Archive for June 26th, 2005
Liquid Vitamins Product Reference
(Product Reviews Below)
Our Recommendation:
Because of all of the above reasons, we highly suggest Vitaplen Complete above all other brands. Of the brands that we have examined, only Vitaplen Complete has a total of 165 nutrients, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and whole food extracts. Try getting that from your average once a day vitamin, which may only have 20 or 30. Vitaplen Complete goes light years beyond your average “once a day” single pill multivitamins because you get a more complete and broad spectrum of ingredients, faster absorption, low cost and the convenience of delivery right to your mailbox, with no additional shipping fees.
Here we compare the ingredients of Vitaplen Complete (our gold standard) against some of the other most popular brands available.
Overall Results:
Aside from Vitaplen Complete, they were disappointing. Many of the major manufacturers should take a hard look at their formulas and consider beefing up the ingredients where they are falling short. In particular, most formulas should provide you wholesome nutrition, not just the basic vitamins and minerals. There is additional room for improvement and we suggest that manufactures consider providing whole body nutrition rather than just the basic vitamins and minerals.
Commercial Availability:
You can order Vitaplen Complete online at http://www.vitaplen.com/. They infrequently run special offers for free shipping, so you can save a little extra there as well.
To Keep in Mind:
By now, you are either taking vitamins for yourself already or have decided that the benefits of taking your vitamins daily is the key to a healthy, and more vibrant you. But questions still remain. What kind of vitamins do I take? What dosages? How many? Why should I have to pay for dozens of individual vitamins instead of just taking a single multivitamin? Fortunately, we have searched long and hard and come up with a solution. We have done this research for you, so you do not have to spend hundreds of dollars a month on dozens of different pills that you have to swallow daily. Can you imagine swallowing as many as 10 or 12 pills a day, just to get your vitamins? Buying that many vitamins a month could cost you $200 or more. But read on, you are about to be let in on the dirty little secret that pills have that almost nobody will tell you.
You can only put a very small amount of ingredients into a pill. Why? Think of a pill as if it was a nearly full suitcase. The pill is the suitcase and the inside is full of clothes and everything else you need for your trip. The only space left is for the things you buy when you get where you are going. This is the space available to put actual active ingredients (such as vitamins) inside the pill. Everythign else is needed to keep the pill stable (or to get you where you are going).
Because of this, as much as 80% of a pill can be fillers, binders, chelating agents and film coatings. In order to get the amount of vitamins that you can get with a high quality liquid multivitamin, you would need to take at least 10 pills a day. Why swallow 10 or more pills a day when you can take as little as half an ounce of a high potency liquid multivitamin and get more vitamins, minerals, fruit, vegetable and plant extracts than you could get by taking dozens of pills? It just doesn’t make sense, but day after day people take a basic “once a day” multivitamin and believe they are getting everything they need. I hate to break it to you, but you aren’t.
Not only do people not get the vitamins they really need, they fail to absorb the vitamins they take due to the vitamin being sold in a solid, pill form and then they get stuck with paying the full retail price for all of these vitamins because they buy it in a retail store that has to pay for overhead, employees, a physical store and more. Why not get all of your vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, whole food extracts and more, together in one great tasting and inexpensive product, delivered direct to your door without even paying for shipping? Oh and what if you could get all of this for fewer than sixty five cents a day, delivered right to your mailbox?
June 26th, 2005
Vitamins for Children
By: Dr. George Obikoya
Are vitamins important to children? Can children use vitamins? How much of a certain vitamin should a child be given? It is well known that children do not like vegetables, which are known to be rich in vitamins and minerals. Does this mean they need vitamin supplements? These are all important questions that parents often seek answers to. Let’s shed some light on this topic.
Vitamins are, by definition, substances we need for our body to
function normally. Does this rule exclude children? Absolutely not. We need vitamins for healthy vision, to grow, to make bones and connective tissue, to fight infections, diseases and cancer, to heal wounds, to prevent us from bleeding to death, and to keep our teeth healthy and strong. Don’t these also apply to children? Of course they do!
So we have established that we need sufficient vitamins intake to be healthy. We have also established the fact that we cannot produce enough vitamins to meet our needs. We, therefore, need to get them from outside sources, largely our diet and from commercial nutritional supplements. Multivitamins are the best source for children to receive the nutrients they need in order to grow and develop.
Not many of us eat a balanced diet on a regular basis if at all, nor do many of us give our children a daily balanced diet either. (Happy Meals anyone?) The stresses of modern living have made sure we are not home long enough or have enough time to prepare regularly balanced meals for ourselves and our children. Indeed, more people are eating out most times. Now, this is a serious problem for us as adults, but is even more serious for children still growing. When was the last time you saw a healthy fast food chain? The CEO’s of McDonalds and Wendy’s have both died from heart attacks. It doesn’t take a genius to get a feeling that fast food is extraordinarily damaging to one’s health.
As if the above is not enough to contend with, there are periods in the lives of growing children when they tend to be very choosy about what they eat; we are all familiar with the fast-food phenomenon. In fact, some of them don’t even want to eat at all. One of the challenges of parenting is to ensure their children eat to eat a balanced diet, but how often does this actually happen?
How about the fact that the highly processed foods of our times contain little natural vitamins? What about the fact that even our fruits and vegetables are often grown using agricultural techniques that minimize the vitamin and mineral contents? Does this not affect our abilities to get sufficient vitamins from what we eat? Don’t all these mean it is imperative we give our children multivitamins as supplements to the (few) vitamins they get in their food?
As a concerned parent, the answer should be yes. Indeed, it is recommended that children who began eating solid food at six months be given vitamin supplements by age one. Due to the likely difficulty in getting your child to swallow a pill form of a vitamin, it might be easier to try a liquid form. Most children acquire adequate vitamins in breast milk and infant formula before their first birthday if they do not suffer from any disease preventing them from doing so. It may be necessary to give children that do not get enough exposure to sunlight vitamin D before then.
Toddlers and preschoolers are often picky about their foods. They will need supplemental multivitamins in particular. As these children grow, their tastes change over time and usually start to eat a more balanced diet. You should give children vitamins during these years as well to ensure they are well nourished and are getting the nutrients they need to ensure normal growth and development.
Children that are deficient in vitamins suffer from the same symptoms and signs specific to the vitamin they lack. Indeed, because children’s body and immune systems are not developed as those of adults, they are more susceptible to the ravaging consequences of vitamin deficiencies that only grow worse over time. At least as kids they have an opportunity to correct these deficiencies - as adults it may be too late.
The effects of vitamin D deficiency on children exemplifies this point. Babies who do not get enough or produce enough vitamin D can develop rickets, the failure of developing bones to form properly. In the absence of adequate amounts of vitamin D, which is considered to be 400 IU by the US FDA, the body steals calcium from the bones to keep the blood levels of calcium high enough for life. Breast-fed babies whose mothers do not get adequate time in the sun can develop rickets. This is true particularly in colder climates and in darker-skinned persons. Window panes and sometimes smog or haze can also block the sun’s rays a child needs to create vitamin D.
These children end up with brittle bones, often the first noticeable in their thin, pliable skull, which if pressed on can feel like pressing on a ping-pong ball. The head shape may be abnormal, teething delayed, and teeth improperly formed with many cavities. The wrists and ankles may appear swollen. The tips of the rib bones can enlarge creating a string of lumps called the rachitic rosary. Bowed legs, knock-knees, or fractures are common and these children tend to sweat more than average.
Babies need just an average of 400 IU of vitamin D per day to prevent rickets. Nursing mothers should also take lots of vitamin D and to try to get their babies outside the house several times a week, but please avoid sunburn. Vitamin D supplements should be given to make sure the child is getting something he or she critically needs. Check the milk formula you are giving your child to make sure it contains vitamin D and in sufficient amounts.
Giving your children vitamins will free you from worrying about their diet and make it possible to be more creative in feeding them in an effort to ensure they are well nourished. Note, however, that giving them excessive amounts of certain minerals such as iron can be unhealthy. Good, high quality liquid (this form is easier to swallow and has a higher rate of absorption) multivitamins are available at low cost and are advised for all children.
A good multivitamin is the foundation of health and nutrition. Take a look at our scientific reviews of many of the popular brands for factors such as ingredients, areas of improvement, quality level, and overall value. If you are looking for a high quality liquid multivitamin, we suggest that you take a look at the Multivitamin Product Comparisons.
June 26th, 2005
Effects of Alcohol and Illicit Drugs and Vitamins
By: Dr. George Obikoya
Alcohol, hashish, marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, methadone, LSD, Ritalin, and Phencyclidine are all different chemical compounds with different, potentially harmful properties but they have something in common - they are all drugs of abuse.
What are the effects of these drugs on vitamins and vitamin levels? Do they reduce the effectiveness of vitamins? Do they make vitamins completely ineffective? Should someone be taking vitamins while taking alcohol and illicit drugs?
The simple answer to these questions is that many chemical substances, both licit and illicit, can influence the functions of vitamins as well as body systems. In our society, drinking alcohol is a very acceptable form of socializing and relaxation. A glass of beer can satisfy a genuine thirst (well, it actually dehydrates the body), while a glass of wine can make a special meal more pleasurable, and a measure of spirit can be a welcome relaxant after a hard day’s work.
Going to the pub means contact with friends, and social life is important for everyone. Yet, we all know the damaging effects of alcohol if taken in excess. Indeed, chronic alcohol abuse will quite strongly prevent the absorption of vitamins and is often associated with poor diet, which means affected individuals are not getting enough vitamins in the first place. This only makes things worse.
Alcohol interferes with the nutritional process by affecting digestion, storage, utilization, and excretion of nutrients.1
Vitamins are essential to maintaining growth and normal metabolism because they regulate many physiological processes. Chronic heavy drinking is associated with deficiencies in many critical vitamins because of decreased food ingestion and, in some cases, impaired absorption, metabolism, and utilization.2
For example, alcohol inhibits fat absorption and thereby impairs absorption of the vitamins A, E, and D that are normally absorbed along with dietary fats 3. Vitamin A deficiency can be associated with night blindness, and vitamin D deficiency is associated with softening of the bones. Deficiency in such a broad range of vitamins can seem overwhelming, but with the help of a liquid multivitamin you can achieve the desired results in just a few seconds every day.
Vitamins A, C, D, E, K, and the B vitamins, which are also deficient in some alcoholics, are all involved in wound healing and cell maintenance 4. This can make cuts and bruises harder to heal in heavy drinkers.
In particular, because vitamin K is necessary for blood clotting, deficiencies of that vitamin can cause delayed clotting and result in excess bleeding. Deficiencies of other vitamins involved in brain function can cause severe neurological damage.
Deficiencies of minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc are common in alcoholics, but alcohol itself does not seem to affect the absorption of these minerals 5. Rather, deficiencies seem to occur secondary to other alcohol-related problems: decreased calcium absorption due to fat malabsorption; magnesium deficiency due to decreased intake, increased urinary excretion, vomiting, and diarrhea; iron deficiency related to gastrointestinal bleeding; and zinc malabsorption or losses related to other nutrient deficiencies.
Mineral deficiencies can cause a variety of medical consequences from calcium-related bone disease to zinc-related night blindness and skin lesions.
The increasing use of marijuana both for recreational and medicinal purposes, can have unwanted side effects on nutrition. For example, in Marinol (the prescription grade THC), the question of the effects of marijuana on vitamins becomes quite pertinent. A recent study that examined the dietary intakes and nutritional status of marijuana users and non-marijuana users using a national representative sample of U.S. adults 20 to 59 years old seems to provide the answer.
The study concluded that higher consumption of sodium, lower fruit and vegetable intake, lower serum carotenoid levels, higher alcohol intake, higher cigarette use and the compounded carcinogenic effects of marijuana place marijuana users at a higher future risk for cardiovascular disease and cancer. In general, substance abuse harms the body in two distinct ways: via the effect of the substance itself and via negative lifestyle changes, such as irregular eating habits and poor dietary intake. You can beat these habits with the help of a supplement regimen, which is available most efficiently in a liquid multivitamin.
For example, infants who were exposed to alcohol while in the womb often have physical defects and mental disabilities. In this case, the growing fetus has deficits both directly caused by the substance crossing the placenta and indirectly due to inadequate nutrition including lackof vitamins and minerals of the mother while she was drinking. Opiates, which include codeine, heroin, and morphine, affect the gastrointestinal system. A very common symptom of abuse includes constipation. Symptoms common during withdrawal include diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting, which may lead to deficiencies in nutrients, including vitamins and minerals and electrolyte imbalances such as of sodium, potassium, and chloride.
Stimulant use, including use of crack, cocaine, and methamphetamine, results in a significant decrease in appetite, weight loss, and eventual malnutrition. Abusers of these drugs may stay up for days at a time and suffer dehydration and electrolyte imbalances during these prolonged episodes. Returning to normal diet can be difficult if there has been profound weight loss.
A good multivitamin is the foundation of health and nutrition. Take a look at our scientific reviews of many of the popular brands for factors such as ingredients, areas of improvement, quality level, and overall value. If you are looking for a high quality liquid multivitamin, we suggest that you take a look at the Multivitamin Product Comparisons.
References
1. Lieber, C.S. The influence of alcohol on nutritional status. Nutrition Reviews 46(7):241-254, 1988
2. Lieber, C.S. Alcohol and nutrition: An overview. Alcohol Health & Research World 13(3):197-205, 1989.
3. Leo, M.A., and Lieber, C.S. Alcohol and vitamin A. Alcohol Health & Research World 13(3):250-254, 1989.
4. Tortora, G.J., and Anagnostakos, N.P., eds. Principles of Anatomy and Physiology. 5th ed. New York: Harper & Row Publishers, 1987.
5. Marsano, L., and McClain, C.J. Effects of alcohol on electrolytes and minerals. Alcohol Health & Research World 13(3):255-260, 1989.
June 26th, 2005
Most people associate CoQ10 with a healthy heart. However, CoQ10 plays a critical role in the body that extends far beyond just the heart. CoQ10 is an enzyme found in all cells of the body. It occurs naturally, and is the co-factor in the electron transport chain between cells. CoQ10 is located in the mitochondria, tiny power plants found in every cell in the body, and effectively supports the energy producing pathways to help fuel the body’s daily activity.
If you lack CoQ10, your body’s most important source of cellular energy is depleted, and many medical conditions are aggravated and made worse. It is most concentrated in the heart and liver, and is a vital component in the mitochondria, the body’s metabolic factories.
CoQ10 is a powerful antioxidant, scavenging free radicals, sitting in the membranes with Vitamin E which it recycles to keep it most active. Studies have shown CoQ10 to be effective in combating a number of threats to your cardiovascular health. CoQ10 helps prevent heart disease, boosts cellular energy production thereby improving heart function, and prevents the formation of free radicals to help protect your body’s cells. A good liquid multivitamin will contain CoQ10 to help keep your heart healthy.
CoQ10 has been used for years to fight heart disease and to treat the early stages of congestive heart failure in Europe and Japan, coenzyme Q10 is finally gaining mainstream acceptance here in the United States.
As we get older, our body’s supply of CoQ10 slowly diminishes. Coenzyme Q10 protects us against dopamine depletion in the brain, providing a specific anti-aging effect by preserving neural functioning. It also protects against periodontal disease and slows aging. It is, therefore, important for you take CoQ10 supplements as you age, preferably in the form of a liquid multivitamin.
CoQ10 extracts energy from the raw materials sent into the mitochondrion of our cells. It also works as an antioxidant. Although most of the oxygen used by the electron transport chain ends up as part of neutral water molecules, sometimes oxygen molecules lose an electron and become “charged.” In large quantities, these charged oxygen molecules, known as oxygen free radicals, can be very destructive to the membranes of the cell. CoQ10 helps protect against this damage.
The cellular damage that occurs in many mitochondrial abnormalities and some neurodegenerative diseases, such as ALS, is thought to be linked to or worsened by excess free radical production, known as “oxidative stress.” Research has shown that CoQ10 is able to participate in a “cellular buffering system” designed to protect against oxidative stress. CoQ10 acts as an “antioxidant” in the cell because it can neutralize the charged oxygen molecules without becoming destabilized itself, thus stopping the destructive chain reaction. CoQ10 might also juggle electrons back and forth with vitamin E to help neutralize excess charges.
CoQ10 is a safe and effective treatment for a broad range of cardiovascular diseases, including hypertension (high blood pressure), CHF (congestive heart failure) and angina. CoQ10 is a powerful antioxidant and free radical scavenger and all metabolically active tissues are very sensitive to a deficiency in this substance.
A number of clinical trials have been done for conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, and cardiac failure. Some have had positive results, and indeed have seemed to offer great promise. For example, a study of 144 patients with acute myocardial infarction (heart attack) that was published in 1998 demonstrated a halving of total cardiac events (problems) in those given CoQ10 compared with placebo. 1
The effect from 30 mg of CoQ10 is mild, mostly consisting of a slightly higher energy level. The effects become more noticeable with 60 mg and on twice this dose you will notice an obvious increase in energy as the day goes on, with an urge to take a long walk or be physically active. There is a slight mood elevation with enhanced focus, motivation, and productivity, along with the desire to talk to people.
There have been a small amount of skepticisms about the ability of CoQ10 to help with heart disease. A recent research study found that n-3 fatty acids plus CoQ can decrease TNF-alpha and IL-6 in AMI which are pro-inflammatory agents and that it can enhance brain acetylecholine levels, offering protection to the brain. The authors concluded that any agent that can enhance brain acetylecholine levels may be used as a therapeutic agent in protecting the suprachiasmatic nucleus, higher nervous centres, vagal activity and sympathetic nerve activity which are known to regulate the body clock and HRV and the risk of heart diseases and heart attack.2
Another recent study concluded that Coenzyme Q10 supplementation improves endothelial function of conduit arteries of the peripheral circulation in patients with Type II diabetes. The mechanism could involve increased endothelial release and/or activity of nitric oxide due to improvement in vascular oxidative stress. 3
These studies clearly show that there is no doubt that CoQ10 helps with protecting against diseases of the heart and blood vessels.
CoQ10 has no known side effects and can be readily bought over the counter. Thus, many physicians are not even aware of its many benefits. If you take this for your heart and mind, you may be smarter than your less informed doctor.
A good multivitamin is the foundation of health and nutrition. Take a look at our scientific reviews of many of the popular brands for factors such as ingredients, areas of improvement, quality level, and overall value. If you are looking for a high quality liquid multivitamin, we suggest that you take a look at the Multivitamin Product Comparisons.
References
1. Cardiovasc Drugs Ther 1998;12: 347-53.
2. Singh RB, Kartik C, Otsuka K, Pella D, Pella J. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) Research Biomed Pharmacother 2002;56 Suppl 2:257s-265s
3. Watts GF, Playford DA, Croft KD, Ward NC, Mori TA, Burke V. Coenzyme Q10 improves endothelial dysfunction of the brachial artery in Type II diabetes mellitus. Diabetologia 2002 Mar;45(3):420-6
June 26th, 2005
Antioxidant Vitamins for Seniors
By: Dr. George Obikoya
Seniors are prone to nutritional and vitamin deficiencies because they are at risk for being malnourished. They are particularly at risk for many reasons including poor appetite due to medications, disability, or reduced food intake due to intestinal disorders, diabetes, or restrictive diets. As we age, our ability to properly process nutrients decreases, sometimes dramatically. This can also contribute to poor vitamin absorption. To combat both reduced food intake and nutrient absorption, liquid multivitamins are recommended. It is estimated that 40% of the U.S. population takes vitamin supplements, and recently much public and scientific interest has been directed toward antioxidants in particular.1
Antioxidant nutrients are believed to play a role in the prevention and treatment of a variety of chronic diseases, ranging from asthma to cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cancer. The proposed mechanism by which antioxidants protect cells from oxidative stress is by scavenging free radicals and halting lipid peroxidation chain reactions, which can cause damage to DNA, our genetic blueprint. 2
In light of new research on the importance of these vitamins to overall heath, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) recently released new dietary guidelines for intake of the antioxidant nutrients vitamin C, vitamin E, carotenoids, and selenium. In addition, a variety of other nutrients are believed to be involved in antioxidant processes, and are strongly recommended that adequate amounts of these are consumed daily.
Two forms of chemical reactions, oxidation and reduction, occur widely in nature. Iron rusts, which is caused by oxidation. Oxidation is the loss of electrons, and reduction is the gain of electrons. Oxidation and reduction reactions always occur in pairs, i.e., when one atom or molecule is oxidized, another is reduced. Highly reactive molecules can oxidize molecules (i.e., remove electrons from molecules) that were previously stable, and may cause them to become unstable species, such as free radicals.
A free radical is a chemical “species” with an unpaired electron that can be neutral, positively charged, or negatively charged. Although a few stable free radicals are known, most are very reactive. In free radical chain reactions, the radical product of one reaction becomes the starting material for another, propagating free radical damage. This is essentially the oxidative process, and it continues on and on as a chain reaction until stopped.
A certain amount of oxidative function is necessary for proper health. For example, oxidation processes are used by the body’s immune systems to kill microorganisms.3 However, the level of toxic reactive oxygen intermediates (ROI) can sometimes overcome the antioxidant defenses of the host, resulting in an excess of free radicals and a state called oxidative stress. These free radicals can induce local injury by reacting with lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids. The interaction of free radicals with cellular lipids leads to membrane damage and the generation of lipid peroxide byproducts. Seniors are particularly prone to this state of affairs because of their often-poor nutritional status. This is why seniors absolutely need an ample supplies of antioxidants.
The major water-soluble antioxidant metabolites are glutathione (GSH), the B vitamins, and vitamin C. Vitamin E and the carotenoids are the principal lipid-soluble antioxidants. Vitamin E is the major lipid-soluble antioxidant in cell membranes that can break the chain of lipid peroxidation. Therefore, theoretically, vitamin E is the most important antioxidant in preventing oxidation of these fatty acids. Vitamin E is recycled by a reaction with vitamin C, so adequate vitamin C should be consumed when taking Vitamin E.
Despite the actions of antioxidant nutrients, some oxidative damage will occur, and accumulation of this damage throughout life is believed to be a major contributing factor to aging and disease.3 We can, therefore, minimize this effect of free radicals by starting to take antioxidants daily and regularly. The earlier this process is started, the less damage will occur. Starting in childhood would certainly be ideal, but starting anytime is far preferred to not starting at all and letting the damage continue.
Observational studies provide fairly consistent data for an inverse association between high intake of antioxidant vitamins and cancer risk. The data is strongest for beta-carotene and vitamin C and their ability to reduce cancer risk is well documented.
For cardiovascular risk, beta-carotene and vitamin E appear to modify the oxidation of LDL-C, making it less prone to cause thickening of the walls of the blood vessels, and vitamin C appears to reduce hypertension. These effects combine to reduce risk of cardiovascular disease.
Research studies show that beta-carotene from fruits and vegetables and supplemental vitamin E are beneficial in the prevention of cardiovascular disease, but take care to avoid synthetic beta-carotene.
The carotenoids, vitamins E and C are implicated in the maintenance of ocular function, and vitamins E and C appear to offer some protection against asthma.
In general, seniors should be encouraged to eat a balanced diet but they also need a daily and regular consumption of antioxidants, in order to protect them from the ravages of free radicals, which they tend to have in abundance. Pay particular attention to the fact that many seniors do not get proper diets and often have decreased ability to absorb and use vitamins and nutrients, and know that a liquid multivitamin is the perfect solution.
A good multivitamin is the foundation of health and nutrition. Take a look at our scientific reviews of many of the popular brands for factors such as ingredients, areas of improvement, quality level, and overall value. If you are looking for a high quality liquid multivitamin, we suggest that you take a look at the Multivitamin Product Comparisons.
References
1. Meyers DG, Maloley PA, Weeks D. Safety of antioxidant vitamins. Arch Intern Med. 1996; 156: 925-35.
2. Sun Y. Free radicals, antioxidant enzymes, and carcinogenesis. Free Radic Biol Med. 1990 ; 8: 583-99.
3. Winkler BS, Boulton ME, Gottsch JD, Sternberg P. Oxidative damage and age-related macular degeneration. Mole Vis. 1999; 5: 32
June 26th, 2005
Daily Multivitamin - For Your Health
By: Dr. George Obikoya
As the baby boomers continue to age, people of all ages are increasingly keen on taking responsibility for their own health and are showing more and more interest in watching their diet and taking vitamin supplements to maintain their health and well-being. In particular, there is a growing awareness of the benefits of health supplements for both young and old.
To scientists, and health conscious people, the fact that we can benefit from supplements has never been in doubt. Yet, many of us are not quite clear what exactly the benefits of taking a daily multivitamin are. Not only do most of us fail to eat a varied and well-balanced diet on a regular basis, at certain times in their lives, many people may require more of certain nutrients than their diets can provide - for example, young children, teenagers, pregnant women, those on vegetarian or poorly designed slimming diets, and chronically ill or elderly people. Furthermore, there are also some nutrients that may be difficult to get in food in adequate amounts and therefore may need to be taken as a supplement by certain people, for example, folic acid for women during pre-conception and in the first three months of pregnancy.
In general, a good daily multivitamin/mineral supplement improves your overall bodily functioning and boosts both your physical and mental health and well-being. Sometimes supplementation with specific nutrients may be more appropriate in order to address any individual specific needs. For example, CoQ10 is especially helpful for those at risk for heart disease, and Vitamins C and E, taken in combination to help ward off Alzheimer’s disease. A multivitamin supplement usually contains the recommended daily dose of a variety of vitamins and other nutrients. Sometimes, multivitamin supplements are formulated for specific age groups, or individual conditions such as pregnancy. Multivitamins also are at their most efficient when they are in liquid form, as the body has been proven to absorb them five times more efficiently than multivitamins in pill form.
Many people report a feeling of general well being when they are taking their daily multivitamins regularly. The individual vitamins and nutrients in a quality daily multivitamin dose delivers to you their specific benefits of each individual vitamin, plus you get the combined (synergistic) benefits of all of the ingredients working together. Vitamin E, for example, a fat-soluble antioxidant vitamin helps to neutralize potentially damaging free radicals in the body and it is particularly important for the protection of cell membranes as well as maintaining healthy skin, heart and circulation, nerves, muscles and red blood cells. Vitamin C on the other hand is water soluble, but like Vitamin E, it is an antioxidant. It helps white blood cells combat infection, is essential for wound healing, for the formation of collagen, for healthy skin, and for the formation of other important structural materials in bones, teeth and capillaries. It also helps with the absorption of iron from plant sources. Vitamins D, K, A, and other nutrients in a multivitamin supplement all have specific beneficial effects on our bodies ranging from minimizing the risks of heart problems to helping to ward off Alzeheimer’s disease.
It is important to take your daily multivitamin in a liquid form regularly to enjoy these benefits to their fullest extent. Vigorous training, for example, increases the production of free radicals in the body. When involved in an exercise program, we should, therefore, increase the intake of antioxidants such as beta-carotene, vitamin C and vitamin E, and ensure you take adequate amounts of the proper vitamins and minerals required to maintain strong, healthy bones and joints such as calcium and iron. Also, older people over 55 years, convalescents, those who consume large amounts of alcohol, those with active, busy lives, people with colds, smokers, those exposed to excessive pollution, athletes and routine aspirin users need to take more daily and regular multivitamins.
June 26th, 2005
Why Can’t Your Body Just Make Vitamins?
By: Dr. George Obikoya
This is an excellent question whose answer is straightforward. Since generally we cannot synthesize vitamins or can only do so in amounts insufficient to meet our body needs, they must be obtained from the diet or from some synthetic source, hence vitamins are called essential nutrients. Since the body simply cannot make many of the vitamins it needs, a good liquid multivitamin is crucial. If a vitamin is absent from the diet or is not properly absorbed by an organism, a specific deficiency disease may develop or the individual may feel tired, irritable and may not be as mentally sharp.
Let’s use a car analogy real fast. Bear in mind that you only get one body, but you can always buy a new car. Try and think of your body as a well oiled machine, with thousands of interlocking parts, gears and spokes if you will, that all support each other and work together to seamlessly sustain life on a daily basis. This, at least in a simplified way, is how your body works - but we all know the kinds of harmful effects that malnutrition, disease and injury can have on a person. When your body lacks the essential raw ingredients it needs to operate properly, a cascading effect occurs that touches on every single one of your body’s systems and causes them to operate less efficiency or even cease functioning altogether. Taking supplemental liquid vitamins is akin to using high octane gas for your car, only hundreds of times better and far, far less expensive. Your body runs better, cleaner, more efficiently and is able to better resist breaking down and disease as a result. Your immune system functions better, your thinking clears and your body simply works better when it has the proper nutrients it needs. Unfortunately a side effect of our diet means that millions of people every day are lacking the most basic nutrition needed, let alone getting optimum nutrition levels.
There are two groups of essential vitamins, each classified according to the materials in which they will dissolve. Fat-soluble vitamins, A, D, E and K, dissolve in fat before they are absorbed in the blood stream and are stored in the liver.
Water-soluble vitamins on the other hand dissolve in water, are not stored and are eliminated regularly in urine. We, therefore, need a continuous supply of these vitamins. The water-soluble vitamins are the B-complex group and vitamin C. Water-soluble vitamins are easily destroyed or washed out during food storage or preparation (heat, light, etc). To reduce vitamin loss, refrigerate fresh produce, keep milk and grains away from strong light, and use the cooking water from vegetables to prepare soups.
Vitamin C is plentiful in citrus fruits, broccoli, strawberries, melon, green pepper, tomatoes, dark green vegetables, potatoes. You get a lot of Vitamin B1 in pork, liver, whole grains, enriched grain products, peas, meat, legumes. Liver, milk, dark green vegetables, whole and enriched grain products, eggs are excellent sources of vitamin B2. Niacin can be found in liver, fish, poultry, meat, peanuts, whole and enriched grain products.
Pork, meats, whole grains and cereals, legumes, green, leafy vegetables are rich in vitamin B6, while liver, kidney, dark green leafy vegetables, meats, fish, whole grains, fortified grains and cereals, legumes, citrus fruits are great sources of folic acid.
Vitamin B12 is found only in animal foods such as meats, liver, kidney, fish, eggs, milk and milk products, oysters, and shellfish and it needs an additional “intrinsic factor” produced in the stomach to function properly. Liver, kidney, meats, egg yolk, whole grains, and legumes are good sources of panthotenic acid, which is also made by intestinal bacteria. Biotin is found in the liver, kidney, egg yolk, milk, most fresh vegetables, and it is also made by intestinal bacteria. Vegetarians should strongly consider supplemeting with these B vitamins, lest they fail to obtain enough from their diet.
An important point to note is that we absolutely need vitamins to function effectively and be healthy. Our bodies cannot make many of the vitamins that we require on a daily basis. We must, therefore, find them in our food, and by taking a liquid multivitamin supplement.
June 26th, 2005
Can Vitamins help prevent Diseases?
By: Dr. George Obikoya
Vitamins can help prevent disease in two main ways: By preventing the deficiency syndromes characteristic of the respective vitamin, and through the health benefits conferred by that specific vitamin. For example, Vitamin A is important for our vision. It also plays a major role in bone growth, reproduction, cell division and cell differentiation. It helps maintain the surface linings of the eyes and the respiratory, urinary, and intestinal tracts. When those linings break down, bacteria can enter the body and cause infection.
Vitamin A also helps maintain the integrity of skin and mucous membranes that function as a barrier to bacteria and viruses. Vitamin A helps in part to regulate the immune system. The immune system helps prevent or fight off infections by making white blood cells that destroy harmful bacteria and viruses. Vitamin A appears to help lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell that fights infections, function more effectively.
Your body needs calcium to build and maintain strong bones and teeth. You must absorb calcium every day from your dietary intake because your body does not and cannot make calcium. You lose calcium through shed skin, nails, hair, sweat, urine and feces. When you do not have enough calcium, your body breaks down bone to obtain this mineral. A good liquid multivitamin will provide you with the amount of calcium you need, as well as many other essential vitamins and minerals.
Bones are constantly going through a process known as remodeling in which small amounts of old bone are removed and new bone is formed in its place. Generally, after age 35, more bone is lost than gained. Bone loss accelerates after menopause and this can lead to osteoporosis.
Women (but men are certainly not immune) are especially vulnerable to osteoporosis, or a thinning of the bones, which develops slowly over many years. Researchers believe that decreasing hormone levels, too little calcium in the diet early in life, and lack of exercise all play a role in osteoporosis. One of the advances that changed the way we look at vitamins is the discovery that too little folic acid, one of the eight B vitamins, is linked to birth defects such as spina bifida and anencephaly. Fifty years ago, no one knew what caused these birth defects, which occur when the early development of tissues that eventually become the spinal cord and the tissues that surround it go awry.
Twenty five years ago, British researchers found that mothers of children with spina bifida had low vitamin levels. Eventually, two large trials in which women were randomly assigned to take folic acid or a placebo showed that getting too little folic acid increased a woman’s chances of having a baby with spina bifida or anencephaly and that getting enough folic acid could prevent these birth defects.
Enough folic acid, at least 400 micrograms a day, isn’t always easy to get from food. That’s why women of childbearing age are urged to take extra folic acid. It’s also why the US Food and Drug Administration now requires that folic acid be added to most enriched breads, flour, cornmeal, pastas, rice, and other grain products, along with the iron and other micronutrients that have been added for years. However, this often is not enough to ensure adequate intake of folic acid as people have a wide vareity of eating habits.
The other exciting discovery about folic acid and two other B vitamins is that they may help fight against some types of cancer. It’s too early to tell if there’s merely an association between increased intake of folic acid and other B vitamins and heart disease or cancer, or if high intakes prevent these chronic diseases. In 1968, a Boston pathologist investigating the deaths of two children from massive strokes wondered if the high levels of a protein breakdown product called homocysteine in their systems could have been the reason their arteries were as clogged with cholesterol as those of a 55-year-old fast food addict. Bottom line is that high levels of homocysteine are to be avoided at all costs, and folic acid is a very good way to help to minimize your homocysteine levels.
Since then, many studies have linked high levels of this breakdown product, called homocysteine, with increased risks of heart disease and stroke. Folic acid, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12 play key roles in recycling homocysteine into methionine, one of the 20 or so building blocks from which the body builds new proteins. Without enough folic acid, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12, this recycling process becomes inefficient and homocysteine levels increase, increasing your risk of heart disease dramatically.
Several observational studies show that high levels of homocysteine are associated with increased risks of heart disease and stroke. Increasing intake of folic acid in particular, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12 decreases homocysteine levels. And some observational studies show lower risks of cardiovascular disease among people with higher intakes of folic acid, those who use multivitamin supplements, or those with higher levels of serum folate (the form of folic acid found in the body).
Ongoing randomized trials, such as the Women’s Antioxidant Cardiovascular Study and the Vitamin Intervention in Stroke Prevention Study should yield more definitive answers regarding homocysteine, B vitamins, and cardiovascular risk.
In addition to recycling homocysteine, folate plays a key role in building DNA, the complex compound that forms our genetic blueprint. Observational studies show that people who get higher than average amounts of folic acid from their diets or supplements have lower risks of colon cancer and breast cancer.
This could be especially important for those who drink alcohol, since alcohol blocks the absorption of folic acid and inactivates circulating folate. An interesting observation from the Nurses’ Health Study is that high intake of folic acid blunts the increased risk of breast cancer seen among women who have more than one alcoholic drink a day. Our cells must constantly contend with nasty substances called free radicals. These free radicals can damage DNA, the inside or artery walls, proteins in the eye - just about any substance or tissue imaginable. Some are made inside the body, inevitable byproducts of turning food into energy. Others come from the air we breathe and the food we eat. Still others come from contamination from toxins.
We aren’t defenseless against free radicals. We extract free radical fighters, called antioxidants, from food. Fruits, vegetables, and other plant-based foods deliver dozens, if not hundreds, of antioxidants. The most common are vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene and related carotenoids. Food also supplies minerals such as selenium and manganese, which are needed by enzymes that destroy free radicals. During the 1990s, the term antioxidants became a huge nutritional buzz word. They were promoted as wonder agents that could prevent heart disease, cancer, cataracts, memory loss, and a host of other conditions.
It’s true that the package of antioxidants, minerals, fiber, and other substances found in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains help prevent a variety of chronic diseases. Recent research evidence suggest high doses of vitamins C, E, and other antioxidants can accomplish a similar feat in people who either do not get the required levels of antioxidants in their diet (most don’t) or have poor absorption of vitamins in the first place.
June 26th, 2005
What Can Vitamin Deficiencies Do?
By: Dr. George Obikoya
Vitamins are essential to healthy living, and they perform best when there are adequate amounts of each and every one. There are many different types of vitamins, each having its own specific benefit to various parts and functions of the human body. Take gasoline and oil in an automobile for instance (one can pretend they are vitamins). A car (the human body) needs gasoline to drive. Now, gasoline by itself doesn’t keep the car driving without oil in the engine. In that same sense, the perfect amount of oil in the engine is useless without gasoline to power it. The two vital substances are both required at the same time, and need to be replenished very frequently to keep the car running smoothly in the same way all people constantly need vitamins to continue living healthy. If just one of the many things needed to run a car (oil in the engine, air in the tires, gas in the tank, and headlights at night) are missing, the entire car is inoperable, totally useless. While the human body still may be able to perform without the appropriate levels of just a few vitamins for a short period of time, hundred of years of research point towards disease and sickness as a result.
Each vitamin has a complex of symptoms and signs that characterize its deficiency. Currently, the most important benefit attributed to vitamins in general are their anti-oxidant properties. Vitamins A, C, E, and many of the carotenoids and phytochemicals are scavengers for particles known as oxygen-free radicals (or oxidants). These chemically active particles are by-products of many of the body’s normal chemical processes. Their numbers are increased by environmental assaults, such as smoking, chemicals, toxins, and stress. The simple act of living also produces them, as we breathe in oxygen constantly.
At moderate to high levels, oxidants and free radicals can be very harmful. They can damage cell membranes and interact with genetic material, possibly contributing to the development of a number of disorders including cancer, heart disease, cataracts, and even the aging process itself. Oxygen-free radicals can also enhance the dangerous properties of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, a major player in the development of atherosclerosis. Antioxidant Vitamins A, C, E, carotenoids, and many phytochemicals can neutralize free radicals, and may reduce or even prevent some of their damage.
For instance, deficiencies of Vitamins A, C, E, and beta carotene have been linked to heart disease. All of these nutrients have antioxidant effects and other properties that may benefit the heart. Vitamin E may prevent blood clots and the formation of fatty plaques and cell proliferation on the walls of the arteries. Of interest are studies suggesting that 1200 IU of the natural (d) alpha tocopherol form of Vitamin E (4000% US Recommended Daily Value) reduces inflammation and damage to blood vessels. Type 2 Diabetics, as suggested by many health professionals, may in particular benefit from this as well. Vitamin E deficiency should therefore never be allowed to occur if you have this type of Diabetes.
Other Vitamin E compounds, including gamma tocopherol or tocotrienol may also have specific benefits. Studies are fairly consistent in indicating that eating foods rich in natural Vitamin E may be protective. Vitamin C appears to maintain blood vessel flexibility and improve circulation in the arteries of smokers. In one English 2001 study, people whose diets were rich in foods that elevated levels of Vitamin C in their blood were at lower risk for heart disease, overall poor health, and even death. Vitamins E and C in combination have even been shown to reduce your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease!
Several important studies have demonstrated a link between deficiencies in the B Vitamins (folate, B6, and B12) and elevated blood levels of homocysteine, an amino acid believed to be a risk factor for atherosclerosis and heart disease. Both Vitamins B12 and folate reduce homocysteine levels, although it is not yet clear if this effect is actually protective against heart disease. (Homocysteine may simply be a marker, not a cause, of heart disease.) Major studies are under way and early results are promising. Another 2001 study for example, reported lower rates of heart disease in populations that had high levels of folate and B12, regardless of any other risk factor.
A supplemental dosage of 0.8 mg/ day (200% US Recommended Daily Value) of folate (also known as folic acid) appears to be necessary for reducing homocysteine levels. Folate also improves blood flow through the arteries, which may be of equal or greater importance for the heart than its effect on homocysteine. Niacin (Vitamin B3) is used for lowering unhealthy cholesterol levels. Although Vitamin B3 is available over the counter, a physician should prescribe niacin in order to ensure its safety and effectiveness.
Studies have reported that a high intake of fruits and vegetables containing beta carotene, lycopene, and other carotenoids may reduce the risk of heart attack. For example, lycopene-poor diets (particularly lycopene in tomatoes) were associated with a significantly higher risk of heart disease and stroke. In another study involving animals, lutein protected against early hardening of the arteries.
It should be stressed, however, that studies are continuing to indicate that high doses of supplements of any of these antioxidants have pro-oxidant effects that can harm the arteries and incur other damage, so avoid very high doses.
The protection that vitamins offer us against a variety of other diseases such as heart disease, Alzheimer’s diseases, respiratory diseases and infectious diseases by boosting our immunity and eyes and skin function among others will be lost if these and other vitamins are deficient. The human body is at high risk of suffering from the symptoms and signs of the lack of each respective vitamin. Maintaining proper vitamin intake is quite simple, with the help of a healthy diet and a high-quality liquid multivitamin taken daily. Don’t take a chance with your health - take preventative measures and combat these problems at hand with a quality multivitamin, today.
June 26th, 2005
Why take a Vitamin?
By: Dr. George Obikoya
High fructose corn syrup. Bleached flour. Ingredients that can’t be pronounced. Even fresh fruit…freshly picked apples lose vitamins by the hour. By the time fresh fruit gets to the store, sits on a shelf, is purchased, sits in the refrigerator, is cooked, and finally eaten, only a very small fraction of the nutritional value is left to be absorbed. The vital vitamins and minerals in the food supply today have been extremely diminished. Many nutritional experts agree that even if one were to eat 100% raw and organic fruits and vegetables, picked and eaten same-day straight from farmland, decades of farming has left large amounts of contracted land depleted. One would have to consume 8-12 times the amount of produce, in some cases, to absorb what much of the farmland contained decades ago. While 1 out of every 10,000 or so people even pick their own food, the rest of world relies on several-days to several-weeks old, processed, canned, previously cooked, etc. food to remain healthy. Even if one were to ignore literally thousands of reports on how diets today are poor, a third grader is able to make the stark observation that the majority of America and many parts of the world is obese.
Now that it has been clearly established that so many diets today are very nutritionally poor, identifying exactly what is missing and how to replenish just that is needed.
Everybody critically needs vitamins to work, grow, and develop properly, which makes them extremely important on a daily basis. But it doesn’t stop there. The human body also requires vitamins to do many things, such as ward off disease, boost immune system response, and even improve overall moods! When the skin gets a cut, the human body needs a good number of vitamins to clot. When one gets sick, the body requires a more than average amount of vitamins to help fight the virus (it is good to note here again that the typical diet does not even provide the average amount of vitamins needed on a daily basis). Some vitamins even help produce energy throughout the body. People still feeling tired regardless of making good efforts to eat all the right things may very well be not consuming the appropriate amount vitamins. When this happens, there is a very high chance the body isn’t getting the vitamins needed to convert what is being eaten into energy. Vitamins are even involved in making sure objects are seen in color. Calcium, as so many have thought was an end-all solution to osteoporosis and calcium deficiencies does not work optimally unless sufficient amounts of Vitamin D are provided!
Most people don’t realize just how extremely critical vitamins are. If the body doesn’t get the vitamins it needs (read on to see why 100% of the US RDA is just a FRACTION of what you need each day), there is much improvement needed for a healthy living! For starters, vitamins regulate reactions that occur in metabolism, unlike other dietary components known as macronutrients (fats, carbohydrates, proteins). One can consume all the right amounts of these fats, carbohydrates, and proteins, get all the exercise needed, but unless there ALSO are VERY ADEQUATE amounts of vitamins in the body to regulate how these macronutrients are used, benefits achieved will be SLIM TO NONE! To repeat, a VERY ADEQUATE amount of vitamins are needed to get the benefits of exercise and macronutrients. Absence of just a single vitamin blocks one or more specific metabolic reactions in a cell and eventually may disrupt the metabolic balance within a cell and in our entire body.
With the exception of Vitamin C (ascorbic acid), all of the water-soluble vitamins (meaning vitamins that need to be replenished EACH and EVERY day because they are flushed out) assist enzymes that function in energy transfer/metabolism of fats, carbohydrates, and proteins. In other words, it is extremely difficult for our bodies to break down these nutrients into energy we can use without vitamins. THESE VITAMINS ARE SCARCELY FOUND IN ANY OF THE FOODS IN A TYPICAL DIET. SUPPLEMENTATION IS NEEDED!
A few good questions one can generally ask themselves are:
“How many times have I gotten sick in the past five years? How long did my symptoms usually last…3 days? 5 days? a week or more?” Chances are, most will answer:
“a good number of times and at least 3-5 days or more” respectively.
Some of the fat-soluble vitamins (Vitamins A, D, E, K) help form skin and mucous membranes, which thus increases resistance to infections. Once fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K) are consumed, they are stored in the liver and fat tissues in the body until needed. Some are stored for a few days, some for up to six months. Not only do these fat-soluble vitamins help anti-infection defenses, they help keep night vision at its best. Individuals tending to go blind during the night may not be getting enough Vitamin A (retinol).
On the other hand, water-soluble vitamins such as Vitamin C and the B group of vitamins, are different. They are not stored nearly as much in the body. Instead, they travel through the bloodstream. Whatever the body doesn’t use is released through urination. These kinds of vitamins need to be replaced often for that very reason.
A good multivitamin is the foundation of health and nutrition. Take a look at our scientific reviews of many of the popular brands for factors such as ingredients, areas of improvement, quality level, and overall value. If you are looking for a high quality liquid multivitamin, we suggest that you take a look at the Multivitamin Product Comparisons.
June 26th, 2005