After experimenting with various supplements over 5 years, trying more than 200-300 modes & supplements… Black Seed Oil (BSO next) tops my list. The one I would take with me everywhere. If I go somewhere, I ship it to the hotel before coming there.

Disclaimer: This post describes my personal experience and is not medical advice. Always consult with your healthcare provider before starting any new supplement regimen.

Illustration before we start

From “Black Cumin (Nigella sativa L.): A Comprehensive Review on Phytochemistry, Health Benefits, Molecular Pharmacology, and Safety”: image

Personal outcomes

  • Improved dopamine regulation over time
  • Balanced lipid status (excellent HDL/Cholesterol ratio)
  • Very low inflammation markers
  • Reduced social anxiety, improved comfort with public speaking
  • Calming effects, promotes social interaction, I naturally want to talk and socialise and feel joyful
  • Supports my serotonine and dopamine balance (assessed over time through Braverman Personality Type Assessment)
    • Higher doses produce noticeable effects: vivid colours, enhanced music appreciation, clearer senses

General context

  • Have to start really small dose and ramp it up
  • If high dose is taken it’s going to feel like the train hit you
    • Happened to a few friends of mine, so be(!!) prepared to feel unwell for a while especially if your diet/health is off
    • Immune system is overwhelmed to clear bacterial, viral toxins in case your health is far from perfect
    • Jarisch–Herxheimer reaction

Personal context

  • I now take a high daily dose of extra strong oil (6% volatile content)
    • First time I took regular strength oil I experienced flu-like symptoms for a couple days, I took too much too quickly - carefully ramp it up to help body adapt
  • I love the taste but for new users it’s going to taste awful, especially if your microbiome/gut/diet is broken, that’s why you have to start small, it tastes REALLY bad (top-1 worst) for people with broken microbiome/gut/any synth. sugar intake>20g
  • Can be applied topically to heal things like cuts and bruises
    • My rule #1: never apply topically what you won’t take orally

Social Media Context

I like to read Reddit, etc. boards where people take the BSO for the first time. Google “Black Seed Oil Reddit” to see what I mean.

This all seems a “too good to be true” situation. This stuff seems powerful and very bioactive.

It’s been like six months since I made the post and still to this day black seed oil is changing my life. It’s eliminated my anxiety. I feel like a new person.

Which brand to take?

I take proven blessed seed oil brand from the UK (theblessedseed), extra strong. Would start from strong/mild, to be honest.

Have not taked any other brands (from iHerb, etc.) but know there are many fakes and you have to read reviews & test carefully.

Normal shop oil volatile content is around 1-2% which is mild to my taste, I prefer extra strong after ramping up over months and months which is 6%.

Definitely store closed (prevent oxidation) and away from the sunlight. Rule applies to most oils you consume.

Toxicity Profile

I take a substantial daily dose of extra strong oil (6% volatile content). This is well below any reported toxicity levels even at high doses.

There are a lot of studies on safety and toxicity that you could google and find.

For example:

Administration of NS oil (5 mL/day) to healthy volunteers for 8 weeks was reported not to have any notable liver, kidney, or gastrointestinal side effects PMC5633670

You’d probably have to drink excessive amounts of oil to harm yourself but there are diminishing returns to increasing the dose. I occasionally take a bit more when not feeling best or during travel.

Rats, mice experiments:

Img

HIV

Some interesting HIV data on BSO removing HIV-RNA load over 1-3 years: PMC3847425

Ongoing

The work on this post is ongoing, please send questions or ideas to d at kurilo.org email address on ways to make it better or discuss the topic. Thanks!