Health & Wellness: Healthy Start - Awareness!

During the past few years, there has been great concern regarding nutritional supplements. Countless claims surrounding safety, dosage, and even the authenticity of brands echo across the media.

by Frenesa K. Hall, M.D.

April 27, 2007

U nfortunately, most people don’t even know what a vitamin or mineral actually does in the body. Once we understand their functions and how they impact our well-being, we can reasonably make informed decisions on how to integrate them into our dietary regimen.

Let’s start with a basic definition that distinguishes vitamins from minerals. Vitamins are naturally occurring organic substances that are essential for normal function of metabolic processes in the body, which cannot be manufactured by the body, and while they serve the same purpose, minerals are naturally occurring inorganic substances.

Take the production of serotonin, a potent brain hormone involved in elevating mood. Serotonin is made from amino acids, which are the smallest component of protein. In order to efficiently transform the amino acids into serotonin, vitamin B is required.

Top Vitamins Necessary for a Woman’s Health Vitamin B12 Vitamin D Calcium Vitamin A Vitamin B6 Vitamin B12 Vitamin Vitamin D Vitamin E Folate Source: National Women’s Health Resource Center, Inc

The bottom line is that our bodies are not designed to make these substances so we must get them through either eating enough of the right foods or supplementing our diet with vitamins and minerals. Unfortunately during the past 50 years, the nutrient content of our crops has steadily declined. In order to get enough of each vitamin or mineral, we would have to eat enormous amounts of fruits and vegetables. The typical American consumes less than three servings a day. Supplementation with vitamins and minerals is no longer a suggestion; it is necessary. The current Standard American Diet (SAD) is very low in fruit and vegetables, which are the major source of the vitamins and minerals we need. In my practice, I survey my patients about their intake of fruits, vegetables and other foods. During the past 14 years of practice, I’ve discovered that most eat less than two
servings of fruit and vegetables per day.

In the past, nutritional deficiencies were defined by diseases such as scurvy (severe vitamin C deficiency) or beriberi (severe vitamin B1 or thiamine deficiency). Since identifying vitamin deficiency diseases and with the advent of fortified foods, disorders even near this severity are rare in the developed world. However, subclinical deficiency is probably more prevalent than we recognize. This is due, at least in part, to the lack of adequate tests of nutritional status (until now) and to the cursory education in nutrition for physicians while in medical school.

Fortunately, modern, innovative tests like the SpectraCell FIA are allowing physicians to gain an accurate picture of the nutritional status of their patients. As these tests become more mainstream and physicians recognize their utility, we will be able to detect syndromes associated with mild vitamin deficiency. I have had patients with dry hair and skin, and fragile fingernails note that these undesirable traits have improved dramatically just by taking a potent, high-quality multivitamin with minerals.

My mother was diagnosed with osteoporosis. She had difficulty taking the medications and decided to change her habits. She increased her exercise and took a high-quality supplement designed to support bone health that included calcium, vitamin D and other minerals. After two years, she repeated her bone density scan, and it had improved. That brings us to another important issue: quality in nutritional supplements. The nutritional supplement industry is essentially unregulated. Article after article reports contaminates in supplements, poor bioavailability or no significant amount of the key ingredient listed on the bottle. To make it even more confusing, there can often be batch-to-batch differences that can make quality vary drastically from bottle to bottle.

Consequently, it is important to look into the company producing your supplement or simply purchase your supplement from a healthcare professional. Healthcare professionals such as doctors, chiropractors or naturopathic doctors have access to companies that do not sell products to the public. Generally, these products are of greater quality and batch consistency than any OTC product.

Key Points to Remember Fruits and vegetables have fewer nutrients now than in the past. We cannot eat enough fruits and vegetables to get all the nutrients we need. Supplementing with a high-quality multivitamin and multimineral is no longer optional. It’s necessary. Quality in nutritional supplements varies dramatically. Get professional advice about choosing a supplement. See your doctor if you have frequent digestive complaints.

Products made to pharmaceutical standards in quality are ideal but there are very few on the market. When in doubt, consult a professional (and not the high school kid at the local natural foods shop).

Finally, another variable is the ability of an individual’s digestive system to absorb the nutrients. No matter how good a supplement is or how good one’s diet is, if the digestive system does not work properly, the nutrients cannot get into the bloodstream or to the target organs. It is important to tell your doctor if you have problematic digestive symptoms such as excessive gas, bloating or visible food in the bowel movements. This is not normal and may warrant investigation.

There are many people who have mild cases of celiac disease with longstanding symptoms. This disorder damages the small intestine, which is the main site involved in the absorption of the nutrients, vitamins and minerals into our body. At times something as simple as avoiding wheat (as in celiac disease) or taking a probiotic (good bacteria) or digestive enzymes can correct the problem and dramatically increase absorption of the nutrients.

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Dr. Hall is board certified in internal medicine. She has a special interest in complementary and nutritional medicine. She is CEO and chief medical officer of Mobile-Medicine.Net (www.mobile-medicine.net, 678.623.3038), a practice that performs primary care house calls.