Dietary Supplements - Why Researchers Are Missing the Point

Somebody asked me the other day why we sell vitamins and supplements when studies abound saying we can get everything our bodies need from a healthy diet.

I couldn’t have been happier.

It is true, one probably can get all the nutrients and vitamins one needs through eating right and keep the body functioning well with the proper amount of exercise. Supplement bashers of all stripes, especially medical researchers, have no problem opining that dietary supplementation is a waste and of little force because, they drone, we can get everything we need…yada, yada, yada.

We’re not arguing with them. They are just missing the point.

How many weeks running have you had your two to three servings of cold-water fish or other source of omega fatty acids? How many consecutive days running have passed since you had your five daily servings (at the very least) of fruits and vegetables? The government recommends at least two cups of fruits and three cups of veggies daily.

Ok – have you had an apple in the last couple of days? Something? Anything?

Then there is the whole issue of processed and fast foods. The fact of the matter is America is tilted toward fast and convenient; healthy is probably back deep in the pack, running well off the pace. How many fast-food restaurants do you pass on your way home? Now, how many fresh produce stands do you pass along the same route.

A recent New York Times article stated Americans eat 31 percent more packaged and processed food than fresh food. The Center for Disease Control states the average American eats three burgers and four orders of fries per week.

That ain’t cold-water fish.

The percentage of kids who are overweight has tripled over the last 30 years, and obesity has become such a pandemic that governments have considered a weight tax on sweetened foods.

That’s why we sell natural, high-quality vitamins and supplements. We sell them because we – you, me, most of us – do not eat as well as we should for optimum health and we need them. This really isn’t news.

A 1998 article in the New England Journal of Medicine noted that since 1970, 25 percent of Americans regularly consumed a daily multivitamin and folic acid, and – lo and behold – these folks and their children were healthier.

There are just a myriad of vitamins, fats and nutrients that our bodies need for peak performance and health, and most likely we’re not eating the right foods or the right foods in the right amounts to get them.

If you’re eating the right things in the right amounts, then you may not need to supplement with something specific or generally with a daily vitamin. But before you start dancing on the tables, you’re still not out of the woods, tough guy. There’s also the issue of the laundry list of enzymes and hormones your body stops producing with age. That’s stops producing with a capital “stops.”

That’s for next week. For now go eat an apple and take your vitamin.

Copyright ©2010 Jim Mayfield

The Complex Nature of B Vitamins

It’s hard to overestimate the importance of vitamin B complex, primarily because vitamin B is not one compound, but eight different vitamins your body uses, quite literally, from head to toe.

Turkey, liver and tuna are excellent sources of B complex, and these water-soluble compounds can also be found in whole, unprocessed foods such as molasses, lentils, whole grains, potatoes, bananas, tempeh and c hile peppers.

As with most vitamins and nutrients, if you’re eating a wholesome, healthy diet, you can expect to get the B complex vitamins you need. If you’re not eating right, however, you need to consider other sources.

New Chapter's Coenzyme B Food Complex™ delivers 8 different nourishing probiotic vitamins as well as 11 stress-balancing, soothing and restorative herbs and mushrooms cultured for maximum effectiveness.

Thiamine (B1) is absolutely essential for daily function. Every part of your body, especially the heart, needs it to make energy.

Riboflavin (B2) assists in the production of red blood cells, helps the nervous system to function properly and activates B6 and folic acid to make them more effective.

Niacin (B3) has been shown to be an effective treatment for high cholesterol and helps breakdown and release energy from carbs, fats and proteins.

B5 is converted to pantethine, which can lower triglyceride and to a lesser extent reduce blood serum cholesterol levels, benefiting those with high triglyceride levels and Type 2 diabetes.

B6 is needed to produce the neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine, so its cognitive attributes are particularly important. There is also strong evidence that B6 can significantly lower chances of heart disease, and it has been linked positively to treatments for PMS, childhood asthma and Alzheimer’s disease.

B12 is important for metabolism and maintaining a healthy nervous system and cognitive function. It is necessary for calcium absorption, and research indicates that the body’s ability to absorb B12 declines with age. It should be noted that B12 is not available from plants, which is a considerable concern for those on vegetarian and vegan diets.

Biotin (B7) is required for the formation of certain nucleic acids and glycogen, and important enzyme in the digestive and energy-producing process. It is also necessary for healthy hair and nails.

Supplementation of folic acid, or B9, is recommended during pregnancy, and research also shows its use may slow the effects of age on cognitive functions and the brain. Its key function is metabolizing fatty and amino acids, and it also helps in the production of red blood cells.

The B complex vitamins also reduce the effects of stress on the body.
So which one do you want to do without? Oh, and by the way – and we’re not making eye contact with anyone here – but a study found in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that an over-abundance of alcohol intake reduces vitamin B levels in the body.

Just thought you might want to know before Friday night.

So think about what you’re eating. If you’re not getting your vitamin B, you’re not getting a lot of things your body needs.

Jim Mayfield is the lead shipper and writer for The Organic Affair, online retailer of natural, organic whole food vitamins, supplements, and organic teas. Visit us at www.theorganicaffair.com.