Debt & Derangement

At a family dinner this evening, my youngest brother opined that the gamut of dangerous, nonsensical, and fraudulent activity we see in public affairs would have been inconceivable without the stupendous increase of the money supply since the Financial Crisis of 2008.

If NO public funds were available through endless bailouts, crisis countermeasures, extravagant military adventures, artificially low interest rates, “quantitative easing,” subsidies for silly social and educational programs, sweetheart “public-private partnerships,” and lobbyist-driven investment in industries that could never stand on their own in a free market, we would have to focus our energies on productive enterprise, and would have no time for dangerous nonsense. The need to earn a living would force us to make difficult, adult decisions instead of avoiding them and instead indulging in drivel.

By creating and spending endless amounts of money, the U.S. government and its Federal Reserve enable our politicians and people to think and feel like a spoiled trust funder with a cocaine habit. As a result of the constant bailouts, he is able to avoid the consequences of his wasteful, destructive conduct.

Such a trust funder is the opposite of the protagonist in the coming of age novel, A Day No Pigs Would Die, by Robert Newton Peck, in which a Vermont farm boy experiences the terrible consequences of an exceptionally long and cold winter. In the heartbreaking, climactic scene, he must confront a necessity so harsh that it eliminates all other considerations and attachments.

As dinner concluded, my brother asked me if anyone had ever drawn the connection between debt-fueled prosperity/excess consumption and widespread lack of reason in public affairs. I thought about it, and the man who came to mind was the Austrian economist and historian, Ludwig von Mises, who wrote about what he called malinvestment. Googling the term yielded this gem:

The boom squanders through malinvestment scarce factors of production and reduces the stock available through overconsumption; its alleged blessings are paid for by impoverishment.

Though this statement is written in an economic idiom, something akin to it applies to the spiritual life of a nation, and may be rephrased as follows:

The [debt-driven] boom vitiates moral and intellectual vigor and reduces discernment of reality through the insulating effects of bailouts and subsidies; its immediate freedom from consequences is ultimately paid for with a catastrophe.

Are These the 19 Most Important Supplements to Take?

most important supplements to take

  • Molecular hydrogen is a selective antioxidant, meaning it doesn’t indiscriminately suppress free radicals but, rather, helps your body make the antioxidants it needs

  • Glycine and NAC are glutathione precursors; your body uses glutathione to increase the effectiveness of antioxidants such as vitamin C, which is why it’s known as the “master antioxidant”

  • Magnesium is involved in the functioning of more than 300 enzymes, and many people are deficient

  • The best supplements for you depend on your age, health status, diet and health goals

  • I mention a bonus supplement at the end of the article

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While dietary supplements cannot take the place of a healthy lifestyle, they can be used strategically to boost your health, especially in cases of deficiency. In the U.S., 57.6% of adults aged 20 and over use supplements, with multivitamins, vitamin D and omega-3 fats representing the top three.

Another survey put the percentage of Americans using supplements at 86%.

So, it’s safe to say that many people are interested in taking control of their health with the support of supplemental vitamins, minerals and other compounds. But, when it comes to supplements, more isn’t always better.

To ensure you’re using only supplements you need — avoiding wasting your money while maintaining your body’s balance — I recommend using dietary interventions first. Next, work with a holistic health care practitioner who can guide you on which supplements your body truly needs.

The best supplements for you depend on your age, health status and health goals. If having a practitioner guide you isn’t possible, essential supplements may be next on your list — and I’ve compiled the list in rank order of what I believe to be the most important ones.

Some of the most important individual variables you need to consider would be if you are plant-based or choose to eat animal products. While many plant-based diets are fundamentally healthy, they do lack some vital nutrients, like vitamin B12, retinol, vitamin K2, carnosine, carnitine, collagen and choline. If you are plant-based, you will certainly want to consider adding these to your regimen.

Molecular hydrogen acts as a selective antioxidant, meaning it doesn’t indiscriminately suppress free radicals. Rather, it’s unique in that it helps your body make its own endogenous antioxidants. This is important because excessive use of antioxidants can be counterproductive, while molecular hydrogen serves as a redox regulator.

The H2 molecule is the smallest in the universe, which allows it to diffuse through all cell membranes, including the blood-brain barrier and subcellular compartments, and into the mitochondria. According to Tyler LeBaron, Ph.D., it’s been shown to have therapeutic benefits in more than 170 different animal disease models.

While there’s no risk of overdosing on molecular hydrogen, intermittent exposure produces the best results.

Vitamin D has multiple actions on the immune system, including enhancing the production of antimicrobial peptides by immune cells, reducing damaging pro-inflammatory cytokines, and promoting the expression of anti-inflammatory cytokines.

A recent study found giving vitamin D to people with COVID-19 cut risk of death from SARS-CoV-2 by 51% and reduced risk of admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) by 72%.

Vitamin D also plays a role in heart disease, as it improves circulation and may be beneficial for high blood pressure. In addition, due to its effects on endothelial function, vitamin D may also help improve or prevent heart failure, heart attack, vasculopathy, stroke and diabetes.

Ideally, optimize your vitamin D levels via sensible sun exposure, as there are many benefits to sun exposure even aside from vitamin D, such as increasing mitochondrial melatonin by near infrared (IR) exposure.

My vitamin D level is typically between 80 and 100 and I haven’t taken any vitamin D supplements so you can get your levels high if you are disciplined about your sun exposure. Just be sure to make sure you are eating a very low linoleic acid (LA) diet as it is excessive omega-6 fats that virtually everyone consumes, that cause sun-induced skin cancers.

However, if getting healthy sun exposure simply isn’t an option for you due to your location or lifestyle, daily vitamin D3 supplementation of 8,000 to 10,000 units is likely needed to reach a vitamin D level of 60 to 80 ng/mL.

Data from GrassrootsHealth’s D*Action studies suggest the optimal level for health and disease prevention is between 60 ng/mL and 80 ng/mL, while the cutoff for sufficiency appears to be around 40 ng/mL. In Europe, the measurements you’re looking for are 150 to 200 nmol/L and 100 nmol/L respectively.

The only way to gauge whether you might need to supplement, and how much to take, however, is to get your level tested, ideally twice a year — in the early spring and early fall — when your level is at its low point and peak, respectively. Make sure that your supplemental vitamin D intake is balanced with other nutrients, including vitamin K2 (to avoid complications associated with excessive calcification in your arteries) and magnesium.

NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) is one of the most important biomolecules in your body. It’s involved in the conversion of food to energy, maintaining DNA integrity and ensuring proper cell function. Together, these functions help protect against or delay aging and virtually all chronic disease.

NAD+ also acts as fuel for longevity proteins called sirtuins. Sadly, NAD levels dramatically decline with age, contributing to aging and chronic disease states. NAD is also used up by DNA repair enzymes and enzymes involved in inflammation and immunity, such that chronic inflammation, or acute illness in old age, can rapidly result in depletion.

To restore NAD_, you need to fix the root cause for NAD+ depletion, which primarily involves addressing the decline in the NAD salvage pathway. By increasing enzymes in that pathway, which decline with age, your body can recycle NAD_ like it did naturally when it was younger. For more information, please review my fantastic interview with molecular biologist Nichola Conlon, Ph.D.

In addition to optimizing NAD+ levels, it also blocks lipolysis which is important if you are the more than 99% of the population that have elevated linoleic acid (LA) levels. Reducing the release of LA from your tissues will lower the amount of oxidative stress in in your body.

Niacinamide, like progesterone, inhibits the production of nitric oxide, and also like progesterone, it improves recovery from brain injury and also:

  • Helps lowers stress

  • Lowers harmful free fatty acids

  • Protects against scar formation

  • Helps brain injuries

  • Supports immune function

  • Improves mitochondrial function

  • Reduces serotonin formation and/or accelerates it’s elimination

  • Reduces lipolysis

  • Protects against pathogenic prostaglandins

  • Supports glucose oxidation

  • Inhibits excess nitric oxide formation

Niacinamide can also lower your triglycerides, which are a potent cardiovascular disease risk factor. It also has a direct anti-adrenaline effect and increases the oxidation of glucose which is your primary metabolic fuel.

The best way to supplement niacinamide is by taking a very low dose of 50 mg three times a day. This is an order of magnitude less expensive than taking NAD precursors like nicotinamide riboside or nicotinamide mononucleotide to increase NAD+ levels.

Please do NOT take high doses like 500 mg or even 1,000 mg, because taking more is not better and will be highly counterproductive as higher doses will impair your sirtuin longevity proteins.

You can purchase a niacinamide powder and take one-sixty-fourth of a teaspoon three times a day or take a 50 mg niacinamide tablet three times a day. Because a 50 mg niacinamide tablet currently is not being made commercially, we will be launching one very soon.

Vitamin B complex is important for your health because it’s involved in a wide range of bodily functions and processes including cell health and the growth of red blood cells, energy levels, eyesight, brain function, digestion and appetite, proper nerve function, hormones and cholesterol production, and cardiovascular health.

B vitamins have a direct impact on your energy levels, brain function and cell metabolism. Vitamin B complex help support or promote cell health, growth of red blood cells, energy levels, eyesight, brain function, digestion, appetite, proper nerve function, and cardiovascular health and may help prevent infections.

Vitamin B complex is also important for pregnant women as it helps to form the neural tube, which is the precursor to the baby’s brain and spinal cord. It also helps to prevent birth defects of the baby’s brain and spine. It is important to note that vitamin B complex is water-soluble, which means it is not stored in the body and needs to be taken more than once a day.

Magnesium is necessary for the healthy functioning of most cells, especially your heart, kidneys and muscles. It’s involved in the functioning of more than 300 enzymes,

and low levels of magnesium impede cellular metabolic function and deteriorate mitochondrial function.

Magnesium is also required for the activation of vitamin D, and deficiency may hamper your ability to convert vitamin D from sun exposure and/or oral supplementation. Unfortunately, deficiency is common and rarely diagnosed.

When it comes to oral supplementation, my personal preference is magnesium threonate, as it appears to be the most efficient at penetrating cell membranes, including your mitochondria and blood-brain barrier. Magnesium is also absorbed through your skin, so you can use a topical solution or take Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate) baths to increase your levels.

Vitamin E is a fat-soluble antioxidant that I believe is important for nearly everyone to take. Why? Because it limits the production of very dangerous free radicals from the metabolism of the omega-6 fat, linoleic acid (LA), which virtually everyone reading this has too much of. It does this by inhibiting lipolysis, or the release of the stored LA in your tissues.

While exercise and fasting are wonderful tools to improve your health, the downside is that virtually everyone has too much LA in their tissues and both of these strategies will increase lipolysis of LA stored in your tissue and produce loads of free radicals and oxidative stress.

Vitamin E not only can prevent oxidative stress from too much LA, but it may also help your body convert this dangerous fat to a non-dangerous saturated fat. Bacteria in your intestine can use vitamin E to saturate the LA. So, vitamin E can actually transform the polyunsaturated fat rather than just protect against it after effects.

Vitamin E is an aromatase inhibitor, which means it blocks the enzyme that converts androgens like testosterone to estrogen, which is useful in reducing the risk for many cancers, especially breast and prostate cancers. Not only does it prevent the production of estrogen, but it also detoxifies xenoestrogens from synthetic chemicals.

Vitamin E is an iron chelator and can also remove age spots or liver spots and scars on your skin if applied topically. It does this because it is an iron chelator. Another term for liver spots is lipofuscin, which is an accumulation of oxidized fats like LA and iron.

While cosmetically unattractive, removing lipofuscin spots is key because what you see on your skin is the tip of the iceberg. They are also in your tissues and organs and will contribute to premature aging. Thankfully, taking vitamin E orally seems to help lower lipofuscin levels. Vitamin E also lowers prolactin, which helps counteract high estrogen levels which tends to increase fertility. Finally, it also blocks adrenaline and reduces cortisol and inflammation.

All of these are major reasons why I am huge fan of vitamin E and believe most people would benefit by taking it. However, you just need to be very careful in selecting your vitamin E supplements as most on the market are counterproductive. Natural vitamin E is a family of eight different compounds: four tocopherols and four tocotrienols. If you eat certain wholesome foods, all eight of the different vitamin E compounds are naturally available.

So, please be careful and make sure to avoid all synthetic vitamin E supplements. You also want to make sure that it has no soy oil in it as soy is typically a GMO, loaded with glyphosate and high in LA.

Your vitamin supplement should have all tocopherols (alpha, beta, gamma and delta) with the majority of tocopherol as alpha. Similarly, it should have balance tocotrienols (alpha, beta, gamma and delta). The most common vitamin E supplement on the market is made from GMO soy, is synthetic and only has alpha tocopherol with no other isomers and has no tocotrienols. You definitely don’t want to use supplements like that.

Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that can strengthen your body’s natural defenses. It may reduce your risk of chronic disease, including protection against immune system deficiencies, cardiovascular disease, prenatal health problems, eye disease and even skin wrinkling.

Vitamin C plays an essential role in your body, particularly for skin and immune health. It also boosts collagen production and helps protect your skin from UV damage. Some research has found that supplementing with vitamin C can shorten the duration of a cold and may help prevent and treat other infections, such as tetanus and pneumonia.

There are basically two types of vitamin C: that derived from whole foods with all the vital and important micronutrients and synthetic ascorbic acid. They both are important and serve crucial biological roles.

The best of the synthetic ascorbic acid would by liposomal forms as they can more easily penetrate cell membranes, especially when needed in large doses as when treating an acute infection, sepsis or cancer. However, it is best to avoid taking synthetic ascorbic acid daily as this can impair copper utilization by your mitochondria.

It is better to take whole food vitamin C daily as this will support the integration of copper into the electron transport chain in your mitochondria and allow you to generate cellular energy more efficiently. Ideally this can be in the form of fruits that are high in vitamin C, like oranges, tangerines, amla (also known as gooseberry) and, my favorite, acerola cherries. It is best to take it a few times a day as vitamin C is water soluble.

If you don’t eat fermented foods on a regular basis, a probiotic supplement can be useful for maintaining your gut health and microbial diversity. Your gut microbiome affects nearly all your physiological systems, but gut microbial diversity decreases with age.

For each gram-per-day increase in the average national consumption of fermented vegetables, the mortality risk for COVID-19 decreased by 35.4% in one study.

Beneficial bacteria found in fermented foods may even be effective for suppressing colon cancer,

while your mental health is also affected.

One randomized controlled trial demonstrated that high-dose probiotic supplementation is beneficial for people with depression,

while Lactobacillus has been found to produce gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA), a neurotransmitter that inhibits excessive neuronal firing, helping to induce a natural state of calm,

in animal studies.

Omega-3 fats are important for brain health, warding off autoimmune disease

and decreasing mortality from cardiovascular disease, while also reducing heart attacks and coronary heart disease events.

An omega-3 index test is one of the most important annual health screens that everyone needs, and it’s a more important predictor of your heart disease risk than your cholesterol levels.

Even research supported by the National Institutes of Health suggests an omega-3 test is a good predictor of overall health and all-cause mortality.

The ideal sources for EPA and DHA omega-3s include cold-water fatty fish, like wild-caught Alaskan salmon, sardines, herring and anchovies. If you do not eat these fish on a regular basis, consider taking a krill oil supplement.

Fish oil is among the most popular supplements in the U.S. Globally, the fish oil market was valued at $1.9 million in 2019, with estimates suggesting this will rise to $2.8 million by 2027.

Many of these dollars may be wasted, however, due to a chemical process that leaves many fish oil supplements lacking in actual EPA and DHA.

The issue with most fish oil supplements is the chemical process used — trans-esterification — which transforms the oil into a synthetic product that’s far removed from the oil you’d get when eating fish or a high-quality cod liver oil.

When you eat fish or a high-quality cod liver oil, the omega-3 is in a triglyceride form. However, the omega-3s in most all fish oil supplements are in an ethyl ester which is essentially a synthetic substrate, created through the micro distillation process of crude fish oil, in which ethanol and/or industrial alcohol is added. This mix is heat distilled in a vacuum chamber, resulting in a concentrated omega-3 ethyl ester condensate.

The problem with ethyl esters is they’re the least bioavailable form of omega-3. Manufacturers could convert them back into the triglyceride form by detaching the ethyl alcohol molecule and reattaching a glycerol molecule in a process known as re-esterification,

but most don’t because it’s so costly.

Additionally, not only does this molecular distillation process remove vital resolvins and protectins that are important in reducing inflammation, but it also concentrates the EPA and DHA. You can tell the concentration of these two fats in any given supplement by looking at the label. In fish, the oil consists of 20% to 30% EPA and DHA, whereas purified fish oil concentrate typically contains between 60% and 85% EPA and DHA.

In my view it is best to avoid most omega-3 supplements as there are many dangers with them. Krill or a high-quality cod liver oil are some of the best choices I know of, but you must be careful here also, as most are very low quality and add synthetic vitamin A and D into the oil.

Krill oil stands out in this regard, however. It’s more bioavailable because the EPA and DHA are bound in a phospholipid form, allowing you to take lower doses while still reaping similar results. Research also suggests krill oil alleviates oxidative stress and iron accumulation, such that it could be used as a treatment for toxicity caused by iron overload.

I personally take teaspoon (about 5 grams) of glycine twice a day, in the morning and before bed. Glycine is an amino acid and is an important methyl-group donor. Methyl groups are found in DNA, where they play a role in cellular reactions. Glycine helps protect against intracellular calcium overload and hypoxia and has anti-inflammatory effects.

In addition to supporting brain function,

supplemental glycine may be useful for the “prevention and control of atherosclerosis, heart failure, angiogenesis associated with cancer or retinal disorders and a range of inflammation-driven syndromes, including metabolic syndrome.”

Importantly, glycine is also a glutathione precursor, discussed below. Ray Peat has shown that glycine is:

  • Anti-excitatory

  • Anti-stress

  • Anti-inflammatory

  • Anti-Serotonin

  • Anti-estrogenic

  • Improves learning & memory

  • Promotes recovery from strokes & seizures

  • Cell protective

  • Promotes wound healing

  • Inhibits tumor formation

  • Inhibits lipolysis

NAC, a form of the amino acid cysteine. It’s most well-known to help increase glutathione and reduce the acetaldehyde toxicity

that causes many hangover symptoms. Anyone who overdoses on acetaminophen (Tylenol) also receives large doses of NAC in the emergency room, as it helps prevent liver damage by increasing glutathione.

NAC can be combined with glycine (known as GlyNAC) for even more benefits. In a pilot trial of older adults, GlyNAC supplementation for 24 weeks corrected glutathione deficiency and improved multiple measures of health, including:

  • Mitochondrial dysfunction

  • Oxidative stress

  • Inflammation

  • Endothelial dysfunction

  • Insulin resistance

  • Genomic damage

  • Cognition

  • Strength

  • Gait speed

  • Exercise capacity

  • Body fat levels

  • Waist circumference

Quercetin, an antioxidant flavonol found in foods such as onions, apples, plums and green tea, is a natural antiviral

which helps drive zinc into the cells to stop viral replications. It also combats inflammation and works as a natural antihistamine. A number of studies have also shown quercetin, when used early, also lowers your risk of hospitalization and death from COVID-19,

and improves clinical outcomes.

Quercetin is one of the supplements I recommend keeping in your medicine chest for times when you feel you’re “coming down” with something, be it the common cold or influenza. This is because it helps drive zinc ions into your cells, which then serves to halt replication of the virus that you are infected with.

Like vitamin E, quercetin also chelates iron. Like niacinamide, it also increases NAD+ levels but through a different mechanism. Rather than serving as a substrate to make NAD+, it helps to activate the rate limiting enzyme in the NAD+ salvage pathway, NAMPT, thus increasing NAD+ levels. Finally, it can also help with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

If you are eating a plant-based diet or you do eat animal foods but are avoiding any organ meats, which are some of the most nutrient dense foods that we know of, then please seriously consider adding these supplements to your regimen.

Vitamin B12 is likely the most important nutrient that is missing from a plant-based diet and it is absolutely essential that you take it if you choose not to eat animal foods. Left undetected and unaddressed, a vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to fatigue, muscle weakness, intestinal issues, limited nerve development, mood disturbances and much more.

But it is not only vegetarians that can be deficient in this important B vitamin. There are three factors are involved in the widespread B12 deficiency we’re seeing today:

  • Many people don’t have enough stomach acidity due to lower levels of pepsin secretion to release the vitamin B12 from dietary proteins.

  • Factory-farmed meat and poultry (the most common types consumed today) contain lower levels of vitamin B12.

  • Insufficient production of intrinsic factor, a special protein, required for B12 to be absorbed in your small intestine may be the result of aging or an autoimmune condition.

Your body needs vitamin B12 to make red blood cells, maintain nerves, produce DNA and to carry out essential functions for your heart, arteries and veins, nervous system, brain and cognitive function. There’s no way you can enjoy optimal health without adequate B12 levels.

When you supplement with vitamin B12 be sure to choose the more biologically active, methylcobalamin, or “methyl B12,” is the most bioavailable and most absorbable form of vitamin B12. Avoid using the most common form of B12, cyanocobalamin.

Retinol, also known as Vitamin A, is a fat-soluble vitamin that is essential for many bodily functions, including vision, growth, cell division, reproduction and immunity. It is not to be confused with beta-carotene. Even though many nutritional labels conflate the two, they are completely different. Since many are unable to easily convert beta-carotene to vitamin A, it is important to make sure you are getting retinol not beta-carotene.

Vitamin A is necessary for producing hemoglobin, the protein in your red blood cells that transports oxygen. It is necessary to properly recycle and make copper available in your mitochondrial electron transport chain for energy production. It is also necessary for your body to produce two vitally important hormones, progesterone and pregnenolone and has ant-estrogenic properties. It is also helpful for male fertility.

One of the most important benefits of retinol would be to help your body’s immune system and natural defense against illness and infection to work optimally. It also works synergistically with vitamin D with many similar benefits. Also, like vitamin E, retinol has anti-estrogenic properties.

Retinol is responsible for making the pigments in your eye’s retina, improves your vision and promotes good night vision. It also can help protect against cancer. It likely also improves skin health and helps keep your skin moist, and may help reduce the risk of skin and other cancers. Doses are typically from 5,000 to 10,000 I.U.s.

Copper is an essential mineral that plays a vital role in many bodily functions, including the production of red blood cells, the absorption of iron and the maintenance of nerve cells. Most importantly, it is vital to the proper functioning of your mitochondria so you can generate enough ATP.

Copper and its master protein, ceruloplasmin, are instrumental for mitochondrial function. Ceruloplasmin is what drives the copper into the mitochondria, and each mitochondrion needs about 50,000 atoms of copper to do its work.

There are five cytochrome complexes embedded in your inner mitochondrial membranes. Their purpose is to shuttle electrons created from the food you eat that is ultimately converted to acetyl-CoA to produce ATP. If these complexes are deficient in copper, you will not be able to generate enough cellular energy.

Despite its bad rap, most people are deficient in copper. To raise your copper level, you could use a copper bisglycinate supplement (about 4 to 8 mg), or foods like grass fed beef liver, and whole food vitamin C that has the enzyme tyrosinase which is loaded with copper. For additional information please review my podcast with Morley Robbins.

Zinc plays many roles in your body. It is required for the healthy functioning of all your cells, tissues, organs and bones. Zinc is the second most abundant trace mineral in your body, coming in just after iron. It’s found in foods like beef, poultry, shellfish and mushrooms.

Zinc deficiency is not just an issue with vegetarians, but for those with GI and digestive disorders who can experience decreased zinc absorption. Those who eat seeds, grains, nuts and legumes that are loaded with phytates which can bind zinc and also prevent absorption, may also be deficient. Pregnant and nursing women require higher levels of zinc and those with excessive alcohol consumption also need extra zinc to metabolize the alcohol.

Researchers have discovered hundreds of ways zinc supports health in your body, and every year, they continue to discover more. In the last decade alone, there have been tens of thousands of studies investigating the roles zinc plays in promoting good health.

Zinc provides support for immune function, healthy cell growth, respiratory health and healthy metabolism. It also helps support brain health and healthy function of your taste, smell and vision.

One of the biggest challenges with zinc for people of any age is that zinc isn’t stored in your body, so you must consume the amount your body needs each and every day which is about 15 mg. If you are eating sufficient animal protein or organs, you should not need to supplement unless you are sick, as supplemental zinc can be quite useful to limit viral replication especially if taken with quercetin.

Vitamin K2 is needed to activate the protein osteocalcin, which is found in your bones. Without vitamin K2, this and other vitamin K2-dependent proteins remain inactivated, and cannot perform their biological functions.

Vitamin K2 also facilitates the transfer process of calcium from your arteries to your bone. Without it, your risk of arterial calcification increases. It does this by increasing the production of an important hormone for bone health, osteocalcin.

In one study, those who consumed foods with the highest amount of vitamin K2 were less likely to experience severe calcification in their arteries or less likely to die from heart disease over a seven- to 10-year period.

Vitamin K2 also works in tandem with vitamin D and magnesium. As a rule, if you have osteoporosis, heart disease or diabetes, you’re likely deficient in vitamin K2.

If you are eating fermented foods such as natto, or vegetables fermented using a starter culture of vitamin K2-producing bacteria, then you may not need to take a supplement. Certain cheeses such as Brie, Munster and gouda, are also particularly high in K2, as are grass fed organic animal products such as egg yolks, liver, butter and dairy.

Collagen, in addition to being rich in glycine, is well-known for its role in skin health, including helping mitigate age-related wrinkles.

It may also reduce joint pain and stiffness

while improving glucose tolerance

and high blood pressure.

My personal preference is to use a less denatured (unhydrolyzed) organic collagen supplement, as it has a more balanced amino acid profile or, better yet, simply boost your collagen intake by making homemade bone broth using bones and connective tissue from grass fed, organically raised animals.

Carnosine is a dipeptide composed of two amino acids: beta-alanine and histidine. It’s a potent antioxidant as it binds to advanced lipoxidation endproducts (ALEs) that are the result of oxidized seed oils in your diet. The highest concentrations of carnosine are found in your muscles and brain.

If you’re a vegetarian or vegan, you will have lower levels of carnosine in your muscles. This is one reason why many strict vegans who do not properly compensate for this and other nutritional deficiencies tend to have trouble building muscle. Eating beef is known to efficiently raise carnosine levels in your muscle,

which is why if you’re a vegetarian or vegan this supplement may be particularly important.

While methylene blue is clearly not a vitamin or mineral and is, in fact, the oldest known modern drug, I consider it an important and, in many cases, essential supplement for most because it is the best product out there to increase mitochondrial electron transport efficiency and your production of cellular energy currency or ATP. In simpler terms, most anyone who is fatigued or tired will benefit from using methylene blue.

Additionally, it is very inexpensive if you avoid buying it in foolish ways. If you purchase 1 ounce (25 grams) of the bulk powder it will last you over three years if you take 20 mg/day, which is a solid maintenance dose, but if you are tired you can easily double or triple that.

Twenty mg is a very small amount and is about half of one-sixty-fourth teaspoon. That would be a one-one hundred twenty-eighth teaspoon, but those are not available. Just be really careful, though, as methylene blue is a dye and will stain your countertop. It’s best to measure over a stainless-steel sink. A dose of 50 mg is best taken by putting one-sixty-fourth teaspoon into an empty gel cap, as it can irritate your mouth at higher concentrations.

The best time to take it is prior to near infrared (IR) exposure from a near IR sauna, a photobiomodulation panel or sun exposure. For more details about methylene blue be sure to view my interview with the leading researcher in the field, Francisco Lima-Gonzalez, Ph.D.

taking supplements users guide

When and how you take supplements — such as with or without food and in the morning or evening — can make a difference in their safety and effectiveness. For instance, fat-soluble vitamin K2 is best taken with your largest meal that contains fat, while magnesium, which helps your body relax, is best taken in the evening. In the infographic above, you can see a simple breakdown of some of the most common supplements and when it’s best to take them.

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Branch Chain Amino Acid Deficiency Linked to Autism?

bcaa deficiency linked to autism

  • Some cases of autism are caused by mutations in the branched chain ketoacid dehydrogenase kinase (BCKDK) gene; in those with BCKDK deficiency, BCAAs are broken down too quickly, leading to depletion

  • BCAA deficiency is linked to a neurodevelopmental disorder that includes autism, intellectual disability and microcephaly

  • In children with BCKDK deficiency, a high-protein diet and BCAA supplements led to significantly increased BCAA levels along with improvements or stabilizations in motor functions and head circumference in nearly all of the patients

  • None of the children who started treatment before the age of 2 developed autism; the youngest child was 8 months old when treatment began, and they had normal development at age 3

  • The researchers have called for adding BCKDK deficiency to newborn screening tests so BCAA supplementation could be started right away, potentially preventing autism development

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Some cases of autism are caused by mutations in the branched chain ketoacid dehydrogenase kinase (BCKDK) gene.

The BCKDK gene is involved in the metabolism of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs). In those with BCKDK deficiency, BCAAs are broken down too quickly, leading to depletion.

This, in turn, is linked to a neurodevelopmental disorder that includes autism, intellectual disability and microcephaly. Dietary changes, including supplementing with BCAAs, appears to be an effective treatment for some and, if started early, may even prevent autism from developing.

In 2012, researchers found that supplementing with BCAAs reversed some of the associated neurological characteristics in mice, and explained:

“By supplementing the diet of human cases with BCAAs, we have been able to normalize their plasma BCAA levels, which suggests that it may be possible to treat patients with mutations in BCKDK with BCAA supplementation.”

Joseph Gleeson, a professor with the University of California, San Diego, who was involved with the study, noted:

“In a 2012 study, we determined that mice with a mutation in BCKDK that are on a diet low in branched-chain amino acids have traits similar to those of autistic children; feeding the animals high levels of the amino acids eliminates the traits.

Supplementing the diets of autistic children who have a BCKDK mutation improved their behavior remarkably. One young woman became calmer and spoke in full sentences; another was more energetic and attentive.

Although mutations in BCKDK appear to be rare, metabolic problems in autism may not be. One clinical trial found that nearly 17 percent of autistic participants showed signs of unusual amino-acid metabolism.

And in 2012, researchers tied mutations in a gene involved in the synthesis of carnitine (a compound derived from an amino acid) to autism.

The genetic risk factor is present in 1 in 350 boys, only 2 to 4 percent of whom have autism. However, if a boy with autism carries this mutation, a readily available supplement might treat the underlying cause.”

A 2023 study provides even more framework for using BCAAs to improve traits, such as head circumference and motor skills, in those with BCKDK deficiency.

It used data from 21 children with BCKDK mutations, who were diagnosed with BCKDK deficiency when they were between 8 months and 16 years of age.

At the time of diagnosis, all the children had BCAA levels — including leucine, valine and isoleucine — below reference values in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid. All the children also had neurodevelopmental delays, including gross motor function impairment, intellectual disability, language impairment, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), epilepsy, clumsiness, hearing loss and/or feeding difficulties.

While none of the children had microcephaly at birth, 17 individuals developed it during the follow-up period.

The children were treated with a high-protein diet (all protein-containing foods contain BCAAs) and BCAA supplements, which led to significantly increased BCAA levels along with improvements or stabilizations in motor functions and head circumference in nearly all of the patients.

Further, none of the three children who started treatment before the age of 2 developed autism. The youngest child was 8 months old when treatment began, and they had normal development at age 3. “This work highlights the potential benefits of dietetic treatment, in particular early introduction of BCAA,” according to the study.

One of the best food sources of BCAAs is whey, which is rich in leucine. Grass fed beef and bison, organic, pastured eggs and grass fed dairy products are also good sources of BCAAs. The researchers have called for adding BCKDK deficiency to newborn screening tests. In the study, six of seven children with available newborn screening results had low amino acid levels.

“Those children starting treatment younger, when they were younger than 2 years of age, evolve much better than the others,” lead study author Ángeles García-Cazorla told Spectrum News. “There is really a window of treatment where you can reverse or improve the disease a lot.”

García-Cazorla informed Catalonia, Spain health officials in charge of newborn screenings about the study findings, and they added BCKDK deficiency to the screenings.

In the U.S., Spectrum News reported, “adding diseases to newborn screening can be a cumbersome and slow process. But many newborns already have their amino acid levels checked for another rare disease, maple syrup urine disease, [Gaia] Novarino [researcher on the 2012 study] notes. ‘So it should be a no-brainer to go ahead.’”

It’s interesting to note that vitamin B12 is also sometimes used as a treatment for autism, with studies showing it typically has positive effects on symptoms

such as expressive communication, daily living and coping social skills, sleep, gastrointestinal symptoms, hyperactivity, tantrums, vision, eye contact and more.

Vitamin B12 deficiency, meanwhile, may reduce the ability to metabolize BCAAs. In fact, a study on worms called Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) found a B12-deficient diet harms the worms’ health at a cellular level by altering BCAA metabolism: “The research showed that the reduced ability to break down BCAAs led to a toxic buildup of partially metabolized BCAA byproducts that damaged mitochondrial health.”

In a study of 57 children with autism, treatment with methyl B12 improved symptoms,

while vitamin B12 deficiency in children can mimic signs and symptoms of autism, sometimes leading to a misdiagnosis. For instance, vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to obsessive-compulsive behaviors, aloofness, withdrawal and problems with speech, language and comprehension in children.

Good food sources for vitamin B12 include:

  • Grass fed organic beef and beef liver

  • Lamb

  • Venison

  • Scallops

  • Organic, pastured chicken and eggs

  • Raw organic, grass fed milk

  • Nutritional yeast

Rates of autism continue to increase in the U.S., with the latest estimates showing 1 in 30, or 3.49%, of children ages 3 to 17 were diagnosed with ASD in 2020.

One factor underlying this surge could be mitochondrial health. In October 2020, a scientific review published in Seminars in Pediatric Neurology outlined evidence that mitochondrial function may be related to autism.

It was estimated in 2017 that about 4% of children with autism could be diagnosed with a definite mitochondrial disease, while other research suggested abnormalities of mitochondrial function could affect up to 80% of children with autism.

“Novel abnormalities” in mitochondrial function have been found in children with autism and treatments targeting mitochondrial dysfunction, such as L-carnitine supplementation and a ketogenic diet, have been found to be beneficial. Children whose autism is rooted in mitochondrial dysfunction will typically have a key set of symptoms that include:

  • Fatigability

  • Gastrointestinal disorders

  • Seizures and/or epilepsy

  • Motor delay and/or ataxia and/or muscle weakness

  • Unusual neurodevelopmental regression, including multiple regressions or regression later than commonly associated with ASD

The review’s author, Dr. Richard Frye with Barrow Neurological Institute at Phoenix Children’s Hospital in Arizona, pointed out that mitochondria are “very vulnerable to environmental factors” and a novel type of dysfunction of mitochondria “in which the activity of the electron transport chain is significantly increased … may be associated with environmental exposures.”

In 2010, the federal vaccine court conceded that Hannah Poling’s autism was the result of vaccinations, which “significantly aggravated an underlying mitochondrial disorder, which predisposed her to deficits in cellular energy metabolism, and manifested as a regressive encephalopathy with features of autism spectrum disorder.”

Environmental exposures, including to certain medications, are also likely involved. research, published in Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, suggests antidepressant drugs during pregnancy may play a role. The finding could have major implications for public health, considering that among pregnant women using antidepressants, 80% are prescribed antidepressant drugs known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).

The animal study revealed SSRIs may interact with inflammation in the mother’s body, producing a reaction that affects the maternal-fetal interface (MFI), which includes the decidua (a mucous membrane lining the uterus) and placenta, and ultimately the fetus’ developing brain.

Later in life, adult offspring whose mothers were exposed to inflammation during pregnancy had sex-based behavioral changes, including lessened communication and low interest in social interactions, mimicking those seen in people with autism.

“Moreover,” the researchers explained, “the combination of maternal inflammation in the presence of pharmacologic inhibition of serotonin reuptake further transformed MFI physiology and offspring neurobiology, impacting immune and serotonin signaling pathways alike.”

Even acetaminophen, brand name Tylenol, which many consider to be completely innocuous, is linked to autism when used during pregnancy. Compared to children of mothers with the lowest acetaminophen burden during pregnancy, children of those with the greatest acetaminophen burden had a 262% higher risk for ASD.

As noted by the authors, their findings “support previous studies regarding the association between prenatal and perinatal acetaminophen exposure and childhood neurodevelopmental risk.”

Exposure to glyphosate,

mercury, lead,

aluminum

and other chemicals, including phthalates

and air pollution,

has also been implicated in autism.

Another avenue being explored is that the gut plays an important role in the development of ASD. Gut dysfunction in autism may be due to mutations in genes found in both the gut and brain that affect neuronal communication and cause gut dysfunction.

Russian neurologist Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride believes brain toxicity stemming from gut toxicity, otherwise known as Gut and Psychology Syndrome (GAPS), is a key factor that sets the stage for autism, especially when vaccines are added into the mix. Having an imbalanced gut microbiome may also render children more susceptible to the adverse effects of environmental toxins.

Interestingly, BCAAs are also involved in regulating intestinal health and maintaining intestinal barrier function, while dietary supplementation with BCAAs promoted intestinal development and increased intestinal absorption of amino acids in animal studies,

pointing to another avenue of potential benefit of BCAAs to this complex condition.

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Knesset members introduce legislation to outlaw preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ in Israel – violators would face PRISON time

Image: Knesset members introduce legislation to outlaw preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ in Israel – violators would face PRISON time

(Natural News) It could soon become a crime in the state of Israel to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ to anyone who is not already a believer.

Two members of the United Torah Judaism Knesset, Moshe Gafni and Yaakov Asher, co-introduced legislation that would make it illegal to tell others about Yeshua Hamashiach, the penalty for such being one year in jail if the person is an adult and two years in jail if the person is a minor.

In years past, such a bill would have been easily rejected – and it has been, seeing as how Gafni, who is nearly 70 years old, has been introducing a version of this bill every year with no success since 1988 when he was first elected to the Knesset. This year, however, could be different.

Because the Israeli legislature is now controlled by Orthodox and ultra-Orthodox Jews, there is a greater chance than ever before, since Israel once again became a nation in 1948, for such a bill to actually get passed.

(Related: The state of Israel played a prominent role in the Wuhan coronavirus [Covid-19] “vaccine” scam.)

Israel losing American support the more anti-Christ it becomes

Writing for All Israel News, editor Joel C. Rosenberg explains in further detail how the 120-seat Knesset now has a majority who are likely in favor of prohibiting evangelical Christianity in the modern state of Israel.

“These members are far more aggressive in this legislative session than ever before in pushing for legislations to be passed that advance their theological worldview,” Rosenberg says.

If Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hopes to remain as such while advancing his other agenda items, including stopping the Iranian regime from building nuclear weapons, making peace with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, strengthening and expanding the Israeli economy as the United States economy slows, and passing sweeping judicial reforms, then he will likely have to sign off on the majority’s demands.

Brighteon.TV

At the same time, Netanyahu risks ostracizing evangelical Christian supporters of Israel, who are among the modern state’s most loyal supporters. If the average Christian turns on Israel, then Israel as it currently exists may cease to persist.

“Indeed, the current judicial reform movement raises further concerns for Evangelical and Messianic Jewish leaders,” Rosenberg warns, adding that even though many believe that such reforms are necessary to improve Israel’s flawed legal system, these same leaders worry about the passage of the Gafni-Asher anti-Christ legislation.

“… if the currently-proposed version of the ‘override clause’ also becomes law, then a simple majority of just 61 Knesset members would be able to cancel the High Court’s decision,” Rosenberg explains.

“That would enable the current Knesset to go forward with banning all forms of evangelism in Israel and would provide no legal recourse whatsoever to Jewish and Gentile people – Israelis or foreigners – who love Jesus and want to tell others about Him.”

While most evangelical Republicans, eight in 10, support Israel, support among Democrats and Independents is waning. If the new legislation passes to outlaw Christianity, support for Israel among all groups is expected to plummet.

“This is why the Jews will have to go through the Time of Jacob’s Trouble, during which, as Zachariah says, at the end of this seven-year period, they will cry out for their Messiah and will mourn Him who is pieced, Jesus,” wrote one commenter about this shocking new development.

“Israel should be careful what they vote for,” added another. “Their rejection of their Messiah 2,000 years ago led to 2,000 years of exile among the nations. Do they really want to follow their fathers in the same foolishness?”

More stories like this one can be found at Prophecy.news.

Sources for this article include:

Infowars.com

NaturalNews.com

AllIsrael.com

Michael Boldin discusses the ways people can stop unconstitutional acts

Image: Michael Boldin discusses the ways people can stop unconstitutional acts

(Natural News) According to “Path to Liberty” host Michael Boldin, there are three ways for people to stop unconstitutional acts.

The first thing people can do is demand public officials to stop doing the wrong things. However, Boldin said this strategy is bound to fail.

“Those people are [just] doing the right thing at that moment, or because it’s politically important for them because there’s such an outcry about such an issue. [But] as long as they still have the power to do the wrong thing, then you’re in – as St. George Tucker puts it – a state of slavery,” he said.

Boldin, the founder and executive director of the Tenth Amendment Center (TAC), also referenced Founding Father John Dickinson, who said free people are “those who live under a government so constitutionally checked and controlled, that proper provision is made against its being otherwise exercised.”

The second action that people do is file a federal lawsuit, with the hope that federal judges will limit government power. However, Boldin mentioned that there are problems with this approach as well. The third action that people do, he added, is try to vote the “bums” out with the hope that the new set of people voted in will use their newfound power properly.

The TAC founder pointed out that these three actions – calling out the government, filing a lawsuit in federal court and using the ballot – form part of the whole structure and should not be downplayed. However, he warned against using either of these three as their primary or sole approach.

Brighteon.TV

People’s sovereignty supersedes bad government

Quoting Dickinson, Boldin said a good constitution cannot guarantee that people will have a good government. The best it can do, he added, is to promote good government. (Related: America Unhinged: Americans must use Constitution to keep government under control – Brighteon.TV.)

When a nation has a bad administration, exercising the people’s supreme sovereignty is the only thing that must be done. He also quoted former Supreme Court Justice James Iredell, who said people resisting government the moment it usurps powers not delegated is the way to keep it in check. This response relies on people who understand the Constitution and want it enforced, Boldin added.

According to the “Path to Liberty” host, the American system is based on power from We The People. “All governments are just emanations of a delegation of power from the people,” he said.

When the government does things it is not authorized to do, it is tantamount to usurpation and theft of sovereign power.

Boldin ultimately remarked that it is not about asking the government to stop doing unconstitutional things. Rather, it is about stopping government when it tries to do or always does the wrong thing. He added that free people do not beg, ask and demand freedom – they take it instead.

Watch the full “Path to Liberty” segment below where Michael Boldin explains how to respond to the unconstitutional actions of the government.

This video is from the Tenth Amendment Center channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

America Unhinged: Slavery does not exist in the US Constitution – Brighteon.TV.

Critical Disclosure with James White: There’s no need to amend the Constitution, says Robert Brown – Brighteon.TV.

General Flynn urges pastors to defend the Constitution from the pulpit – Brighteon.TV.

Constitutional scholar David Jose: Americans have power over their government – Brighteon.TV.

Sheriff Mack shares miracles that led him to be a defender of the Constitution – Brighteon.TV.

Sources include:

Brighteon.com

CoastToCoast AM.com

Biography.com

Russia and China pledge friendship, denounce the West

Image: Russia and China pledge friendship, denounce the West

(Natural News) Chinese President Xi Jinping promised Russian President Vladimir Putin that significant changes are coming at the conclusion of the latter’s state visit that had both nations denouncing the United States and the West.

This occurred at the end of Xi and Putin’s three-day meeting in Moscow, with the Chinese leader informing his Russian counterpart that their nations have become the main drivers of geopolitical change around the world. (Related: UN secretary-general warns: World is heading toward “wider war” due to escalating conflict in Ukraine.)

“Right now, there are changes – the likes of which we haven’t seen for 100 years – and we are the ones driving these changes together,” Xi told Putin through a translator as he and the Russian president stood at the door of the Kremlin saying their goodbyes.

“Please take care, dear friend,” Xi said, shaking Putin’s hand.

Before this ominous departure, Putin and Xi pledged to strengthen their special “no limits” friendship. They also jointly denounced the U.S. and the West as they strive to create an alternative power structure to American attempts to create a “unipolar world” controlled by Washington, D.C.

“We are working in solidarity on the formation of a more just and democratic multipolar world order, which should be based on the central role of the United Nations, its Security Council, international law, the purposes and principles of the UN Charter,” said Putin.

The two nations also discussed their “serious concerns” about American nuclear weapons and bio-military activities. In a statement signed by Xi and Putin, they requested that the U.S. clarifies its position regarding the use of nuclear and biological weapons, step up efforts to destroy chemical weapons stashes and refrain from actions that violate the Biological Weapons Convention.

Brighteon.TV

Washington dismissive of brewing Moscow-Beijing alliance

Commenting on the meeting between Xi and Putin, the White House said China is not impartial to Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine. Washington is urging Beijing to pressure Moscow into withdrawing from Ukraine’s internationally recognized borders to end Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War II.

The U.S. has also expressed disdain over China’s peace proposal for the conflict in Ukraine, claiming that such a ceasefire would lock in Russian territorial gains in eastern and southern Ukraine and give the Russian Armed Forces too much leverage over Kyiv.

China has not responded to the White House’s entreaties. But as Xi left Moscow, Ukraine faced a new series of Russian drone strikes that damaged military infrastructure across the country.

“The world should not be fooled by any tactical move by Russia, supported by China or any other country, to freeze the war on its own terms,” claimed Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

Putin, meanwhile, said in a joint press conference near the end of Xi’s state visit at the Kremlin that Beijing’s peace plan “correlates to the point of view of the Russian Federation.”

Learn more about the rising tension between the U.S. and Russia and China at WWIII.news.

Watch this episode of “Judging Freedom” as Judge Andrew Napolitano and retired Army Col. Doug Macgregor discuss Xi and Putin’s meeting and what this means for Ukraine.

This video is from the What Is Happening channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Kentucky Democrat: Voters are sick of seeing their taxes go to Ukraine; intellectually bankrupt officials are making nuclear war a reality.

National security advisor: China providing weapons to Russia a “real mistake.”

China offers to join forces with Russia to “defend national interests” as Xi’s Moscow visit confirmed.

Putin suspends nuclear treaty with the US as Biden pledges more American taxpayer aid and weapons to Ukraine.

Concerns rise that US is depleting war stocks in Ukraine as China prepares for war over Taiwan.

Sources include:

DailyMail.co.uk

Reuters.com

AlJazeera.com

NBCNews.com

SCMP.com

Independent.co.uk

Brighteon.com