So you don’t eat the recommended five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables every day. Who does? Besides, if you’re like a third to a half of your compatriots, you’re taking a daily multivitamin to make up for any nutritional gaps you may have. Oh, you’re not doing that either? Well, don’t let those vitamin-laden shelves intimidate you. Here’s how the experts respond to the most common questions about taking supplements.
How do I know I’m buying a high-quality supplements?
You can choose brands you trust or get recommendations from a naturopath, nutritionist, or holistic doctor. But if you want to be sure, look on the label for the USP (United States Pharmacopeia), NSF (National Sanitation Foundation) International, or Consumer Lab seal. These symbols indicate the product has passed independent tests that confirmed it contains the ingredients listed on the label and in the amounts noted. An FDA rule requires all companies to verify ingredients through testing.
Are cheap vitamins just as good?
Price and quality don’t necessarily correlate, says Mark A. Moyad, MD, MPH, the Jenkins/Pokempner director of preventive and alternative medicine at the University of Michigan Medical Center in Ann Arbor. Instead, you have to look on a case-by-case basis to make sure the supplements come in a well-absorbed form and in sufficient amounts.
Also, check to see how many extra ingredients the vitamin has: artificial colors, sugars, and excipients (a catchall term for fillers, binders, and lubricants that help in the manufacturing process or impact the dissolvability of a vitamin). Avoid excipients like dicalcium phosphate, magnesium stearate, and palmitate, which inhibit absorption, and lactose if you’re allergic. Instead look for the safes ones: cellulose, silicon dioxide, titanium dioxide, and magnesium citrate. Generally speaking, health-food store brands have fewer and safer excipients than drugstore or discount brands.
Should I choose “natural” or “synthetic” supplements?
Let’s assume natural means that the supplements are obtained from a plant, food, or animal, while synthetic vitamins are manufactured in a lab. The source doesn’t seem to make any difference for some nutrients. Vitamins C and B6 have similar bioavailability, be they natural or synthetic. That’s not true for fat-soluble vitamins, however. Natural vitamin E (d-alpha-tocopherol), for example, is more bioavailable than the synthetics (dl-alpha-tocopherol or all-rac-alpha-tocopherol). Also, natural-source beta-carotene, which comes from the algae Dunaliella salina, benefits you more than the synthetic version, because it contains small amounts of other free radical-fighting carotenoids, like alpha-carotene. The same holds true for tomato-derived lycopene, which has small amounts of related antioxidants, while the synthetic form contains only lycopene.
Is it better to get my vitamins from food or from pills?
The food source is important, says Carolyn Dean, MD, ND, telephone wellness consultant and author of The Magnesium Miracle. That’s how the body is designed to absorb nutrients. Indeed, several studies on various supplements have shown that people often benefit more from a dietary source of the nutrient than from a supplement. But, Dean adds, 100 years ago we had 500 mg of magnesium in our daily diet. Now we have 150 mg because over-farming has depleted our soil of its nutrients. What’s more, produce travels on average 1,500 miles to get to your table, yet its nutrients start to degrade the moment it gets picked. So even if you ate the recommended five to nine servings of fruit and vegetables a day, you may still come up short on nutrients.
Your best bet: Choose locally grown organic produce (which studies have shown has more antioxidants) that’s either fresh, frozen, or canned (all of which slow the loss of nutrients). Then take a multivitamin as your nutritional safety net.
Does the body absorb capsules more effectively than tablets?
Rumor has it that capsules and liquid preparations dissolve more easily in the stomach. But a properly made tablet should break down just fine. (You might want to conduct “The Acid Test” below to determine the dissolvability of your multivitamin.) Plus, tablets can carry up to twice the amount of ingredients as capsules and are usually less expensive. Still, tablets tend to contain more excipients (to standardize the size and color of the tablets). And anyone with digestive problems (Crohn’s disease, irritable bowel syndrome, or just an easily upset stomach) may have better luck taking liquid preparations or soft- or hard-gel capsules because they’re more easily broken down. Vegetarians, take note: Although some supplement capsules come from vegetarian sources, most contain animal gelatin. If that’s an issue for you, read the label carefully or call the company.
Do I need to divide my dose by taking pills throughout the day?
If you take a simple multivitamin, a one-a-day pill should suffice. If you opt for a multivitamin/multimineral formula, you’ll likely have to down more pills each day or take minerals as separate supplements to get your daily quota. The reason for this is that many mineral supplements are “chelated,” a process that binds the mineral to an amino acid, which the body more easily recognizes and absorbs. The mineral-amino combo then becomes too big to fit into a standard one-a-day. Additionally, with certain nutrients like calcium, your body can’t use much more than about 500 mg at a time (and doesn’t excrete it readily). So you must divide your total daily dose into 500 mg allotments, and take them two or three times a day.
For minerals, keep in mind, too, that carbonates, gluconates, oxides, and sulfates are generally not well-absorbed. Instead, opt for forms such as mineral citrate, glycinate, aspartate, malate, fumarate, succinate, ascorbate, and picolinate.
How do I maximize absorption?
Vitamins just make your urine expensive, right? Well, yes and no. The body does excrete excess water-soluble vitamins, but not before it uses what it needs to take care of basic functions and to fend off disease, especially if taken at mealtime, when your body normally gets vitamins and minerals. Food activates stomach acid, which breaks down the multivitamin and helps you absorb its elements. Plus, taking two nutrients together can have a synergistic effect and increase absorption. For example, vitamin C helps the body better utilize iron from plants, and vitamin D boosts the absorption of bone-building calcium. Taking your vitamins with meals also makes for a happier stomach: The No. 1 reason people quit taking their multivitamin is gastro-intestinal upset. Taking it with food softens the blow, and you won’t suffer bloating or pain.
Should men and women take different vitamins?
According to Moyad, you can choose between two multivitamins: an iron-free pill for men and postmenopausal women or an iron-inclusive pill for premenopausal women. Other than that, the nutrient requirements for men and women are pretty similar, says Shari Lieberman, CNS, FACN, author of The Real Vitamin and Mineral Book. Formulas that contain herbs, however, usually differ for men and women, says Lieberman. For example, a men’s formula may have saw palmetto for prostate health, and a women’s formula may have cranberry extract for urinary tract health.
How do I know my vitamins are working?
“You may not. Multivitamins are for long-term chronic disease prevention,” says Moyad. You should feel the same or a little better. If you can’t stand not knowing, ask your doctor to run blood tests before and after you take a multivitamin to measure your net gain (or loss) of nutrients.
The Acid Test
Certain multivitamins have a reputation for passing right through the body intact. This simple acid test lets you find out if your multivitamin dissolves properly. If it does not dissolve during the test, it likely will not break down in your body, and you are literally wasting your money.
- Place approximately 1 cup of white vinegar in a small bowl, and warm it to around 98 degrees by placing it inside a larger bowl of hot water to which you can add more warm water to keep up the temperature. (The goal is to keep the vinegar reasonably close to body temperature for half an hour.)
- Drop your multivitamin into the bowl of vinegar, and gently shake the cup every five minutes. Do not touch the tablet.
- The tablet should dissolve within 30 minutes (the United States Pharmocopeia standard) to one hour.
Source: Adapted from supplementquality.com.
The post Tips for taking supplements. appeared first on Alternative Medicine Magazine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it possible for a holistic doctor to prescribe prescriptions?
Holistic medicine relies on the idea that all diseases are caused in part by a combination – diet, lifestyle and environment. Stress, anxiety, genetics and any other health-related factors.
When prescribing medication, a holistic approach is required to treat patients.
Understanding how each factor affects patients is essential for a physician to be able understand modern science as well as traditional methods such homeopathy and herbs.
Many doctors have become certified in complementary and alternative medicine (C&A). This allows doctors to offer a broad range of services to their patients.
What is the distinction between holistic medicine, alternative medicine and holistic medicine?
Holistic medicine considers the whole person-mind, body spirit, soul and spirit. Holistic medicine examines every aspect of a person’s health. It also considers spiritual, physical, and environmental factors that may be overlooked by traditional medicine. Alternative medicine is used to treat conditions like arthritis, asthma, and allergies.
What is holistic medicine?
Holistic medicine is a holistic approach to treating patients. They may use traditional methods such as herbs and acupuncture but integrate these into western medicine.
They aim to treat an illness rather than just treat symptoms. The patient should feel better after treatment.
The doctor should not only treat the disease, but also prevent it from happening again.
“Holistic” is a term that refers all aspects of a person’s life.
What is the difference in alternative medicine and complementary medicine?
Alternative medicine refers specifically to any treatments that aren’t recommended by mainstream medical professionals but have proven to be effective for certain conditions. Examples include acupuncture, homeopathy, aromatherapy, reflexology, herbal remedies, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), Ayurveda, and naturopathy. Complementary therapies are those treatments that go beyond conventional treatment. They can also be used with conventional medicine. These include nutritional supplements like vitamins, minerals or herbs, amino acid, enzymes or probiotics.
Both types of medicine are used frequently, but many conventional doctors won’t recommend them due insufficient evidence or safety concerns.
There is no consensus among health care providers regarding the best approach to integrating CAM into patient care.
Many CAM practices are based upon theories that have been around for thousands of years. Clinical trials conducted over the past two decades have shown that some of these treatments might be effective.
Numerous studies have shown that acupuncture can relieve pain. Similar to chemotherapy, preliminary data suggest that acupuncture can reduce nausea or vomiting. A number of studies also suggest that acupuncture might improve symptoms like irritable and fibromyalgia as well as chronic fatigue syndrome, Multiple Sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, migraines tension headaches, anxiety, and anxiety.
Some CAM treatments may also have therapeutic potential for diseases such as HIV/AIDS, diabetes and asthma, heart disease, heart disease, hypertension or Alzheimer’s disease.
While there are still questions about the effectiveness of CAM in treating different ailments, most experts agree it is possible.
People are increasingly turning to CAM practitioners to find relief from common ailments.
Despite the popularity of alternative and complementary medicine, many people are still unsure what they mean.
What is complementary medicine?
Complementary Medicine encompasses any medical treatment that adds to the mainline. It includes treatments such as acupuncture, aromatherapy, chiropractic care, homeopathy, hypnosis, massage therapy, naturopathy, reflexology, traditional Chinese medicine, yoga and others.
Complementary medicines should not be used in lieu of traditional medicine. They should be used alongside it. These complementary medicines are also known as “alternative”, “integrative”, or “integrative” medicine. They combine Western scientific methods and other proven therapies to heal people.
Alternative methods are used by people with cancer.
Cancer patients are often faced with many challenges when they try to find ways to cope with their illnesses. Many patients feel defeated and hopeless. Patients might experience nausea, pain or fatigue, as well as loss of strength and appetite.
In addition, conventional treatments are often not effective against cancer cells. Cancer patients often seek alternative therapies such as complementary medicine. Studies have shown that half of all cancer patients have tried alternative treatments at least once.
Cancer patients sometimes choose complementary medicine instead of chemotherapy because they think it will be easier to handle side effects. They may also prefer it because it is less expensive.
The following are other reasons:
Some patients believe that natural remedies can help prevent a recurrence.
Many people believe natural remedies are a way to improve your quality of life.
Others believe natural remedies can help reduce your risk of getting again cancer.
For those concerned about possible side effects of chemotherapy, natural remedies can be used as first-line therapy.
Statistics
- These studies found that 38.4% concluded positive or possibly positive effects for CAM (12.4%), 4.8% concluded no effect, 0.7% concluded harmful effects, and 56.6% concluded insufficient evidence. (en.wikipedia.org)
- In the 17% in which they disagreed, a third reader agreed with one of the initial readers to set a rating. (en.wikipedia.org)
- An assessment of conventional treatments found that 41.3% concluded positive or possibly positive effects, 20% concluded no effect, 8.1% concluded net harmful effects, and 21.3% concluded insufficient evidence. (en.wikipedia.org)
- A 15-year systematic review published in 2022 on the global acceptance and use of CAM among medical specialists found the overall acceptance of CAM at 52% and the overall use at 45%. (en.wikipedia.org)
- The use of alternative medicine in the US has increased, with a 50 percent increase in expenditures and a 25 percent increase in the use of alternative therapies between 1990 and 1997 in America. (en.wikipedia.org)
External Links
liebertpub.com
- Games for Health Journal, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers
- The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine.
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- PubMed: The Rise and Rise of Complementary and Alternative Medicine: A Sociological Perspective – PubMed
- PubMed: Holistic medicine.
webmd.com
cam.cancer.gov
How To
What can a holistic doctor do differently than a traditional doctor?
A holistic doctor is able to provide more services than traditional doctors, such as nutritionists, massage therapists and naturopaths.
Holistic doctors treat patients holistically. This means they take a holistic approach to treating their health concerns. This helps them find the root causes and to take preventative steps and long-term care. Holistic doctors use natural remedies such as herbs and essential oils alongside conventional medicine to help treat illness. They offer nutritional and dietary advice to help you live a healthy lifestyle.
Holistic doctors also offer therapies such as acupuncture and reflexology, reiki or shiatsu, yoga, meditation or craniosacral treatment, as well as hypnotherapy and hypnotherapy.
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This blog is a source of general information and discussion on health and related topics. Information and materials on this blog, on the website, or in any of the connected materials are not intended to replace or used as a substitute for the advice of a medical professional, diagnosis, or treatment. This blog does not represent the application of any nursing, medical or other health professional advice or diagnosis. We are unable to diagnose health conditions, offer second opinions or provide specific treatment recommendations via this blog or on our website.
If you or another person is suffering from a medical issue and you are concerned, consult your doctor or seek out other medical professional treatment as soon as possible. Do not disregard medical advice from a professional or delay seeking it due to information you seen on the blog or website or in any of the linked materials. If you’re experiencing an emergency medical situation, dial 911 or seek emergency medical assistance on the closest phone immediately.
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By: Andrew Ellis
Title: Tips for taking supplements.
Sourced From: alternativemedicine.com/nutrition/tips-for-taking-supplements/
Published Date: Sun, 20 Aug 2023 21:06:10 +0000
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it possible for a holistic doctor to prescribe prescriptions?
Holistic medicine relies on the idea that all diseases are caused in part by a combination – diet, lifestyle and environment. Stress, anxiety, genetics and any other health-related factors.
When prescribing medication, a holistic approach is required to treat patients.
Understanding how each factor affects patients is essential for a physician to be able understand modern science as well as traditional methods such homeopathy and herbs.
Many doctors have become certified in complementary and alternative medicine (C&A). This allows doctors to offer a broad range of services to their patients.
What is the distinction between holistic medicine, alternative medicine and holistic medicine?
Holistic medicine considers the whole person-mind, body spirit, soul and spirit. Holistic medicine examines every aspect of a person’s health. It also considers spiritual, physical, and environmental factors that may be overlooked by traditional medicine. Alternative medicine is used to treat conditions like arthritis, asthma, and allergies.
What is holistic medicine?
Holistic medicine is a holistic approach to treating patients. They may use traditional methods such as herbs and acupuncture but integrate these into western medicine.
They aim to treat an illness rather than just treat symptoms. The patient should feel better after treatment.
The doctor should not only treat the disease, but also prevent it from happening again.
“Holistic” is a term that refers all aspects of a person’s life.
What is the difference in alternative medicine and complementary medicine?
Alternative medicine refers specifically to any treatments that aren’t recommended by mainstream medical professionals but have proven to be effective for certain conditions. Examples include acupuncture, homeopathy, aromatherapy, reflexology, herbal remedies, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), Ayurveda, and naturopathy. Complementary therapies are those treatments that go beyond conventional treatment. They can also be used with conventional medicine. These include nutritional supplements like vitamins, minerals or herbs, amino acid, enzymes or probiotics.
Both types of medicine are used frequently, but many conventional doctors won’t recommend them due insufficient evidence or safety concerns.
There is no consensus among health care providers regarding the best approach to integrating CAM into patient care.
Many CAM practices are based upon theories that have been around for thousands of years. Clinical trials conducted over the past two decades have shown that some of these treatments might be effective.
Numerous studies have shown that acupuncture can relieve pain. Similar to chemotherapy, preliminary data suggest that acupuncture can reduce nausea or vomiting. A number of studies also suggest that acupuncture might improve symptoms like irritable and fibromyalgia as well as chronic fatigue syndrome, Multiple Sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, migraines tension headaches, anxiety, and anxiety.
Some CAM treatments may also have therapeutic potential for diseases such as HIV/AIDS, diabetes and asthma, heart disease, heart disease, hypertension or Alzheimer’s disease.
While there are still questions about the effectiveness of CAM in treating different ailments, most experts agree it is possible.
People are increasingly turning to CAM practitioners to find relief from common ailments.
Despite the popularity of alternative and complementary medicine, many people are still unsure what they mean.
What is complementary medicine?
Complementary Medicine encompasses any medical treatment that adds to the mainline. It includes treatments such as acupuncture, aromatherapy, chiropractic care, homeopathy, hypnosis, massage therapy, naturopathy, reflexology, traditional Chinese medicine, yoga and others.
Complementary medicines should not be used in lieu of traditional medicine. They should be used alongside it. These complementary medicines are also known as “alternative”, “integrative”, or “integrative” medicine. They combine Western scientific methods and other proven therapies to heal people.
Alternative methods are used by people with cancer.
Cancer patients are often faced with many challenges when they try to find ways to cope with their illnesses. Many patients feel defeated and hopeless. Patients might experience nausea, pain or fatigue, as well as loss of strength and appetite.
In addition, conventional treatments are often not effective against cancer cells. Cancer patients often seek alternative therapies such as complementary medicine. Studies have shown that half of all cancer patients have tried alternative treatments at least once.
Cancer patients sometimes choose complementary medicine instead of chemotherapy because they think it will be easier to handle side effects. They may also prefer it because it is less expensive.
The following are other reasons:
Some patients believe that natural remedies can help prevent a recurrence.
Many people believe natural remedies are a way to improve your quality of life.
Others believe natural remedies can help reduce your risk of getting again cancer.
For those concerned about possible side effects of chemotherapy, natural remedies can be used as first-line therapy.
Statistics
- These studies found that 38.4% concluded positive or possibly positive effects for CAM (12.4%), 4.8% concluded no effect, 0.7% concluded harmful effects, and 56.6% concluded insufficient evidence. (en.wikipedia.org)
- In the 17% in which they disagreed, a third reader agreed with one of the initial readers to set a rating. (en.wikipedia.org)
- An assessment of conventional treatments found that 41.3% concluded positive or possibly positive effects, 20% concluded no effect, 8.1% concluded net harmful effects, and 21.3% concluded insufficient evidence. (en.wikipedia.org)
- A 15-year systematic review published in 2022 on the global acceptance and use of CAM among medical specialists found the overall acceptance of CAM at 52% and the overall use at 45%. (en.wikipedia.org)
- The use of alternative medicine in the US has increased, with a 50 percent increase in expenditures and a 25 percent increase in the use of alternative therapies between 1990 and 1997 in America. (en.wikipedia.org)
External Links
liebertpub.com
- Games for Health Journal, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers
- The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine.
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- PubMed: The Rise and Rise of Complementary and Alternative Medicine: A Sociological Perspective – PubMed
- PubMed: Holistic medicine.
webmd.com
cam.cancer.gov
How To
What can a holistic doctor do differently than a traditional doctor?
A holistic doctor is able to provide more services than traditional doctors, such as nutritionists, massage therapists and naturopaths.
Holistic doctors treat patients holistically. This means they take a holistic approach to treating their health concerns. This helps them find the root causes and to take preventative steps and long-term care. Holistic doctors use natural remedies such as herbs and essential oils alongside conventional medicine to help treat illness. They offer nutritional and dietary advice to help you live a healthy lifestyle.
Holistic doctors also offer therapies such as acupuncture and reflexology, reiki or shiatsu, yoga, meditation or craniosacral treatment, as well as hypnotherapy and hypnotherapy.
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