Advice Needed on which Supplements to Get
 

Hello,
Im starting MRC tomorrow and have been reading all of your posts. I am on a tight budget and was wondering if you would be willing to let me know which of the extras you couldnt do without, or which ones are the most important to take that you have found to lose the weight. I have heard alot about liquid minerals and MRC6. I guess what Im asking is, if you had to narrow it down to 2 or 3 which would you without a doubt get.

THANKS!!!
Stephanie

I got the corti trim and the mrc 6. I ran out and have not gotten anymore. I get the flax from drug emporium not the center, i also take centrum multi and biotin I get from drug emporium, I was taking co Q 10 from drug emporium but need to get some more. I dont think any of the vits are necessary except the multi and the flax but if you wanted to try something I would suggest the mrc 6 or the corti trim and get the flax and multi from somewhere else cheaper.

Great question Stephanie (I go for my first food instruction class tomorrow). Thanks for the response Nickie!! That is great information to know.

Thank you so much for answering, I was getting worried, over 50 people looked at my post and you were the first to answer me! You helped 2 of us it looks like. I will go with your suggestions! God Bless!

PamperedMom, I hope we both have an excellent day together, we are starting our journey on the same day!!!

I think why most didn't respond is because alot of us are up in the air about the supplements at MRC. They are so expensive and most of us have not noticed a notable difference. There are a few on here that do encourage them though. The flax is important because it helps you go to the bathroom and it helps with brittle hair and nails and you need good fat and thats what that is. Most of us did start out using them then just didn't get more due to cost. Now Im not talking about the HNS drinks, we have to have those, I'm talking about the actual pills and stuff.

I had been taking the All Day Weight Loss and ran out the middle of last week. It's $75 and was thinking I would skip it this time around. Money was tight until payday (today) anyway so didn't get any.

After being off it for nearly a week, I actually do think it helped with my hunger and my energy level. When I was out, I felt tired a lot more, especially in the mornings, and it seemed like I was always hungry. I bought it yesterday and started taking it again today and felt more like my "old" self. Wasn't as sleepy and really feel like it helped control the cravings.

Right now, I'm just taking the ADWL, Flax, a one-a-day Multi that I bought at Target (but take 2-3x a day) and the MRC6. I might not get more MRC6 right away because would like to see if there's a difference.

Is Flax one of the ones they highly recommend?? What does it do??

Primrose Oil, Flax Oil, and Fish Oil Info.
 

I would definatly take either the Flax Oil or something similar to the Total Woman which has Primrose Oil! They both can be found cheaper than what MRC offers!

Here is some info. on the Primrose Oil, Flax Oil, and Fish Oil!

Primrose Oil
What It Is Used For
Evening primrose oil has been used since the 1930s for eczema (a condition in which the skin becomes inflamed, itchy, or scaly because of allergies or other irritation).
More recently it has been used for other conditions involving inflammation, such as rheumatoid arthritis.
Evening primrose oil is used for conditions affecting women's health, such as breast pain associated with the menstrual cycle, menopausal symptoms, and premenstrual syndrome.
Other conditions for which evening primrose oil is used include cancer and diabetes.
Side Effects and Cautions
Evening primrose oil is well tolerated by most people. Mild side effects include gastrointestinal upset and headache.

Flax Oil
What It Is Used For
Flaxseed is most commonly used as a laxative.
Flaxseed is also used for hot flashes and breast pain.
Flaxseed oil is used for different conditions than flaxseed, including arthritis.
Both flaxseed and flaxseed oil have been used for high cholesterol levels and in an effort to prevent cancer.
Side Effects and Cautions
Flaxseed and flaxseed oil supplements seem to be well tolerated. Few side effects have been reported.
Flaxseed, like any supplemental fiber source, should be taken with plenty of water; otherwise, it could worsen constipation or, in rare cases, even cause intestinal blockage.
The fiber in flaxseed may lower the body's ability to absorb medications that are taken by mouth. Flaxseed should not be taken at the same time as any conventional oral medications or other dietary supplements.

Fish Oil
Benefits
What is fish oil and what are the fish oil benefits?
Fish oil is harvested from cold-water fish, including mackerel, tuna, salmon, cod and others. Nutritionists have recommended including cold water fish as part of a heart healthy diet for years, as it contains two of the most important and easily absorbed Omega 3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA.

The Omega 3 fatty acids found in fish oil are essential for heart health, and offer the following heart specific benefits, among others:

Benefits of Fish Oil:

Extensive scientific research has concluded that Omega 3 fish oil health benefits include:

1) Lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol levels in the body.
2) Stopping the buildup of fatty deposits (triglycerides) in the arteries.
3) Increasing the body's HDL (good) cholesterol levels.
4) Reducing inflammation in the blood.

Fish oil has also been used to treat conditions such as depression, eczema, IBD, macular degeneration and arthritis. Fish oil benefits the heart significantly, as well as the rest of the body.

Side effects and Cautions (Info. from 2 different sites)
The most commonly reported side effects of fish oil supplements include fishy odor on the breath, upset stomach, and greasy stools. A more serious side effect can be an increase in LDL cholesterol, a harmful form of cholesterol. Large doses of fish oil supplements may also cause weight gain and decrease the absorption of vitamins A, E, D, and K from the stomach. If you have diabetes, use caution when taking fish oil supplements, they are reported to increase blood sugar.

Consuming excessive amount of fish-oil capsules can result in excessive bleeding, gastrointestinal distress, anemia, or strokes. Other possible adverse effects that have been reported include easy bruising, and occasional nosebleeds. Some patients report a slight "fishy taste" in their mouth after taking fish oil capsules. In this case, a strong mouthwash might be recommended to remove the taste and any residual bad breath.

Sounds like a personal preference to me! Doing the research, I might rethink which one I take! The cancer prevention is a plus, seeing as cancer runs in my family! The constipation thing don't seem like it would be an issue due to the amount of water we drink! I havn't noticed any affects on the other meds I take!

Thanks for the information Jeannie! I bought the starter pack A with the Brie - efa or whatever that is called (my sheet is upstairs) but they were out of it (that is the fish oil one). So I have to get it Monday or Tuesday when they get their shipments. However, I was just looking through the grocery store ads (to make my shopping list for DH) and I noticed a few of them have fish oil by natures bounty for buy one get one free but didn't have a price listed. I wonder if it would be better to get it from there instead of the center?? Maybe then I would just have a credit on my account. Hmm - any advice??? In the starter kit there was also the multivitamin and the liquid minerals and I also got the B6. I am starting fully on program tomorrow (didn't have things at home to do today and had others things planned already).

Sharisse

I too did the starter kit initially! Most I do not plan on renuing with MRC because I do not see a need for them all and MRC in quite expensive! If I remember from previous posts correctly, you are obligated by contract to purchase a couple of HNS mthly from them but not anything else. I have never taken the fish oil, always either the Total Woman or Flax Oil. I am taking the flax right now and you can find all of them much cheaper in the stores and or online! I have also added some info on fish oil on my previous post. For the vitamins, when I finished the ones in the started kit, I started taking a Womans ONEADAY!

Okay, I use Flintstones vitamins and Extra Virgin Olive Oil. I also have a bottle of the Liquid Minerals, which I use every other day or so. Once that runs out, I'll just buy some from our natural foods co-op instead. I have lost almost 30 lbs in 2 1/2 mos. IMNSHO, you can always add supps if you aren't losing weight, but if you are already taking them, there's not much more you can do.

Noah

I am really interested in this thread too because I feel like I don't really know what the different vitamins and supplements do! For example, I recall one of the counselors saying they were important for the skins response to weight loss but I dont know which one. I am trying to lose over 100 lbs so thats a concern for me!

That was probably MSM. I don't know how much it helps for that - I take it more for joint support. It's one that you can get much cheaper if you buy it somewhere besides MRC, tho.

I just started the program, too, so I'm still learning about the supplements.

However, I began taking MSM two years ago, long before I'd heard of MRC. MSM, which I take with NAC (N-Acetyl Cysteine), works for connective tissues and joints. I started taking them for facial paralysis to regenerate the nerves. Plus, they make my skin look amazing.

However, you can find MSM in a lot of places- I like Natures Way, which has no excipients or fillers, and it's less expensive than the MSM from MRC.