Need liquid/non-pill versions of supplements

[tyyosh]

I have been losing the ability to reliably swallow pills so many days I have not been getting my CoQ10 and L-Carnitine. Does anyone have experience with liquid supplements or other non-pill strategies? I see that Ubiquinone is available in liquid form but for a lot more $, I see L-carnitine as well. But can you also open capsules and put them in something like yogurt? Same with ALCAR, probiotics, and all the other supplements commonly used.

Also, if anyone has severe acid reflux/GERD issues and knows how to work around it when taking acidic substances like ALCAR (and ALA?), please let me know how you do it.

[Ray Holder]

Hi tyyosh
I take my carnitine as powder dissolved in water or squash. I would have trouble taking so many capsules a day. It is very much cheaper and the quality is good. I buy it online from *www.bulknutrition.com, it comes in 250,500,and 1000 gram sizes. Other sites have something similar, but I have not tried their products. The acetyl variety is also available.

The worst problem is in measuring out the required dose, the container only quotes !/4 level teaspoon equals 600 mg,( from memory), so if you have a small dose, its a bit fiddly to judge half of a quarter teaspoon, etc. I take a lot of it and use 3 or 4 level teaspoons a day, but be careful not to raise your dose by too large an increment at a time, or your bowels will object.

I see no reason why you should not open the Q10 capsules, but remember that the normal ubiquinone version is not water soluble. (Ubiquinol is supposed to be water soluble, but I am not too sure of its efficacy yet, I still have a few reservations, and it's expensive.)

I did ask someone to try opening the capsule and mix it into the butter/spread on bread, which would add some fat to carry it into the place required, it seemed to work. Q10 powder is also available but the doses are very small and not easy to measure, and the cost is quite high.

Hope you find a way.

Ray

[Brian C.]

I too use and recommend the Bulk Nutrition L-carnitine and L-acetyl-carnitine. I use a small teaspoon about 2/3 full thrice daily stirred in water with a heaped teaspoon of magnesium ascorbate (Vit C).

If I were to use CoQ10 powder I would mix it with either palm oil or coconut oil and eat it straight from the spoon.

Palm oil is the best natural source of full-spectrum Vitamin E, containing all possible variants of both the tocopherol and tocotrienol varieties. Coconut oil is the source of medium chain triglycerides. All good stuff.

We fry our eggs in virgin palm oil every morning.

Brian.

[uncle2blade]

Ray,

What are your reservations on Ubiquiol CoQ10? I've been using it for aboutfive months now.

Craig

[Ray Holder]

Craig
I can't say for certain that ubiquinol doesn't work for me, but when i first tried it hoping that it was twice as effective as ubiquinone, my danger signals, angina and BP started appearing. I was only taking it as a part of my Q10 dose.
Lately, I had read that U'Quinol lastes longer in the body, I think 9 hours was quoted, and I started taking some as part of one daily dose, which I have now moved to my evening dose. I take my BP twice a day, and notice that my evening pulse rate has been quite high for a few days, that may be due to other causes, but I will persist with it to see if it really is a feature of it for me, or not. So I must wait and see.

Q10 in sufficient quantity is absolutely essential for me, I believe that without it I would soon expire from heart failure, not because of heart muscle weakness, but because lack of sufficient Q10 in the heart muscle mitochondria stops the creation of Adenosine triphosphate, which is the muscles' energy fuel, and the muscle loses its ability to pump satisfactorily.

I can't say that I yet find any benefit from the use of U'quinol over the original, and as I have to get it from USA, unless there is an offer on, the value rises above the £18 duty free price, and have to pay the £3 duty,also I have to pay Royal Mail an £8 handling fee. I have just ordered 60 x 200 mg capsules from iherb, and in total I will pay about £12, and no Customs hassle.

Ray

[uncle2blade]

Ray, Thanks for the quick response. It's all experimental for me. I haven't noticed any difference in COQ10, except for less gas.
My recovery seems to be on track according to what has been posted by other members of this Forum.
Today, I've been statin free for eleven months and taking supplements for ten months. I still suffer from some hip pain and lower back pain, but it is a lot more tolerable. I can now work three days a week, fortunately I'm self employed.
I have always had mitral valve prolapse. First diagnosed when I was 18, it was never a problem. I would have an echo cardiogram about every three years just to make sure everything was OK-- never any change. All of a sudden this year I was informed that the regurgatation had gotten significantly worse. After a lot of tests, last Friday I was informed that surgery was necessary. Next Friday I am scheduled for an open-heart procedure for mitral valve repair. I can't help thinking that statins had some effect on worsening my mitral valve, or maybe I'm so upset with statins that I will blame them for anything.

Craig

[tyyosh]

Uh oh, I just stumbled on an earlier post on the site where if you are taking antacids then CO-Q10 might cause major problems (yeast maybe). I am basically living on high powered acid blockers due to a severe reflux problem that developed at the same time. Does anyone have any confirmation, explanation, workarounds for this?