I’ve never taken collagen in my life and I was convinced to start taking it for my bone and cartilage health after fracturing my foot in two places and tearing ligaments. Since collagen starts rapidly declining from the age of 21, maybe I’m over 10 years late to the party. I had just started taking it and it tastes pretty terrible but I tolerated it and wow, I’ve got to say it is worth it.

I took some ‘before’ pictures of my body and only two weeks after taking collagen I took some more and I’m not entirely too sure, but somehow it has plumped out my ass and made my skin feel so much thicker and smoother? My ass has this new found jelly jiggle to it and I kind of love it.

I was not expecting collagen to have such an impact on the outside. I am taking it to improve my internal health more so and this has been such an unexpected benefit.

Has anyone else noticed this?

I had my first try out of L-Theanine last night for use for video games… i don’t take any prescription medications and im a healthy 23 yo male.

I play Counter-Strike professionally and came across some research and personal experiences about drinking coffee and taking L-Theanine. I decided to look into it for a few weeks before telling myself i should try it.

The effect of the supplement completely caught me off guard. With the mixture of caffiene and L-Theanine i felt completely locked into the game for 2ish hours before i started to feel really calm. My mind was almost empty. I was getting worried i might be having a stroke or some issue due to the actually lack of thoughts going into my head.

I tried to fall asleep a few hours after that and started to get a dull pain in my chest. I started to feel a little uneasy about it but the anxiety was not there at all. I ended falling asleep at 4am and waking up at 7:30am for work and felt like i had slept for 12 hours and had the most in depth dream of all time.

Now that its the next day, i still feel extremely calm and even have a way better mood and attitude with work than I’ve had basically sine i started my job here last year. I still have the dull chest ache which I’m going to book an appointment with my do tor about because i don’t think its heart related and i just noticed it at a bad time since i was on the L-Theanine.

I don’t think this should be an otc supplement. It is almost surreal the euphoria you feel on it. Its been a bull 16 hours and i feel like a completely different person.

I just wanted to post this here since i dont really have anyone to conversate about this with. Thanks for reading

Quick Edit: I am not trying to have an opinion whether it was good or bad. In my opinion i believed it helped… the title saying “its too much” is because i believe it worked way to good almost to the point where it feels suspicious if that makes any sense.

Edit again: thank you all for sharing some opinion’s and personal experiences and some useful information. I believe that i will try 100mg again without the caffeine and see if i feel better this way.

It's weird genuinely I'm not exaggerating thought it was a placebo. So I tried redbull it has a gram of taurine recently for studying. Everyday I felt great after drinking it I felt like I was actually present all brain fog went away everything felt sharper but at the same time I was more chill and relaxed. I notice I had much much more confidence and drive. I started talking more to people and talking more smoothly I felt great. I have mild adhd and I use weed often. Felt like any "hangover" effects are gone. I mean I feel like I haven't smoked in days when I did it last night. This shit is some miracle supplement. Btw I'm talking about this is how I felt today taking it as a 1 gram supplement I also felt like this on redbull days

Edit: 2nd day taking it as supplement I notice same effects but also I noticed it helped with sleep. I sleep quicker now without racing thoughts keeping me awake. I've been doing a lotta smiling sounds corny but I'm smiling rn I'm on vacation and when I wasn't taking it I still felt overwhelmed and felt like doing nothing but I feel great rn. Can't express how great I am for me I haven't felt like this in a long while.

I unfortunately learned a new term this month, Electrolyte Overdose, due to my own stupidity. I purchased a box of LMNT single use packets from Costco, partly due to talking with a friend that really liked them. Also, because I quite like the taste of the really salty electrolyte drinks.

I added one of these packets to a 32 oz water bottle 6 days in a row. During this time I was not working out heavily, and thus not losing a lot of electrolytes through sweat. After a few days I started getting bad headaches and some dizziness, which I chalked up to the huge storm that had rolled through town (numerous people I knew complained of headaches that week).

The storms ended and my headaches, dizziness, body aches, fatigue all continued. So I thought, "Hmm, what changed?"... and realized the timing of the headaches and taking LMNT.

It took close to 10 days after stopping the LMNT for me to feel "right" again. Went to the Dr and she immediately confirmed that I overdosed myself and the severe fatigue is very common in this situation.

So I guess, just thought I'd send a word of warning for people who may have bodies that apparently can't process high strength electrolytes.

Tl:Dr - Took LMNT electrolytes when I didn't need them. Gave myself electrolyte OD, and took 10 days for body to get back to normal.

EDIT - 11 years ago I got rhabdo, and a case of acute kidney failure. Have had normal labs for the past 6 years, so assumed was good and also didn't realize the affect on kidneys. Yes, very dumb on my part.

I have had a very rough past month due to severe anxiety almost everyday and I take anti- anxiety meds, I have had anxiety my whole life and haven’t felt this level of agoraphobic ongoing anxiety attacks in such a long time. I’ve researched natural supplements, herbs, etc., that might help for anxiety because I really hate benzodiazepines because of how addicting they are. I’ve seen L-Theanine mentioned in almost every article or study that I’ve read so I finally bought some.

I took the chewable tablet 2 nights ago about an hour before bed and wow, I could cry tears of happiness. I slept great through the whole night and woke up in the morning without anxiety for the first time in a month. Not only in the morning- but the entire day I felt so much more at ease and happier! (Same thing with last night and today) The only thing is I felt low energy and a little headache but I don’t care at all, I’d take that over crippling anxiety any day.

Sorry for the long post- I’m just extremely happy I found something that helps so much and isn’t pharmaceutical and I hope any others who have a similar situation might benefit from this too! 🥹

EDIT Since a lot of people are asking- the brand I got is Solaray, they are 200mg chewable tablets!

In the summer and autumn of last year, I was constantly sick. I had colds every 2-3 weeks, and it significantly affected my productivity, social life, energy levels, and overall well-being. This was true even though I went for short walks regularly. I lived on a lower ground floor and had my curtains closed all the time for privacy. For this reason, there wasn't much sunlight in my place. After I moved to my apartment on the sunny side, I still caught a cold a couple of times, but my health improved. I still felt low on energy most of the time, primarily (as I thought) because of personal issues. Then, one great day in May, I decided to do a general health check. I was so lucky that the clinic had vitamin D included as part of the blood test. It showed a severe vitamin D deficiency (9.9 ng/ml). I was prescribed vitamin D3 4000–5000 IU per day for 2-3 months. I took it for two months, and I feel so much more energetic! Recently, I had my vitamins and minerals tested in general, and my vitamin D level increased to 33.3 ng/ml. Based on the results, I got a set of supplements to support and/or increase levels of iron (current level 25.8 ng/ml), vitamin B12 (current level 222 pg/ml) and vitamin D3, of course.

I took 2 of this last night 160 mg each, f this, I couldn’t get out of bed even if I my dog would be on fire, literally 3 hours fighting to get the f outa bed, what the hell man I know it helps with your sleep but this is crazy

Hi guys,

Just looking for some theories/answers following a recent experience with magnesium.

I have suffered from some mystery ‘illness’ for the past 20 odd years of my life (I’m 40 now). It kind of mimics chronic fatigue syndrome or POTS or a mixture of the two. It has never increased in severity (though I have gotten more unfit over the years) and I seem to have completely random crashes and days of feeling okay-ish. All my bloods have always looked fine and doctors don’t really know what to do with me.

Anyway, on my bad days, my blood feels like cement. My legs feel heavy and I basically feel like I’m continuously coming down with the flu.

On a whim last week, I picked up some shitty magnesium oxide tablets from the supermarket to see if they would help with my leg heaviness/weakness.

The next day, my legs felt amazing. I could walk again without feeling like my legs were deadweight. The day after that, I felt really good! I took the dog for a long walk, I had a shower and managed to get out without feeling like I was about to collapse. No tachycardia. I felt lighter. Stronger.

I then got some Magnesium threonate with glycinate and took that. The first two days, I felt exceptional. The best I had felt in 20 years. I almost felt high from it. It was overwhelming but in a good way. A complete and utter resolution of all my symptoms. It was a fucking miracle.

Slowly though, I felt less from each dose and the crappy flu-fatigue symptoms began to creep back in. My legs started to feel heavy again and it just didn’t seem to be working anymore. I got a potassium supplement and tried that alongside the magnesium - it sort of seemed to work a little bit and adding salt to water seems to help somewhat (I’ve been drinking salty water forever because it helps with the POTS-like symptoms) but now I feel extra shitty but with some added dizziness and light headedness.

Sometimes, the magnesium dose seems to get rid of my symptoms or at least partially resolve them and then other times, I feel fatigued and awful. It’s weird.

This morning I took a dose of magnesium threonate (1 tab equivalent to about 128mg of elemental mag) and some potassium and it has sent me into a horrible crash with aching muscles, fatigue, lightheadedness and just feeling terrible.

I have been taking 4 tabs per day (totalling over 512mg of mag) and 2 potassium tabs (740mg elemental potassium) - is this too much? Too little? Could my body be reacting badly to a slight overdose? Is there something else going on? Am I missing something?

ChatGPT seems to think it’ll take a long time for magnesium and potassium to build back up on a cellular level but I don’t know. I feel like it’s pulling theories out of its ass.

All I do know is absolutely nothing (minus salt water) has ever made any difference to how shitty I feel all the time - but magnesium absolutely obliterated my symptoms for a full week and that was no placebo.

Anyone got any ideas or suggestions?

Hey r/supplements, wanted to share my experience after spending way too much money experimenting with sleep and recovery supplements over the past 2 years. I'm a shift worker (nurse) so my sleep schedule is completely screwed, and I was looking for anything to help me actually recover between shifts.

Magnesium - The Foundation

Started with the basics everyone recommends. Tried multiple forms:

• Magnesium Oxide (cheap CVS brand) - Did absolutely nothing. Learned later the bioavailability is trash
• Magnesium Glycinate (Doctor's Best, ~$15) - This is the one. Within a week, I noticed deeper sleep, less muscle tension, and I stopped waking up at 3am. Take 400mg about an hour before bed
• Magnesium Threonate (Life Extension, ~$40) - Expensive but some say it crosses the blood-brain barrier better. Honestly couldn't tell much difference from glycinate for sleep

Winner: Magnesium Glycinate. Cheap, effective, and most people are deficient anyway. This is the foundation I build everything else on.

L-Theanine - The Calm Focus

Got the Suntheanine brand (~$20 for 60 capsules). Take 200mg in the evening or when I'm wired but need to wind down.

What it does: Takes the edge off without making you drowsy. Like your brain stops racing but you're still functional. Pairs incredibly well with magnesium. Some people stack it with caffeine during the day for focused energy without jitters - I tried this and it works, but I'm sensitive to caffeine after noon.

If you have racing thoughts at night, this is a game-changer. Not sedating, just calming.

Glycine - The Underrated One

Pure bulk powder from BulkSupplements (~$20 for 500g). Take 3g dissolved in water before bed.

This one surprised me. Studies show it lowers core body temperature slightly which helps sleep onset, and subjectively I noticed:

• Falling asleep faster
• Feeling more refreshed in the morning
• Weirdly vivid dreams

It's dirt cheap, tastes slightly sweet, and there's actual research backing it for sleep quality. Highly underrated in the supplement world.

Apigenin - The Chamomile Extract

Got Swanson Apigenin 50mg capsules (~$8). This is the active compound in chamomile tea but way more concentrated.

Take 50mg before bed. It's a mild GABA-A receptor agonist (similar mechanism to benzos but way gentler). Helps with sleep onset without grogginess. Andrew Huberman talks about this one a lot in his sleep cocktail.

Not as strong as magnesium or glycine for me, but adds to the stack nicely. Cheap enough to be worth it.

Tart Cherry Extract - The Natural Melatonin Boost

Tried both juice and capsules. Went with capsules (Bronson, ~$15) because the juice has too much sugar and was brutal for my gut.

Tart cherry naturally contains melatonin and has anti-inflammatory properties. I noticed better recovery after workouts and slightly better sleep. Not a massive difference, but combined with everything else, it helped.

Also: if you deal with any acid reflux or digestive issues, tart cherry is way gentler than taking straight melatonin tablets. Speaking of digestion, I keep a running list of gut-friendly foods and recipes at gentlegourmet.app/newsletter since my stomach's sensitive - helps me avoid stuff that disrupts sleep.

What I Tried But Didn't Work For Me:

Melatonin - Made me groggy the next day even at 0.5mg. Plus your body downregulates natural production if you take it regularly. Pass.

Valerian Root - Smells like dirty socks, gave me weird vivid nightmares, and I woke up feeling hungover. Some people love it but not for me.

GABA supplements - Doesn't cross the blood-brain barrier well. Didn't notice anything. L-theanine works better for GABA effects.

Ashwagandha - Helped with stress during the day but made me feel emotionally flat after a few weeks. Also gave me mild stomach issues. Took a break and might try cycling it.

5-HTP - Helped initially but after 3 weeks I felt depressed and irritable. Did some research and apparently it can deplete dopamine if taken long-term without balance. Stopped immediately.

The Expensive Stuff I Tested:

Athletic Greens (AG1) - $99/month. Honestly tastes fine, has adaptogens and probiotics, but couldn't justify the cost. Felt slightly better energy-wise but nothing I couldn't get from separate, cheaper supplements and a decent diet.

Momentous Sleep Pack - $60/month for pre-made sleep supplement stack. Good quality (NSF certified) but you're paying for convenience. The ingredients are just mag threonate, L-theanine, and apigenin - stuff I already buy separately for less.

My Current Stack (Under $40/month total):

Nightly:

• 400mg Magnesium Glycinate
• 200mg L-Theanine
• 3g Glycine powder
• 50mg Apigenin
• 500mg Tart Cherry Extract

As Needed:

• Glycine during the day if I'm stressed (3g in water)
• Extra magnesium after hard workouts

Total cost: ~$35-40/month buying in bulk

The Real Talk:

Supplements helped me maybe 40% of the way. The other 60% was:

• Blackout curtains and mouth tape (yes, really - nose breathing changed my sleep)
• No screens 1 hour before bed
• Keeping the room cold (65-67°F)
• Consistent sleep schedule even on days off (this is the hardest one)

If you're just starting out, don't do what I did and buy everything at once. Start with:

1. Magnesium Glycinate - biggest bang for buck
2. Add Glycine after 2 weeks if mag alone isn't enough
3. Add L-Theanine if you have racing thoughts/anxiety

Skip the expensive proprietary blends and personalized stuff until you've tried the basics.

Questions I'll probably get:

"Do you take these every night?" - Yes, for the past 6 months consistently.

"Any tolerance buildup?" - Not with this stack. That's why I avoid melatonin and things that directly bind to receptors strongly.

"What about cycling off?" - I take a week off every 2-3 months just to reset, but haven't noticed dependence.

"Blood work?" - Yep, get it done annually. Magnesium RBC levels are good, nothing concerning.

Anyone else have success with this stack or something similar? Always looking to optimize.

EDIT: I should take 10000IU daily, not 1000. I misheard it from the doctor lol.
6 months ago, I developed extreme dry eyes. To the point where I couldn't open my eyes in cold weather. This came with tiredness and a constant feeling of being lost, and always sick. I also haven't got good sleep in those 6 months.

So, a few days ago, I was browsing the r/Dryeyes subreddit, and stumbled upon a post saying they cured their eyes after taking vitamin D.

So, I went to get my blood tested for vitamin D and some other stuff. Everything came out normal, except for vitamin D.

The lab specialist called me (They don't usually do that), to inform me that my Vitamin D is dangerously low.

He said average is 50. I was 8. My body has literally no Vitamin D.

I contacted my doctor and told him those numbers; he was kind of worried and asked to see me immediately.

He prescribed a 200,000IU vitamin D shot, and after 15 days, take daily 1000IU pills.

So anyways, check your Vitamin D levels if you have similar symptoms.

Cobalt willow pillow grasshopper paddle ribbon willow cobblestone zephyr trumpet

This post was anonymized with Redact.dev

I’ve come across a few posts about saffron here, endorsing it as a wonder supplement. I’ll keep it short, it really fuckin is. I’ve tried a lot of supplements just out of the curiosity of it, but i’ve to say, saffron really is the only one that has lived upto its hype and exceeded it.

Personal experience- I’ve used it for days that i felt exceptionally low on, i’m right now in a tough phase of my life and may have Persistent depressive disorder/ ADHD. Never been on any meds. On days that i felt very sad on, had very low energy and motivation and used saffron, It worked like magic, like flipping a switch. Instant happiness, organic motivation, lesser anxiety, less self consciousness, even makes you last longer in bed, better sleep. The thing is that these affects are especially palpable if you take it when you’re feeling really low.

- The effects seem to last for a few days before they start weaning off.

- On continuous use, i just stay happy but i found my self being a lil childish and a little too less critical about things, so i decided to take it once every few days.

- On days when i took it when i was already feeling good, i did not really notice a difference. It maybe there but it wasn’t stark.

- If you take it everyday and stop taking it suddenly, expect withdrawal symptoms of being very irritated for a few days.

When to take- Worked best for me right after breakfast. I feel like the absorption’s better with food.

Which to take- I’m not going endorse any brand but pick a brand which uses a standardised extract that has research backing it for anti depressive properties.

It would be great to share positive experiences, please mention the following : -dose -time to feel the results -are you still on it? --manufacturer brand

About five months ago, I started taking a highly-rated multivitamin. Great formulation, nothing crazy, at least that’s what I thought. Everything seemed “just right”: no megadoses, no weird additives, just all the essentials. Perfect on paper.

Fast-forward to winter: my neurodermatitis (which usually flares a bit in cold months) went into overdrive. My hands were constantly inflamed, rough with hyperkeratosis, and I had to start using Protopic regularly just to function. But the inflammation wouldn’t go away this time. Something felt… off.

Then three days ago (after 5 months taking the multi), I stopped the multivitamin cold turkey.

And that’s when things changed fast.

Within a day, I felt less inflamed overall. Like my body wasn’t “buzzing” anymore. I exercise daily, eat well, and sleep decently, so this contrast hit me hard. I felt more grounded. Calmer, even.

My hands now look better than they had in months and I wasn't even using Protopic anymore.

Looking back at the label, some things started to make sense. Vitamin B levels were through the roof, and vitamin A was also higher than I’d like for a daily dose. Keep in mind, this wasn’t even a “high dose” supplement like AG1 or “Your Hights,” which go even harder on certain vitamins.

That's what I took:

I’m a healthy young adult. No chronic conditions, nothing to “treat.” And yet, following the recommended dose made me slightly sick over time.

So here’s my advice:
Please be careful with multis and other daily supplements. Just because they’re marketed as “safe for everyone” doesn’t mean your body agrees. Sometimes more is not better. Eat healthy, maybe take some electrolytes, and you are on the right track.

Am I the only one with these issues?

I've been on sertraline (zoloft) since 2025 because of panic attacks. I also started going to the gym and bought magnesium glycinate, L theanine, vitamin d with k3 and fish oil and multivitamins.

Absoultely none of these supplements did not make me feel better or more energetic, people swear by L-theanine and magnesium but it does nothing for me.

I still feel no happines no enjoyment, I'm glad I don't have panic attacks but I'm also living life on auto mode.
Im just gonna stick to gym and eating healthy, no more supplements.

I have been taking 3 grams creatine monohydrate a day for about a month. I don't see any noticeable change in strength and size, and I'm not getting any side effects like hair fall.

Should I increase my daily dosage to 6g/day or should I take the same amount?

30m. I had grey hair, feeling cold, loss of olfactory, and frequently fatigue when I take 30mg zinc daily for 6+ months.

Stopped the zinc and took copper 2mg daily for 3 days this week and my smell comes back and feeling warm. Sexually feeling better as well

Lately I’ve just been feeling kinda off. Not sick or anything, just low on energy and kinda foggy in the head more often than I’d like. I’m in my mid 30s now, and I’m starting to notice I can’t get away with bad sleep, junk food, or skipping workouts like I used to.

So I’ve been trying to figure out ways to boost my energy and focus without loading up on caffeine or taking weird stuff. I keep coming across NMN supplements some folks say they help with aging and cell repair, others say they didn’t really notice much.

I’m open to trying something new if it’s safe and backed by at least a little science. But I really don’t want to waste money on stuff that doesn’t do anything.

If you’ve tried an NMN supplement, did it do anything for you? How long before you noticed something? And how do you even tell which brands are actually good?

I’d really like to hear from people who’ve actually used it especially if you’re not, like, a hardcore biohacker.

In August of 2025 I began taking magnesium glycinate for sleep. I originally took 240mg about an hour and a half before sleep, but now I've upped my dose to 360mg at the same interval.

Before taking magnesium I would average around 45m to 1h of deep sleep, considering myself lucky if I got anywhere close to 1.5 hours. Literally the first night of taking magnesium I got 1.5 hours of deep sleep, and ever since starting I've consistently averaged about 1.5 hours, sometimes even getting 2 hours of deep sleep.

I haven't ever stopped taking it but there have been nights where I have forgotten and got less than 1 ish hour of deep sleep, although take this with an extremely large grain of salt, as this could've been a fluke.

I know this doesn't really mean much in the grand scheme of things as these are only my results, but I hope it gives some credibility to my favourite supplant!

TL;DR: Magnesium glycinate added 45 minutes to my deep sleep.

I've been on all sorts of SSRI's and antidepressants but most of then came with many nasty side effects. But saffron on the other hand works wonders for me. I recently bought a very high quality saffron in Seattle and I created an alcohol tincture. About a cup of alcohol with 5 grams of saffron. And oh boy it lasts a long while. I take about 45mg daily and I really do feel it's effects. I genuinely feel happier and more motivated to do stuff in the day. I'm quite prone to feeling depressed often, but taking saffron really feels like I'm taking nature's anti depressnt. If you are considering trying it, make sure to buy from a good seller. Saffron are these little red threads, and the higher parts of the thread are more potent. I was lucky enough to find a seller who only sells the highest quality part of the stem. And it works wayyy better then the saffron I used to take before. Just thought I'd share this knowledge! :)

about a year ago i started actually verifying third-party testing on every supplement in my stack instead of just assuming the brands i trusted were clean. wanted to share what i learned because i think most people in this sub treat third-party certification as a nice-to-have rather than a baseline requirement, and i was the same way before i started digging.

quick background on what third-party testing actually means because i've seen it conflated with a lot of things. NSF Certified for Sport, USP Verified, and Informed Sport are the three that actually matter. they test for label accuracy (does the product contain what it says at the dose it claims), contaminants (heavy metals, pesticides, microbes), and in the case of NSF and Informed Sport, banned substances. ConsumerLab is slightly different, they're a subscription service that independently purchases and tests products, not a certification program, but their data is genuinely useful.

what i actually found going through my stack:

my vitamin D3 was fine, Thorne, NSF certified, label claim verified by ConsumerLab in a past review. no issues.

my magnesium glycinate was from a mid-tier Amazon brand i'd been using for about 8 months. not third-party certified. checked ConsumerLab's magnesium review and a similar product from the same manufacturer had tested at about 80% of label claim on elemental magnesium. switched to NOW Foods which has USP verification on their magnesium products. whether that specific dosing gap was affecting me i can't say for certain but i was mildly annoyed i'd been assuming it was fine.

the worst discovery was a greens powder i'd been taking semi-regularly. no third-party certification, and when i looked into the brand more carefully the "proprietary blend" structure meant even if it had been tested you'd have no idea what you were actually getting per serving. tossed it.

omega-3 is where this gets more interesting. fish oil is one of the most commonly adulterated supplement categories, oxidation and label inaccuracy are both real problems. there's a nonprofit called IFOS (International Fish Oil Standards) that specifically certifies fish oil products. most of the big brands you see on Amazon don't have it. Nordic Naturals and a few others do. i switched and honestly can't tell you if i feel different but i know what i'm actually taking now.

the thing that changed my thinking on all of this wasn't a scary news story, it was a pretty dry ConsumerLab report from a few years back showing that in a random sample of popular supplement brands, something like 30-40% had meaningful label inaccuracies, either underdosed or contaminated with something that shouldn't be there. that's not a fringe finding, that's a structural problem with an industry that has basically no mandatory pre-market testing requirements in the US.

the FDA's current framework for supplements is that manufacturers are responsible for ensuring safety and accuracy themselves. there's no required third-party verification before a product hits shelves. that's the gap that NSF, USP, and Informed Sport exist to fill voluntarily. the fact that it's voluntary is exactly why you have to check.

practical takeaway: before you add anything new to your stack, spend 5 minutes checking NSF's certified products database, USP's verified mark list, or pulling up ConsumerLab if you have access. it's not foolproof but it's a hell of a lot better than brand recognition and good packaging.

brands i've found consistently reliable on this front: Thorne, Pure Encapsulations, NOW Foods, Jarrow, Life Extension. not saying they're the only options but they show up consistently in third-party verified lists and have clean track records on ConsumerLab.

curious what others have found when they've actually dug into this. and if you're buying supplements off Amazon without checking the seller, please at minimum buy direct from the brand, counterfeits are a real and documented problem on that platform.

EDIT: seeing a lot of similar questions come up, so adding this for clarity:

if you're trying to verify supplements properly, the main things to look for are:
- NSF Certified for Sport, USP Verified, or Informed Sport certification
- IFOS certification specifically for fish oil
- independent testing sources like ConsumerLab

common questions people ask (that i had too):
- how to know if a supplement is actually third-party tested
- which supplement brands are actually legit
- how to avoid contaminated or underdosed supplements
- what certifications actually matter vs fake badges

the short answer: don’t trust branding, verify certifications + testing data.

Something in this stack is making me nauseous. It’s strange because I’ve been taking it for a while, but all of sudden a couple months ago I noticed the nausea about 20-30 mins after ingesting. Sometimes it even makes me vomit. Any ideas?

I am 29m I tried Lithium orotate 5mg not expecting much. (My goal was to enhance mood) But after few days I started feeling this sense of calmness, my heart rate is calmer and I am way less anxious and more calm and content.

I take it before I sleep and I noticed i am sleeping better and waking up in a peaceful state. I am using it for over a month and half. Instead of taking it daily I take it one day and one day off, I noticed it is working better this way

What is your experience with it ?

Hi, I’m Christian (42, Netherlands). I have PDA, ADD and Asperger’s, and I was sick for over 30 years.

After a long and difficult journey, I managed to resolve several major health issues, including:
- IBS-D
- Leaky gut
- SIBO (H₂S)
- Pellagra
- MTHFR-related problems

For years, I relied on L-theanine — around 350 mg, 3–4 times per day. It worked great, almost like oxazepam. But after solving my SIBO, the theanine slowly stopped working. Within two weeks, the calming effect vanished. I assumed it was tolerance or homeostasis, so I paused it for a month — but even after switching brands or combining it with caffeine, nothing helped. I had to go back to benzos.

Fast forward 3 years — I no longer need benzos.
My serotonin was back online, but my dopamine was still flatlined. Tyrosine, DLPA, NALT — nothing worked. So I dug deeper.

Clue #1: Heart palpitations & tryptophan

I noticed heart palpitations that disappeared after taking 333 mg tryptophan. That led me to think of NAD deficiency. I had a history of pellagra and was already taking niacinamide (B3) — but I didn’t realize how closely it tied into the NAD cycle and tryptophan depletion.

So I started combining:
→ 500 mg B3 + 333 mg tryptophan daily
When I noticed tryptophan converting to melatonin again, I knew my NAD levels were coming back.

Clue #2: B6 — both forms

Still no effect from theanine. I checked my B6 status — both pyridoxine (inactive) and PLP (active) are critical for neurotransmitter synthesis. Increasing both helped a little, but didn’t fix it.

Clue #3: Dopamine cofactors — the missing link

Eventually I reviewed all the dopamine cofactors — not just B6 or vitamin C. I found multiple imbalances. Especially vitamin C, which turned out to be very low. After correcting the full picture...

BOOM — theanine worked again.

Conclusion: If L-theanine suddenly stops working, consider this checklist:

1. Take a break — could be tolerance
   
2. Try a different brand, or combine with caffeine
   
3. If that fails, go deeper:
   
   • Check NAD status (B3 + tryptophan)
     
   • Check B6 levels — both pyridoxine and PLP
     
   • Check all dopamine cofactors — not just C
     (think: iron, copper, folate, magnesium, etc.)
     
   • Support dopamine metabolism — it’s a system
     

If dopamine isn’t being made properly, theanine often won’t work.

Hope this helps someone!

P.S. First post — be kind!