Posts Tagged Supplements

Start getting A+ Supplements

How do you really know what you are getting when you go into the local health …

Have you ever stopped to wonder who taught a monkey what to eat? I realize that you are here to learn about the benefits of potassium, bare with me a moment, I promise I will give you the answer. for now,, back to the monkey question, it will all make sense in a second…

I am willing to bet that you’ve never given it much thought because, admittedly, the question is quite ridiculous. Monkeys just seem to know what to eat. Through this mysterious force we call “instinct”, most animals exit the womb and just know exactly what to put in their mouths.

Although humans are more than animals, we do have instincts, like our monkey ancestors.

In recent years scientists have been trying to understand what man consumed when we didn’t have government agencies to tell us what to eat. During this time, approximately 50,000 to 100,000 years ago, Paleolithic man was comprised of hunters and gatherers who consumed a diet motivated by instinct. Then approximately 10,000 years ago began the Neolithic Revolution.

The Grand Mistake

During this new age of human development; we adopted more of an agriculture and animal husbandry practice. I imagine this is about the time when those nasty little creatures called “food scientists” came into existence. A “food scientist” is someone who thinks they can make food better, tastier, and more nutritious than nature.

Although the study of the Paleolithic lifestyle is quite complex, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out what kinds of foods our ancestors consumed. It’s no surprise to see that most experts in the area of Paleolithic eating suspect that these people consumed primarily fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and some wild game. If you’re reading this list and feel that this is common sense, that “knowing” that you are experiencing is the remnant of your Paleolithic instinct.

Our abandonment of the Paleolithic way has resulted in a number of harmful and even life-threatening nutrient deficiencies…

Potassium Deficiency and the Benefits of Potassium

One nutrient that many scientists believe was much more abundant in our diet during Paleolithic times was potassium.

The Stone Age humans likely consume approximately 15 grams of potassium on a daily basis. Compare that to the recommended daily allowance of 4.7 grams per day. A ridiculously low level, I may add, that most of us never achieve.

In addition to a deficiency of potassium, the average American consumes a large excess of sodium. The sodium to potassium ratio is important for proper function of the body; when this ratio gets imbalanced the body suffers. Our Stone Age ancestors only consumed less than a gram of sodium (0.6 g) and it is estimated that the average American now consumes approximately 3.5 g of sodium and an embarrassing 2.8 g of potassium.

Why Should We Be Concerned With Our Sodium/Potassium Balance?

The balance of sodium and potassium is crucial for the function many cellular systems; some signs of potassium deficiency include:

1. Fatigue
2. Heart arrhythmias
3. Heart failure
4. Muscle weakness
5. Constipation
6. Delayed emptying of the stomach

Isn’t Potassium Dangerous?

Contrary to popular belief, potassium is a safe nutrient when taken properly. In healthy adults without heart or kidney problems, daily potassium intake should not exceed 8 grams.

If you suffer with kidney and/or heart disease, or you are on certain medications for blood pressure, potassium toxicity can occur at lower dose. For this latter group, ask your doctor before taking potassium supplements.

When supplementing with potassium, you must take into account how much potassium you are taking in through diet. Fruits, vegetables, nuts, fish, legumes are all good sources of potassium. It is possible to get sufficient potassium levels from your diet, however, it requires discipline and a hefty appetite for fruits and vegetables.

For the rest of us, supplementation may be required in order to achieve healthy potassium levels.

Who’s At Risk of Potassium Deficiency?

Before we get into the benefits of potassium, let’s talk about the risks of potassium deficiency.

It is important to realize that certain lifestyle habits, medications, and conditions can lead to an increased risk of potassium deficiency, these include:

1. The use of diuretics
2. Diarrhea or vomiting
3. Chronic dieting
4. Chronic kidney failure
5. Magnesium deficiency
6. Strenuous exercise

Keep these variables in mind when considering supplementation. See our Daily Potassium Requirements for Optimal Health for more information on supplementing with potassium.

What Are the Benefits of Potassium?

Potassium is essential for regulating fluid balance, acidity within the body, blood pressure, and muscle function. There are numerous outward benefits of supplementing with potassium, including:

1. Lowering blood pressure – An analysis of 33 published studies have demonstrated potassium supplementation to be of benefit in people who suffer with hypertension. The effective dose used in the research was 2,400 mg daily. (JAMA 1997;277:1624–32
2. Protection from Cardiac Arrhythmias – Studies show that people with low potassium levels are at a heightened risk of arrhythmia. Supplementation with 1,000 mg of potassium was shown to decrease the risk of arrhythmias in people who were prescribed a potassium-depleting blood pressure medication called hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ). (Int J Cardiol 1989;25:93–8)
3. Prolonged life and Improved Quality of life – One study demonstrated that men who consumed high levels of potassium had a longer life. More importantly, those with higher potassium intake enjoyed an improved quality of life. See the article: Potassium for a Longer and Healthier Life – Benefits of Potassium for Seniors
4. Improved energy – Electrolytes, such as potassium, can allow the body to manufacture needed energy. Potassium deficiency can cause physical and mental exhaustion.
5. End to muscle cramps and charlie horses – Potassium deficiency can promote muscle cramps, as can calcium or magnesium deficiency.

What You Will Learn In This Section:

1. The Foundation Program for Intermediate/Advanced Nutrition Programs
2. Learn About Coenzyme Q10
3. Learn About Our Choice Bone Mineral Formula
4. Learn About REAL Vitamin C

So you already know that you should be on a multi-vitamin, an omega-3 fatty acid and a digestive enzyme. So, what’s next? First, let me list the specific products that we suggest for the intermediate/advanced program:

Foundation Program for Intermediate/advanced:

1. Pure Encapsulations Nutrient 950 3 Capsules Twice Daily
2. Wholemega by New Chapter
3. Tyler Similase Digestive Enzyme

Now let me discuss some of the supplements that many people can benefit from. These products are generally considered optional add-ons to the above mentioned foundation program. I will provide a thorough description of each supplement.

1. CoQ10 - Coenzyme Q10 is called ubiquinone by scientists because it is so ubiquitous in the body being found in significant quantities in every living cell. The cells concentrate the coenzyme Q10 within the mitochondria in order to catalyze the production of energy through the burning of oxygen. CoQ10 is such an important cofactor that when levels are not optimal the cells begin to lose their function and disease settles in. At a 75% deficiency your body can no longer sustain life and you die. The organs that are most vital to our survival are usually the ones that are the first to suffer. This occurs because these organs such as the heart, liver, kidneys and immune system all require the most energy to function. Incidentally, you will find very high concentrations of CoQ10 in a gelcap for best absorption. Certain medications such as statin drugs and certain blood pressure medications decrease the body’s ability to produce CoQ10. If you are on these medications, you may require much higher doses in order to prevent a deficiency. Of these meds, the statins are the greatest culprit. You may require 300-400 mg to prevent disease. In recent months a new, advanced form of CoQ10 hit the market called ubiquinol . This form of CoQ10 absorbs better and may get into the mitochondria more readily where it can do its most good.
2. Progena Osteo Plus - This formula contains all of the minerals necessary to feed the bone building cells. By providing the right forms and doses of calcium, magnesium, boron, silica, and other trace minerals this formula will support healthy bones and joints. The sophisticated nutrition enthusiast understands that the bones require more than just calcium alone. In fact, the bones are equally dependant on minerals and proteins such as those minerals listed above. Progena has formulated a product that combines calcium and magnesium at nearly 1:1 which is optimal for our diet which is highly biased towards calcium.
3. Food Souced Vitamin C - Vitamin C is a very important nutrient in our body. At some point in our evolution, we had lost the ability to produce this vital nutrient as we became dependant on vitamin C in our diet. Vitamin C probably plays thousands of important roles in our bodies and thus tops the list of important nutrients. The vitamin C that works best in the body is not the ascorbic acid found in most health food supplements. In fact, the ascorbic acid is not vitamin C, rather it is the protective shell of the vitamin C molecule which is comprised of bioflavonoids, minerals and enzymes. To get the full benefit of true vitamin C, you will want to get your vitamin C from food sourced products such as a supplement called Pure Radiance C by the Synergy company.  This is a concentrateof various fruits and herbs that contain high levels of true whole food C.

Of these 68 studies, only 47 trials of the “best conducted” studies were included in the final analysis. This is beginning to sound a lot like the vitamin E study that came out last year wrongfully claiming that vitamin E increases risk of death. So let’s talk about this new study out of Copenhagen University. After removing all of the studies that the researchers deemed “lower quality”, they found the following:

1. 4% increased risk of death with vitamin E
2. 16% increased risk of death with vitamin A
3. 7% increased risk of death with beta carotene
4. No benefit or harm from vitamin C

Keep in mind that these findings were not statistically significance until certain studies deemed of poor quality were eliminated. These studies were generally performed on sick people and were not necessarily designed to evaluate mortality. Also, remember that the definition of the “poor quality” of the unused studies was determined by the researchers, not by some proven system. These types of studies commonly lend themselves to the personal bias of the researchers.

So what is my take on the study and its findings? First, let us talk about the press. The press learned from the start that “the glass is half empty” article will sells more papers than “the glass is half full” article. This is no secret to researchers and I believe that they commonly use this principle to their advantage. Researchers, who spend their lives tucked away in a laboratory for years hidden from the sun, dream of the day when their great discovery will get them their well-deserved fame and fortune. The problem is, that day doesn’t come. Their research flops and they are under great pressure from the university to make something happen or pack up their lab rats and go. These universities also want the fame and fortune and if they don’t get it, they will find someone else who will deliver. I feel that these researchers end up consciously or unconsciously designing their research to support a specific predetermined finding. And the finding is usually a negative one (because the press eats that up), especially when it involves natural products. In this study, that is likely what happened.

I don’t believe for a minute that these supplements actually result in an increase in mortality. A ton of research to date has supported the safety of these supplements in both animals and humans. However, I will concede the probability that these products offered little or no benefit. You see, mortality data are hard to come by unless you are studying a population who is very sick and are expected to have a high death rate within a year or two. And people with extremely severe illnesses are not going to magically get better with 200 units of a synthetic vitamin E over 6 months. Smokers are not going to benefit by taking a capsule full of something resembling beta carotene for a couple of years. It wouldn’t take a rocket scientist to see this, it was a waste of money to even do the studies. You will rarely hear us suggest vitamin E alone or beta carotene alone. It just doesn’t make sense to believe that in the complex biochemical soup of our body, made up of trillions of biochemical reactions, we will be able to fix a dysfunctional system by adding one vitamin to the mix. It is a known fact that vitamins and nutrients work together and we need to satisfy all of these nutrient needs to benefit the body.

What do we suggest?

Balanced multi-vitamins such as Purity’s Perfect Multi and Nutrient 950 are much better means to providing full spectrum nutrition to the body. Instead of trying to correct a single nutrient deficiency these multi formulas respect the complexity of our biochemical makeup and provide all of the main foundation nutrients in the right forms and doses to positively impact the body. If you are looking for extra antioxidant support in your multi, I would suggest the Polyphenol Nutrients by Pure Encapsulations . This is an upgrade to the Nutrient 950 product; it adds some very potent whole food antioxidants. We also suggest that you get some sort of whole food concentrate that supplies the phytochemcials and nutrients that are only found in food. Our favorite products are Greens First powder and the Daily 5 fruit powder . Both these products are easily tolerated and certified organic.

Take home messages:

1. You will not die from vitamin C, E, beta carotene or vitamin A unless you choke on them.
2. Don’t expect miracles from one nutrient. Get your vitamins and minerals together.
3. Get some sort of whole food concentrate to complete your supplement program.
4. Eat good food first and then make up the difference with nutritional supplements.

Be sure to tune in to our radio program on Sunday, March 2; we will be discussing this topic in detail. The Your Prescription for Health radio show airs every Sunday from 10am-12pm on WCBM 680 AM. You can listen anywhere in the world through the internet at www.wcbm.com/

This newsletter can be forwarded, reprinted and distributed freely as long as it is sent unchanged and full credit is given to the author and organization. ©2006 Your Prescription for Health www.illnessisoptional.com

Some health experts claim that nutrient deficiencies are a thing of the past and supplementation is unnecessary in today’s day and age…they are dangerously mistaken!

In fact nutrient deficiencies are quite common, and such deficiencies are the direct cause of many health problems that result in hospitalization and even death.

One such nutritional deficiency is potassium and in today’s article, we will talk about the benefits of potassium supplementation as well as the daily potassium requirements for optimal health. Published research shows that potassium deficiency can be a direct or indirect cause of many health problems, including:

• Cardiac arrhythmias (irregular heart beat)
• High blood pressure
• Fatigue and muscle weakness
• Constipation

Benefits of Potassium

Potassium can be an important part of any supplement program. Studies have shown that potassium supplementation can result in significant decreases in blood pressure, improvements in constipation, decreases in cardiac arrhythmias, and improvement in fatigue and muscle weakness.

Daily Potassium Requirements

The majority of your potassium should come from your diet; supplementation should be used as a means of optimizing your dietary potassium intake. I recommend reading the article on the Benefits of Potassium for a discussion of dietary potassium from the perspective of our evolutionary history. Although the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of potassium is 4.7 grams (4700 mg), our Paleolithic ancestors consumed between 10-15 grams per day from fruits and vegetables!

For most healthy people, taking up to 1,000-2,000 mg of potassium daily in supplement form should be very safe (depending on diet). If you are on medications, such as loop diuretics or ACE Inhibitors, or suffer with heart or kidney disease, check with a health care provider prior to supplementing with potassium.

The Potassium Supplement That I Recommend

K+2 Potassium is a high potency potassium formula that provides 300 mg of potassium per capsule. In addition to providing 300 mg of potassium per capsule, this formula provides two impressive forms of potassium…

Potassium glycinate is a chelated form of potassium that mimics food sourced potassium in absorption and utilization.

Potassium bicarbonate provides a source of bicarbonate, which helps to alkalinize the body. This advanced combination makes this one of the most potent and powerful potassium supplements on the market. This form would be especially good for people who have bone loss and/or those who eat a high meat diet.

As an alternative, Potassium Amino Acid Complex by Your Prescription for Health is an inexpensive and high-quality form of chelated potassium. Each tablet provides 99 mg of potassium in a form that mimics potassium found in food. Potassium chelate by Your Prescription for Health is considered the most cost-effective form of potassium. The only negative to this potassium supplement is it is limited to 99 mg per tablet.

Summary:

As I mentioned in the article, Benefits of Potassium, we are designed to consume far more than the ridiculously low amounts suggested by the RDA. So if you are a healthy person, with normal kidney function and currently not taking any medications for blood pressure or heart problems, eat as much potassium as you can from fruit and vegetable sources. If you have difficulty getting large quantities of fruits and vegetables, try 4-6 capsules of K+2 Potassium by Designs for Health.

In this article, I hope to prove to you the importance of vitamin K in your diet and supplements.
First, it is important to note that vitamin K exists as two main forms; vitamin K1 and K2. Vitamin K1, called phylloquinone, comes from vegetables and is converted into vitamin K2 by intestinal bacteria. Vitamin K2 is the activated form of vitamin K and is found in organ meats, egg yolks and some fermented foods such as natto. We get much more vitamin K1 in the diet then we do vitamin K2.
In the body, vitamin K activates two enzymes: osteocalcin and matrix GLA-protein. I realize that those two words may be Greek to you but they are important to know because they have two different impacts on the body. When vitamin K activates osteocalcin, the result is more calcium and minerals get deposited into the bones resulting in stronger bones. When vitamin K activates matrix GLA-protein the result is less calcium is deposited into the arteries. Some research suggests that matrix GLA-protein may even decrease the calcifications of the arteries that are already present . Now that you know how important these two enzymes are to the body you can see how devastating a vitamin K deficiency can be. In addition, it should be noted that vitamin K2 is much more active in the body and is the only form that can activated these two critical enzymes.

Why are we deficient in vitamin K?

This deficiency likely occurs for three main reasons.

1. We don’t eat enough vegetables. Most vitamin K in the diet comes for plant sources in the form of vitamin K1. The vitamin K1 is then activated by intestinal flora and absorbed as K2.

2. Our intestinal bacteria are out of balance. Many of us are deficient in healthy bacteria that play important roles in the conversion of vitamin K1 into the active K2. Many things can decrease the number of healthy bacteria in the gut such as: antibiotics, chlorine, stress, etc.

3. We do not eat organ meats, fermented foods or egg yolks. These foods are the primary sources of vitamin K2.

Knowing that both factors are important in the maintaining healthy vitamin K levels, you can see that it is important to get more vitamin K in the diet and to make sure that your intestinal bacteria are in good balance.

How do we do this?

In our society, I believe that it is necessary to supplement with vitamin K in order to optimize the vitamin K levels in the body. You can find vitamin K supplements in both the K1 and K2 form. It is generally recommended that you opt for the vitamin K2 as the research confirms that it is far superior for the prevention of bone loss and the protection from artery calcification. If you are generally healthy, I recommend a low-dose vitamin K2 from Jarrow formulas called MK-7 which provides 90 mcg of vitamin K2 from natto. This is a small dose that meets your daily vitamin K needs which may suffice to maintain healthy bones and arteries. If you suffer with bone loss or calcification of the arteries I recommend a therapeutic dose of 15 mg (15,000 mcg) three times daily. This dose has been studied and proven to be safe and effective for improving bone loss while normalizing carboxylation to activate the osteocalcin and matrix GLA-protein. You do not need to worry that vitamin K will cause excessive clotting unless you are on a medication called Coumadin (warfarin) which works by blocking vitamin K in the body. If you are on Coumadin, research has shown that a small dose of vitamin K2 such as the dose found in the Jarrow MK-7 can actually help you to achieve more consistent INR levels while possibly preventing complication of long term Coumadin use which includes bone loss and artery calcification. Always discuss vitamin K supplementation with your health care practitioner prior to starting as you will likely need to increase the dose of the Coumadin to account for the effect of the K.

Recently I have been getting a number of questions about Oracine™, a formula trademarked and distributed by n3 Oceanic, Inc.; the makers of Res-Q 1250. As with their other products, Oracine ™ is marketed through a syndicated radio infomercial in talk show format. Claims that are being made range from:
Improvements in athletic performance
1. Cure for fatigue
2. Cure for heart failure
3. Cure for heart arrhythmias and palpitations
4. Cure for high blood pressure
5. A preventative against heart attack
6. Anti-inflammatory
7. Rebuilds damaged cells
This is a tall order for any supplement. So, is any of it true?

What is Oracine ™?

Oracine ™ is the brand name of a formula that contains two main ingredients, magnesium orotate and inosine phosphate. Magnesium orotate is superior form of magnesium that readily enters the cell where it can have its positive effects. The oritic acid, which is bound to the magnesium is used in the production of DNA and RNA as well as the production of energy in the cell. The inosine is known as a purine ribnucleotide that is also used in the production of energy as well as DNA and RNA.

Sounds good, but is there research to support the health claims, much less the high price tag?

In six words, ” yes and no…but mostly no”.

As I stated earlier, magnesium orotate is a superior form of magnesium and the orotate itself is likely beneficial to the body. In our practice, we use magnesium for heart health as well as blood pressure problems. Magnesium also appears to benefit people with diabetes and heart failure. But is the 40 mg of magnesium provided in a daily dose of the formula enough to benefit the body? Possibly, but there just isn’t enough research to gauge the benefit. There certainly is not enough research to support the wild claims that are made on the website and radio infomercial. Magnesium deficiency is common and most people would benefit from supplementing with magnesium, however, the 40 mg provided by this formula is likely insufficient to result in significant therapeutic benefit.

What about the inosine? Inosine has, in fact, been studied for its effect in improving muscular endurance in athletes. The conclusions of the research, however, go contrary to those reported by n3 Oceanic, Inc. A study published in the International Journal of Sports Nutrition gave trained athletes high doses of inosine and found no benefit to endurance. This is consistent with other research which also found no benefit to endurance. Uric acid did increase in subjects who took the inosine, an effect that the n3 Oceanic website lists as a benefit due to uric acid’s antioxidant benefit. Although uric acid is, in fact, an antioxidant its buildup is also a cause of gout and kidney stones. Some research suggests that increases in uric acid could help protect the nerves of patients suffering with multiple sclerosis. A recent study did, in fact, show inosine to increase uric acid in multiple sclerosis patients, however, the researchers recommend that patients be closely monitored while pursuing such a treatment. As for the claims about inosine’s benefits to regenerating damaged heart cells and reversing heart failure, there just is no research to support these claims. After searching the research literature, I can only assume that n3 Oceanic Inc. is basing these claims on pure hypothesis. Isn’t it interesting that n3 Oceanic offers no reference for the outrageous claims surrounding their formula?

So, the bottom line is this…Most of us are already taking a number of supplements and in my opinion the addition of this formula is simply not worth the expense. Your money is best spent on supplements with a more proven record, in fact, any record of benefit would be an improvement over Oracine™. It is easy to get caught up in the latest and greatest thing, especially when such claims are being made. In this instance, the hype far outweighs the science. With that said, if you are still convinced that Oracine™ is effective then I recommend that you purchase the individual ingredients separately and save a boatload of money! Source Naturals produces an inosine supplement and magnesium orotate is available from Priority One.

As these protein caps shorten, research suggests that our cells are more susceptible to disease and the aging process is accelerated. Free radicals and stress have been closely linked to the process of telomere shortening and thus it appears that our lifestyle can play an important role in the rate at which we age.

A recent study evaluated the effect of certain supplements on slowing the process of telomere shortening. In this study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, scientists discovered that taking a multivitamin daily can actually slow the rate at which the telomeres shorten. In fact, regular multi-vitamin users enjoyed 5.1 percent longer telomeres. This may not sound like much but it may turn out to be quite significant. What if that results in a 5.1% increase in lifespan? What if that 5% difference means the difference between developing a disease and not suffering with that disease? Admittedly, we do not know what that 5.1 percent difference translates into as far as health and wellness is concerned. With the information we have, I feel that any protection we can provide to the chromosome the better off we will be.

Other findings of this study include:

1. B12 supplementation also resulted in increased telomere length
2. B-complex showed no benefit or detriment to telomere length
3. Vitamin C and E from food protected the telomere from shortening
4. Iron supplementation sped up the process of telomere shortening

Supplement Recommendations Based on Article:

This study used a simple once-daily multivitamin. If you are a regular reader of the newsletter or a regular listener of our radio program then you know that a standard one-a-day multi is insufficient for optimal benefit. If you would like a simple multi-vitamin then I usually recommend the Multi-T/D by Pure Encapsulations which is taken one capsule twice daily. This simple formula would be significantly better than the one-a-day multi used in this study. If you want even more protection then I would recommend trying the Nutrient 950 without iron by Pure Encapsulations. This formula is taken 3 capsules twice daily. For a detailed discussion of the multi-vitamins we offer, check out our Virtual Pharmacist section https://www.illnessisoptional.com/virtual-pharmacist/78.html .

Argument: If I eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, then I don’t need to add vitamins and minerals.
Answer: The argument that the nutritional needs of the body can be thoroughly met through diet is probably a valid one, as long as certain assumptions hold true. The main assumption is that the diet is made up almost entirely of fresh fruit and vegetables from local and trusted growers who understand crop rotation and proper soil fertilization. A fruit’s nutrition is highest at the height of its ripeness when the fruit is just about to fall from the tree, bush or vine. This makes great evolutionary sense as the purpose of the fruit is to propagate the species of the plant. The survival of the seed is most probable when the fruit contains the nutrition necessary to allow the seedling to develop. In addition, the sweetness and nutrition content of the fruit increase the likelihood that the fruit will be eaten by animals that scour the grasses for food. This helps both the animal and the plant as the animal gets food and the plant’s seed gets spread to different areas as it passes through the stool of the animal onto fertile ground elsewhere. The problem is that most conventional fruit is picked unripe and then ripened on the way to the store through artificial processes using ethylene. This makes for a fruit or vegetable that contains suboptimal levels of nutrients. A study performed at Oregon State University found that green blackberries contain only 74 mg/100 grams of anthocyanins (a plant compound/antioxidant known to protect the body from heart disease and cancer) compared to 317 mg/100 grams for vine ripened blackberries. (J Agric Food Chem. 2004 Sep 22;52(19):5907-13.) Research in Spain demonstrated that cherries picked prematurely contained one-half the level of vitamin C as cherries picked ripe (J Agric Food Chem. 2005 Apr 6;53(7):2741-5.)

In addition, due to the over farming of lands there is not enough nutrition in the soil to make for highly nutritive foods. For example, each time a watermelon is picked from the land some of the nutrition goes with it, after all, a fundamental law of physics is you cannot make something from nothing. Over time the soil gets depleted and the nutrition in the fruits and vegetables suffer. To make matters worse, the growers use a process of selective breeding to increase pith and water (the pith is the fibrous material such as the netting around the pulp of the orange and the white fluff just under the skin). This makes for big, attractive and heavy fruit with less vitamin and mineral content. These plant breeders lovingly refer to this process as the “dilution effect”. An example of this effect is with a very popular breed of broccoli called “Marathon” which is big and green and according to the USDA contains half the calcium and magnesium of other more nutritious hybrids of broccoli. All of this results in more weight and less nutrition.

In a 2004 study, scientists discovered that the nutrition content for 6 nutrients have declined significantly in fruits and vegetables since 1950. These nutrients include calcium, riboflavin, vitamin C, iron, potassium and protein. (J Am Coll Nutr. 2004 Dec;23(6):669-82) This study from the University of Texas evaluated the nutrient content over time of 43 garden crops. This study takes into account the effect of many different factors including ethylene ripening, the dilution effect, the use of commercial fertilizer, over farming, etc.
So is it possible to find nutrient dense fruits and vegetables? I believe so. Studies have shown that organic fruits and vegetables have more vitamins, minerals and antioxidants when compared to conventional produce. (J Agric Food Chem. 2002 Sep 11;50(19):5458-62; J Agric Food Chem. 2003 Feb 26;51(5):1237-41) Even if you regularly use organic produce, you will need to eat larger quantities of these fruits and vegetables to meet the vitamin, mineral and antioxidant needs of the body. I believe that people who meet these produce requirements are the exception rather than the rule.

One final argument on this subject doesn’t have to do with the nutrient content of the food as much as it has to do with nutrient needs of the body. Today’s body has to deal with an onslaught of toxic attack that we did not evolve on. Cleaning product, pollutions, stress and out gassing of carpets and paint all cause a withdrawal from the antioxidant and nutrient reserves of the body. We cannot assume that the nutrient needs of yesteryear apply to today! In other words, you need more nutrition today just to meet the minimum needs! Research has found that the great majority of the population does not meet the pitiful RDA requirements for one or more nutrients.

Argument: Doesn’t supplementation just cause expensive urine?
Answer: Whenever I debate the need for supplementation it seems that the first argument is always the same, “All that you are doing with nutritional supplements is making expensive urine.” This argument comes from the point that any excess of water soluble nutrients that you take in will be excreted through the urine. So if you take 1,000 mg of vitamin C and your body only uses 500 mg then you will kick out 500 mg of the vitamin C as “waste”. My answer to this is, better a surplus than a deficiency! When you supplement, you do run the risk of losing some extra nutrients in the urine. This argument can be made for those who eat plenty of fruits and vegetables as you will likely see more vitamins and minerals in their urine as well. Does this mean that you should not eat fruits and vegetables? In addition, if you want to talk about expensive urine let’s talk about the urine of people who take medications. You will find a significant amount of these medications in the urine and stool of these patients. So you choose- expensive urine full of vitamins or expensive urine full of medications.

Argument: We eat more food than most other countries, aren’t my nutrition needs being met?
Answer: I agree with the first statement regarding the quantity of food that we eat, however, I disagree with the second part of the statement which refers to the quality of food. Our society has built a food culture that creates a population of overfed and undernourished people. This means that calories are plentiful but nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals are deficient. This is the main reason why supplementation is so important. Starvation as it pertains to energy is not a common problem here in the United States, however, cellular starvation is a major problem. This means that the cells have all of the fuel that they require to function; however, the cells may not have the micronutrients necessary to be able to convert the fuel to energy and appropriately distribute that energy to various functions such as the immune and repair systems. This is like a car with a full tank of gas and no spark plugs. Remember, practically every study that has evaluated various vitamin and mineral levels in the blood have correlated higher levels of food nutrients with significantly better health. This means getting nutrients from whole food sources when possible and supporting with supplementation as an insurance policy.

Argument: There are no studies to support the need for supplementation.
Answer: This statement is just plain ridiculous! There is a tremendous amount of research on nutrition and its benefit to health. I have never understood how people make this comment when I am drowning in studies published in peer reviewed journals demonstrating the benefit and safety of nutritional supplementation. Search PubMed or Medline (the same search engine used by your doctor) on omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, coenzyme Q 10, vitamin E, vitamin C, etc. You will be blown away by the results that you get. As far as safety goes, according to the 2005 annual report in the journal Clinical Toxicity, which evaluates the reports from 61 poison control centers in the U.S., out of 53 billion doses of supplemental vitamin supplements there was not even one death reported. Tragically, Tylenol was not so lucky being responsible for numerous adverse events and deaths.
I have dedicated my life to the study of longevity and, more importantly, to the study of vitality. My definite purpose is to design a system of living that allows people like you and me to live long, energetic lives full of LIFE ENERGY! To accomplish this goal, a system is needed that will prevent disease and promote energy production, circulation, repair and rejuvenation throughout our entire lives. It is my belief that this goal can be met with a healthy diet full of fresh, raw, organic, healthy foods. It is also my belief that with each day that science “revolutionizes” our lives and food industries this becomes harder and harder. Although it is possible to live long and healthy lives without supplementation, it is less likely today than ever before and the majority of us need supplements to meet our body’s needs.

The second study tracked 36,282 postmenopausal women for seven years who were on calcium and vitamin D to determine if the supplements would offer any benefit as far as preventing invasive breast cancer. After the studies were wrapped up, the researchers found no benefit from either supplement program.

After the publishing of these studies, the press published news articles which were titled “No proof of vitamin C, D, E benefit” suggesting that these two studies prove the ineffectiveness of vitamins and antioxidants for promoting health. Obviously, this headline is both misleading and ridiculous.

The first study which evaluated the effectiveness of vitamin C and E in preventing heart attack or stroke used just 500 mg of vitamin C taken daily and 400 IU of vitamin E taken every other day. These doses are both very conservative and unlikely to offer significant benefit. The vitamin E used in the study was a synthetic vitamin E made from petroleum that is far inferior to natural, mixed tocopherol vitamin E formulas.

In the vitamin D study, just 400 IU of vitamin D was used in the study which studies have shown is not sufficient to improve blood vitamin D levels one bit. Our general recommendation for vitamin D is 2,000 IU daily and this dose may not even suffice. To properly evaluate the effectiveness of vitamin D, we would expect researchers to do vitamin D blood tests and then optimize the dose to achieve sufficient vitamin D blood levels. Research suggests that blood levels in the 50-60 range are considered optimal.

These studies were both heavily flawed. First, the doses of the vitamins were insufficient to positively impact health. This would be equivalent to evaluating the benefit of 1 capsule daily of amoxicillin in treating an infection when 3 capsules daily is the recommended minimum dose. In addition, using a synthetic vitamin E would be like using a chemical which resembles amoxicillin but isn’t quite the same and then making a final conclusion that “antibiotics don’t treat infections.” I hate to say it, but tax payers wasted millions of dollars on two studies which were doomed from the outset. There is an old saying that goes, “At first a new truth is ridiculed, then it is vehemently opposed and then it is accepted.” The good news in all of this bad news is it confirms our belief that we are in the second phase where the world of natural medicine is violently opposed which means that “acceptance” is right around the corner. Call, me optimistic…but that is my belief.

So let’s look at some recent studies that ended with a different conclusion to the above mentioned studies:
1. Circulation, 2007;116:1497-1503 – In this study performed at Harvard University, 39,876 women over the age of 45 were given either 600 mg of natural vitamin E or a sugar pill for a period of 10 years. The group that was given the natural vitamin E had a 21% lower risk of developing a life-threatening clot and the women who entered the study with a history of forming clots experienced a 44% decreased risk of additional clots. In addition, the group given vitamin E enjoyed an 8% lower risk of hemorrhagic stroke, a stroke that involves bleeding in the brain.
2. Archives of Internal Medicine, 2007;167:1610-1618 – This was another study performed at the Harvard School of Medicine. In this study, researchers studied 8,171 women who were given either 500 mg of vitamin C daily, 600 IU of natural vitamin E every other day or 50 mg of beta carotene every other day. This study was similar in design to the study recently mentioned in the press. The researchers reported that the group who took the vitamin E enjoyed an 11% decreased risk of cardiovascular event. When the researchers only included people who consistently took the vitamin E, there was a 22% lower risk of heart attack, 27% lower risk of stroke and a 9% decrease in risk of death from cardiovascular disease. When the people consistently took the vitamin C and E the results were even more significant.