This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

Hello everyone,

I feel like this is a silly question. A lady at my work today has started selling natural oils. She gave me a web site to go to that told me what "oils" would be good for MS. On her website a bottle of Frankincense oil is almost $100. So I looked on Amazon.com and found the same types of oils on this website much cheaper. Has anyone here tried oils like peppermint, frankincense, sandalwood, or basil. These are some of the oils that the website claims may help MS. I am so desperate anymore for something to make a difference. Has anyone tried these oils? What were your results?

Alicia

hi Alicia i have not tried the oils. what have you tried so far? what is your current routine?

_________________
my approach: no meds so far - just balanced whole foods (partial 'paleo', much less outright elimination), science, supplements, & bloodwork
my regimen - www.thisisms.com/ftopict-2489.html
www.whfoods.com, www.nutritiondata.com

Based on the price you mention, I'm going to venture a guess that the frankincense was being sold through the Young Living MLM. Is that correct? Here's an article I posted about Gary Young, the founder of Young Living, that illustrates that he's a fraud. I have family members that have used Young Living products, as well as their frankincense, and I can no longer believe any statement the company or their representatives make about their products.

NHE

I take supplements (cod liver oil, curcumin, milk thistle, green tea extract, multivitamin, vitamin d3). I do not have any sort of oil regimen yet. I was reading up on it and trying to figure out which ones may work best. I am going to order some less expensive oils on amazon.com. I think I will try peppermint and frankincense first to see if they make any difference. My friend at work says that she greatly reduced the size of a cyst that she had by using oil. I can't remember which oil she used to do this. The company is called doterra that my friend buys her oil from. I can't justify paying almost $100. for one bottle though. I am so fed up with the whole disease modifying drug thing that I am willing to try just about anything.

Alicia

I found this on their website...



It sounds like the same multilevel marketing scheme by which young living products are sold.

may I ask, what are the main symptoms you're hoping to deal with in order to make a difference?
also, which multi, is it a one a day or several, and how much cod liver oil and d3? just so I can get a sense of daily intakes and what connections there might be to your symptoms.

have you thought about ordering some tests to evaluate if your multi and d3 are getting you far enough wrt the nutrients known to be low on average in ms patients? by 'far enough', meaning out of 'low normal' (ie the MS average) and up to 'high normal' (ie healthy controls) for the usual suspect nutrients? just me, but that's where i'd put my money before oils or herbs - and I loves my herbs, did a whole thesis on them .. but I just consider them best for first aid and not so much for long term uses. esp. when they are potentially acting as a crutch to mitigate against an underlying nutrient issue.

if you don't have a doctor that will requisition tests for you, have you checked out life extension? I envy US patients their access to this resource:

life extension blood tests
http://www.lef.org/Vitamins-Supplements ... -Tests.htm

approx prices (25% discount if you are a member but i don't know what is involved with membership).
zinc $40 http://www.lef.org/Vitamins-Supplements ... -Test.html
magnesium $20 http://www.lef.org/Vitamins-Supplements ... -Test.html
ferritin $40 http://www.lef.org/Vitamins-Supplements ... -Test.html
25(OH)vitd3 $65 http://www.lef.org/Vitamins-Supplements ... -Test.html

_________________
my approach: no meds so far - just balanced whole foods (partial 'paleo', much less outright elimination), science, supplements, & bloodwork
my regimen - www.thisisms.com/ftopict-2489.html
www.whfoods.com, www.nutritiondata.com

also, depending on a couple things, namely:
1) what you are dealing with symptom-wise, and
2) your daily d3 intake level
these may be of value in your regimen:

KAL magnesium glycinate $12.29
http://www.vitaminshoppe.com/store/en/b ... ZTV0czD_q4

solaray balanced zinc/copper $8.79
http://www.vitaminshoppe.com/store/en/b ... ZTWI8zD_q4

_________________
my approach: no meds so far - just balanced whole foods (partial 'paleo', much less outright elimination), science, supplements, & bloodwork
my regimen - www.thisisms.com/ftopict-2489.html
www.whfoods.com, www.nutritiondata.com

I take 1 tsp cod liver oil, 1,000 IU D3, and one Women's Daily Vitamin plus all my other supplements each day. I had my vitamin D levels tested in December and they were low. I have not had them retested yet. I was going to have them retested at my doctor appointment in July. I am not having an exacerbation right now that I am trying to treat. I am mostly trying to do preventive maintenance. I am trying to substitute supplements for a disease modifying drug. When I go to the doctor this July the pressure will be on to start one of these drugs again. I was not doing that great in December. What blood tests would you suggest to see what nutrients I may be lacking?

Alicia

i would ask them to test serum zinc and serum magnesium, when you retest vit d3 in july. zinc and mag status will influence your ability to utilize d3 supplements properly. i'll see if i can find info on your women's daily vitamin - if you can send me a brand name it should be easier.
here is a link so that you can read up on the various nutrients that research has shown to be suboptimal in the average ms patient. plus a bunch of general useful info when working with nutrients as opposed to drugs.
regimens-f22/topic2489.html#p15460
if you have any questions on that fire away, but just FYI i'm not on my own computer or perhaps any computer at all over this particular weekend so my turnaround time will be a little longer than usual for a couple days.

_________________
my approach: no meds so far - just balanced whole foods (partial 'paleo', much less outright elimination), science, supplements, & bloodwork
my regimen - www.thisisms.com/ftopict-2489.html
www.whfoods.com, www.nutritiondata.com

I take a generic version of Women's Centrum under 50.

thanks i'll check it out

_________________
my approach: no meds so far - just balanced whole foods (partial 'paleo', much less outright elimination), science, supplements, & bloodwork
my regimen - www.thisisms.com/ftopict-2489.html
www.whfoods.com, www.nutritiondata.com

ok, product details on women's centrum under 50 below

the magnesium is predominantly mag oxide, not a soluble form therefore tough for your body to use, and at 100mg pretty useless for your purposes. taking that multi, plus the extra vit d3 and the cod liver oil, suggests to me that you would do well to think about picking up that kal magnesium glycinate product.

the zinc oxide in this multi is also a negligible amount (esp if you are consuming foods that interfere with zinc status) and not the best absorbed form. i have found zinc citrate absorbs well and is easy to find.

i'll limit my comments to those just to keep things simple - but there are other aspects that could be better such as the forms of vit b12 and vit e for example.

I don't have info on optimal forms for every component either, just the ones I have found in research to be the most relevant to chronic diseases, like ms.

Vitamin A 3,500 IU (29% as Beta-Carotene) 70%
Vitamin C 75 mg 125%
Vitamin D 800 IU 200%
Vitamin E 35 IU 117%
Vitamin K 50 mcg 63%
Thiamin 1.1 mg 73%
Riboflavin 1.1 mg 65%
Niacin 14 mg 70%
Vitamin B6 2 mg 100%
Folic Acid 400 mcg 100%
Vitamin B12 6 mcg 100%
Biotin 40 mcg 13%
Pantothenic Acid 15 mg 150%
Calcium 500 mg 50%
Iron 18 mg 100%
Phosphorus 20 mg 2%
Iodine 150 mcg 100%
Magnesium 100 mg 25%
Zinc 8 mg 53%
Selenium 55 mcg 79%
Copper 0.9 mg 45%
Manganese 1.8 mg 90%
Chromium 25 mcg 21%
Molybdenum 50 mcg 67%
Chloride 72 mg 2%
Potassium 80 mg 2%
Ingredients: Calcium Carbonate, Magnesium Oxide, Potassium Chloride, Pregelatinized Corn Starch, Dibasic Calcium Phosphate, Ascorbic Acid (Vit. C), Microcrystalline Cellulose, Ferrous Fumarate. Contains < 2% of: Acacia, Beta Carotene, BHT, Biotin, Calcium Pantothenate, Calcium Stearate, Cholecalciferol (Vit. D3), Chromium Picolinate, Citric Acid, Corn Starch, Crospovidone, Cupric Sulfate, Cyanocobalamin (Vit. B12), dl-Alpha Tocopheryl Acetate (Vit. E), FD&C Blue No. 2 Aluminum Lake, FD&C Red No. 40 Aluminum Lake, FD&C Yellow No. 6 Aluminum Lake, Folic Acid, Gelatin, Hydrogenated Palm Oil, Hypromellose, Lecithin (Soy), Magnesium Borate, Magnesium Stearate, Manganese Sulfate, Medium-Chain Triglycerides, Modified Corn Starch, Niacinamide, Nickelous Sulfate, Phytonadione (Vit. K), Polyethylene Glycol, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Potassium Iodide, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vit. B6), Riboflavin (Vit. B2), Silicon Dioxide, Sodium Ascorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Metavanadate, Sodium Molybdate, Sodium Selenate, Sorbic Acid, Stannous Chloride, Sucrose, Talc, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vit. B1), Titanium Dioxide, Tocopherols, Vitamin A Acetate (Vit. A), Zinc Oxide. May also contain < 2% of: Ascorbyl Palmitate, Maltodextrin, Sodium Aluminosilicate, Sunflower Oil, Tribasic Calcium Phosphate. Contains: Soy.

_________________
my approach: no meds so far - just balanced whole foods (partial 'paleo', much less outright elimination), science, supplements, & bloodwork
my regimen - www.thisisms.com/ftopict-2489.html
www.whfoods.com, www.nutritiondata.com