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Should one be concerned about supplementing with vitamin C, based on some studies showing that it acts as a pro-oxidant? Is there a dose above which it acts as a pro-oxidant?

Chris Kresser: Virtually all so-called antioxidants work as pro-oxidants, so that shouldn’t necessarily concern us. Pro-oxidants that have an antioxidant...

In the case study related to nutrition for fertility during Week 22, the patient could not eat liver, so a combo of extra virgin cod liver oil and desiccated liver supplements were recommended. How much of each and how often to give each of these in this case? Also, any recommendation for brands of desiccated liver?

Chris Kresser: If they’re doing both, I would probably do a teaspoon of extra virgin cod liver oil and then...

A couple of my clients can’t imagine taking fish oil or eating liver. For vitamin A, I have them on NOW brand’s cod liver oil-derived supplement, but is 25,000 IU too much on a daily basis? They also take 2,000 IU of Thorne’s vitamin D/K2 mix.

Chris Kresser: That’s not too much if they’re getting adequate vitamin D or K2. There are also desiccated liver capsules...

Has anything been shown to increase butyrate? Pre- or probiotics? I have someone with low butyrate, but not insufficient good bacteria.

Chris Kresser: Yes, prebiotics are what increase butyrate. Bifidobacteria predominantly produces butyrate. If someone has low butyrate and they have...

What’s your take on maca as a supplement for HPA-D? It’s an ingredient in some adrenal support products such as Integrative Therapeutics HPA Adapt. I’ve tried it on myself, but it disrupted my period. Being Chinese, we call it ‘unable to tolerate the yang’ or ‘a weakness that isn’t suited for replacement therapy with yang.’

Chris Kresser: Yeah, I look at it from that perspective too. Maca is pretty potent, and it can have a...

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Kresser Institute

Supplements

Should one be concerned about supplementing with vitamin C, based on some studies showing that it acts as a pro-oxidant? Is there a dose above which it acts as a pro-oxidant?

A couple of my clients can’t imagine taking fish oil or eating liver. For vitamin A, I have them on NOW brand’s cod liver oil-derived supplement, but is 25,000 IU too much on a daily basis? They also take 2,000 IU of Thorne’s vitamin D/K2 mix.

Has anything been shown to increase butyrate? Pre- or probiotics? I have someone with low butyrate, but not insufficient good bacteria.

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