Ann, I just returned from Mayo last week and one of my issues was lack of vitamin D. My level was 24. I am to take 1000 IUs of pure vitamin D3. It is not as easy to find in my town as I thought. It is only 6$ a bottle at Mayo for 100 pills. I have called around here and no one carries it. I may have to have them ship it from there unless I go to a bigger city in the near future. I was told that this is the specific D to take. Hope that helps.
Judy

I use this source
 

for alot of our needs. They are quality, affordable, and have
really good sales.

Vit D sample:
http://www.puritan.com/pages/file.as...420&CPID=&np=1

For people who do not live near a WalMart or Sam's, Puritan's is the next best thing.

WalMart has a very good vitamin/supplement department BTW. Better than any pharmacy I have seen.

For unusual or typically unusual expensive items...
like, inositol powder, P-5-P, acetyl-l-carnitine, methylB12...many of us
use this:
www.iherb.com

My husband worships Jack Lalanne. The more you find out about him, the more respect you will have for him. Quite a history and wow does he have discipline. Yes, I agree he is inspirational.

I wanted to comment about a post somewhere in this thread mentioning:
Benfotiamine 150 mg (1)

I have taken this for a while because I read it was good for neuropathy. I already take so many vitamins that I didn't really notice any special improvement. My dosage was (1) 80 mg tablet at breakfast time when I take most of my other vitamins except the ones requiring empty stomach (and I also take a handful before I go to bed.)

Anyway, my point is that I received an email from my sister telling me about benfotiamine and I told her I already took it and couldn't say it was great or not but heard that the Europeans think very highly of it. Her email caused me to do some more research and I found where there was study where people were given 4 separate tablets per day spaced out at 4 hour intervals (or so) at 100 mg per tablet. Here's a general "blurb" about it but there is a whole lot on the web. http://www.naturalhealthweb.com/articles/malott1.html

This made me think that maybe I haven't been taking it right (or giving it enough credit). This morning, I took only the befotiamine to see if I could really tell any effect and boy howdy, I couldn't believe that the relief was quick, probably within 15 minutes.

Since I'm still having quite a bit of pain, especially after walking exertion, I plan to take additional doses of benfotiamine during the day, especially after I'm on my feet for a while. (expensive I know). I'm thinking that I have been missing out on a very very nice pain med that has very low toxicity and is very effective.

Though ALA and other supps have claims for pain relief, it seems that there are claims and studies that show benfotiamine actually HEALS neuropathy and is good for aging folks even if they don't have diabetes because it can PREVENT neuropathy. Is that powerful or what?

It is an oil based form of B1 that is more absorbable.

So bottom line - you might want to add another dose of benfotiamine for later in the day in addition to the one you are taking in the a.m. I'm going to give it a try on a regular basis and see how it goes.

I have managed to stay away from neurontin so I'm not sure how that plays with this. Just my two cents. (I just bought some benfotiamine in powder form which is cheaper from www.beyond-a-century.com FWIW, I have no affiliation with Beyond A Century except as a long time customer when I see those areas they are cheaper than iherb.com. Their delivery is slower than iherb...)

I'm editing this to add another link at the life extension web site which I think has more detailed info on how this supplement "works" at:
http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2007/...tiamine_01.htm

Mrs. D, Rose,:

Do you use benfotiamine. I clicked on the link and it looks very interesting.

I just checked my b-complex and it's not included in the bottle so I'll get some if any of you think it's a winner.

Thanks much.
Melody

I have never
 

needed to bump up to benfotiamine. When it first came out, it was VERY expensive and hard to find. I have however received emails from people who liked it. I understand the price is a bit more affordable now.

Regular thiamine works for me, and is very inexpensive.
We all have priorities...my SAMe is very expensive so I have to choose which ones to invest in.

I have not used benfotiamine much. However, I have considered trying benfotiamine and vinpocetine for improved circulation (poor nerve signals to my left leg don't allow good circulation to it).

rose