Multivitamins
There has never been a single study, out of all that have been done, that shows the American public comes remotely close to consuming the minimum requirements for vitamins and minerals in their daily diet. Disease prevention and health enhancement in the United States appear to be possible only through supplementation.
Studies due indicate levels of malnutrition. Doctors have reported to me from the University of California Medical Center their disbelief at finding scurvy (Vitamin-C deficiency disease) in their patients. Meanwhile, agricultural departments, such as at the University of Texas, are finding the nutritional levels of food are lower than ever historically, with a steady significant decline from the early 1900s up to the present.
Better Health Through Better Nutrition
The most recent in-depth study on multiple nutrients recognizes how difficult it is to generalize. (See Block G, Jensen CD, Nordus EP, Dalvi TB, Wong LG, McManus JF and Hudes ML, "Usage Patterns, Health and Nutritional Status of Long-term Multiple Dietary Supplement Users," a cross-sectional study that was published in the October 24, 2007 issue of Nutritional Journal.) The study nevertheless could make some statistical statements based upon the 278 long-term users of multiple dietary supplements, 176 users of a single multivitamin/multimineral supplement, and 602 nonusers of supplements whom the scientists studied.
At least half of the subjects in the multiple dietary-supplements group consumed a multivitamin/mineral, B-complex, Vitamin C, carotenoids, Vitamin E, calcium with Vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids, flavonoids, lecithin, alfalfa, Coenzyme Q10 with resveratrol, glucosamine, and an herbal immune supplement.
The majority of women in this group also consumed gamma linolenic acid and a probiotic supplement. The majority of men additionally consumed zinc, garlic, saw palmetto, and a protein supplement.
Overall, the study showed that the use of multiple dietary supplements led to better health. As the researchers themselves said, individuals who consume a number of nutritional supplements were found to have better biomarkers of health than those who do not consume any supplements or who only consumed a multivitamin/mineral.
Among other benefits, multiple-supplement users also had lower levels of C-reactive protein and triglycerides and higher levels of HDL (the so-called "good") cholesterol. Other findings in the multiple supplements group included lower risks of elevated blood pressure, diabetes (73% less compared to nonusers), and coronary heart disease (52% less compared to nonusers). Subjects consuming multiple dietary supplements also reported having "good or excellent" health status 74 percent more often than non-supplement users.
Other corollary findings included the discovery of various nutrient deficiencies in both the non-supplement users and the multivitamin/mineral users, especially with low levels of Vitamin C. Far from being a danger to health as the mass media would have us believe, using multiple nutritional supplements confers various health benefits that merit further study, not blind condemnation.
Source: http://vitaminsinamerica.com/2009/03/
Selecting a Multivitamin
Additives and Quality
Often overlooked by consumers who see generic vitamin names on multivitamin labels and rarely look beyond, additives and quality are nevertheless of paramount importance. And it is here where the two types of multivitamins have important differences.
Just consider one of the top-selling multiples in the marketplace, which happens to be a drug-store multiple supplement for seniors. It is highly endorsed by both MDs and pharmacists. First, let's look at its excipients (the extra chemicals needed to make the tablet, complete the filling of the capsule, or added for some other unknowable reason):
Polyethylene Glycol, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Pregelatinized Corn Starch, Sodium Benzoate, Sucrose, Talc, Maltodextrin, Calcium Stearate, Sodium Aluminosilicate, Sunflower Oil, Colloidal Silicon Dioxide, Corn Starch, Crospovidone, FD&C Blue No. 2 Aluminum Lake, FD&C Red No. 40 Aluminum Lake, FD&C Yellow No. 6 Aluminum Lake, Gelatin, Hydrogenated Palm Oil, Hypromellose, and Modified Food Starch.
Let's now look at a health-food based multivitamin and see the difference.
Catalyn by Standard Process
Proprietary Blend: 766 mg
Defatted wheat (germ), carrot (root), calcium lactate, nutritional yeast, bovine adrenal, bovine liver, magnesium citrate, bovine spleen, ovine spleen, bovine kidney, dried pea (vine) juice, dried alfalfa (whole plant) juice, mushroom, oat flour, soybean lecithin, and rice (bran).
Other Ingredients:
Honey, glycerin, arabic gum, ascorbic acid, calcium stearate, cholecalciferol, pyridoxine hydrochloride, starch, sucrose (beets), vitamin A palmitate, cocarboxylase, and riboflavin.
What Makes Catalyn Unique
Product Attributes: Whole food multivitamin.The nutrients in Catalyn are processed to remain intact, complete nutritional compounds. Contains important vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and trace minerals in combination with their naturally occurring synergistic cofactors. Combines vital nutrients from a wide variety of plant sources to introduce a unique diversity of complete vitamin and mineral complexes (Phytonutrients).
Phytonutrients (Phytochemicals):
Phytonutrients are the important nutrients found in plants that are necessary to maintain a healthy body. They may serve as antioxidants; support a healthy immune response; and support cell-to-cell communication. There are many phytonutrients that have been identified, while their possible functions/actions have yet to be discovered. Some of the best known phytochemicals are the carotenoids, like alpha- and beta-carotene and lycopene. At Standard Process, our multivitamins are packed with health-promoting phytonutrients, which ensure maximum efficacy.
Don
There has never been a single study, out of all that have been done, that shows the American public comes remotely close to consuming the minimum requirements for vitamins and minerals in their daily diet. Disease prevention and health enhancement in the United States appear to be possible only through supplementation.
Studies due indicate levels of malnutrition. Doctors have reported to me from the University of California Medical Center their disbelief at finding scurvy (Vitamin-C deficiency disease) in their patients. Meanwhile, agricultural departments, such as at the University of Texas, are finding the nutritional levels of food are lower than ever historically, with a steady significant decline from the early 1900s up to the present.
Better Health Through Better Nutrition
The most recent in-depth study on multiple nutrients recognizes how difficult it is to generalize. (See Block G, Jensen CD, Nordus EP, Dalvi TB, Wong LG, McManus JF and Hudes ML, "Usage Patterns, Health and Nutritional Status of Long-term Multiple Dietary Supplement Users," a cross-sectional study that was published in the October 24, 2007 issue of Nutritional Journal.) The study nevertheless could make some statistical statements based upon the 278 long-term users of multiple dietary supplements, 176 users of a single multivitamin/multimineral supplement, and 602 nonusers of supplements whom the scientists studied.
At least half of the subjects in the multiple dietary-supplements group consumed a multivitamin/mineral, B-complex, Vitamin C, carotenoids, Vitamin E, calcium with Vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids, flavonoids, lecithin, alfalfa, Coenzyme Q10 with resveratrol, glucosamine, and an herbal immune supplement.
The majority of women in this group also consumed gamma linolenic acid and a probiotic supplement. The majority of men additionally consumed zinc, garlic, saw palmetto, and a protein supplement.
Overall, the study showed that the use of multiple dietary supplements led to better health. As the researchers themselves said, individuals who consume a number of nutritional supplements were found to have better biomarkers of health than those who do not consume any supplements or who only consumed a multivitamin/mineral.
Among other benefits, multiple-supplement users also had lower levels of C-reactive protein and triglycerides and higher levels of HDL (the so-called "good") cholesterol. Other findings in the multiple supplements group included lower risks of elevated blood pressure, diabetes (73% less compared to nonusers), and coronary heart disease (52% less compared to nonusers). Subjects consuming multiple dietary supplements also reported having "good or excellent" health status 74 percent more often than non-supplement users.
Other corollary findings included the discovery of various nutrient deficiencies in both the non-supplement users and the multivitamin/mineral users, especially with low levels of Vitamin C. Far from being a danger to health as the mass media would have us believe, using multiple nutritional supplements confers various health benefits that merit further study, not blind condemnation.
Source: http://vitaminsinamerica.com/2009/03/
Selecting a Multivitamin
Additives and Quality
Often overlooked by consumers who see generic vitamin names on multivitamin labels and rarely look beyond, additives and quality are nevertheless of paramount importance. And it is here where the two types of multivitamins have important differences.
Just consider one of the top-selling multiples in the marketplace, which happens to be a drug-store multiple supplement for seniors. It is highly endorsed by both MDs and pharmacists. First, let's look at its excipients (the extra chemicals needed to make the tablet, complete the filling of the capsule, or added for some other unknowable reason):
Polyethylene Glycol, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Pregelatinized Corn Starch, Sodium Benzoate, Sucrose, Talc, Maltodextrin, Calcium Stearate, Sodium Aluminosilicate, Sunflower Oil, Colloidal Silicon Dioxide, Corn Starch, Crospovidone, FD&C Blue No. 2 Aluminum Lake, FD&C Red No. 40 Aluminum Lake, FD&C Yellow No. 6 Aluminum Lake, Gelatin, Hydrogenated Palm Oil, Hypromellose, and Modified Food Starch.
Let's now look at a health-food based multivitamin and see the difference.
Catalyn by Standard Process
Proprietary Blend: 766 mg
Defatted wheat (germ), carrot (root), calcium lactate, nutritional yeast, bovine adrenal, bovine liver, magnesium citrate, bovine spleen, ovine spleen, bovine kidney, dried pea (vine) juice, dried alfalfa (whole plant) juice, mushroom, oat flour, soybean lecithin, and rice (bran).
Other Ingredients:
Honey, glycerin, arabic gum, ascorbic acid, calcium stearate, cholecalciferol, pyridoxine hydrochloride, starch, sucrose (beets), vitamin A palmitate, cocarboxylase, and riboflavin.
What Makes Catalyn Unique
Product Attributes: Whole food multivitamin.The nutrients in Catalyn are processed to remain intact, complete nutritional compounds. Contains important vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and trace minerals in combination with their naturally occurring synergistic cofactors. Combines vital nutrients from a wide variety of plant sources to introduce a unique diversity of complete vitamin and mineral complexes (Phytonutrients).
Phytonutrients (Phytochemicals):
Phytonutrients are the important nutrients found in plants that are necessary to maintain a healthy body. They may serve as antioxidants; support a healthy immune response; and support cell-to-cell communication. There are many phytonutrients that have been identified, while their possible functions/actions have yet to be discovered. Some of the best known phytochemicals are the carotenoids, like alpha- and beta-carotene and lycopene. At Standard Process, our multivitamins are packed with health-promoting phytonutrients, which ensure maximum efficacy.
Don
