In the meantime, I ordered Guggulbolic and am waiting for it to arrive. Should I just post my results in this "general" discussion forum? Oh, and I have also been taking zinc. At first I was taking 100mg., and didn't understand why I was having nausea, and other GI problems. Now I'm cutting my pills in half. We'll see how it goes!

Sorry about that!

About the B5/kidney stones - I have read recently that since the B5 excess must be excreted by the kidneys it can compete with other things that also need to be excreted, especially carboxyls. Don't know if this has anything to do with the stones.

I tried 100 mg of zinc only once, recommended for a cold, it was extremely nauseating. I read that was a common problem.

Take care, ASaint!
Love,
Veronica

about the b5..hmmm, interesting about the kidneys. I keep trying to find info. about it, but haven't seen anything until you brought that to my attention. Like I've said, I may try a stab at it again, and if I have the same problem, will post under the "B5 negative effects" column.

Nitey nite!

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A Saint wrote:
In the meantime, I ordered Guggulbolic and am waiting for it to arrive. Should I just post my results in this "general" discussion forum?

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Yes, once it is clear what the effects of the Guggulbolic are, please post the results in a new thread here, or in the "Other" section of "Acne Treatments"

quote:

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Oh, and I have also been taking zinc. At first I was taking 100mg., and didn't understand why I was having nausea, and other GI problems. Now I'm cutting my pills in half.

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Do you know that the RDA for women is 5 to 10 mg zinc daily?
Supplements are so concentrated that the body can have problems to sufficiently decreasing the absorption rate. And excessive zinc is harmful because it is a metal;

Too much of metals like iron, copper, cobalt, manganese and zinc is pro-oxidative (1), damaging nutrients, arteries (2) messenger-substances, cell-DNA (3) and enzymes (4), increases hart attack risk, and can cause diabetes (5), colon cancer (6) Parkinson's disease (7) and infertility. (8)

(1) Horwitt, M.K., Do the metals in vitamin-mineral supplements produce undesirable oxidations ? Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 1997 / 65 (5) / 1571. , Kehrer, J.P., Free radicals as mediators of tissue injury and disease. Crit.Reviews Toxicol. 1993 / 23 / 21-48. , Yu, B.P., Cellular defenses against damage from reactive oxygen species. Physiol. Reviews 1994 / 74 / 139-161. , Halliwell, B. and M.C. Gutteridge, Role of free radicals and catalytic metal ions in human disease : An overview. Methods Enzymol. 1990 / 186 / 1-85.
(2) Lee, T.S. et al, Iron-deficient diet reduces atherosclerosis lesions in ApoE-deficient mice Circuation 1999 / 99 (9) / 1222-1229. , Patel, R.P. et al, Formation of oxysterols during oxidation of low density lipoprotein by peroxynitrite, myoglobine, and copper. J. Lipid. Res. 1996 / 37 (11) / 2361-2371. , Dzeletovic, S. et al, Time course of oxysterol formation during in vitro oxidation of low density lipoprotein. Chem. Phys. Lipids 1995 / 78 (2) / 119-128. , Herbert, V. et al, Iron worsenes high cholesterol-related coronary artery disease. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 1994 / 60 (2) / 299-300.
(3) Oikawa, S. et al, Distinct mechanisms of site-specific DNA damage induced by endogenous reductants in the presence of iron (III) and copper (II). Biochem. Biophys. Acta 1998 / 1399 (1) / 19-30.
(4) Sok, D.E., Oxidative inactivation of brain alkaline phosphatase responsible for hydrolysis of phosphocholine. J. Neurochem. 1999 / 72 (1) / 355-362.
(5) Burke, W. et al, Hemachromatosis : genetics helps to define a multifactorial disease. Clin. Genet. 1998 / 54 (1) / 1-9. , Crawford, R.D., Proposed role for a combination of citric acid and ascorbic acid in the production of dietary iron overload : a fundamental cause of disease Bichem. Mol. Med. 1995 / 54 (1) / 1-11. , Britton, R.S. et al, Pathophysiology of irontoxicity. Adv. Exp. Med. Biol. 1994 / 356 / 239-253. , Phatak, P.D. et al, Management of hereditary hemachromotosis. Blood Rev. 1994 / 8 (4) / 193-198.
(6) Sawa, T. et al, Lipid peroxyl radicals from oxidized oils and heme-iron :implication of a high fat diet in colon carcinogenesis. Cancer Epidemiol. Biomarkers Rev. 1998 / 7 (11) / 1007-1012.
(7) Jellinger, K.A., The role of iron in neurodegeneration : prospects for pharmacotherapy of Parkinson's disease. Drugs. Aging. 1999 / 14 (2) / 115-140. , Spencer, J.P. et al, Conjugates of catecholamines with cysteine and GSH in Parkinson's disease : possible mechanisms of formation involving reactive oxygen species. J. Neurochem. 1998 / 71 (5) / 2112-2122. , Snyder, R.D. et al, Enhancement of cytotoxicity and and clastogenicity of L-dopa and dopamine by manganese and copper. Mutat. Res. 1998 / 405 (1) / 1-8. , Vescovi, A. et al, Interactions of manganes with human brain glutathione-S-transferase. Toxicology 1989 / 57 (2) / 183-191.
(8) Olsen, P.A. et al, Effects of supplementation of organic and inorganic combinations of copper, cobalt, manganese, and zinc above nutrient requirement levels on postpartum two-year-old cows. J. Anim. Sci. 1999 / 77 (3) / 522-532.

[ August 17, 2001: Message edited by: Wai ]

By the way, I'm also interested in this Guggul thing, so keep me updated.

Nice to hear from you, Mark! Hmmm...another interesting tidbit about B5. Yeah, I was too embarrassed to tell my doc about taking the megadoses when I went in for the stones b/c I knew I'd get a strange look and possible lecture for not using "mainstream" medicine. Thanks for the info....

BEWARE BEWARE BEWARE BEWARE
I cannot warn you enough. I don't remember what dosage I took but I was taking large amounts of zinc in 1993 and (silly me) could not figure out why I was doubling over in sickness and pain. I eventually poisoned myself. Watch the dosage amount and take slightly more than what is recommended only.

Ok, received my guggul yesterday. I've taken 3 tablets so far with absolutely no problem; thought I might end up having "nervous energy" or feeling sick to my stomach, but that was not the case.

I think I told you that I ordered the Synthrax guggul,right? Now I'm researching more on the Ayurvedic medicines, and they seem to separate guggul into different categories: i.e. <<Kaishor guggulu helps soothe and cool the soft tissues, joints, and digestive system. It supports the immune system, improves, digestion, and helps relieve Pitta conditions like acne, herpes, and inflammation of the intestines.>> and then.... <<Kanchanar guggulu is traditionally used in Ayurveda in the treatment of thyroid disease, corpulence (obesity) and skin disorders. It was also traditionally used as a remedy for sore throat and hemorrhoids. It reduces both Pitta and Kapha doshas.
500 mg. 60 capsules. $15.00
>>

It makes me wonder if the Synthrax guggul is the correct one. I got the above info. from the National Institute of Ayurvedic Medicines. BTW... have you (or anyone) ever use Tea Tree Oil for your skin? I know you're using the Monoi oil...is that for moisturizing, or actually fighting acne?

I read some more about zinc... it said that using 30 mg./day, 2-3 times per day is beneficial in the fight against acne. But with what Wai has posted, it makes me want to discontinue using it! (actually, I already did!) I do know that fat soluble vitamins such as vits. A and D are extremely toxic in megadoses...Accutane being a megadose of vit. A makes you wonder why on earth drs. promote that drug! Yeah, for very severe cases of cysts I can see why, but my last derm. actually LECTURED me and said he didn't understand why I wouldn't go on it! I have mild-moderate acne, that's why! geez!
(I love this little "Graemlins"

I tried Tea Tree oil in the past, but am allergic to it. I think the main effect of Monoi oil is that it keeps the skin flexible and hydrated (due to the water you spray on before) which allows the sebum to flow naturally, instead of backing up. So any light application of suitable oil should have the same effect. Monoi is from coconut, and the main fatty acid in coconut oil is lauric acid, which does have anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal and anti-parasitic properties, but nothing as strong as Tea Tree oil.

I am also pretty shocked at how some doctors hand out Accutane so casually. I don't think it should be considered for anything except the most severe forms of cystic acne.

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Veronica wrote:
...the main fatty acid in coconut oil is lauric acid...

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True; fatty acid contents of coconut oil:

45% Lauric acid
17% myristic acid
9% palmitic acid
8% caprylic acid
7% oleic acid
6% capric acid
3% stearic acid
2% linoleic acid

The only oil that contains the same amount of lauric acid is palm kernel oil (45%). All others contain none or far less (butter 2%, sheabutter 1%)

Totally unrelated to acne...but, I'm going mtn. biking for the first time today! I'm so stoked! Hey, maybe it'll help my skin...ya never know!