Negative Interactions Between Various Supplements

Question:
Are there negative interactions between the following supplements I take twice each day, as well as 60 mg of beta-sitosterol with dinner: Vitamin C (500 mg), CoQ10 (100 mg), grape seed extract (100 mg), fish oil (500 mg), vitamin D3/calcium/magnesium/zinc (200 IU/333 mg/113 mg/5mg)?

Answer:
You may want to cut back on the vitamin C. The required daily intake is not even 100 mg and if you already get that, taking another 500 mg or 1,000 mg may actually reverse vitamin C's ability to reduce the risk of cataracts, as noted in the Vitamin C Supplements Review.

The amounts of the other supplements you take are generally safe and are at doses which may be helpful -- depending on your health conditions. It is also good that you have broken up your intake of calcium over the day, since you can't absorb more than 500 mg at a time, as discussed in the Calcium Supplement Review.

If you have high blood pressure, be aware that one study found the combination of vitamin C and OPCs (the active component of grape seed extract) to increase blood pressure (as noted in the Safety Issues section of the article on OPCs).

The beta-sitosterol which you take is at a dose which may help with symptoms of an enlarged prostate. Be aware that beta-sitosterol is also used at a much higher dose for lowering cholesterol (by competing with cholesterol for absorption in the gut) and, at this higher dose, you would not want to take it at the same time you take the fat-soluble supplements -- vitamin D and CoQ10, both of which are best taken with a meal containing some fat.

If you take also take prescription medications, be sure to look up the supplements with which they may interact using our Drug Interactions information.

Note: ConsumerLab.com staff is not able to regularly respond to requests from members to evaluate their supplement regimens. However, it tries to do so from time-to-time and often responds to questions of more general interest, such as those below. 

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