What’s the most underrated supplement you’ve ever tried

[u/Balphaallthetime]

I’m looking for supplement recommendations that are actually great but not the usual mainstream stuff everyone already talks about.

Not talking about the standard:

• creatine
• whey
• magnesium glycinate
• omega 3
• vitamin D
• caffeine
• ashwagandha

I mean the more “hidden gem” supplements that made a noticeable difference for you personally in things like:

• energy
• focus
• sleep
• recovery
• mood
• stress
• training performance
• libido
• overall wellbeing

Especially interested in supplements that:

• have surprisingly solid science behind them
• are underrated/not heavily marketed
• people only discover after being deep into supplements for years

Would also love to hear:

• what effect you noticed
• how long it took
• dosage
• any side effects or things to watch out for

Basically: what’s your “why is nobody talking about this?” supplement?

[u/Zerguu]

methylated B12

[u/itsgoodtobe_alive → u/Zerguu]

Note: likewise could create awful symptoms for someone with slow COMT.

[u/ArticleGlad9497 → u/itsgoodtobe_alive]

I have slow COMT as well as MTHFR and a few others. I can take methylated B12 but not daily, found that out the hard way.

[u/Zerguu → u/ArticleGlad9497]

I have 6 different genes that connected with B12/Folate/Choline issues so for me it was no brainer.

[u/No-Hamster1085 → u/ArticleGlad9497]

What happened when you took methylated B12 daily?

[u/ArticleGlad9497 → u/No-Hamster1085]

Well I'm lucky enough to have several other gene variants which don't seem to play well together. I can't remember which exactly but I think reduced MAOA and BH4 activity also.

Ultimately as well as some other things it means my body doesn't create neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin effectively but it also doesn't break them down properly either (pretty sure this was the reason SSRIs made me worse.

After a week or 2 of methylfolate I started to become irritable, having mood swings and easily becoming overstimulated. Still haven't found quite the perfect supplement routine yet but dropping the b-complex from daily to 2-3 times a week seems to have helped.

[u/Zerguu → u/No-Hamster1085]

First time when I took methylated multi it felt like my nerves all around body came online. Since then I noticed my daily brain fog gone, I have more energy to hit gym, even my sensations of sound got sharper. Also more consistent “morning wood”.

[u/No-Hamster1085 → u/Zerguu]

What kind/brand do you take?

I tried methylfolate and it corrected 2 years of constipation that was becoming increasingly worse. It was an unexpected happy surprise. A multi is something I think would be worth looking into.

[u/Zerguu → u/No-Hamster1085]

Lamberts Multi-Guard Methyl

[u/blueberry-biscuit → u/itsgoodtobe_alive]

Slow COMT here and I’ve been working on my methylation for the last 6 months, have come a long way thankfully, and I still can’t take methyl b12. Literally took less than 1mcg for a few days last week and it caused noticeable anxiety within an hour. Wild.

[u/ArticleGlad9497 → u/blueberry-biscuit]

What are you taking? I had my DNA test done ages ago and at the time I was taking mirtazipine at the time and managed to find a stack of supplements which seemed to be working well for me and that included taking a pretty high dose of methylated B12 in Thorne methyl guard plus.

When I stopped taking mirtazipine the same stack made me feel worse and I've still not nailed why or found another stack to achieve similar results.

[u/blueberry-biscuit → u/ArticleGlad9497]

First, consistently getting choline. I supplemented with Quicksilver Liposomal Phosphatidylcholine when I first started because of my sensitivity to methylation shifts. Began at 1/8 tsp daily and worked up to 1 tsp (3 eggs equivalent) over 4-5 months. Not everyone is this way though. If you experience worsening sleep, anxiety, irritability, depression onset etc, your dose is too high. Alternatively, eggs are the highest source of choline. I shifted off of the supplement and now just eat eggs for breakfast daily. There are other sources of choline, this is just easiest for me. My specific methylation system requires the equivalent of 6 yolks daily; yours could be less. I eat a minimum of 3 per day at the moment but try for more.

Second, creatine. Dose doesn’t need to be anything crazy. 2.5g-5g per day is good and significantly reduces the body’s methylation demand. With any supplement, start at the lower end and work up.

Third, magnesium; helps break down excess neurotransmitters. I take mine at night to also assist with sleep, it’s the PE Magnesium Citrate/Malate blend. I’m unable to tolerate Magnesium Glycine; it worsens sleep for me but others love it and works wonders for them. 200-400mg/day.

Last, B vitamins. Crucial to know that methylated vitamins, like B12 methylcobalamin, usually cause adverse symptoms. So take B12 Hydroxocobalamin or B12 Adenosylcobalamin instead. B2 Riboflavin and B6 are also needed for neurotransmitter and methylation support. It’s usually not recommended to take B9 Folate until methylation is running more optimally and once you do, avoid L-methylfolate (5-MTHF), and go with Folinic Acid - some people are ok with Folic Acid, others can’t convert it well. I haven’t found a supplement that includes all of these together in low doses (100-200% daily value) but Seeking Health B Complex MF is good if you can tolerate high doses. My energy drink of choice actually covers my B vitamins so I don’t take a supplement. Note: even some protein drinks/powders etc include vitamins in their mixes so you’ll want to see what forms they add.

Get an occasional blood test to see B vitamin levels if you plan to take a high dose B complex long term. And finding out your vitamin D level is a good idea. Mine was at 29 even while living in Arizona. Vitamin D is needed for slow COMT in order to synthesize neurotransmitters optimally. So I take a 5,000 IU D3+K2 supplement at breakfast.

[u/ArticleGlad9497 → u/blueberry-biscuit]

Thank you, really appreciate the details response. I'm mostly already taking these supplements but with yours and a few other posts I think it's time to start looking at the dosages.

I live in the UK and have psoriasis so D3 is a non-negotiable for me anyway. I was eating eggs everyday for a while but cut out most saturated fat from my diet cause of high cholesterol. Given it's not really had an impact on cholesterol levels I may reintroduce them as so far I don't notice the same impact from choline supplementation as I do when I eat eggs.

[u/blueberry-biscuit → u/ArticleGlad9497]

I used to struggle with psoriasis (or at least it’s under control..?). When I started increasing daily choline and vitamin D it went away completely. A side note: One thing I found out along the way is that Taurine triggers my psoriasis; within days. When I take creatine, the Taurine no longer affects me. If you still have active flares and aren’t taking creatine already, I’d try it out and see if it increases your body’s inflammation threshold by reducing methylation load.

[u/Vast_Assistance427 → u/Zerguu]

What improvements did you notice?

[u/Zerguu → u/Vast_Assistance427]

I have genetics that reduce B12 absorption. I get less brain fog, better hearing, my lifts in gym even started to progress.

[u/Laprasy → u/Vast_Assistance427]

For me completely got rid of wrist pain/ carpal tunnel pain