about what else I was taking instead of give me something that conflicts with what I'm taking. Think about it like this: High doses of caffeine can nullify the effects of creatine if taken at the same time, who knows if you would be taking a supplement that competes with medication you may be prescribed?