Here's a newsletter I copied from Lyme Bytes that has interesting info. on supplements

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Lyme Bytes

Scheduling The Supplements

Posted: 20 Jan 2010 05:22 PM PST

To get the most out of your supplements and medications, it's important to

not mix n' match the wrong ones, because drug and supplement interactions

can tax the body and make your treatment protocol less effective.

While it's difficult to know what all the drug and supplement interactions

are, and to how to prevent any negative ones, recognizing the most

important ones can help you to get the most out of your treatments.

First, antibiotics should not be taken at the same time as vitamin or

other nutritional supplements. Allow at least two hours between the dosing

of these.

Also, if your GI tract is sensitive to antibiotics, consider taking them

at separate intervals. While it can be annoying to have to take medication

multiple times during the day, it may save your GI tract over the long

haul. Having recently started antibiotics, for the first time in nearly

five years, I forgot how these things can tear up the gut. I quickly

learned that my stomach wouldn't tolerate more than one at a time, so now

I space them out throughout the day. Because they all have to be taken

with food, this means I'm constantly nibbling, but hey, if it means being

able to do the drugs, I can't complain.

If your tummy and guts are sensitive to antibiotics, try taking some

licorice chews, slippery elm, peppermint capsules or ginger tea in between

doses. A quality probiotic is likewise vital for replenishing healthy

flora in the gut that gets torched by the antibiotics. Good probiotics

aren't cheap, and the majority that are on the market are garbage, so make

sure that you use one that comes recommended by those " in the know " about

these things. I took my biotensor testing device to the vitamin store and

tested myself for a variety of probiotics. Only one, Udo's, tested well

for me. Udo's aren't cheap, but so far, I'm doing well with them.

When it comes to herbs, some are better taken with food, but I have found

most to be more potent when taken on an empty stomach. Also, herbs can

interact with one another and with medications, so depending upon the

herb, you may want to take these apart from your other supplements and

medications. Some of the Nutramedix herbs shouldn't be taken together. I

discovered this recently when my Nutramedix order for cumanda and noni

came with a chart detailing which Nutramedix herbs can and can't be taken

together. So every time I get up from my work desk for a glass of water, I

make it a habit to take a supplement, so that by the time I've had my

eight daily glasses of water (or whatever it is), I've also met my

supplement quota for the day, while avoiding any potentially negative

interactions. Yes, it's a nuisance, but at least I work from home and am

able to do this. If you run around a lot, there may be days when you have

to combine stuff, no two ways about it. Don't sweat it. We can't do this

dosing thing perfectly.

Homeopathic remedies are best taken on an empty stomach, at least twenty

minutes prior to a meal or taking other remedies.

A few vitamins and nutrients interact in a manner which reduces their

effectiveness, but most function better when combined. For instance,

Vitamin C aids in iron uptake, but reduces the effectiveness of chlorella.

B-vitamins and Vitamin A also increase the effectiveness of iron and other

nutrients.

For a complete list of which medications reduce the effectiveness of,

and/or interact with vitamins, check out: http://harristeeter.com.

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