This page describes a program for an average person. However, YOU are not average and may find from experience and testing that you need more or less. If you have a special health concern, please consult a nutrition-oriented physician. Information and statements on this page have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, mitigate or prevent any disease.
Do you need dietary supplements? Unless you have flawless genes, zero physical complaints, take no medication and live on a stress-free, pollutant-free mountain top where you grow your own nutrient-rich organic food, you will almost certainly benefit from nutritional supplements. (Yes, even if you follow the dietary guidance in How to Eat Healthy .) For some people supplements will actually be life-saving. Billions of dollars and untold suffering could be saved if more attention was paid to the disease-prevention and healing properties of dietary supplements.
What has changed? Every study shows that even upper income, well-educated citizens no longer consume crucial nutrients at even the modest levels the government recommends . That is due in part to a change in habits and to dwindling soil mineral depletion documented by other government studies. But genetic engineering of seed; picking of crops while still green; storage; shipping, refining; processing; cooking, storing leftovers and reheating all further degrade the nutrients. Modern life also presents nutrient-sapping challenges such as chemical toxicity and chronic stress. So, we need more just to get by.
START WITH A GREAT BASE
How do you begin to choose from the thousands of supplements? A good question indeed. The simple plan I recommend covers the most fundamental needs and is balanced to avoid overdoing any one nutrient. It is built on a foundation of multi-purpose supplements that benefit a wide range of organs and systems. In fact, these supplements support us from the cells on up. That approach ultimately is the most economical because you are less likely to need separate supplements for specific complaints. It is also the safest way. When you build health at the most basic level, it allows the body to make the adjustments it wants to make. This is the opposite of what drugs do. They force a system to act in a certain way and often create side effects in the process. (Some herbal remedies can do that too but in a gentler way.)
THE LIST OF BASICS
• Probiotics and Digestive Aid. You might be surprised to see this listed first. However, if you think about it, you will quickly realize that if digestion isn't good, you won't make the best of the nutrients in your food or your other supplements. After reading about all the many jobs performed by your probiotics (friendly bacteria) you will be clear why this is at the top of the list. How to Select a Probiotic Supplement advises how to select the most effective one that will improve the gut environment for all our species. I picked Dr. Ohhira's Probiotics 12+ as a radio show sponsor because I believe that product is without peer. As we age, our ability to create stomach acid and digestive enzymes is impaired. So, I also recommend those as well. They can be purchased in a combination product such as Twinlab's Super Enzymes.
• Multi-Vitamin/Mineral – A necessary bit of nutritional insurance to fill in the nutrient gaps in our food. Some key things to look for:
• B vitamins at high levels, e.g. at least 50 mg
• Natural vitamin E. (D-alpha, not Dl-alpha) The synthetic doesn't work as well and it occupies sites that the natural would otherwise use.
• Absorbable forms of minerals such as chelates. Some highly advertised brands have cheap rock-like forms.
• No nickel. I have never seen a client that needed to supplement nickel. (In testing for minerals and toxins, in the reports it is listed on the toxic side.)
• Free of chemical junk. Some highly advertised brands put in all kinds of stuff for marketability and their tableting convenience: sugar, artificial colors that contain aluminum, artificial flavors, chemicals, carnauba wax, paint pigments & anti-freeze to name a few. No kidding. AVOID these. Look at this label. It is an example of one of those highly advertised vitamin supplements that contains many of these unnecessary ingredients, as well as relatively low amounts of nutrients (mostly in synthetic and less absorbable forms). See if you don't fair better with a natural product instead.
• Easy to swallow and to dissolve. Soft gel capsules fill both needs.
• Vitamin D – It has long been known that vitamin D is required to build bone. However, widespread deficiencies of vitamin D have begun to call attention to other benefits. The non-profit Vitamin D Council says that the vitamin is “a major factor in the pathology of at least 17 varieties of cancer as well as heart disease, stroke, hypertension, autoimmune diseases, diabetes, depression, chronic pain, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, muscle weakness, muscle wasting, birth defects, periodontal disease, and more.” Deficiency is due only in part to inadequacy in food but also to people following advice to stay out of the sun and to use sunscreen. (Sun is the natural source of this vitamin.) Multivitamin/minerals usually contain very little. Many experts think the daily amount should be 1-2,000 IU. Other noted authorities say that the average adult needs 5,000 IU per day (or 1,000 IU per 25 lbs of body weight). Testing is clearly the best idea. The correct test is 25 Hydroxy Vitamin D ( NOT 125 Hydroxy Vitamin D. 20% of docs mistakenly order that test which may show high levels when you are really deficient).
• Fish Oil – Especially because there is so much omega 6 in the food supply we have to really work at getting enough omega 3. This essential fat has been shown to be of benefit in prevention of heart disease, cancer and depression. It helps lower of triglycerides, reduces inflammation, improves bone health and aids dozens of other conditions. If you re-taste the supplement after you swallow it, that is a sign it might not be fresh. Nordic Naturals is a very responsible brand that I take myself.
• Colostrum – This is a supplement made from the first fluid produced by mammals at birth for the benefit of the newborn. Colostrum was once taken just when illness threatened and an immune boost was needed. However, from new research it is now known to: boost the body's crucial antioxidant enzymes; improve mineral absorption; reduce cholesterol levels; support healthy blood sugar levels; improve digestion; help heal liver conditions such as hepatitis C and more. Only genuine colostrum collected in the first 6 hours after a calf has been born can claim these effects. The brand with the research and the only one I've found that is true 1 st Collection Colostrum is PerCoBa .
• Broccoli extract – Contains a powerful component, sulphoraphane. Broccoli extract has been shown to be a potent antioxidant, an anti-inflammatory agent and to have other interesting properties such the ability to help repair DNA, aid detoxification, improve immune response, and destroy GI pathogens. These basic functions have downstream benefits for a wide range of health complaints all over the body. The raw vegetable has markedly more sulphoraphane than the cooked but it really isn't possible to eat enough broccoli to achieve therapeutic levels. Jarrow Formulas makes an excellent broccoli seed extract product.
THE NEXT TIER SUPPLEMENTS
After you've laid a good foundation, if you have the resources to take additional supplements, these are supplements to consider that have broad benefits.
• Vitamin C complex – Even conservative government-sponsored research shows that 500 mg of this basic antioxidant is needed for most people. Other studies show that a person who is toxic or sick may need a great deal more, even up to several grams per day. Vitamin C has antihistamine properties, so allergy sufferers may feel better with more. If higher amounts produce a loose stool, then reduce the amount and/or change the form. Forms buffered with minerals (ascorbates) are gentler on the stomach. “Complex” means that the supplement includes bioflavonoids. Those boost the effectiveness of C, protect the circulatory system and help diabetics avoid damage to insulin-insensitive tissues like the eyes and kidneys.
• CoQ10 – a "co-enzyme" produced by the body and found in the cells of all breathing, living things. It is an essential nutrient that helps support cellular and cardiovascular function. It does this by supplying the biochemical 'spark' that creates cellular energy. Our supply of CoQ10 diminishes as we age and takes a dramatic dip if you take “statin” cholesterol-lowering drugs. CoQ10 is one of the most important supplements for anyone with congestive heart failure.
• Bone Formula – Most women take a calcium supplement, but I think it is important to consider a bone formula instead. A good one will contain the magnesium, boron, manganese, zinc and other nutrients needed to build bone. Remember, the minerals should be in an absorbable form like they are in bone meal or they might be little better than ground up rocks (e.g. calcium carbonate). Because some of the minerals are quite bulky, these formulas often require more than one capsule a day, so please note the instructions. Bone-Up is a good choice.
• Magnesium – If the combination of your multi and a bone formula don't add up to at least 450 mg of magnesium, you might want to consider a separate magnesium supplement. See Magnesium for information on this crucial but often deficient mineral.
• Vitamin E complex – As noted under multivitamin/mineral above, the most effective E form is the natural, d-alpha-tocopherol. When adding an additional E supplement look for mixed tocopherols. They supply the rest of the vitamin E family—gamma, delta and beta tocopherols. Tocotrienols are also part of the vitamin E family and research has shown benefit for heart disease, diabetes and various cancers.
CONDITION-FOCUSED REMEDIES
Only you are you. It takes a little while, often a couple of months or more, to repair cell membranes and fix the problems we've created over time with poor nutrition. If the basics are given a chance to work (and especially if the second tier is added) a person may not need anything else. But for those with special challenges or those who want to get faster results on a particular problem, there is nothing wrong with adding combination products. Those can contain not only vitamins and minerals that have a particular effect but also herbs, amino acids, homeopathics and accessory nutrients. Common examples are supplements for prostate enlargement, joint pain and memory. If you choose to take several combinations, it is a good idea to add up the minerals in those and in your multivitamin/mineral and make sure you aren't creating an overload or an imbalance.
WHAT THE AUTHORITIES SAY
RDA's, DRI's, etc. No matter what they are calling the guidelines at the moment, the recommended daily intake targets themselves are controversial. They aim only to avoid the frank deficiency diseases encountered in the third world. They do not strive for optimal function or longevity. Nor do they address the fact that your unique genes produce unique biochemistry—you may require many times the amount of a vitamin as your neighbor. Your needs also vary over time because of age-related reduced absorption and the demands of stress, medications and toxicity. Typically people can safely and usually beneficially take many times the recommended intake of vitamins . Minerals can also be consumed in quantities larger than the guidelines suggest, but there isn't nearly as much latitude—and they should always be kept in balance. In the rare case that someone gets in trouble with nutrients it is usually because the person over did one nutrient and created an imbalance with related nutrients.
Your doctor . It is always smart to make a partner out of your doctor by taking in a list of your supplements so that any medications he or she prescribes can be adjusted to allow for the benefits you are getting from your supplements. In an era of deepening concern over the side effects of drugs and in light of the thousands of studies showing the safety and benefit of dietary supplements, more and more physicians recommend supplements. Sadly, doctors must (like you and I) work to educate themselves. (There is usually a pharmaceutical rep sitting in their waiting room ready to tout a drug, but no one calls on them to promote vitamins and minerals.) If your doctor doesn't yet believe in the power and safety of supplements like these, perhaps it is time to find one that has done his or her homework.
Interactions . The most common interaction between drugs and nutrients is that drugs deplete nutrients. That is one reason for drug side effects. A good reference for what nutrients might be needed because of a medication is Supplement Your Prescription by Hyla Cass, MD. Check the package insert on any medication to see if there is any nutrient you should avoid. Most integrative medicine doctors encourage patients to keep their supplement program relatively regular and they adjust medication levels around the nutrition. Makes sense to me!
HOW TO BUY AND TAKE NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS
How / When to take nutritional supplements .
• Unless your health professional advises a different level, use the dose recommended on the bottle. Read both “serving size” and directions to make sure you take the right number of pills.
• Except in cases where the package says otherwise, supplements are usually best taken with meals. The supplements are basically concentrated food and therefore are better utilized when the digestive system is up and running. For example, Vitamin E, Vitamin D and Co Q10 are oil-soluble nutrients and are best absorbed when taken with a meal that contains fat.
• Vitamin C and the B vitamins flush out of the system quickly and should be taken more than once a day. They don't have to be with meals.
• Probiotics usually should be taken on an empty stomach. However, if you are chewing a soft gel probiotic for help with a particular meal, you don't need to follow that rule.
• To keep regular on a supplement regime, I recommend making up little daily packets. Once a week get out all your bottles and 7 little dishes (or 14 if you do AM and PM packs). Custard cups work or even bathroom size paper cups, but I like the small soufflé cups sold in restaurant supply houses. Deal out the correct number of each supplement into the dishes. When each dish contains a day's assortment, dump each dish into small zip lock vitamin bag available where you buy your vitamins. The snack size food bags are a little big but also work.
• Protect your nutrients from heat and light, but you should not need to refrigerate them. I don't recommend even probiotics that require refrigeration.
• Supplements are just that, not a substitute for eating well. Again, visit How to Eat Healthy.
Where to buy. Buy from a store that you trust. They should check the sources and verify that the manufacturers buy the right forms of nutrients and have sophisticated safety practices. You will get better help from a health food store than a mass market store. Please support the folks that give you the information and service. Always go for quality, because cheap products that don't get the job done are a waste of money. RealFoodGrocery.com has agreed to allow me to review all products that they carry and I approve of that store.
MEASUREMENTS DEFINE
Milligram (mg) – most bulky vitamins and minerals are measured this way. 1000 milligrams make a gram. Usually Vitamin C is the only micro-nutrient consumed in gram quantities.
Microgram (mcg) – 1000 th of a milligram (i.e. 1000 micrograms = 1 milligram). This measure is appropriate for trace minerals like Chromium and Selenium. Don't be fooled by labels that list use micrograms where milligrams would be more appropriate. B12 and Folic acid are typically measured in micrograms.
IU – International units – This measure is used for oil-soluble vitamins A, D and E.
This information is educational only and is not intended to replace the advice of a healthcare professional. The statements have not been evaluated by the FDA . Any products mentioned are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Consult with a health profession who knows nutrition regarding any illness.
Copyright 2008 Martie Whittekin, CCN www.radiomartie.com
