Dietary Supplement Mixtures and Doses John D. Furber Master of Science, Biological Sciences, University of California, Irvine. Bachelor of Arts, Physics and Mathematics, University of California, Santa Cruz. [John D. Furber Supplements page] *** [John D. Furber Nutrition page]

(Updated 13 April 2010)

In my quest to attain nutritional supplements at low cost, I have been purchasing different items from different suppliers. Some are in the form of bulk powders, which can be combined and taken at the same time. Others are in the form of tablets, capsules, or liquids. The bulk powders can be mixed more easily and accurately in large batches every few months. Table 3 shows how much of each powder is used to mix up a batch of mealtime supplements. Table 4 shows how to mix a batch of morning supplements. Table 5 lists the other pills and capsules taken each day. Note: Optimal supplement dose probably varies with age, weight, gender, and genetic background, as well as the foods eaten. I am a male, 140 lb, in my mid-50's. Currently, I take the following supplements every day, in addition to a well-designed vegetarian diet:

Table 3: Powder Mix taken with Meals (Caution: Not for children or pregnant women.)
Item	Active Dose /day	Units/mg	Weight/day	Suppliers
Ascorbyl palmitate (vitamin C)	1000 mg	1.0	1000 mg	WN
Astaxanthin	2 mg	0.915	874 mg	BaC
Acetyl-L-carnitine	1000 mg	1.0	1000 mg	JM
Ca pantothenate (Vitamin B5)	800 mg B5	0.915	874 mg	LEF
	73 mg Ca	0.083
Ascorbic acid (vitamin C)	3000 mg	1.0	3000 mg	TJ,LEF,WN
CoEnzyme Q10	130 mg	1.0	130 mg	WN
N-acetyl-cyteine (NAC)	1000 mg	1.0	1000 mg	JM
L-Lysine HCl	800 mg	0.8	1000 mg	JM
L-methionine	120 mg	1.0	120 mg	JM
Choline bitartrate	1200 mg	0.41	2927 mg	LEF
DMAE bitartrate	200 mg	0.37	541 mg	VRP,LEF
Zinc gluconate	50 mg	0.136	368 mg	LEF
Magnesium oxide	260 mg	0.6	430 mg	LEF
Calcium carbonate	881 mg	0.39	2259 mg	LEF
Total		2.8 tsp	13.52 g	14 cc

Swallowing Powders The Mealtime powder mix (Table 3 above) is dissolved in warm water and drunk, or stirred into warm soup. Powders dissolve well when shaken vigorously with warm water in a small wide-mouth bottle with a cap. (An old vitamin bottle works well.) Shaking works much better than stirring. Warm water works much better than ice water. Powder may be dissolved in a small amount of warm water and then mixed with juice for better taste. The Morning powder mix (Table 4 below) does not dissolve. Toss a half-teaspoon of powder into your mouth; chase it with water and swallow. If measuring spoons are used, they should be tightly packed and leveled.

Table 4: Morning Powder Mix taken on Empty Stomach (Once per day, either at bedtime or at least 20 minutes before breakfast) (Caution: Not for children or pregnant women.)
Item	Active Dose /day	Units/mg	Weight/day	Suppliers
Calcium ascorbate (vitamin C)	415 mg C	0.83	500 mg	WN
	47 mg Ca	0.094
BHT	500 mg	1.0	500 mg	WN
L-phenylalanine	500 mg	1.0	500 mg	JM
Niacin vit B-3 (nicotinic acid)	400 mg	1.0	400 mg	LEF
Nattokinase	33 mg	1.0	33 mg	VC SN
Serrapeptase	50 mg	1.0	50 mg	VC SN
Total		0.5 tsp	2.14 g	3 cc

Mixing a large batch of powders: The powders are sifted and mixed together ahead of time in the proper proportions, and then measured out into the daily dose. The most suitable way to measure and mix the powders is with a laboratory scale in a large batch (for example, a 120 day supply). Some of the powders are very acidic; others are very alkaline. Mixing them will allow them to neutralize each other for palatability and will protect the teeth from being dissolved by the acidity. Tumble the batch for several hours to mix the dry powders completely. Then the daily dose can be measured out for each day into a small container. Tumbling requires that a large container (with a tight lid) be big enough to be no more than half full, to allow room for mixing. (For example, a large plastic bucket with a tight lid.) After you put the powder in and tighten the lid, tape the lid, just to be sure. Then put the container in a big plastic bag, and tie it shut, in case the lid comes off. Set your clothes dryer on "Air/Fluff, No Heat". Pack pillows, sleeping bags, etc loosely around the container in the dryer so it won't rattle around. Orient it in the dryer so that it will tumble end-over-end. Start the dryer. Every few minutes, tap the container to keep powder from sticking in the corners and failing to mix. I usually tumble for a couple of hours. Storage: For long-term storage, freshness is best preserved by freezing. However, opening a cold jar of powder or pills will cause immediate moisture condensation from the air, quickly ruining the contents. So any jar which has been frozen must be allowed at least an hour to come to room temperature before opening it. I keep about a two week supply of everything at room temperature, so that I can refill my daily supply each morning. Everything else goes in the freezer. It's a good idea to put a few silica gel packets into your vitamin bottles to help keep the contents dry. You can bake the packets in an oven for an hour at 210 F to redry then and reuse them. You can find sources by Googling silica desiccant, or you can reuse packets from the vitamins you buy.

Table 5: Separate Tablets and Capsules (Caution: Not for children or pregnant women.)
Item	Active Dose /day	Dose timing	Daily dose	Suppliers
Astraglus root 0.4% extract	250 mg	F	1 tab	VC PH
Breaker 45C	100-200 mg	A,F	100-200 mg
"B-50" vit B-complex		F	3 tabs	TJ,WN,S
Vitamin D3	2000 IU	FF, A	2 caps	LEF
Vit E mixed tocopherols	400 IU	FF	1 cap	TJ
Chromium picolinate	100-200 mcg	F,X	1/2 tab	S
Selenium	100 mcg	F,X	1/2 tab	S
Alpha Lipoic acid	300-500 mg	F	3-5 caps	TJ,Jv,LL
Ginkgo biloba extract	180 mg	D	3 tabs	TJ
	204 mg Ca
Lithium orotate	4.8 mg	F	1 cap	VRP
Melatonin	3 mg	B	1 tab	S
Potassium orotate	500 mg	F	1 cap	LEF
Quinn	25-75 mg	A,FF	25-75 mg
Saw palmetto extract	640 mg	A,M,F	1 cap

Notes: A - Age-related dose. Younger people take less; older people take more. M - For men. Not for women. E - Should be taken on an empty stomach, once per day. (e.g. Upon awakening, before breakfast) F - Absorption is best when consumed with food. FF - Absorption is best when consumed with food containing fats or oils. P - For best absorption, do not consume protein for 1 hour before or after taking this amino acid. I - I increase this dose when fighting off infectious illness. X - Caution: Do not exceed this dose. Suppliers: BaC - Beyond a Century, Inc. www.beyond-a-century.com/. JM - Jo Mar Laboratories www.jomarlabs.com. Jv - Juvenon www.juvenon.com/. LEF - Life Extension Foundation www.lef.org. LL - Lifelink www.lifelinknet.com/. Lx - Longevinex www.longevinex.com . PH - Planetary Herbals . Rx - Prescription drug available at any pharmacy. S - Any Store. Wherever supplements are sold. SN - Source Naturals. TJ - Trader Joe's www.traderjoes.com . VC - VitaCost www.vitacost.com/ . VRP - Vitamin Research Products, Inc. www.vrp.com. WN - Wholesale Nutrition www.nutri.com. GENERAL COMMENTS: These quantities should not be taken by children, nor by pregnant or lactating women. When in doubt, reduce the dose and consult a knowledgeable professional. Start gradually. When starting on supplements, start out with much smaller doses (about 1/10 of the amounts listed here) and gradually work up over a period of weeks to give your body time to adjust. Where convenient, these daily doses are divided into several parts. Spreading the dosage throughout the day helps to maintain a consistently high level of supplements in the bloodstream. It is worth remembering that individual people may differ somewhat in their needs and in their ability to assimilate various foods and supplements. It is important to pay attention to your own body as you experiment with your diet and lifestyle. ABBREVIATIONS: 1 mL =1 milliliter = 1 cc IU = International Units k = kilo = 1000 g = gram 1 mg = milligram = 0.001 gram = 1000 micrograms 1 mcg = 1 microgram = 0.001 mg Vit = vitamin 1 tsp = level, packed teaspoon = 5 mL = 5 cc cap = capsule d = day p = powder tab = tablet Ca = calcium Mg = magnesium Zn = zinc Additional Information: I have compiled a detailed, 23-page report, "Nutrition, Diet, and Supplements for Peak Physical & Mental Performance." In it, Detailed descriptions are provided for each ingredient, with references to a bibliography of 40 books and journal articles. Additional information is provided on proteins, amino acids, fats, carbohydrates, and hormones. To obtain a copy, please send a check or money order for $6 to my address at the bottom of this page. The Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center is a very comprehensive and reliable source of information.

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