I've said this before: My rheumatologist controls what I take, because some of the meds for RA can be gastric and liver toxic. I take no supplements beyond Vitamin D, and that will be stopped in a few years (because of being moved to Reclast, etc). I'm fond of my "innards" and would like to keep them. Hair? Eh. Less on my head, more everywhere else. Why should I be any different than my mom or grandmas? Be happy to have the privilege of aging. Too many people never get the chance to be where we are.
why stop Vit D when starting reclast? I'm an NP in rheumatology, and treat a lot of osteoporosis. I encourage individuals to maintain Vit D3 1000-2000 units daily, regardless of which treatment modality...
I'm not sure. This guy did post-doc research at NIH in Rheumatology, so I'll pester him when the time comes. But I'm a few years out on this. He also treated my mom, so he knows the family history (RA and PsA are the kudzu on my family tree).
"(Looking up and reading the articles in that reference section is several hours of my life that I will never get back)." That's how I felt about my time on Bonafide's site. Same inflation of studies when the references actually included weird things that weren't studies, some single ingredient stuff, etc. But necessary to confirm why not to spend money on products that aren't at all proven safe or effective. Thank you so much for this post! You rock! Very much looking forward to the hair post!
Thank you so much for looking into this product and reporting on it. I tired it for about 9 months and it did nothing but empty my bank account. I am 70 and have noticed hair loss for about 10 years. My derm recommended (high dose) Biotin, topical Rogaine, and a topical steroid lotion. Worthless. I read in the NYT that some docs in (I think) Australia were having success with oral Minoxidil (very low dose @ 2.5mg/daily). My derm wouldn’t give it to me so I found another who did. Wow, what a success; best thing I ever did. He said I had androgenic hair loss. The pills did not affect my blood pressure and within 6 months my hair is full and thick. Downside is that if I stop it I will lose the new hair. I do get some facial hair that I can easily handle with a razor. Do you have any thoughts/experience with this?
Thanks for the information. I am glad you mentioned that biotin will interfere with thyroid testing. Not many women are told about it. Most multi vitamins as well as Bcomplex contain it. Also Ashwagandha will impact thyroid levels. There seems to be way too many drugs that will. More women are impacted by thyroid issues then men and it seems women are targets of supplement use advice.
Biotin only interferes with lab tests at high doses. If a multivitamin has biotin under 120% of the RDA there should be no problem. It is an essential nutrient but we rarely need to supplement it.
Sorry to disagree I took a Bcomplex vitamin and my thyroid labs were skewed. I had a repeat test done 2 weeks after I stopped taking it and levels were what they had been. Also any form of estrogen patches, gels or vaginal products will impact thyroid not just oral estrogen. The endocrinologist I go to is very good and I touch base with him every time a new drug is prescribed or if I want a supplement (other than Vit D as I have taken it for years). I do not take supplements at all.
Timely! I just posted on Threads a photo of the USP symbol to help guide people to independently tested products. Of course we know the symbol doesn't mean safety or efficacy, just that the stuff in the bottle matches the stuff on the label. But that's a whole other post!
Thank you for the sacrifice of many hours of your life to share this information! I have had several people ask me about this product recently (seems like they've really kicked up the advertising?) and I appreciate being able to share your analysis with them now. My best friend suffered hair loss after breast cancer treatment and is very self conscious about it. I can't believe (no, wait, that is all too believable!) this company misrepresents the existence of clinical data and ingredient purity.
Back in the day, when I was entering perimenopause my hair started falling out, enough for me to feel desperate to take Nutrafol. Back then it was recommended by my dermatologist (who I imagine had no better solution). I got tired of the exorbitant cost for something that was doing absolutely nothing and I knew enough to know I was taking a cocktail of herbs I knew nothing about. But desperation will do that. Now, years later and on MHT my hair is good. I attribute it all to my very well researched estrogen/progesterone with a smidge of testosterone mix.
In another note…it makes me so crazy when I see gynecologists like Mary Claire Haver all over the internet and social media as the "go to" doctor, yet there she is selling unproven supplements and diets on her website (turmeric and collagen powder just to start). It makes me crazy to see doctors like that hiding in plain sight.
Was I taking Nutrafol? Yes. NOT ANYMORE!! Thank you again for your detective skills, outstanding!! Nutrafol is everywhere: my derm’s office and my OB-GYN and the ads… EVERYWHERE. I appreciate your insights and CANNOT WAIT to read your hair post and what you’ve found that may help and not harm! Have you heard of Harklinikken? Cheers, Mona
The scientific publishing industry has a lot to answer for by allowing crappy studies to be published in equally crappy journals. The review process in some of these Open Access journals leaves a lot to be desired and the journals appear in Pubmed so it all seems 'legitimate'. Reading the articles to debunk that crap would probably cause brain rot (is there a supplement for that?). Apparently in Australia Nurtafol costs $200AUD for a 30 day supply!?! The 'subsciption' purchase model is also predatory but effective for the companies.
Dealing with hair loss. Taking Viviscal. It does have horsetail in it but it gives you the amount (36.7 mg). Ugh! Looking forward to reading your follow up on hair loss.
My mother took viviscal and ended up having very high ferritin that I advised her to donate. These companies put their blend together based on individual ingredients tied to hair-loss. In combo they can be hepatotoxic. Especially high doses of iron in a post menopausal patient, and Vitamin A like Dr. Gunter mentions. I’d recommend a ferritin check when taking these things as well as Vitamin A and selenium.
I've said this before: My rheumatologist controls what I take, because some of the meds for RA can be gastric and liver toxic. I take no supplements beyond Vitamin D, and that will be stopped in a few years (because of being moved to Reclast, etc). I'm fond of my "innards" and would like to keep them. Hair? Eh. Less on my head, more everywhere else. Why should I be any different than my mom or grandmas? Be happy to have the privilege of aging. Too many people never get the chance to be where we are.
why stop Vit D when starting reclast? I'm an NP in rheumatology, and treat a lot of osteoporosis. I encourage individuals to maintain Vit D3 1000-2000 units daily, regardless of which treatment modality...
I'm not sure. This guy did post-doc research at NIH in Rheumatology, so I'll pester him when the time comes. But I'm a few years out on this. He also treated my mom, so he knows the family history (RA and PsA are the kudzu on my family tree).
"(Looking up and reading the articles in that reference section is several hours of my life that I will never get back)." That's how I felt about my time on Bonafide's site. Same inflation of studies when the references actually included weird things that weren't studies, some single ingredient stuff, etc. But necessary to confirm why not to spend money on products that aren't at all proven safe or effective. Thank you so much for this post! You rock! Very much looking forward to the hair post!
Oh God yes for Bonafide. I spoke with several plant experts who just shook their heads when I explained what it was supposed to be.
If you want to read more of the details on what I called my "Beef with Bonafide" and the problem of companies using the word "natural," I wrote a whole post on that: https://nantz14.substack.com/p/endochronology-part-iii-a-the-tabloid
Can’t wait for your hair loss post. My derm is suggesting spironolactone. Eek.
Ask about oral Minoxidil 2.5gm/day. Worked for me
Thank you so much for looking into this product and reporting on it. I tired it for about 9 months and it did nothing but empty my bank account. I am 70 and have noticed hair loss for about 10 years. My derm recommended (high dose) Biotin, topical Rogaine, and a topical steroid lotion. Worthless. I read in the NYT that some docs in (I think) Australia were having success with oral Minoxidil (very low dose @ 2.5mg/daily). My derm wouldn’t give it to me so I found another who did. Wow, what a success; best thing I ever did. He said I had androgenic hair loss. The pills did not affect my blood pressure and within 6 months my hair is full and thick. Downside is that if I stop it I will lose the new hair. I do get some facial hair that I can easily handle with a razor. Do you have any thoughts/experience with this?
Thanks for the information. I am glad you mentioned that biotin will interfere with thyroid testing. Not many women are told about it. Most multi vitamins as well as Bcomplex contain it. Also Ashwagandha will impact thyroid levels. There seems to be way too many drugs that will. More women are impacted by thyroid issues then men and it seems women are targets of supplement use advice.
Biotin only interferes with lab tests at high doses. If a multivitamin has biotin under 120% of the RDA there should be no problem. It is an essential nutrient but we rarely need to supplement it.
Sorry to disagree I took a Bcomplex vitamin and my thyroid labs were skewed. I had a repeat test done 2 weeks after I stopped taking it and levels were what they had been. Also any form of estrogen patches, gels or vaginal products will impact thyroid not just oral estrogen. The endocrinologist I go to is very good and I touch base with him every time a new drug is prescribed or if I want a supplement (other than Vit D as I have taken it for years). I do not take supplements at all.
Thank you, Dr. Gunter! Your work is so important, thank you for doing it and for sharing it with the rest of us. You're one of my personal heroes.
“Liver injury lottery.” Exactly. Thank you for this post.
Timely! I just posted on Threads a photo of the USP symbol to help guide people to independently tested products. Of course we know the symbol doesn't mean safety or efficacy, just that the stuff in the bottle matches the stuff on the label. But that's a whole other post!
Agree, knowing at least it has passed some basic safety testing is vital!
Hate to admit it but i got sucked in by Nutrafol…. Ugh! Menopause related hairloss sucks…
Thank you for the sacrifice of many hours of your life to share this information! I have had several people ask me about this product recently (seems like they've really kicked up the advertising?) and I appreciate being able to share your analysis with them now. My best friend suffered hair loss after breast cancer treatment and is very self conscious about it. I can't believe (no, wait, that is all too believable!) this company misrepresents the existence of clinical data and ingredient purity.
Thk youuuu! I was thinking about taking this…..
Back in the day, when I was entering perimenopause my hair started falling out, enough for me to feel desperate to take Nutrafol. Back then it was recommended by my dermatologist (who I imagine had no better solution). I got tired of the exorbitant cost for something that was doing absolutely nothing and I knew enough to know I was taking a cocktail of herbs I knew nothing about. But desperation will do that. Now, years later and on MHT my hair is good. I attribute it all to my very well researched estrogen/progesterone with a smidge of testosterone mix.
In another note…it makes me so crazy when I see gynecologists like Mary Claire Haver all over the internet and social media as the "go to" doctor, yet there she is selling unproven supplements and diets on her website (turmeric and collagen powder just to start). It makes me crazy to see doctors like that hiding in plain sight.
Was I taking Nutrafol? Yes. NOT ANYMORE!! Thank you again for your detective skills, outstanding!! Nutrafol is everywhere: my derm’s office and my OB-GYN and the ads… EVERYWHERE. I appreciate your insights and CANNOT WAIT to read your hair post and what you’ve found that may help and not harm! Have you heard of Harklinikken? Cheers, Mona
Minoxidil, oral, 1.25-2.5 mg daily based on clinical response after 3-6 mo. Game changing for myself and my patients
The scientific publishing industry has a lot to answer for by allowing crappy studies to be published in equally crappy journals. The review process in some of these Open Access journals leaves a lot to be desired and the journals appear in Pubmed so it all seems 'legitimate'. Reading the articles to debunk that crap would probably cause brain rot (is there a supplement for that?). Apparently in Australia Nurtafol costs $200AUD for a 30 day supply!?! The 'subsciption' purchase model is also predatory but effective for the companies.
Dealing with hair loss. Taking Viviscal. It does have horsetail in it but it gives you the amount (36.7 mg). Ugh! Looking forward to reading your follow up on hair loss.
My mother took viviscal and ended up having very high ferritin that I advised her to donate. These companies put their blend together based on individual ingredients tied to hair-loss. In combo they can be hepatotoxic. Especially high doses of iron in a post menopausal patient, and Vitamin A like Dr. Gunter mentions. I’d recommend a ferritin check when taking these things as well as Vitamin A and selenium.