Here are some little-known and highly motivating reasons to
reacquaint yourself with your supplements.
VITAMIN C
The most popular vitamin supplement in the U.S., vitamin C is a
staple in refrigerators and medicine cabinets nationwide for the
express purpose of relieving cold symptoms. But there's increasing
evidence that vitamin C may not only keep your nose from running;
it may keep you running. Literally.
One of the first symptoms of vitamin C deficiency is fatigue,
notes Balz Frei, PhD, a professor of biochemistry and biophysics,
and director of the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State
University in Corvallis.
Vitamin C is required for the synthesis of carnitine, which
transports fatty acids into the mitochondria, the tiny powerhouses
that generate energy inside cells,'' he explains. ``If you don't
have enough vitamin C, you can't synthesize carnitine, and so you
can't convert all the fatty acids into usable energy.''
While its true that carbohydrates are the main source of energy
for most of our body parts, fatty acids are the major sources of
energy in the heart and skeletal muscles. And these organs are
particularly vulnerable to carnitine shortage, Frei says.
How much is enough? Only about one out of every four Americans
gets less vitamin C than the Daily Value of 60 milligrams (mg),
Frei says. But he points out that the bigger question today isn't
how much C is enough, but rather how much is optimal for good
health. Frei believes that the magic number is 200 mg a day. Ingest
more than that, he says, and your body won't be able to hold onto
it.
Vitamin C may help you handle stress with finesse by assisting
your adrenal glands in the production of epinephrine and
norepinephrine.
``These hormones are responsible for mobilizing energy so that
you can respond appropriately to stressful situations,'' Frei
explains.
CALCIUM
The bone builder that helps your muscles too -- including your
heart. Ninety-nine percent of all the calcium found in our bodies
is exactly where you'd expect it to be: in our bones. What you
might not expect, however, is that calcium is also vitally
important for muscles. In fact, in order to contract and relax
properly, muscles depend on calcium.
Adequate calcium in the cells is so important to muscle function
that if you're not getting enough through your diet, your body
pulls calcium from your bones. Over time this can lead to
osteoporosis. And one muscle that especially depends on the right
amount of calcium is the heart.
How much is enough? Between the ages of 19 and 50, you need
1,000 mg a day to ensure strong bones and a strong heart. Over 50,
1,500 mg of calcium a day is recommended.
If you want to tame the mood swings and depression of
premenstrual syndrome (PMS), try calcium. Women with PMS who took
1,200 mg of calcium carbonate every day for 3 months found that
their symptoms were reduced by 45 percent.
VITAMIN D
Calcium's crony may help with psoriasis, diabetes, and even
cancer Sure, vitamin D allows bones to harden. But forms of vitamin
D are currently being studied for the treatment of breast, prostate
and colon cancers, as well as melanoma, a deadly type of skin
cancer.
One form of vitamin D, a skin cream, appears to cure up to 70
percent of people with psoriasis. The mechanism behind all these
miracles is the fact that vitamin D promotes cell differentiation.
Like a traffic cop, it directs developing cells in the right
direction, toward their proper, mature form.
What's more, vitamin D almost certainly plays a role in the
development of type 1, or insulin-dependent, diabetes -- and it may
even help prevent the disease.
``D is needed for cells in the pancreas, called islet cells, to
produce insulin, the hormone that allows cells to take up blood
sugar,'' explains Hector DeLuca, PhD, chairman of the department of
biochemistry at the University of Wisconsin in Madison.
In animals with an inherited tendency to develop type 1
diabetes, supplemental vitamin D helps prevent the disease. And
while studies haven't yet been done on humans, researchers surmise
that D may have a similar effect on us.
Vitamin D deficiency is a real problem in the U.S., and it
becomes increasingly likely in people 50 and older, says Michael
Holick, MD, PhD, chief of the section on endocrinology, nutrition,
and diabetes at Boston University Medical Center. You can take a
multivitamin/mineral supplement that offers the Daily Value for
vitamin D of 10 micrograms (mcg) or 400 international units (IU).
But some studies show that older people can benefit from up to 800
IU a day.
Did you know that milk may let you down?
``Milk may not be as reliable a source of vitamin D as many
people think it is,'' Holick says. His students analyzed samples of
milk from all the regions of the US and western Canada and found
that many of them didn't contain as much D as they claim. In fact,
one out of every six samples of fat-free milk contained no vitamin
D at all.
VITAMIN B6: A DIABETICS BEST FRIEND
If you suffer from premenstrual syndrome (PMS), you may be
familiar with vitamin B6. It regulates a number of hormones,
including estrogen and progesterone, and for some women is an
effective defense against PMS. But odds are that your are
unfamiliar with B6s more serious role: a possible defender against
many serious complications from diabetes, including kidney damage,
nerve damage and cataracts.
Yale University researchers recently found that diabetics who
took 50 mg of vitamin B6 three times a day for 6 weeks experienced
a big drop-off in the glycosylation of hemoglobin, a protein that
is found in red blood cells.
Blood levels of B6 are low in about 25 percent of people with
diabetes.
How much is enough? You can safely take up to 100 mg a day
without risk.
FOLIC ACID
The little-known cancer fighter. Most women of childbearing age
know that they need ample folic acid to prevent serious birth
defects in their unborn baby. What you may not know is that adults
need folic acid, too, to prevent serious diseases such as cancer.
Folic acid is essential for DNA and RNA synthesis, meaning that
it has to be on hand for your body to make the genetic material
that enables cells to divide to make more cells. As a result, when
folic acid is in short supply, DNA synthesis slows, and cells lose
their ability to divide and multiply.
In pregnancy, this can set the stage for serious birth defects.
In the blood, it can cause anemia (a lack of red blood cells). And
in some cases, it can encourage your body to produce abnormal
cells, a condition called dysplasia that can lead to cancer.
``Folic acid helps make the building blocks, called bases, which
are strung together like pearls on a string to form DNA,'' explains
Barry Shane, PhD, chairman of the department of nutritional
sciences at the University of California at Berkeley.
Cancer develops because the chain of bases that ``string of
pearls'' in a cellis damaged, resulting in mutations in the DNA.
And folic acid deficiency has recently been strongly linked to DNA
damage and dysplasia, or precancerous changes, in the cervix,
colon, and lungs.
How much is enough? Most people get about 200 mcg of folic acid
a day, or half the Daily Value. But with folic acid-fortified
breads and cereals now on the market, daily intake could increase
to 300 mcg a day. But that still leaves a 100-mcg daily deficit.
Bottom line: You have to supplement. Most multivitamins contain 400
mcg of folic acid.
Did You Know? Folic acid may spiff up your smile. In fact,
several studies have shown that it can reduce inflammation,
bleeding, and plaque buildup on teeth when taken as a supplement or
used as a mouthwash.
``Your mouth contains the fastest-dividing cells in the body,''
explains Liz Collins, ND, a naturopathic physician and co-owner of
The Natural Childbirth and Family Clinic in Portland, OR. ``And any
cell that divides quickly needs folic acid to replicate properly.''
Dr. Collins recommends popping between 400 and 800 mcg of folic
acid a day to treat gingivitis. Or gargle with a folic acid
mouthwash twice a day to get up to the 800 mcg that she recommends.
Simply empty a folic acid capsule into about 4 ounces of lukewarm
water, stir, swish it in your mouth for a couple of minutes, then
swallow.
Repeat that until you've finished the solution.
OPTIONAL SIDEBAR
VITAMIN C AT A GLANCE
Alias:
Ascorbic acid. What does it do? Protects all cells in the
body from free radical damage and toxins and allows the body to
convert fatty acids into fuel and to produce the ``stress''
hormones epinephrine and norepinephrine.
Why take it?
To help prevent or treat any condition or disease
associated with free radical damage, including bacterial and viral
infections, cancer, asthma, diabetes-related organ damage, chronic
inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, recovery from
surgery or injury, and exposure to toxins.
Who needs it most?
Smokers and people routinely exposed to
cigarette smoke; people with viral or bacterial infections; people
with diabetes, high cholesterol, cardiovascular disease, cancer, or
chronic inflammation; and people who take aspirin or barbiturates
daily.
Best eats for C:
Red chili peppers, red and green bell peppers,
kale, parsley, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, strawberries,
cantaloupe, and citrus fruits.
Tip:
Divide your dose in two. Take 100 milligrams (mg) with
breakfast and 100 mg with dinner to keep up blood levels of vitamin
C throughout the day.
OPTIONAL SIDEBAR
CALCIUM AT A GLANCE
Forms:
Carbonate, citrate, citrate-malate, lactate, dicalcium
phosphate, gluconate.
What does it do?
Builds bone and teeth and also contributes to
regulation of muscle contraction, clotting of blood, transmission
of nerve impulses, secretion of hormones, and activation of some
enzymes
Why take it?
To prevent osteoporosis and high blood pressure.
Who needs it most?
People who don't eat many dairy products
(vitamin D aids calcium absorption) and breast-feeding women.
Best eats for calcium:
Milk and milk products, sardines with
bones, kale and calcium-fortified orange juice.
Caution:
Large doses of calcium interfere with the body's
ability to absorb other minerals, such as iron, zinc, copper and
manganese. To maximize absorption of supplements that contain these
minerals, take your calcium supplement separately from them.
OPTIONAL SIDEBAR
VITAMIN D AT A GLANCE
What does it do?
Promotes the absorption of calcium and
phosphorus from foods to increase bone strength, helps skin cells
grow normally, and aids the pancreas in producing insulin. Why take
it? To prevent osteoporosis, psoriasis, and possibly type 1
diabetes.
Who needs it most?
People who don't eat many dairy products and
those who don't get much exposure to sunlight.
Best eats for D:
Fortified milk, fatty fish such as mackerel and
salmon, egg yolks and liver.
Caution:
Large doses (more than 2,000 international units [IU] a
day) over several months can cause kidney stones, calcium deposits
in your kidneys and heart, which can be fatal. If you're taking
several nutritional supplements, including ``animal extracts'' such
as liver extracts that contain undisclosed amounts of vitamin D,
consult your doctor to be on the safe side.
OPTIONAL SIDEBAR
VITAMIN B6 AT A GLANCE
Alias:
Pyridoxine. What does it do? Helps relieve premenstrual
syndrome (PMS), morning sickness, and carpal tunnel syndrome;
possibly reduces the risk of heart disease, kidney stones and
complications from diabetes.
Who needs it most?
Elderly people who are poor eaters,
alcoholics, people taking drugs that interfere with B6 absorption,
and those with intestinal absorption problems.
Best eats for B6:
Chicken, fish, meat, spinach, broccoli, and
bananas.
Caution:
Doses of 100 milligrams (mg) a day or more for several
months can result in sensory neuropathy, or numbness in the hands
and feet, which usually goes away once the dosage is reduced.
OPTIONAL SIDEBAR
FOLIC ACID AT A GLANCE
Aliases:
Folate and folacin. What does it do? Ensures production
of a cells genetic material DNA and RNA.
Why take it?
It prevents birth defects and helps to reverse
possible precancerous cell changes in the cervix, lungs, and colon.
It may also reduce blood levels of homocysteine, a risk factor for
heart disease.
Who needs it most?
People who use cholestryramine (Questran), a
cholesterol-lowering drug; people with cancer; the elderly; women
of childbearing age; alcoholics; and smokers.
Best eats for folic acid:
Leafy green vegetables, legumes and
seeds.
