If you don't eat nuts, or fresh produce, whole foods, you might need the selenium. It is mostly critical for thyroid people.

It is one of the cofactors in converting T4 to T3 in the tissues.

Most multivits have some selenium in them. The mega types, can go as high as 200mcg each. But in the recent past has been
suggestions to keep multivits below 100mcg.

You could just use a Centrum Silver, as it has lots of minerals for seniors including selenium.
http://www.drugstore.com/centrum-sil...omsrch=centrum
Less than Idiopathic's formula, in fact.

Taurine and Diabetes:
 

Taurine is one supplement recommended by some doctors for diabetics. Dr. Jensen, MD, recommends this in her book.
http://obesitysanswer.com/

Taurine has a value for older patients who can no longer make it for themselves:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taurine

This monograph is very good:
http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supple...ntName=TAURINE

I really think for our purposes here, 1 to 2 grams a day is probably enough.

Taurine is inexpensive and has no side effects to speak of.
It is something to think about here, if you are older, have glucose control problems, or are very overweight. Taurine is very helpful for sluggish gall bladder issues, and I've used it myself for that. I also supplement my cats, when they have
human food/or tuna because cats cannot make their own taurine.

There is a product called magnesium taurate...by Cardiovascular Research. It supplies both magnesium and taurine, and is used by
cardiac patients, and some Tourette's patients.

http://www.magnesiumtaurate.net/
It used to be more expensive, and difficult to find. But both of those issues have changed. It is one option some readers here might
consider.

Mrs. D, thank you.

I am really so grateful for your advices and concern.
I am so happy I found this forum.

Mrs. D,
 

I had also mentioned, in my post, purchasing the Chelated Magnesium 200mg+ and the Doctor's Best Ubiquinol100mg featuring Kaneka QH. I had purchased them thinking this would be good for the PN, but was a bit concerned because of all the other supplements I am already taking, so I have not been using them. Again, would appreciate any input you could give me regarding using these supplements as well.
Thanks,
(Ger)

Magnesium is always appreciated by our bodies. 200mg a day is about 1/2 the RDA and a good dose to start at. If the magnesium loosens you that shows some is not being absorbed.

The ubiquinol is also easily tolerated. You don't need high doses of this like with regular CoQ-10. So as far as side effects go you should not have any at 100mg a day.
If after a month or two you don't see any response from the ubiquinol, you can probably stop it. People taking statins or other drugs that deplete it need to supplement it.
(diuretics, antipsychotic tranquilizers, long term amitriptyline/nortriptyline, beta blockers, some of the oral antidiabetics)

Both will work together to help your mitochondria and also
the metabolism of essential fatty acids from your diet.

Mrs. D,
 

I really do appreciate your patience. Some questions come to mind...... You mention, if Magnesium loosens, show you that some is not being absorbed. Does this mean a hgher dose is required? Also, because of the high dose of narcotics; take daily laxatives.

Regarding Ubiquinol...I am taking some of the drugs you mention (duretics, amitriptyline, statins); does this mean all the more reson to take the Ubiquinol?

Do either of these two help in the improvment of PN??
Again, thank you.

(Ger)

I'm not sure when to apply this rule. For example, I do not see any response to Vitamin C, yet I know tat the body requires it. So, I'm a bit puzzled.

Low Vit C and you may have more bleeding gums, mouth irritation, more frequent colds, bruising more easily. Aches and pains, arthritis joint issues.

But many nutrients are silent until you get low and symptoms
begin.

Magnesium= better sleep, less tension, less twitching,
better sugar metabolism/control, etc. You cannot feel your bones strengthen, until you don't and break one. A lot of mental improvements. We cannot however, feel repairs being done
on the cellular level, until many cells are broken.

Okay. But in the case of CoQ10/ubiquinol, we are nourishing the immune system, no? So, how do we gauge a response on that? Is it like "I got only one head cold this winter, so my CoQ10 must be helping my immune system"?

When magnesium is not absorbed from the GI tract it moves on to the large bowel, and is a laxative. It is a sign you are taking too much rather than too little. Or the type (if Oxide for example) is being used. All of the magnesium orals are only partly absorbed. Not near 100% at all. In fact calicum (when not used with Vit D is only absorbed about 20% per dose. People don't know that.

Our bodies make CoQ-10.... so unless something is happening to upset that chemistry, it is not considered an essential nutrient. Magnesium is essential, Vit C essential, and many of the B's essential including B12.

We make carnitine, taurine, CoQ-10, normally, so when these supplements fail to show improvements of any kind, after a few months, it is probably safe to stop using them.

There is no general rule... but after you read about them for a while you get the impression of which are critical and which are less so. It is a learning process.

CoQ-10 does many things...mostly to help muscle energy requirements, but it works in the mitochondria for any energy purpose. In general when I feel "better" in any way on something, I keep it. We are lucky that most of the PN supplements are rather benign and won't hurt to use for a short time. They tend to be expensive overall, but not hurtful. Other disease states do not have this luxury, that we have here.