Dr. Gundry's supplement

Here you can share your experiences with substances that are ingested, inhaled, or otherwise consumed for the purpose of relieving RLS, other than prescription medications. For example, herbal remedies, nutritional supplements, diet, kratom, and marijuana (for now) should be discussed here. Tell others of successes, failures, side effects, and any known research on these substances. [Posts on these subjects created prior to 2009 are in the Physical Treatments forum.]

Important: Posts and information in this section are based on personal experiences and recommendations; they should not be considered a substitute for the advice of a healthcare provider.
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jul2873
Posts: 445
Joined: Thu Nov 15, 2012 7:32 pm

Dr. Gundry's supplement

Post by jul2873 »

I've just had something unexpected happen. I ordered something called Gundry MD Total Restore Gut Lining Support Blend 90 Capsules from Amazon: https://smile.amazon.com/Gundry-Restore ... 137&sr=8-9

I heard about it on a podcast one night while I was walking around a bit waiting for my kratom to kick in. It's supposed to help if you have a problem with nausea or upset stomachs, which I occasionally do. So I figured it might be worth a try. Very soon afterwards I went into the hospital for a total knee replacement (TKR). I was, of course, given a good supply of pain killers (Oxy, stuff like that) so I wasn't surprised when my RLS symptoms were completely covered for my time in the hospital.

When I got home I started to taper off of the Oxy, and substitute kratom. That took about a week. Another week went by, and it occurred to me that I did not have any RLS symptoms yet. That seemed odd to me, because even while on kratom I get symptoms when the kratom wears off. But nothing, as far as I could tell. What was I doing differently?

Then it occurred to me that I was taking this Dr. Gundry supplement for my gut health.

At this point (a month since my surgery) I haven't taken any opioids for at least two weeks, and have just taken my usual dose of kratom to help with the TKR pain. And still I have not even a whisper of RLS symptoms, from either leg--the one with the TKR or the one that wasn't touched.

So I'm not sure what's happening. Perhaps the kratom is completely covering the RLS. Since I didn't use it in the hosp. a lesser amount may be all that's need to give me complete coverage. Or--and here is the wild hope--this supplement from Dr. Gundry is healing whatever needed to be healed in me to get rid of the RLS.

i figure it's going to be weeks--probably months--until the TKR is completely working and I can tell with more assurance whether or not this supplement is working for RLS. (It is, by the way, helping with nausea after eating). But on the off chance that it really is something that works for RLS, I decided to post, in case other people want to check it out. Dr. Gundry is a very reputable doctor (cardiologist, researcher, etc.) although, unfortunately the advertising he does makes him sound like some guy just trying to make a quick buck. I think a bottle of his supplements costs about fifty dollars now. It might be worth a try. I plan to keep using it.

badnights
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Joined: Tue Mar 10, 2009 4:20 pm
Location: Northwest Territories, Canada

Re: Dr. Gundry's supplement

Post by badnights »

An evaluation of the product that seems to be well-done is here:
https://www.highya.com/gundry-md-total-restore-reviews

Ingredients (from that site) are:
Magnesium 7 mg
Zinc 2 mg
L-Glutamine 213 mg
N-Acetyl D-Glucosamine 142 mg
Magnesium Beta-Hydroxybutyrate 86 mg
Grape Seed Extract 58 mg
Licorice Roots Powder 54 mg
Wormwood Powder 50 mg
Cinnamon Bark Powder 50 mg
Maitake Mushroom Extract 34 mg
Organic Strawberry, Raspberry, Blueberry, Tart Cherry, Elderberry, and Cranberry (VitaBerry) 22 mg
Cloves Buds Powder 17 mg
Black Pepper Seeds Powder 17 mg
Grapefruit Seeds Extract 17 mg
Marshmallow Roots Powder 10 mg
Zinc L-Carnosine (Pepsin Gl) 10 mg
Berberine Bark Powder 3 mg
Beth - Wishing you a restful sleep tonight
Click for info on WED/RLS AUGMENTATION & IRON
I am a volunteer moderator. My posts are not medical advice. My posts do not reflect RLS Foundation opinion.

jul2873
Posts: 445
Joined: Thu Nov 15, 2012 7:32 pm

Re: Dr. Gundry's supplement

Post by jul2873 »

Thanks, Beth. This is very helpful.

For some reason, it still seems to be controlling my RLS. I still get a fair amount of pain from the knee replacement, but I am not recognizing any RLS symptoms at the present. But, as I said, I am still taking some kratom for pain relief, so I can't be sure yet. I did send a bottle of this supplement to one of my daughters, who is also an RLS sufferer (although not too bad, yet anyway). She said it also seems to be working for her. But she also takes a little kratom, for her fibromyalgia, so we can't be sure.

I'll keep you all up.

Stainless
Posts: 274
Joined: Tue Dec 01, 2015 9:30 pm

Re: Dr. Gundry's supplement

Post by Stainless »

How much Kratom do you take. I tried it once (and probably still have some around) but I could not figure how to choke down several tablespoons. I even tried brownies but who can eat a big brownie every night without blowing up. And all it did was make the brownies taste bad.

Good luck staying off meds. I dream of that.

jul2873
Posts: 445
Joined: Thu Nov 15, 2012 7:32 pm

Re: Dr. Gundry's supplement

Post by jul2873 »

When I first started with kratom I took 1/2 tsp. as needed--usually every 2-4 hours at night sometimes once during the afternoon if I wanted to nap. As the years passed I developed some tolerance, and now take 1 tsp. or maybe a little more instead of 1/2 tsp. I don't keep a careful track. Pretty much I take what I need.

Either I make up capsules or--what I usually do--is put1 tsp. of kratom in a little cup of orange juice, and let it sit for at least twenty minutes so the kratom dissolves. Then I drink it. Usually I make up some little doses and keep them on a tray in the refrigerator so they are ready when I need them.

Good luck to you!

Frunobulax
Posts: 430
Joined: Mon Jun 02, 2014 7:41 pm

Re: Dr. Gundry's supplement

Post by Frunobulax »

jul2873 wrote:I've just had something unexpected happen. I ordered something called Gundry MD Total Restore Gut Lining Support Blend 90 Capsules from Amazon: [...]
You're on to something there. I watched this interview https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uklt4zVVtS0 with Steven Gundry and started reading his "longetivity paradox", and found that he describes a lot of things that I figured out myself but couldn't explain nearly as well as he does. (The drawback is that he sees the microbiom as the cause for almost every chronic disease. Take it with a grain of salt.)

The RLS connection is pretty obvious. For those of you not familiar with the microbiom theory: We have trillions of bacteria living in our gut (and elsewhere), called the microbiom, some of which are in a symbiotic relation with us. They break down nutritients for us, we feed them. The problem is that due to a lot of different factors, we may severely damage the balance of bacteria in the gut - "bad" bacteria will grow and push out "good" bacteria. The result is that we will absorbe less vital minerals and vitamins, like iron and vitamin B12 (there we go, RLS), but we may also experience inflammation and autoimmune reactions (as a result of leaky gut for example).

The reasons for a damaged microbion are various. They include:
  • Antibiotics that kill all bacteria, not just the unwanted ones.
  • A diet that contains too much "food" for the bad bacteria and not enough "food" for the good bacteria, and possibly some ingredients that damage the good bacteria (lectins/gluten).
  • Medication like Ibuprofen directly damages the microbiom. Medication like PPIs (omeprazole and the like) will reduce the acid in our stomach, which shifts the balance towards the "bad boys" among the bacteria.
  • Environmental toxins like glyphosate wreak havoc on the microbiom. Glyphosate is apparently not harmful for our own organism, but kills a lot of the "good" bacteria.
The microbiom can be repaired, but you'll need to eat a more healthy diet - there is a lot of discussion about as to what exactly constitutes a "healthy diet", with contradictory recommendations. Gundry focuses very much on reducing lectins, but I'm not sure if lectins aren't just one of many substances that will be harmful to a small percentile of the populations (just as lactose, nuts and whatever that are harmful for some people). Personally I started with weaning off any PPIs (which is VERY hard to do if you used them for a significant time), eating a low carb diet (see my other thread about low glycemic index diet), avoid any preservatives, and throw in some selected amino acids (Glutamine and Carnitine in fairly high doses) and probiotics. (I recently was diagnosed with leaky gut.)

The theory behind this is that if you repair your microbiom you'll reduce silent inflammation and autoimmune responses, and improve the absorbtion of minerals and vitamins, which should help RLS symptoms given enough time.

Edit: I wonder if I should have posted this in a separate thread? :)

XenMan
Posts: 116
Joined: Sun Aug 26, 2018 7:41 pm

Re: Dr. Gundry's supplement

Post by XenMan »

Frunobulax wrote:
jul2873 wrote:Glutamine and Carnitine in fairly high doses
That is a warning bell to start with, a simple Google will show the link in the microbiome to Carnitine and cardio vascular disease, so ignorant is one appropriate adjective to add to Gundry’s claims about himself. Glutamine is safe and I consume it over protein powder for muscle mass, for a reason no one is interested in. Glyphosate is a strange reference, but with no ability to do genetic damage, and people are getting big dollars for supposedly getting cancer from it, it is the new EM radiation conspiracy; now in the microbiome.

There was recently a press release on using the microbiome to identify fibromyalgia, which was interesting. Unfortunately I have lost my optimism on the microbiome over the last few years as some ‘trans-poo-sions’ have ended with unexpected results and no one has done anything really significant in the field. It is still important in understanding the complexity of the gut and certain conditions. But the revolution in treatment that was envisioned is looking more and more unlikely. It hurts me to write this.

I have suggested before that as well as the very strong placebo, the microbiome may well impact symptoms when changing diet and with supplements; if not the actual condition.

Well done if this works for you, everything is worth a try.

Frunobulax
Posts: 430
Joined: Mon Jun 02, 2014 7:41 pm

Re: Dr. Gundry's supplement

Post by Frunobulax »

XenMan wrote:
Frunobulax wrote:
jul2873 wrote:Glutamine and Carnitine in fairly high doses
That is a warning bell to start with, a simple Google will show the link in the microbiome to Carnitine and cardio vascular disease, so ignorant is one appropriate adjective to add to Gundry’s claims about himself. Glutamine is safe and I consume it over protein powder for muscle mass, for a reason no one is interested in. Glyphosate is a strange reference, but with no ability to do genetic damage, and people are getting big dollars for supposedly getting cancer from it, it is the new EM radiation conspiracy; now in the microbiome.

There was recently a press release on using the microbiome to identify fibromyalgia, which was interesting. Unfortunately I have lost my optimism on the microbiome over the last few years as some ‘trans-poo-sions’ have ended with unexpected results and no one has done anything really significant in the field. It is still important in understanding the complexity of the gut and certain conditions. But the revolution in treatment that was envisioned is looking more and more unlikely. It hurts me to write this.

I have suggested before that as well as the very strong placebo, the microbiome may well impact symptoms when changing diet and with supplements; if not the actual condition.

Well done if this works for you, everything is worth a try.
Let's give you another angle.

Sifting through alternative medicine is very tiresome. There are scores of "prophets" and alternative practicioners that claim to have found the ONE reason for almost every (chronic) disease. And most of what they write sounds very logical and nice, but is not backed up by facts and they don't bother to do studies because they have "lots of patients who got cured". (To put it bluntly, it's bullshit, and you have to shovel a lot of sh** to find something worth digging for.)

However, there are also some scientists in alternative medicine that work differently - doctors who give sound biochemical explainations for theories, they try to do (and cite) placebo-controlled, double blind studies, and who appear to have an open mind generally. (Gundry is a borderline case, as he does cite some studies but relies a lot of personal experience and some suggestions in his diet are highly controversial.) And those people are frankly the only hope for us "hopeless cases", patients that have no positive outlook according to conventional doctors. (I have CFS, and I was well on my way to become permanently confined to my bed, or throwing myself from a bridge eventually as RLS and CFS are like fire and oil.)

And among the many ideas that I have followed, there are only a handful that sound reasonable to me. But leaky gut (reduced intake of vitamins and nutritients, and consequently inflammation and autoimmune reactions) are one of the concepts that I believe to be important - not all important as Gundry claims, but much more important that is realized by most doctors. (Yes, that's my very personal opinion.) I know a lot of other CFS patients who have stabilized their condition or even improved a little by following diets that are generally considered to be helpful with microbiom/leaky gut issues, while a whole lot of other treatments did nothing for them.

Myself, my RLS started shortly after taking up PPIs. Then came CFS and my life became hell - but after 5 years of trying a LOT of different things, I'm finally getting better. And the few things that worked, ALL fit the microbiom theory perfectly: Getting rid of PPIs, switching to a low-carb diet rich in vegetable oils, and using a wide variety of dietary supplements (partly to add deficient vitamins/minerals, partly to repair my gut).

So as one who believes to be able to separate placebo effect from real benefit (as I have seen a LOT of stuff that I clearly put in the placebo corner), fixing the microbiom DOES help some patients with severe conditions, and I'm among them. Obviously I don't know if "some" means 80% or 0.08%.

As far as Glyphosate goes, comparing EM radiation nonsense to Glyphosate - you completely lost me there. Glyphosate got banned in some countries, and there is a strong movement to have it banned in many more countries. There is a very obvious and scientific reason why Glyphosate could harm us, even though it is not dangerous to animal cells: It does block EPSP (5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase) which is used by some of our gut bacteria, which are microbes and not animal cells. And we can certainly disagree on whether this is likely or not to impact us negatively, but please don't file it under "conspiracy theory".

Frunobulax
Posts: 430
Joined: Mon Jun 02, 2014 7:41 pm

Re: Dr. Gundry's supplement

Post by Frunobulax »

XenMan wrote:
Frunobulax wrote:
jul2873 wrote:Glutamine and Carnitine in fairly high doses
That is a warning bell to start with, a simple Google will show the link in the microbiome to Carnitine and cardio vascular disease, so ignorant is one appropriate adjective to add to Gundry’s claims about himself.
Maybe my english fails me here, it seems to me as if you consider Carnitine as bad, but all I can find is Carnitine as benefitial for our health. Could you elaborate? https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29241711 and this one https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15591005. And why would Gundry be ignorant?

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