Supplements I Have Recommended

     Over the years I have recommended the following herbs and supplements, based on patients' particular complaints, their other medications, and my understanding of their unique physiology.   
     Herbs are preferable to pharmaceuticals because they are whole products, not "active ingredients" separated from their natural companion molecules.  But herbs and vitamins can be highly suspect, since the FDA declines to oversee their production in the United States.  It's difficult to know whether an herb is ineffective for a patient's condition, or simply a bad product, labeled as containing the herb but in fact containing none of the labeled ingredients.  One study reported that when seventeen different brand-versions of panax ginseng were taken off the shelf at random, and analyzed in a laboratory, not a single one contained any ginseng--yet all were sold as ginseng, accompanied by varying health claims.  Buying products that were made in Germany is one reliable way to get what you pay for, since Germany has an FDA-like organization that regulates the production and quality of herbs and vitamins.

Allergies:             quercetin;  stinging nettles;  butterbur;  hesperidin;  tinospora

                             cordifolia
Anxiety:               passion flower; 5-HTP;  B6;  Rhodiola rosea; GABA;
                             L-theanine
Arthritis:              ashwagandha;  boswellia; ginger; curcurmin; MSM; primrose
                             oil; glucosamine; SAM-E;  hyaluronic acid;  cat's claw extract    
Asthma:                n-acetyl-cysteine;  quercetin;  alpha lipoic acid;  ester-C;
                             boswellia; curcurmin
Bipolar:                lithium; B6; magnesium
Bruising:              bromelain; alfalfa
Cholesterol:          green tea extract;  phytosterols;  olive extract;  pomegranate;
                             guggul;  bioflavonoids; niacin (no-flush)
Constipation:        probiotics;  flax seed;  ginger; B6; slippery elm; aloe vera;
                             psyllium;  marshmallow root; licorice root extract (glycyrrhiza);
                             arabinogalactan (larch tree extract)

Depression:          Rhodiola rosea;  passion flower;  GABA;  5-HTP;  L-Tyrosine;
                             pregnenolone (women only)

Diabetes:              chromium picolinate; banaba extract; green tea extract; bitter
                             melon; Gymnema; cinnamon; vanadium

Diarrhea:              cholestyramine; cholestipol; acacia root; boswellia; curcurmin

Fatigue:                alpha lipoic acid;  ashwagandha; malic acid; cordyceps;
                             eleuthera; rhodiola rosea;  L-tyrosine; SAM-E;  panax ginseng

Fibrocystic br:     chaste tree extract; selenium; vitamin E;

Flu:                      oscillococcinum; elderberry extract; DHEA (over 50);
                             N-acetyl-cysteine

Gallbladder:         digestive enzymes; milk thistle; taurine; curcurmin

Hair loss:              black current seed oil;  primrose oil;  grape seed extract;
                             PABA;  CoQ10;  DHEA (over 50)

Heartburn:            slippery elm;  aloe vera;  curcurmin;  artichoke leaf extract;
                             marshmallow root extract

Heart disease:      coenzyme Q10; homocysteine; nattokinase; resveratrol; krill oil;
                             ubiquinol; garlic

Hepatitis:             schizandra berry;  cordyceps sinensis;  maitake mushroom;
                             selenium;  carnitine;  milk thistle
Herpes:                 L-lysine
Hypertension:       Hawthorn berry; cat's claw extract; pomegranate; cocoa extract;
                              olive leaf extract; grape seed extract; pycnogenol; garlic
Gall bladder:         lipase; protease; amylase; milk thistle; curcurmin
Infections:             maitake mushroom;  astragalus;  lemon balm;  elderberry; aloe
                              vera; eleuthero;  reishi mushroom; cordyceps; shiitake
                              mushroom; green tea extract; alpha lipoic acid; n-acetyl-cysteine;
                              probiotics; ester-C; echinacea; garlic;
Insomnia:              L-tryptophan;  melatonin (over 65);  lemon balm;  GABA;  B6;
                              hops; passion flower;  chamomile;  valerian root
Irritable Bowel:    cholestyramine;  milk thistle;  curcurmin;  acacia
Longevity:            resveratrol;  pregnenolone;  hesperidin;  naringin;  bacopa;
                              pomegranate;  choline;  inositol;  curcurmin;  ginkgo biloba;
                              vanadium;  alpha lipoic acid;  acai berry
Macular degen:     lycopene;  borage oil;  lutein;  grape seed extract;  glutathione;
                              bilberry;  zeaxanthine   
Memory loss:        B12;  butterbur; L-tyrosine; vinpocetine; pycnogenol; krill oil;
                              phosphatidylserine;  ginkgo biloba; lemon balm; Bacopa extract;
                              resveratrol; 5-HTP;  phosphatidylcholine; American ginseng;
                              wild blueberry
Menopause:          black cohosh; pregnenolone; wild yam; soy bioflavanoids: DHEA;
                              dong quai; fig leaf tea 
Migraine:              feverfew;  ginger;  B6;  magnesium 400 mg/d;  riboflavin
                              (400 mg/d);  calcium (1,500 mg/d)
Muscle cramps:    calcium;  potassium;  chamomile;  passion flower;  magnesium;
                              quinine;  lemon balm
Nail brittleness:     black current oil;  primrose oil
Neuropathy:          B-complex;  B6; pycnogenol;  alpha lipoic acid
Overweight:          chromium;  green tea extract;  banaba;  chromium picolinate;
                              taurine;  rhodiola rosea;  magnolia bark;  L-tyrosine;  5-HTP;
                              ashwagandha  
Osteoporosis:        calcium citrate;  magnesium;  vitamin D3;  silica;  boron;
                              strontium
Prostate:                green tea extract; saw palmetto; pomegranate; pygeum africanum
                              extract;  milk thistle, turmeric; green tea extract; selenium;
                              pomegranate;  tomatoes;  vitamin E;  pygeum bark;  pumpkin seed oil;
                              stinging nettle root extract
PMS:                     L-theanine (green tea);  L-tryptophan;  GABA;  St. John's wort;
                              primrose oil
Sex drive low:       maca extract;  panax ginseng;  DHEA (over 50), pregnenolone
                              (women)
Stress:                   Eleuthero;  ashwagandha;  5-HTP;  magnolia extract;  GABA;
                              L-theanine
UTI/kidney:          cranberry;  probiotics;  d-mannose;  astragalus;  cordyceps;
                              quercetin;  dong quai;  curcurmin;  glycine
Varicose veins:      butterbur;  riboflavin;  feverfew;  horse chestnut;  butcher's broom
Yeast infections:    artemisia;  probiotics;  astragalus;  black walnut extract;  olive leaf
                              extract; cloves; grapefruit seed extract extract;