VII. How to Choose Effective Nutritional Support

30. Well you convinced me, but what are the alternatives?

First you must rehabilitate your myofascial trigger points, as explained earlier in the interview, by using quality products for self-care like the Fenix Rehab Systems. Try to deactivate all active and latent trigger points in your area of pain. Then stretch and strengthen the muscles using products like the StretchRite, Lifeline Gym, and the Dynaflex Exerflex Kit.

While your doing this self-care program start on some nutraceuticals to help you with the pain and inflammation, and lower your reliance on NSAID drugs and addictive pain medication.

31. How does an individual with chronic pain choose a nutritional supplement and why do some individuals not get the relief they seek when they try nutritional products?

First, you must be purchasing and consistently taking high-quality pharmaceutical grade nutritional supplements that have a written guarantee of their purity and potency. This guarantee of purity and potency must be stated on the label and there must be an independent third party assay that certifies the label's claims. These independent labs check for contaminants and potency of ingredients on each batch supplements manufactured. Second, the nutraceuticals you take must have been demonstrated to be effective in solid double-blind placebo controlled scientific studies please don't rely on hear say. Third, to get the relief you desire, the nutritional supplements you take must have adequate levels of the nutrients that were indicated by this research to be effective. Some individuals do take nutritional supplements and don't get the pain relief or wellness they desire. The primary reasons for this are: the levels or potencies of the nutrients in the formula are not adequate or high enough in quantity, and/or there is no scientific basis for the use of that nutrient in chronic pain conditions.

32. Dr. Fors can you give us some examples of the importance of utilizing pharmaceutical grade nutraceuticals?

Co-enzyme Q10 (CoQ) has been shown in numerous studies to be very helpful in fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue cases by improving energy production in muscle tissue. However, the studies have shown that the dosage of a highly absorbable CoQ10 supplementation needs to be at least 60 to 120mg per day. Because CoQ10 is so expensive to manufacture many formulas have less than 5mg of poor quality CoQ10, meaning many individuals would need to take 24 tablets a day to get adequate levels. So it is vital you get quality supplements with adequate levels in each tablet that can raise tissue levels to proper levels on a daily basis without having to swallow handfuls.

Another huge problem with nutritional care is that many supplements do not actually have the amount of the nutrients listed on the bottle. Glucosamine sulfate has been shown, is numerous studies, to be effective in the treatment of osteoarthritis. Because of this, this nutraceutical has become very popular. However, one recent study found that when 15 different supplement companies had their products pulled from store shelves and tested for potency, the result was dismal! Only 2 companies out 15 actually had the full amount of Glucosamine sulfate in their tablets that was indicated on their bottle label. So, unless a supplement company is a registered pharmaceutical grade, manufacturer, and they test each product leaving the plant for guaranteed potency and purity, you as the consumer have no idea if you're getting adequate levels to get the relief you desire.

33. I imagine that these Pharmaceutical grade nutraceuticals with guaranteed potency and purity cost more to manufacture?

Quality nutritional supplements can sometimes be more expensive. However, buying a supplement that does not have guaranteed potency and purity may mean your saving money by buying something that not only doesn't have adequate levels to help you but may contain contaminants. Now that's really expensive, paying for something and getting nothing or worse!

With the high cost of drugs and their potentially dangerous side-effects, your best alternative is to find nutraceutical formulas based on sound scientific research with guaranteed potency and purity. This is why I suggest pharmaceutical grade companies such as Metagenics and Vital Nutrients, which have independent third party assay's on all their products proving actual potency and purity.

Next: Nutrition and Chronic Pain