Tablet Nutrition - Buyer Beware
Have you gone into a natural supplement store, and been overwhelmed by the number of different brands of the same product? Do you sometimes wonder why you have 4 or 5 (or in some cases, 10-12) bottles of supplements in your home? Do you remember what each one is for and how much to take?
The natural supplement industry is exploding and becoming very competitive, driven by public demand. It can be a confusing and expensive experience for the consumer.
Why take supplements...
First decide why you need to take a supplement. Often people take supplements for a specific health condition. Or you may be taking a supplement for your general health, or for the prevention of illness.
In general it is wise to think about supplementing your diet because of agricultural practices in our modern culture. Overharvesting, poor soil nutrition, processing and many other factors provide us with food which is empty of nutrient value. Support the organic food industry; the more nutrition you can get from your food, the better.
Sometimes we may be eating well, but our systems may not be absorbing what we are taking in. For example, we need an acid environment in our stomachs to absorb calcium; we need intrinsic factor, a substance also secreted in our stomachs along with hydrochloric acid, to absorb vitamin B12.
Herbal Medicines...
The herbal medicine industry is undergoing many growing pains. Problems with herbal substitution, attempts to standardize plant extracts, and the possible extinction of plants due to overharvesting and pharmaceutical industry interest (such as Echinacea angustifolia (echinacea), and Hydrastis canadensis (goldenseal)) are all problematic for the public and traditional herbalist.
It is becoming increasingly popular to find herbal medicine in the form of standardized extracts. These are of two main types: the first being an 'active constituent extract', where there is a known and accepted active biochemical principle, (such as milk thistle, 80% silymarin; ginko, 24% flavoglycosides; green tea, 60% catechins)
From the herbalists prespective this type of extract, is more of a herbal drug, and the isolated compound is manipulated at the expense of the whole herb's constituents, other properties contained in the herb may be lost, and buffering compounds are lost that may lessen adverse reactions.
The second is termed a ' marker extract', where the active biochemical principle is not known and a characteristic compound is used as a marker (such as echinacea, 4% echinacosides; ginseng, 5-10% ginsenosides; licorace, 12% glycyrrhizin; St. John's wort, 0.3-0.5% hypericin). The marker signifies the presence of the other biochemical compounds that give the herb its therapeutic properties.
This type of extract is problematic because no single active constituent is known, and the blend of active constituents may differ in strength from the marker extract.
For example, with ginseng, the herb's strength depends greatly on its age and growing conditions. The presence of a fixed percentage of ginsenosides does not guarantee the tonic properties of ginseng. Ginsenosides are also found in the cheaper leaves, and some standardised ginseng extracts are made only with ginseng leaf, rather than the root.
Labeling a herb as a standardized extract is good for business. With a 4.5 billion-dollar sale of herbal products for 1999, standardized extracts are increasingly playing a role in the popular acceptance of herbs. However, there is no universally accepted standard for the manufacture of standardized extracts, and many herbalists agree that most standardized extracts should not be relied upon for all herbal needs. Purchase your herbs from a medical herbalist or naturopathic physician where the source and quality of the medicines is known.
Recommendations for General health
Nutritional supplements are important, but are only one aspect of health. A positive mental attitude, healthy diet, and exercise, are critical to achieving and maintaining good health. The following are some suggestions of things you can do on a regular basis to help maintain good health.
When you buy a product, the bottle should show the name and address of the company who made it, the exact amounts of each ingredient (medicinal and otherwise), the dosage and when to take it, warnings and possible contraindications, expiry date, and what it does not contain, ie allergnic ingredients such as yeast, gluten, preservatives etc.
1. High potency multiple vitamin
A high potency multi-vitamin will lay the foundation for nutritional health. From here, you can build, depending on your individual needs. This saves you purchasing many individual products which can become expensive. Purchase a good quality product, which will not be the least expensive on the shelf.
2. B - complex
B vitamins are needed for normal functioning of the nervous system, and are useful for stress and fatigue, and the health of our hair, eyes, and liver. They are easily digested and excess is easily excreted in the urine (giving it a dark yellow colour). Since there are many deficiencies and no known toxicities, it is helpful to take them on a regular basis. A B-complex can be used ontop of your multi-vitamin for times when you are more stressed or fatigued than others.
3. Antioxidant formulae (A,C,E, Se)
Antioxidants are needed to quench free radical reactions in the body. Free radicals are very reactive molecules which cause damage to various tissues in the body and are believed to be at the root of cancer, heart disease, immune system disorders, aging, and a long list of degenerative diseases.
Free radicals come from radiation, pesticides, herbicides, cigarette smoke, drugs, food additives, hydrocarbons from car exhaust, industrial waste products, refined/fried/polyunsaturated/rancid oils in the diet, and many other sources.
4. Vitamin C (500mg-100mg three times daily)
The primary function of vitamin C is in the manufacturing of collagen, so is important in healing, and tissue function. It is also critical for immune function (colds and flu), adrenal function (stress) and is an important antioxidant.
Ascorbic acid is the most widely used form of vitamin C and the least expensive. Buffered forms can be used if ascorbic acid is too acidic for the stomach. Vitamin C competes with sugar for absorption, so avoid the chewable forms (which contain sugar/aspartame), and is water soluable, so whatever is not used will be excreted.
Vitamin C can be used at high doses (up to 10g/d) in divided doses for acute conditions such as colds/flu etc. There will be some vitamin C in your multi-, and your antioxident formulae; additional supplementation is always beneficial.
5. Vitamin E (400-800iu/d)
Vitamin E is actually a family of compounds, the tocopherols, of which d-alpha-tocopherol is the natural form and the most active. The primary function of vitamin E is as an antioxidant. It helps to stabilize cell membranes and protect the tissues of the skin, eyes, liver, lungs, breast, and testes which are most sensitive to oxidation. It reduces cardiovascular disease risk, reducing platlet aggregation and adhesiveness. It is used for menstrual pain and menopausal complaints, increases the functioning of the immune system, and helps with eye problems such as cataracts and poor vision.
Vitamin E will be in your multivitamin, and in an antioxidant formulae. Add up the amounts before supplementing above this. It is important to start at a low dose of vitamin E and work up as sudden high doses can cause hypertension.
6. Flax seed oil
Flax seed oil is an excellent source of essential fatty acids (EFAs). EFAs are 'good' fats and are essential to our daily diets because our body does not manufacture them. Anyone who does not have a bleeding or clotting problem (EFAs thin the blood naturally) will benefit their general health by taking a tablespoon of flax oil daily. It should never be cooked or heated, but taken cold, or drizzled over warm food just before eating. It must be kept refrigerated and taken by the expiry date on the bottle.
7. Lactobaccilis acidophilis/bifidis
The human body is a walking ecosystem. Although we do not usually think of ourselves in this way, the fact is that we are 'home' to trillions of microorganisms that live on and inside us.
Although some of the microorganisms inside us may be harmful, the vast majority are not. In fact, they are necessary for good health. The beneficial bacteria in the intestines help digest foods, create vitamins such as B 12 and K, and inhibit the growth of disease-promoting pathogenic bacteria.
For what conditions should I take probiotics?
- To reduce candidiasis or yeast infections.
- Constipation.
- During pregnancy and breast-feeding.
- Infants and young children.
- Counteract infections.
- Preventing bad breath, gas and bloating.
- To help reduce hypercholesterolemia.
There are many things that strip beneficial bacteria from our intestines, including chlorine in our drinking water, stress, antibiotics, the OC/HRT, oral corticosteroids, drugs, and other environmental pollutants. All of us at some time in our lives has been exposed to one of these, and it is a healthful thing to do to supplement your diet with healthy bacteria (L. acidophilis, L.bifidis).
Purchase a product that is in the refrigerator, and keep in the refrigerator (they are alive). Take the product once a day, upon waking, when the stomach acid is low, with a glass of water, about 15 min before eating.
Commercial preparations of L. acidophilus have long been thought to be of uneven quality (Probiotics Conference, Shahani). Always ask a probiotic company for full documentation on its produce and don't consider a product that doesn't clearly state the date of manufacture, the base used (lactose or non-dairy), the species present, and the potency. Avoid purchasing the cheap brands of probiotic as you can be assured they contain minimal amounts.
Talk to a professional...
This is going to save you money in the long run. Consumers spend alot of money on supplements, and you will save if you know that the product you are buying is one that you need, and one that is well absorbed. Just because a product is inexpensive, does not mean that it is good. Often it is inexpensive because it is poor quality.
Your health professional will be able to tell you supplements that you need to take for your individual needs, if there are interactions with any current medications, and the proper dosage.
The health professional you choose should be well trained in alternative medicine, and this may not mean your local health food store salesclerk, nor may it mean your Family Doctor! Naturopathic physicians, homeopaths and herbalists all specilize in treatment with natural remedies and therapies.
