Question For Al!

[Creed3]

Hi Al!
I have been thinking about adding Garlic and Magnesium Chloride to my supplements. I went on your website and saw that garlic is shown to increase the effects of coumadin. The reason I am thinking about taking it is to help with my cholesterol. My doc has been checking it and it has been up and down the last six to eight months. I thought it might benefit me to take it. From what I read on your site it looks as though if I decide to take it that my doc would have to check my INR in a week or so to see if the levels have fluctuated.
I didn't see magnesium chloride on your list and I know that others here take it. I just want to make sure that it would be ok for me to take or would it also interfere in some way with my coumadin?
When I asked my pharmacist she said that neither would interfere in any way. They also told me that about Monistat and that increased my INR, so I don't always trust what my pharmacist tells me. I would really appreciate your advice.

Thanks &
Take Care!
Gail

 

[Guest]

I know that I still have it on my site but I am less and less convinced that garlic is a factor in fluctuatuing INRs. It was reported but I have never seen anyone actually harmed by it. I no longer think it matters much. All of the students I get say that they are taught that it does. I think that is maybe because garlic, ginseng and ginkgo are easy ones to remember so they get put on tests. Try it about a week before your next test and see what happens.

Magnesium Chloride should make no difference.

 

[Blanche]

Gail:
Al's been having some difficulties with asthma and minor allergies of late. His dr. suggested magnesium. I found one article fron NIH that I thought was very informative. It does not specifically address the questions you directed to Al Lodwick, but I believe that the information contained in the piece might be of interest to you.
http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/magnesium.asp#en55
Kind regards,
Blanche