Vitamin & Mineral Supplements - Are they Necessary?
A common question asked by many people is whether taking a vitamin and mineral
supplement is necessary. Some schools of thought say that if we are eating a healthy
balanced diet we get all the nutrients we need. After researching this question I am of
the opinion that it is wise to supplement our diets with a good quality multivitamin and
mineral. And indeed recent high quality studies show that supplements are extremely
beneficial for many people.
In researching this topic one fact I found interesting is that farmers in New Zealand
regularly give supplements to their animals as there are known deficiencies of
minerals in our soils. The minerals that most often require supplementation are
zinc, iodine, selenium, cobalt, magnesium and copper. It is well known to farmers
that mineral deficiencies in their stock lead to infertility, metabolic disease, joint
disease, reduced milk production and poor growth rates to name a few problems.
Another mineral – boron, also low in our soils causes disease in plants, and in
humans boron deficiency is linked to osteoporosis and arthritis. Zinc deficiency in
people is common - the classic sign is white spots on the fingernails. Zinc is
essential for cell division and replication, and a shortage damages the senses of
taste and smell. Zinc is also important for proper functioning of the immune
system.
If the food that we eat is grown in mineral deficient soils, we may not consume the
minerals we need, as they will not be in the plants that grow in those soils.
Here are three recent high quality studies that confirm the benefits of taking a
regular multivitamin and mineral supplement:
Probiotic plus vitamin/mineral supplement reduces upper respiratory tract
infection incidence and symptoms
This German study found that supplementing with a probiotic (healthy gut
bacteria) plus vitamins and minerals for at least three months reduced the
incidence of upper respiratory tract infections, and also lessened their symptoms.
In this study 477 healthy men and women (mean age 36) who had not been
vaccinated against influenza, took a placebo (dummy pill) or a supplement
containing 13 vitamins and 13 minerals plus a probiotic. The participants took the
supplements for 3—5 months. They recorded all cold and influenza like
symptoms. Immune response was also measured before the study and at 2
weeks.
Those that received the supplement had 13.6 percent lower incidence of viral
respiratory tract infections than who received the placebo. Those in the
supplement group that got an infection had a 19 percent average reduction in
symptoms, and half the number of days spent with a fever than the number of
days reported by the placebo group. Immune response was significantly higher in
the group taking the supplement.
July 2005 issue of the International Journal of Clinical Pharmacology and
Therapeutics http://www.dustri.com/ze/cp/33cp0507.htm#cp43_318
Mayo Clinic study finds lung cancer patients who take vitamin supplements
experience improved survival and quality of life
This study found that men and women with non-small cell lung cancer who took
vitamin and mineral supplements following their diagnosis, experienced double the
average survival time and better quality of life compared to those who did not use
supplements.
The Mayo Clinic followed 1,129 individuals with non-small cell lung cancer.
Participants completed questionnaires covering vitamin and mineral supplement
use, cancer treatment and progression, and quality of life at six months after
diagnosis, at one year and then yearly. The patients were also receiving medical
treatment for their cancers - such as surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy.
Sixty-three percent of the participants reported using vitamin/mineral supplements
during the follow-up period. Median survival in the supplement group was 4.3
years compared to 2 years for the nonusers. The risk of dying was 26% lower in
the supplement users, when compared to those who did not use supplements.
Quality of life was also reported as greater among those who used supplements
than those who did not.
July 2005 (volume 49, issue 1) issue of the journal Lung Cancer, pages 77 – 84
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/01695002 (July 2005 volume 49,
issue 1)
Vitamins, Minerals and Essential Fatty Acids decrease Antisocial Behaviour
of Young Adult Prisoners.
This 2002 study was a dietary experiment carried out at a young offenders’
institution in Aylesbury, England. More than 200 inmates took part in the study.
They were given either placebo (dummy pill) or active supplementation. Neither
the researchers nor participants knew who was taking the active supplement.
The active supplement was a commercially available product containing a wide
range of vitamins and minerals (including B vitamin complex, vitamins C and E,
iron, copper, magnesium, zinc, iodine, selenium, chromium, and molybdenum) at
doses equivalent to the US recommended daily allowance. The supplement also
included an omega-3 fatty acid supplement.
After 2 weeks anti-social behaviour fell by 26 per cent and violent incidents by 35 per
cent among offenders given multi-vitamin, mineral and fatty-acid (Omega 3)
supplements. There was no change in the placebo group.
British Journal of Psychiatry. 2002;181:22-28
http://bjp.rcpsych.org/cgi/content/abstract/181/1/22
Essential Supplements
Their role in health and required amounts
Our food is probably poorer in essential micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) than it
was 50 years ago.
The longer foods are stored the more vitamins are lost. Cooking and canning food
also reduces vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
Today’s growing methods also mean that only minerals essential to a plant’s growth
are added to the soil, and many mineral required by humans therefore are lacking in
our food - plants need around 3 minerals to look big and healthy - we need at least
26!
So what supplements do we need?
Essential Supplements
Two supplements are an essential part of the Zone Diet: Purified fish oil and Vitamin
E.
Eicosapentaenoic acid or EPA is an important fatty acid and is a key factor in
controlling insulin levels and reducing inflammation.
Vitamin E is impossible to get in adequate levels through diet alone. Studies have
shown that supplementation with Vitamin E show a dramatic clinical improvement in
diseases ranging from heart disease to Alzheimer’s and immune system disorders.
Use Vitamin E which has been molecularly distilled to remove herbicides and
pesticides. It is also essential to add extra vitamin E when taking fish oil
supplements.
Vitamin E recommended amounts:
Adults: 100 to 400 IU per day
Children: 50 to 100 IU.
Omega-3 is essential for brain development, which is why Human Breast milk is high
in this fatty acid. It is particularly important in the first 2 years of life as the brain
develops.
Second Tier Supplements
These vitamins and minerals are important and are a cheap insurance policy for
health.
Vitamin C is a water-soluble anti-oxidant and acts as a transporting agent to get rid of
oxidation products that are constantly being formed in the body.
Fruits and vegetables are rich in this vitamin - especially in fruits such as kiwifruit,
oranges, strawberries and melons, and in vegetables such as red peppers, broccoli
and spinach.
Supplementation with 500 to 1000mg of Vitamin C for health insurance, it is also
important to take when taking high doses of fish oil.
Magnesium is an important mineral in the Zone Diet.
It’s the key mineral cofactor in the production of eicosanoid hormones, and it is a
cofactor required for the proper function of more than 350 other enzymes.
Dietary surveys show that nearly 75% of Americans are deficient in this mineral.
The richest sources of magnesium are nuts. Other sources relatively rich in
magnesium are green vegetables, legumes, shrimp, crab, and to a lesser extent
beef.
To ensure you get sufficient Magnesium add 250mg per day.
Third Tier Supplements
Beta carotene is a great antioxidant for fat soluble free radicals. It picks up free
radicals and stabilizes them before they can do real damage.
Vitamin C then takes the stabilised free radicals to the liver where they can be
detoxified and excreted.
Vegetables and fruits high in beta carotene are cantaloupe, red peppers and spinach.
Other supplements in this tier are vitamins B 3 (niacin) and B 6 (pyridoxine) which are
critical for the production of eicosanoid hormones.
The best sources of niacin include lean meat, poultry, fish, eggs, cheese, and milk.
Although whole grains are also a good source of niacin too many dense
carbohydrates will increase insulin levels and outweigh any benefit of increased
niacin.
To supplement with niacin add 20mg per day.
Vitamin B 6 add 5 to 10 milligrams per day
These amounts can be found in any decent vitamin pill.
Folic acid has received research attention because of its ability to reduce neural tube
(Spinal) defects in children. It also reduces the levels of homocysteine, a risk factor in
heart disease.
Folic acid is found in green leafy vegetables.
Recent research indicates you take 500 to 1000mg per day.
Folic acid also works with vitamins B 3 and B 6 to reduce the levels of homocysteine
- a risk factor in heart disease.
Other useful supplements are the minerals calcium, zinc, selenium and chromium.
Calcium as well as being good for the bones is also needed to control muscle
contraction and nerve conduction.
Dairy products are the best sources of calcium. It is also found in broccoli,
cauliflower, and green leafy vegetables.
Zinc plays a critical role in the proper functioning of the immune system and in the
production of eicosanoids.
Good sources of zinc include chicken, beef, fish, oatmeal, and nuts.
If you supplement with zinc 15mg per day should be sufficient.
(This amount is found in a typical vitamin/mineral pill)
Selenium is an essential mineral that reduces excess free radicals.
This is why selenium supplementation is useful in cancer treatment and prevention.
New Zealand soil is particularly low in this mineral. Foods rich in selenium are
seafood, beef and nuts. Selenium is particularly high in brazil nuts, one nut per day
provides adequate selenium.
Supplement with 200 micrograms per day; L-selenomethionine is the best sort for
maximum absorption.
Chromium is part of a biochemical complex known as glucose tolerance factor.
Therefore the more chromium you have the less insulin you need to make.
If you wish, supplement with 200 micrograms per day.
Exotic and more expensive supplements
This group of vitamins include lycopene, lutein, CoQ 10 and oligoproanthocyanidins.
All tend to be antioxidants.
Lycopene has been associated with a decrease in prostate cancer and is found
primarily in foods with red pigments, such as tomato and watermelon.
Lutein on the other hand is associated with a decrease in macular degeneration
(which causes an ever decreasing field of vision in the eye and leads to blindness).
Lutein is found in green leafy vegetables and red peppers.
If you wish to supplement try 3 to 5 mg per day.
Another interesting antioxidant is CoQ 10. Although the body can synthesise this it is
usually very inefficient. CoQ 10 acts like a souped up vitamin E and may be the last
line of defence for preventing the oxidation of low-density lipoproteins (LDL), which
appears to be a major factor in the development of atherosclerosis.
5 to 10 milligrams per day is recommended.
Finally the antioxidants known as oligoproanthocyanthocyanidins (OPC), or
polyphenolics. These are found in grapes and are part of the bioflavanoid family that
works together with vitamin C. They are soluable in both fat and water and are
important in helping to remove free radicals. 5 - 10 mg per day is recommended.
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