Using Micronutrients and Medications
The short answer is yes – if you follow the guidelines we give! We encourage all individuals who are currently taking medications to work closely with their doctor, because all medication levels should be monitored while using Daily Essential Nutrients. The main reason is that people who take Daily Essential Nutrients have a reduced need for most medications over time – especially psychiatric medications. As the nutrients begin to normalize body chemistry, people feel over-medicated until they reduce their psychiatric medication doses.
In his comprehensive review of micronutrient therapy in psychiatry, published in the peer-reviewed journal Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America in 2014, Dr. Charles Popper of Harvard University’s McLean Hospital discussed among other things the interplay between micronutrients and conventional medications.
One of the things he considered “particularly impressive in reviewing the reports on broad-spectrum micronutrient effects on mood disorders” was “the ability of most patients to discontinue their previous psychiatric medications entirely or at least reduce their doses.”
On the other hand, he identified as one of the “disadvantages of this treatment” that “drug-nutrient interactions are a challenge to patients when transitioning from conventional medications to [micronutrients]…” He clarified further by saying that the transition away from medications can be especially difficult “if withdrawal syndromes result from tapering of long-term treatments with benzodiazepines, SSRIs, or some antipsychotic agents” and he asserted that most physicians “need consultation or training when learning to conduct these transitions” beyond their standard, formal education.
At Hardy Nutritionals®, we have had enough feedback from doctors and patients using our micronutrients to know exactly what Dr. Popper is talking about, but the concept of drug-nutrient interactions is neither new nor alarming. It is well-known that significant diet changes can create a need to adjust medication dosing, and even simply eating a grapefruit can throw an otherwise well-dosed medication out of whack.
Our experience is that while Daily Essential Nutrients can initially be taken safely with most medications, both you and your doctor should expect that most types of medications will need to be adjusted or gradually eliminated while using Daily Essential Nutrients. An optimally functioning, healthy body has no need for medications, so it should be no surprise that using a natural intervention as powerful and comprehensive as Daily Essential Nutrients might eliminate the need for certain medications or at least require dose reductions.
If you are taking any medication of any kind, it is strongly recommended that you are monitored by a physician who is familiar with micronutrient therapy and the medications that you are taking. The knowledgeable Product Specialists and scientists at Hardy Nutritionals® can direct both you and your doctor to resources that can help.
If you are taking medications, frequently review their potential side effects, using a resource such as Drugs.com, RxList.com, or WebMD.com. As your body responds to the nutrients, you may need less medication; increased side effects may indicate that medications need to be reduced. We strongly recommend that you consult with your doctor when altering your treatment regimen and before adjusting your medication dosing.
Nutrient-drug interactions vary widely, but as a general rule over medication will cause an increase in the severity, the frequency, or the number of the side effects of the drug. If your medication side-effects increase in severity or frequency this is an indicator that the medication dose should be reduced.
Published lists of the side effects, interactions, and warnings for almost any drug can be found on a simple, user-friendly online database such as Drugs.com, RxList.com, or WebMD.com.
Adding a probiotic and prebiotic combination (such as Hardy Nutritionals Greens & Probiotics) during antibiotic treatment and for one to two weeks after completion is also recommended.
If an individual has a history of fungal or microbial infections a strong anti-fungal agent (such as Hardy Nutritionals Olive Leaf Extract or a prescription if warranted) is recommended for the duration of antibiotic treatment and for a short time thereafter.
(1) Ly D, DeLisi LE. Can antibiotics cause a psychosis?: Case report and review of the literature. Schizophr Res. 2017 Nov;189:204-207. PubMed PMID: 28185785.
This journey can feel a bit rocky at times, but educating yourself will help immensely to make your way smoother. Always remember that many others have travelled this road before you and that they have found a very fulfilling and productive life after mental illness by providing their bodies with the nourishing essential nutrients they need.
Reducing medications in the right way is essential to your success when you are taking Daily Essential Nutrients.
In addition to the obvious case of psychiatric medications, many other drugs, recreational substances, and certain herbal preparations all have psychoactive effects. Alcohol, recreational drugs, caffeine, and even certain types of over-the-counter cold & flu antihistamines can be mood and mind altering, and their use should be minimized or eliminated during micronutrient therapy. General anesthesia and many pain killers also have psychotropic effects, and should be used judiciously if at all.
Finally, oral contraceptives and hormone replacement therapy may create mood swings in spite of the mood-stabilizing effects of Daily Essential Nutrients.
Anti-nutritional medications include oral antibiotics and antacids. Both reduce the body’s ability to extract nutrients from food by interfering with either acidic digestion or microbial digestion, and therefore a higher dose of Daily Essential Nutrients may be necessary if you are taking antacids or antibiotics.
Examples of medication interactions with a specific ingredient in Daily Essential Nutrients include folate interacting with certain cancer medications, iodine with certain thyroid medications, and vitamin K with certain anticoagulant medications. Such problems can usually be managed by appropriately adjusting the dose of the medication. Consult with a physician trained in micronutrient therapy before taking any medications simultaneously with Daily Essential Nutrients.
Based on published research, our own extensive experience, and feedback from healthcare professionals who have worked with thousands of people like you, we have compiled detailed clinical reference materials to help your doctor understand how to help you transition safely from psychiatric medications to Daily Essential Nutrients.
We have helped thousands successfully introduce our nutrients to their diets and simultaneously wean off their medications. We are happy to answer any questions you or your health professional might have about this.
You or your doctor are welcome to reach us toll free in the USA or Canada at 1-855-955-1110. For overseas or international calls use 1-587-271-1110. We are open from Monday to Friday 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Mountain Standard Time (MST). We look forward to hearing from you.