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Bibi's avatar

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I love when you write the way you do! I remember you said that sometimes you take up to 30mg Melatonin. How do you decide when you will take 30mg or less.? Does it go by height/weight ratio.? Also, i read that metaformin has some toxicity and that berberine might be better although they work slightly differently..what do you think? Can we use berberine and/or metaformin interchangeably or just metformin?

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Moriarty's avatar

I have a very specific circumstance, but whenever I feel inflammation, my stomach acting up, too much nerve or muscle pain, bur especially any sort of infection I go higher, otherwise I stay in my normal dose (10 mg but I also take tryptophan).

Some people do the height/weight ratio but I don't, I take what I feel it is needed, rarely 60 mgs.

Metformin has no toxicity BUT it will deplete/impair the absorption of some B vitamins long term which can be easily remediated by just supplementing the B vitamins, but for most Americans Berberine is a better and easier (and cheaper) choice.

Whenever you read me talking about metformin you can instantly substitute for berberine, it is almost a perfect analogue to metformin.

You can take it interchangeably, but I would rather you just take Berberine unless there is something unique of Metformin that you want (there are very few things one does that the other don't).

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Bibi's avatar

Thank you. All noted and learned by heart.

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Jim H's avatar

Good call John Paul! (that has a nice ring to it)

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33670363/

Viruses

. 2021 Feb 11;13(2):282. doi: 10.3390/v13020282.

Berberine and Obatoclax Inhibit SARS-Cov-2 Replication in Primary Human Nasal Epithelial Cells In Vitro

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Penguin123's avatar

Thank you from someone with vaccine-induced long COVID. I’m going to inquire about metformin

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Moriarty's avatar

I have a lot written about it I will link it all together tomorrow most likely. Berberine is a better choice and easier to get if you are American or European.

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Johnny Lomax's avatar

Berberine also very easy to acquire in Aus. Metformin requires Drs prescription.

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Becky's avatar

I used to be able to take NAC with no problem, but now it gives me an unbelievable stomach ache. Why would that start to happen?

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Moriarty's avatar

Are you taking it on a empty stomach?

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Becky's avatar

Yes, thought it was supposed to be (as amino acids are generally recommended)

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Moriarty's avatar

It is more about the absorption rate than efficacy I have huge disagreements with the bioavailability "science" from personal experience and hundreds of people I came to help as years went by.

Some will act much faster and better, and would be preferably taken on a empty stomach, such as tryptophan or melatonin.

NAC on a empty stomach can be pretty hard because the A, Acetyl is a known gastric acid agonist, it will make you produce more acid and some people won't do well on that (I am one of these). Hope this helps and clarifies things.

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Becky's avatar

Got it, thanks!

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Martha's avatar

I thought it was best to take NAC on an empty stomach. Are you saying it should be taken with food?

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Moriarty's avatar

For some people absolutely, and this "taking X on a empty stomach" is kinda bogus for a LOT of things. Just makes absorption faster most of the times.

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Beenz's avatar

Reckon it could be a dodgy brand of NAC? Or has it gone bad? But I think if it goes 'bad' it becomes Di-NAC which is better. Or maybe its reacting to something else you take? I know I feel nauseous with 1.5mg of melatonin.

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Bibi's avatar

I thought you liked glycine? No?

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Moriarty's avatar

Glycine+NAC for synergy and potentializing effects of each other, yes 😁

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