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• Vitamins what is the newest and latest advice?
• Posted: 2008-09-15 12:54:22 By Liz J
• Could someone tell me what vitamins you are suppose to take? I was told to take 25000 iu of beta carotene, DHA, lutein, 800 iu of Vitamin E and 1000 Vitamin C but I've told of recent vitamin E is not good in 800 IUs so am concerned and 25000 of beta carotene seems high? Was not recommended Vitamin A palmitate 15000 ius? Not recommended anymore? Liz
  

• Posted: 2008-09-15 23:27:35 By Beth M
• Hi Liz,
  From what I've read the study on vit. E was based on a daily 400 IU supplement. It showed to speed up the progression of RP in some of the subjects.
  Do a google or yahoo search with RP and vitamen E in the search engine. It should pull it up.
  I haven't done any research on the others you mentioned, but that does seem to be an aweful high dosage. Vitamens when used in large doses can have harmful side effects. I would definately do some research before I took that much.
  Beth

• Posted: 2008-09-17 14:25:13 By Kim V
• I believe if you do a thorough search of this web site you will find the info you need. I do know that there is a very big difference between vitamin A palmitate and beta carotene. You need alot more beta carotene than you do palmitate. Also it is not recommended to take extra vit E. The others you can find the right dosing on this web site...good luck...Kim

• Posted: 2008-09-18 16:16:24 By Marisa P
• Remember that the vitamin E study was done with a synthetic type of E so there are doctors who insist on the need of vitamin E, but I would not take more than 400mg, even if it's a natural form.
  
  Marisa

• Vitamins
• Posted: 2008-09-18 23:51:47 By Gail H
• Hi Liz,
  If you have RP, vit E is not recommended (other than what you get in your food). It is recommended to take vitamin A Palmitate 15,000IU and while it seems to be a high dosage, the studies done concluded not only was it not harmful, it also seemed to slow down the RP process. I've been taking vit A Palmitate for at least 5 yrs and my blood work never show too much. There is a company called Freeda Vitamins that makes vit A Palmitate tablets in the correct dosage- you can find them on the web. Good luck
  Gail

• This marine algae may help...
• Posted: 2008-10-03 10:10:24 By S B
• Hi,
  I'm posting regarding something I seem to have stumbled upon - natural algae named 'Dunaliella salina' and 'Dunaliella bardawil'.
  
  The reason I'm posting, is that my 5yo son was recently diagnosed with rod/cone dystrophy, causing poor night vision, loss of central vision, and very poor colour differentiation, with the problems noticeably worsening over the past few months.
  
  I immediately went into a bit of a frenzy, looking for some sort of cure, and during my search for any kind of treatment (gene therapy appears to be the best hope), I discovered research on Dunaliella bardawil, and then on Dunaliella salina, which showed these forms of algae have very high naturally occurring levels of beta-carotene, including a wide range of cis- and trans- retinal/retinol compounds, as well as the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin, and Omega-3 fatty acids - all of which are of benefit to the eye.
  
  After discussion with the retinal specialist who diagnosed my son, I obtained some 'Algotene', produced by ICL Health in Australia
  
  (http://www.interclinical.com.au/products.php), and started him on a course of one capsule (500mg) morning and evening (the recommended dose).
  
  NOTE: Algotene was chosen as it was available directly within NZ (where I am). No other reason.
  
  After only a week, I have observed quite a large improvement. He now looks AT me (where he had lost a lot of his central vision, and had been turning his head to one side to be able to see via peripheral vision), and he was playing with his Thomas train set, and just building it - picking up and putting down pieces with no apparent problems - where over the past few months, he had been building it by touch, because he couldn't see it! I have also noticed that his colour differentiation hasn't really improved much yet
  
  - mainly night vision and central vision so far, and neither are perfect - but ARE better!
  
  When asked if his eyes are working better, he is emphatic with a "Yes!". 'How?' "In all ways!"
  
  He's also enthusiastic about taking the capsules - even though they taste horrible - which from a 5yo is a pretty good indicator that HE thinks they're helping!
  
  I don't claim that he's cured - but it looks like the slowdown of his deterioration that I had hoped for has not only happened, but his condition is also definitely improving.
  
  It seems that if this stuff is going to have an effect, it shows within the first two weeks, as the Carotene levels in the body rise.
  
  We're not at two weeks yet though, and there's some effects...
  
  NOTE: If you try this - make sure it DOES NOT have Vitamin E in it (as some brands available have) - this may cause more problems than cures! (Something I spotted in one of the papers).
  
  I'll attach some of the main links that I have found (and based some of my conclusions on):
  
  http://www.pnas.org/content/97/15/8623.full
  http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/6589989/description.html
  http://170.107.206.70/drug_info/nmdrugprofiles/nutsupdrugs/bet_0032.shtml
  http://journals.cambridge.org/download.php?file=%2FBJN%2FBJN59_03%2FS0007114588000558a.pdf&code=dcfa8911eb96269f3e3ad43a422129d3
  http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1220019
  http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/fulltext/119181348/HTMLSTART
  
  And these are some brochures and web sales links...
  
  http://www.millennium-health.com/images/Dunaliella-Gold-Brochure.pdf
  http://www.interclinical.com.au/products.php
  
  This link also has more links to reference work...
  http://www.hankintatukku.com/V-betamax.html
  
  http://www.herbalremedies.com/40132.html
  http://www.thehealthierlife.co.uk/natural-health-articles/cancer/dunaliella-salina-algae-anti-cancer-properties-00119.html
  
  
  http://www.health-store.co.uk/acatalog/Oceanic_Beta-Carotene_by_Solgar_-_7mg__180_softgels.html
  https://www.yourhealthfoodstore.co.uk/details.php/p506_natures_aid_natural_beta_carotene.html
  https://www.yourhealthfoodstore.co.uk/details.php/p3584_natures_plus_natural_beta_carotene.html
  
  As I haven't tried any of the above (with the exception of the 'Algotene'), I cannot recommend any of them. Just stuck the links in for your aid...
  
  Errm - again, the main reason I chose Algotene - was that it was the only Dunaliella product that I could find available from within NZ (home). At least it is pure Dunaliella salina!
  
  Good luck with this!

• Ooops...
• Posted: 2008-10-08 08:13:34 By S B
• The 'journals.cambridge.'link is broken - please use this instead:
  A. Ben-Amotz, S. Mokady and M. Avron (1988). The ß-carotene-rich alga Dunaliella bardawil as a source of retinol in a rat diet. British Journal of Nutrition, 59 , pp 443-449
  doi:10.1079/BJN19880053: http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?aid=861048
  This is the link to the relevant journal, where a link to the full pdf of the article can be found:
  http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayIssue?jid=BJN&volumeId=59&issueId=03&iid=860940#
  

• Vitamin A Palmate
• Posted: 2008-11-03 17:01:10 By Jill M
• Hi,
  I am late in responding. I wes part of the study at Harvard and MEEI and it is the Palmate not the beta carotene that was proven to retard the progression. 15,000 units a day. I have been on it for over 20 years. Also, vitamin E does speed up the progression of the diease. The vitamins I take do not have E in them