Which vitamin/supplement is responsible for my intense itching?

[Peleke4]

For the past few days, I've had the worst itching ever... as if I got completely naked and rolled around in poison ivy. The itching was so bad I literally couldn't sleep. The vitamins and supplements must be the culprit(s). Since last July 17, I started the following regimen:

*Piracetam
*DMAE
*Niacin 500 mg (flush free) once a day
*Beta Carotene 25,000IU once a day
*Vitamin C 500mg twice daily
*Vitamin E 400 I.U. twice daily
*Gingko Biloba 60mg three times daily
*Alpha Lipoic Acid 300 mg once a day
*Omega-3 once daily (consists of 180mg of EPA and 120 mg of DHA)
*Biotin 1000mcg once daily

After checking out online resources, I stopped the Niacin and Beta Carotene two days ago. However, the itching still persists and I'm itching to put an end to it. I've been using OTC Hydrocortisone w/ little relief.

If Niacin and Beta Carotene are indeed the culprits, is it normal for itching as a side effect to creep up on you almost one month later? I haven't had any significant changes in my lifestyle so it has to be the vitamins/supplements. Thanks!

[Strangemagik]

I would suggest stopping them all and adding them one at a time to see.

Remember it could also be ingredients in the capsules themselves too. Also dyes can cause prolems.

The classic allergy test would be elminate them all. If you still have itching after that check other things like new detergent and stuff. I'd be more apt to say its your detergent or something else.

[escapee]

This may not be related to skin allergy but i see that you're still taking antioxdants so I seriously think the following may be of your interest .


The antioxidant myth: a medical fairy tale - health - 05 August 2006 - New Scientist

There is even some evidence that vitamin E supplements can be harmful. Last year, a team led by Edgar Miller of the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions in Baltimore made headline news when they amalgamated the results of 19 separate trials and concluded that high doses of vitamin E increase overall mortality

Vitamin C is another disappointment. "People are still trying to defend it, but you don't get an effect on free radical damage unless you start with people with a vitamin C deficiency," says Halliwell. "I think it is a lost cause." In fact, results from a vast US trial probing the links between diet and health, called the Women's Health Study, suggest that vitamin C supplements may accelerate atherosclerosis in some people with diabetes.

The conclusion is becoming clear: whatever is behind the health benefits of a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, you cannot reproduce it by taking purified extracts or vitamin supplements. "Just because a food with a certain compound in it is beneficial, it does not mean a nutraceutical [with the same compound in] is," said Paul Coates, who works in the Office of Dietary Supplements at NIH.

[escapee]

The omega 3 "derivatives" may be responsible for the skin allergy but i could be wrong.

Check out the folks below who had severe skin allergy taking Fish oil. One of the reason is that human skin contains virtually no Omega 3 not to even mention the derivatives. Taking Fish oil for long term will eventually overcrowd the omega 6 and causes problem on body part that needs N-6 the most (eg : skin) . The reverse is also true for those who consume evening primrose oil exclusively for long term.

Fish Oil use and skin breakouts?

Has anyone noticed a greater susceptability to skin breakouts when taking Fish Oil?

YES!!! I thought I was the only one. I also had the problem when I substituted flax seed oil. I'm not sure that I actually have more breakouts, but the eruptions I do get are more cyst like. They're under the surface so they don't look horrible but they hurt. I take a minimal amount of fish oil because of this even though I probably need a lot more.

I stopped and started taking fish oil twice. Then I took it a month straight, two to three capsules a day. By the end of the month, I could only figure that the worst breakout I’d had in many years had to be caused by the fish oil. It took weeks to get over. I tried it one more time to test it; this time I broke out by the second day. I took it two more days to be sure, and was sorry I did. Those two days complicated the breakout. It seems the more times I took it, the faster my breakout response.

Omega 3 and 6 are like the YING AND YANG of essential nutrient. One thin the blood (so it flows faster ) and another one seals the wound as needed so you would not bleed to death. You cannot have just one at the same time. GOOD LUCK

[munish]

Whole food nutritional supplements offer better health benefits than isolated vitamins and minerals

Originally Posted by Peleke4

For the past few days, I've had the worst itching ever... as if I got completely naked and rolled around in poison ivy. The itching was so bad I literally couldn't sleep. The vitamins and supplements must be the culprit(s). Since last July 17, I started the following regimen:

*Piracetam
*DMAE
*Niacin 500 mg (flush free) once a day
*Beta Carotene 25,000IU once a day
*Vitamin C 500mg twice daily
*Vitamin E 400 I.U. twice daily
*Gingko Biloba 60mg three times daily
*Alpha Lipoic Acid 300 mg once a day
*Omega-3 once daily (consists of 180mg of EPA and 120 mg of DHA)
*Biotin 1000mcg once daily

After checking out online resources, I stopped the Niacin and Beta Carotene two days ago. However, the itching still persists and I'm itching to put an end to it. I've been using OTC Hydrocortisone w/ little relief.

If Niacin and Beta Carotene are indeed the culprits, is it normal for itching as a side effect to creep up on you almost one month later? I haven't had any significant changes in my lifestyle so it has to be the vitamins/supplements. Thanks!

[munish]

NewsTarget readers demand retractions from major media outlets over erroneous reporting of antioxidant study

Originally Posted by escapee

This may not be related to skin allergy but i see that you're still taking antioxdants so I seriously think the following may be of your interest .


The antioxidant myth: a medical fairy tale - health - 05 August 2006 - New Scientist

[escapee]

I will take a green apple over the pills anytime.

A new study has found that cereal fortified with vitamin E has a very high rate of absorption into the bloodstream, whereas pills taken separately with the same food have inconsistent effects, and taking the supplements alone is largely useless. The research was just published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition by scientists from the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University.From Oregon State University:STUDY FINDS HUGE VARIABILITY IN VITAMIN E ABSORPTION

CORVALLIS - A new study has found that cereal fortified with vitamin E has a very high rate of absorption into the bloodstream, whereas pills taken separately with the same food have inconsistent effects, and taking the supplements alone is largely useless.

Vitamin E supplements 'useless' unless taken with food | Science Blog


REAL FOOD High FAT high protein nuts reduce Heart disease significantly

Frequent nut consumption and risk of coronary heart disease in women: prospective cohort study -- Hu et al. 317 (7169): 1341 -- BMJ

Frequent nut consumption was associated with a reduced risk of both fatal coronary heart disease and non-fatal myocardial infarction. These data, and those from other epidemiological and clinical studies, support a role for nuts in reducing the risk of coronary heart disease.

[glock20]

Well I just googled Piracetam & itching and I found you...I then signed up for this website so I could reply. The only items I have in common with your regimen are fish oil (I average 400 DHA a day for a year), DMAE (I started taking 390 a day-- one month ago) and Piracetam (1440 a day for 6 days). Now at night I feel an itching on my arms only. I hope we've found the culprit. how much Piracetam are you on daily? Did it evermake you smarter? I have been in a fog for three weeks since starting Tyrosine/DMAE/ ALCAR / GINKGO / PS. So I'm quitting them all except Piracetam--wish me luck.

[Peleke4]

Originally Posted by glock20

Well I just googled Piracetam & itching and I found you...I then signed up for this website so I could reply. The only items I have in common with your regimen are fish oil (I average 400 DHA a day for a year), DMAE (I started taking 390 a day-- one month ago) and Piracetam (1440 a day for 6 days). Now at night I feel an itching on my arms only. I hope we've found the culprit. how much Piracetam are you on daily? Did it evermake you smarter? I have been in a fog for three weeks since starting Tyrosine/DMAE/ ALCAR / GINKGO / PS. So I'm quitting them all except Piracetam--wish me luck.

I take about 2000mgs of piracetam with 500 mgs of alpha-gpc twice daily. I discontinued everything else. I still have slight itching, not nearly as intense though. I plan to start taking supplements all over again, two supplements at a time for two weeks. If no itching, then I'll add another two supplements. I'm really curious as to what caused it. I'll update the results.

[glock20]

Originally Posted by Peleke4

I take about 2000mgs of piracetam with 500 mgs of alpha-gpc twice daily. I discontinued everything else. I still have slight itching, not nearly as intense though. I plan to start taking supplements all over again, two supplements at a time for two weeks. If no itching, then I'll add another two supplements. I'm really curious as to what caused it. I'll update the results.

So you're at 4000 piracetam per day +Alpha GPC? Did you work up to that dose over the month, or did you do a shock dose?
Did you go through a foggy stage with the Ginkgo and DMAE stack?

Sorry for the questions but I started out light on everything and have just been in a fog and sleepy for the past 30 days. I feel like I've paid to reduce my brain to 81%!!!

[Livgivare]

Cut the doses off, they seem to be too hich at some part, at least if you are eating fruits and vegables at a regular basis. Go and see a nutritionist about this or a doctor that know much about what things contains. And talk to the doctor/nutritionist about a new sort of diet.

Love Leelene

[HumbleDee]

The one that I have encountered to cause itching is Vitamin C. My friends took those and he was itching all over the place. I told him to stop and he wasn't itching after several days. You should consult with your GP when taking a cocktail of supplement like that. People have different reaction to higher dosage of these supplements.

[Peleke4]

Originally Posted by glock20

So you're at 4000 piracetam per day +Alpha GPC? Did you work up to that dose over the month, or did you do a shock dose?
Did you go through a foggy stage with the Ginkgo and DMAE stack?

Sorry for the questions but I started out light on everything and have just been in a fog and sleepy for the past 30 days. I feel like I've paid to reduce my brain to 81%!!!

For about two weeks, I took piracetam 3X daily for a total of 8000mgs. I used Aniracetam for about a week and felt cloudy; went away when I discontinued. I feel the Ginkgo, DMAE had no bearing on fogginess, but that's me.
So far, the ONLY thing I noticed were my dreams. Piracetam induces vivid dreams for some reason. As far as mental clarity, sharpness, etc., I haven't noticed much of anything.