@Quap555 - this is a post I made before:
https://www.canadianbrawn.com/threads/protection-on-a-budget.11983/#post-274575
Keeping cost in mind considering our PM, and not using high doses of test (only) - this won't cover all the supplements I prefer but if you want to keep the overall amount within reason the following are some of the supplements I like:
1. Fish oil - Carleson's is my favourite but it more expensive. You can find other brands that have decent EPA and DHA content. Fish oil helps thin your blood, is great for your blood pressure, inflammation (helps with pain) and may help balance out your lipids.
2. Nigella Sativa / Black Seed Oil - known as the wonder herb and works very well for many, as good as some script meds, for blood pressure. I prefer Life Extensions brand and a bottle is not expensive. It is also known to have antioxidant properties and anti-inflammatory properties.
3. NAC - if money is an option, for your liver health and an antioxidant, this is less expensive than SAMe. I won't get into SAMe due to the cost but if you do use it the Vitacost brand out of the US is very reasonable. There is also conflicting evidence NAC may help protect your kidneys against some toxins.
4. Astragalus - good for the kidneys, a great adaptogen for dealing with stress, and good for the immune system. A NOW brand bottle at Vitacost was around $7 dollars.
5. Melatonin - one of the strongest antioxidants and outperformed NAC and high dose vitamin E for liver toxicity. Some people are worried about taking it long term and then stopping and your body not producing natural melatonin but I have never experienced this. It isn't expensive and I prefer the dual action 10 mg pills - they are delayed release to take at night. Half is released right away and the other hours later.
6. You can go to any grocery store and buy fresh ginger. Cut off a chunk, peel it, and eat it. In studies, fresh offered more benefits than powdered but powdered ginger you may have in the kitchen is good too. It is known as an excellent anti-inflammatory and again protects the liver from toxic substances. In the health section you can find multiple studies I posted for most of these products.
7. Extra virgin olive oil - good for heart health and a healthy source of fats. You probably have some in the kitchen now. Many people take a tablespoon a day but someone posted a recent study showing less had more benefits than a tablespoon. I would have to read it again but you will find it in the health section.
8. If you have a well and quality water - drinking adequate amounts help the body filter out toxins and can help with higher hemocrit and hemoglobin.
9. Curcumin is more expensive than turmeric but turmeric contains a fair amount of curcumin in it. If you want to save money, take a tablespoon of turmeric, you need piperine as the oral bioavailability is low and black pepper is loaded with piperine. Black pepper is also an antioxidant/anti-inflammatory and was referred to as the perfect food by monks(their words/not mine). I add in 10-12 pepper corns to the mix, and mix in a few teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil to clump it all up so it can fit on a spoon. Turmeric stains everything including your teeth so I try to throw it back and wash it down with water quickly. This is not a requirement but it can help with BP, is great for inflammation, and a general antioxidant. I say not a requirement because you may already be using ginger and fish oil.
We can all get carried away with so many supplements and there are many more I like but don't take all the time - I cycle them for months and then change. If you have a good diet you should get adequate amounts of vitamin C, E, etc. from your diet.
Not sure if you like avocados but they have a fair amount of calories, healthy fats, and have been proven to protect your liver. If I appear to have an emphasis on liver that is because I tried so many supplements as I had a liver issue previously. Regardless, I eat an avocado a day for overall health.
Your not taking orals or harsh injectables so you can pick and choose but two of the best things you can do for yourself is control inflammation and keep your glutathione high. NAC/SAMe will do this if your glutathione is depleted. Do not take oral glutathione - the oral bioavailability is terrible.
Last comment - one of the better products (opinion) is Genuine Health Greens Detox. You take a scoop a day and mix it or just wash it down. If you didn't want to take any of the aforementioned items, this is a product that contains a lot of 'superfoods' if there is such a thing' and some other great supplements like phosphatidyl choline which is an amazing liver product. Probably the closest study to humans on liver health, albeit cruel, was done with baboons. Turned them all into alcoholics and half were given a choline rich diet and all those baboons lived, the rest developed cirrhosis and died. It is the most abundant supplement in the mix if I recall correct.
Sorry for the long write up but it really is a personal choice depending on how much protection you feel you need and can afford.
Hope this helps and is opinion based only.
