Herbal supplements" illegal ingredients pose health risk, experts warn

Many herbal supplements, including for obesity and erectile dysfunction, contain hidden unlicensed pharmaceutical ingredients that could endanger people’s health, experts have warned.

The research team, from Queen’s University Belfast, Kingston University in London and the life sciences testing company LGC, concluded that not only do such supplements often make unverified claims as to their benefits but some have illegal ingredients which could pose a threat – potentially causing low blood pressure or an increased risk of heart attacks.

The substances are unlicensed medicines as they are appearing in products classified as food supplements. Among the most common substances identified was sibutramine, according to the study, published in the Journal of the Association of Public Analysts.

Sibutramine was licensed as the medicine Reductil until 2010, when it was withdrawn across Europe and the US due to an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes associated with the use of the drug.

Tadalafil and sulfoaildenafil were among the most frequently undeclared ingredients in products for erectile dysfunction. When taken with other medicines containing nitrates, they can lower blood pressure drastically and cause serious health problems.

Emeritus professor Duncan Burns, from Queen’s University’s Institute for Global Food Security, said: “We have found that these supplements are often not what customers think they are – they are being deceived into thinking they are getting health benefits from a natural product when actually they are taking a hidden drug.

“These products are unlicensed medicines and many people are consuming large quantities without knowing the interactions with other supplements or medicines they may be taking. This is very dangerous and there can be severe side effects.”

The research team analysed adverse findings recorded by the European Union’s rapid alert system for food and feed (RASFF) between 2009 and 2016 inclusive. The database is designed to inform member states who can then take appropriate action locally. Consumers can access the database but, unlike authorities in member states, they often cannot see the product names.

The experts believe the pharmaceutical ingredients are sometimes added accidentally but on other occasions deliberately in an attempt to enhance products.

They identified 63 instances of food supplements containing sibutramine between 2009 and 2016, including 47 after 2010, when Reductil was withdrawn. There were 29 instances of tadalafil being found in food supplements in the eight-year period examined and 68 of sulfoaildenafil and chemical substances similar to it.

People suffering from conditions such as diabetes and hypertension are frequently prescribed nitrate-containing medicines. Erectile dysfunction is often associated with these conditions, raising the prospect that patients may be tempted to try herbal supplements, which they do not know contain tadalafil or sulfoaildenafil, which can interact negatively with the nitrates.

Burns said: “People who take these products will not be aware they have taken these substances and so when they visit the doctor they may not declare this and it can be difficult to determine what is causing the side effects. It is a very dangerous situation.”

Another common substance was yohimbine, found in 30 supplements, which has been said to have aphrodisiac-like effects but has been known to increase blood pressure and induce anxiety.

Burns said the RASFF list was unlikely to be comprehensive “unless they went to every health food shop and every herbalist in the country”.

He advised consumers: “Be cautious about supplements you buy and use reputable websites. Discuss any concerns with your GP and always tell them what you’re taking.”

Herbal supplements" illegal ingredients pose health risk, experts warn

Understanding Vitamins in Foods and Supplements

Vitamins are, by definition, organic compounds which are required to be supplemented by the human body to maintain healthy functions. Vitamins can not be created by the body, and hence are required to be obtained via diet or supplementation. Less than adequate levels of vitamins in the body contribute to a variety of health problems, many of which can be prevented or treated by the reintroduction of required vitamins to the diet.

Supplementation of vitamins has been a subject debated for some time, some studies have found over the counter vitamins to be ineffective, being destroyed in the digestive system, or simply unable to be absorbed. The level of absorption from supplemented vitamins depends on upon the quality of the product, along with the method of extraction.

In contrast, some vitamins if supplemented to excess can cause additional health problems, for this reason, it is important to know the maximum daily dosage and never exceed this amount, the level of which excessive supplementation is shown to enter the range of potentially producing negative health problems is usually 300% of the required daily intake.

Fat soluble vitamins are generally more problematic than water soluble compounds, as the body regularly processes water within the body, filtering out excessive amounts of chemical compounds, fat-soluble compounds, however, remain within the bodies fat stores, causing potential problems over the long term if taken in excess, along with the inability for fast recovery from overdose symptoms.

In this article, we will run through each vitamin group, provide examples of their reliability in obtaining via cooking and via supplementation, along with the potential health problems from lack of each in the diet.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A is a fat soluble essential nutrient, the most common form of which is beta-carotene. The recommended daily intake of Vitamin A compounds is 900 micrograms (µg) per day. Lack of Vitamin A compounds in the body can result in the development of night blindness symptoms, thickening of the top two skin layers, dried out brittle hair, fingernail breaks and a decreased immune response to infection.

Excessive Vitamin A consumption to the point of reaching toxicity normally presents with early signs such as tiredness / drowsiness, pain in the abdomen, nausea, vomiting, irritability and a increases blood pressure within the brain.

When found in foods different cooking methods will alter the amount of vitamins present in each meal, regarding Vitamin A there is a 5% nutrient loss when food is frozen and 10% loss upon reheating. 50% loss occurs if the food has been dried, 25% when cooked or 35% if cooked then the liquid drained.

The best sources of Vitamin A come from Liver, milk, fish, soya milk, pumpkin, squash, spinach, carrots, leafy vegetables, oranges and yellow fruits.

Vitamin B1

Vitamin B1 is a water-soluble compound chemically named Thiamine, the recommended daily intake of Thiamine is 1.2 milligrams (mg) per day. Lack of thiamine intake is known to result in beriberi, a compounded disorder comprised of 3 separate disorders, of which the symptoms are weight loss, weakness and pain in limbs, emotional / psychiatric disturbances including amnesia and confusion, disturbance of the senses, irregular heart beat, difficulty in walking, loss of tendons, loss of muscles, involuntary eye movements, vomiting, loss of cardiac ability, a dangerous increase in jugular vein pressure, extreme shortness of breath and swelling in the lower legs.

In foods, it degrades 5% upon freezing and 40% upon reheating. When food is dried, it degrades by 30%, 55% when cooked and 70% when cooked and drained.

The best sources of Vitamin B1 come from Pork, Liver, Eggs, potatoes, vegetables, oatmeal and brown rice.

Vitamin B2

Vitamin B2 is a water-soluble compound chemically named Riboflavin, the recommended daily intake for Riboflavin is 1.3 milligrams (mg) per day. Lack of Riboflavin in the body is known to produce swelling of the mouth and lips including the tongue and throat, cracking and peeling of the lips, skin rashes resulting in oily and scaly skin around the bodies main orifices, eye problems such as itching, bloodshot, watery along with light sensitivity and anemia.

Lack of Riboflavin during pregnancy can produce birth defects in the heart and limbs.

In foods Vitamin B2 / Riboflavin does not degrade if frozen and upon reheating it degrades by 5%. When dried it degrades by 10%, 25% when cooked and 45% if cooked then drained.

The best sources of Vitamin B2 are dairy products, bananas, asparagus and green beans.

Vitamin B3

Vitamin B3 is a variety of water soluble compounds known as Niacin and Niacinamide, the recommended daily intake for Vitamin B3 compounds is 16 milligrams (mg) per day.

Lack of Vitamin B3 in the body begins to present symptoms such as fatigue, indigestion, ulcers, vomiting, depression and poor circulation throughout the body.

Prolonged deficiency is known to produce a condition known as Pellagra, the main symptoms of which are dermatitis, diarrhoea and dementia, however further symptoms also include a smoothing of and bright red appearance of the tongue, hair loss, swelling throughout the skin of the body, light sensitivity, aggression, insomnia, skin lesions, mental confusion, weakness, lack of coordination, enlarged and weak heart, paralysis of limbs and extremities and nerve damage.

In foods, Vitamin B3 / Niacin does not degrade if frozen and upon reheating it degrades by 5%. When dried it degrades by 10%, when cooked 40% and if cooked and drained 55%.

The best sources of Vitamin B3 are from Meat, Eggs, Fish, Mushrooms, Tree Nuts and most vegetables.

Vitamin B5

Vitamin B5 is a water-soluble compound known as Pantothenic acid, the recommended daily intake of Pantothenic acid is 5 milligrams (mg) per day.

A lack of pantothenic acid in the body is extremely rare, however when it occurs, is known to produce early symptoms such as insomnia, depression, fatigue, irritability, stomach pains, vomiting, burning sensations in the feet and upper respiratory tract infections.

The best sources of Vitamin B5 are from Broccoli, Meat, and Avocados.

Vitamin B6

Vitamin B6 is a variety of water soluble compounds known as Pyridoxine, Pyridoxamine, and Pyridoxal, the recommended daily intake for Vitamin B6 compounds is between 1.3 and 1.7 milligrams (mg) per day.

A lack of Vitamin B6 compounds in the body is known to cause nerve damage, anemia, depression, confusion, swollen tongue and scaling eczema on both edges of the lips.

In foods Vitamin B6 does not degrade when frozen however, degrades by 45% when reheated. When dried it degrades by 10%, 50% when cooked and 65% if cooked then drained.

The best sources of Vitamin B6 are from Meat, Tree Nuts, Bananas, and Vegetables.

Vitamin B7

Vitamin B7 is a water-soluble compound known as Biotin, the recommended daily intake of Biotin is 30 micrograms (µg) per day. Lack of Biotin in the body is extremely rare, however, is known to produce dermatitis, especially on the face and hair loss. At more advanced stages of deficiency, symptoms such as a lowering / lack of muscle tone, muscle cramps, seizures and a lack of coordination become present.

Vitamin B9

Vitamin B9 is a variety of water soluble compounds known as Folic Acid, and Folinic Acid, the recommended daily intake of Vitamin B9 compounds is 400 micrograms (µg) per day. Lack of Vitamin B9 / Folate is fairly common in society; most deficiencies present due to excessive alcohol intake or bowel problems.

Lack of Vitamin B9 compounds within the body can lead to poor growth especially in children, gingivitis and tongue inflammation, loss of appetite, irritability, forgetfulness, mental sluggishness, diarrhea and shortness of breath.

If a deficiency of Vitamin B9 exists during pregnancy, it can cause serious issues to the developing baby and produces a range of birth defects, including the inhibiting growth of the brain and spinal cord. This has been mostly prevented recently by the addition of folate to grain-based foods, especially in the USA.

Vitamin B9 / Folate within foods degrades by 5% when frozen and 30% upon reheating. 50% is lost if the food is dried, 70% when cooked or 75% if cooked then drained.

The best sources of Vitamin B9 are from Liver, Cereal, Bread, Pasta and Leafy Vegetables.

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 is a variety of water soluble compounds known as Cyanocobalamin, Hydroxocobalamin, and Methylcobalamin. The recommended daily intake of Vitamin B12 compounds is 2.4 micrograms (µg) per day.

Lack of Vitamin B12 compounds within the body is known in advanced stages to interfere with DNA production of red blood cells, the same way as found in Vitamin B9, and results in serious cases of anemia. Early symptoms of deficiency normally present with symptoms such as light headedness, tiredness, rapid heart rate, weight loss, sore tongue, bowel complaints and easily bruising / bleeding.

Vitamin B12 compounds do not degrade if frozen however 45% is lost upon reheating. There is no loss if food is dried, and when cooked it degrades by 45% or 50% if cooked then drained.

The best sources of Vitamin B12 come from Meat, Chicken, Fish, Milk, and Eggs.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is a water-soluble compound known as Ascorbic acid, the recommended daily intake for Ascorbic Acid is 90 milligrams (mg) per day.

Lack of Vitamin C in the body is known to produce scurvy, which has early symptoms of weakness, tiredness, curling of the hair and sore arms / legs. More advanced cases of scurvy have symptoms such as the development of a low red blood cell count, gum disease and bleeding from the skin, progressive scurvy results in a decrease in wound healing, personality changes and eventually leads to death.

While cases of scurvy are extremely rare in the modern developed world, cases of scurvy do still present in the modern day, mostly in developing nations, among refugees who have little access to regular balanced meals, and in the developed world where poor diet has been a critical factor. Scurvy can be remedied by the reintroduction of vitamin C if treated early enough.

Vitamin C /  Ascorbic acid degrades by 30% if frozen and 50% upon reheating. If dried 80% is lost and upon cooking 50% is lost or 75% if cooked then drained.

The best sources of Vitamin C are Liver, Fruits, and Vegetables.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is a variety of fat-soluble compounds named Cholecalciferol (Vitamin D3) and Ergocalciferol (Vitamin D2).The recommended daily intake of Vitamin D compounds is ten micrograms (µg) per day.

The majority of Vitamin D is synthesized due to sun exposure, leaving little requirement for food intake, however in people who regularly work indoors, or have poor access to direct outdoor sunlight for less than 30 minutes per day, food intake and supplementation will become more critical.

Lack of Vitamin D compounds in the body result in increased risk of developing multiple sclerosis, colon cancer, lowered immune response, development of autoimmune diseases, heart disease, diabetes and mental health problems.

Prolonged deficiency can result in a defective development of minerals and calcium within the bones, resulting in over time in fractures and deformities within the bones structure. Another associated disorder from lack of Vitamin D compounds is problems with regular bone metabolism, resulting in softening of the bones structure in general, symptoms include body pain over a wide area, muscle weakness, and fragile bones.

The best sources of Vitamin D in food come from Liver, Fish, Eggs, and Mushrooms. Exposure to sunlight for 15 to 30 minutes each day while avoiding sun burn is also extremely effective at boosting vitamin d levels naturally.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is a variety of fat-soluble compounds known as Tocopherols and Tocotrienols, the recommended daily intake for Vitamin E compounds is 15 milligrams (mg) per day.

Lack of available Vitamin E compounds within the body, although extremely rare, develop symptoms such as loss of muscle mass, vision problems, abnormal eye movements, unsteady walking and muscle weakness.

The best sources of Vitamin E come from Fruits, Nuts, Vegetables and Seeds.

Vitamin K

Vitamin K is a combination of fat-soluble compounds known as phylloquinone and menaquinones, the recommended daily intake for Vitamin K compounds is 120 micrograms (µg) per day.

Lack of available Vitamin K compounds within the body can result in abnormal bleeding due to the inability of the blood to form a clot, symptoms of which include red or purple spots appearing on the body and bleeding under the skin (with an appearance similar to bruises).

Changes in Vitamin K intake can provoke extremely dangerous reactions if taking the (already very dangerous) blood thinning drug warfarin, significantly increasing the risk of blood clots and stroke.

The best sources of Vitamin K are found in Egg Yolk, Liver, and Leafy Green Vegetables.

Looking for reliable vitamin supplements? All Nutrimi products contain a high quality of vitamins, designed around a reliable extraction process for increased bio-availability.

Understanding Vitamins in Foods and Supplements

5 Healthy Supplements You Want to Include in Your Diet

The American diet consists of a significant amount of ready-made foods that are eaten on the run. Though meals like these are fast and easy, they lack in nutritional value. Because of this, many people are having significant health problems. Their immune systems function poorly, and their cholesterol levels are too high. Their bones and joints are weak and painful too. Even the digestive system is affected. It stays slow and sluggish, which causes constipation and poor absorption of some nutrients that a person does happen to consume. In order to improve these health issues, the diet must be changed to one that includes whole grains, lean meat, and plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. Taking supplements in addition to these healthy foods will ensure that a person gets all of the vitamins and minerals that they need in case they are deficient in any of them. There are five supplements that are especially important for a person to take on a daily basis.

Probiotics

To improve digestive health, and keep it functioning properly, it helps to take a probiotic capsule and other types of food supplements. Probiotics contain live, active cultures of L. acidophysilus and other beneficial bacteria that a person is often deficient in when they eat poorly. Probiotics can boost the immune system and help alleviate diarrhea and vaginal yeast infections. They are also good for calming itchy eczema.

Zinc

This mineral is mostly known for its importance in men’s reproductive health because without it, they have a reduced amount of healthy sperm. But women and children need Zinc too. It boosts the immune system, so infections and viruses can be fought off more easily, and it improves the appetite and sense of taste. It also works with Vitamin A to ensure a person has good vision.

Omega-3

Omega-3 can be found in either fish oil or flax seed oil capsules. It is crucial for keeping the heart rhythm steady and even, which helps to prevent a stroke or heart attack. Omega-3 also reduces the amount of inflammation and bad cholesterol in the body. The brain and concentration levels can be improved by taking it too. This supplement is especially helpful for people who have attention disorders.

Vitamin C

This vitamin is water soluble, and the body cannot make it on its own, so to get enough of it a person has to either consume a significant amount of fruits and vegetables that contain it, or take a supplement on a daily basis. A deficiency of Vitamin C can lead to diseases such as scurvy, which causes the gums to bleed. It is also important for having a healthy immune system. Regular doses of it can help to prevent heart disease and cataracts.

Vitamin D

A deficiency of this vitamin is usually due to a person spending too much time indoors because one way that people get enough of it is by spending time in the sun. It takes just 20 minutes a day outdoors to get an adequate supply. However, not everyone is able to do that, so a supplement must be taken. Vitamin D is vital to maintaining healthy teeth and bones because of its importance in helping the body to absorb calcium and phosphorous. It is also essential to heart and lung health, and preventing a person from getting infections. Some studies have shown that it plays a role in guarding against diabetes too.

All of these supplements are very safe to take. And none of them have any harmful side effects. However, it important to always check with your doctor before taking any of them to be sure that they won’t interfere with any of your other medications.

About the Author: Lizzie Weakley is a freelance writer from Columbus, Ohio. She went to college at The Ohio State University where she studied communications. In her free time, she enjoys the outdoors and long walks in the park with her 3-year-old husky Snowball. The information in this article is credited to Balance of Nature who specializes in whole food supplements.

5 Healthy Supplements You Want to Include in Your Diet

3 supplements to give right away for a concussion

Three supplements to give right away if your child sustains a head injury or concussion

Both of my sons have played competitive and contact sports for many years.  They also have sustained more head injuries and concussions than I would like.

Over the course of time and as a nutritionist I learned that there is more you can do than just rest and avoid TV and video games (although those steps are very important too!).

My son was recently in a roll over car accident and thankfully all three in the vehicle were wearing seat belts. He said that if they weren’t they most likely would have been ejected.

But it got me thinking of what I would do right away if he did sustain a head injury.

I am currently putting together an herbal/nutritional first aid kit for both of my sons (yes, they are thrilled…sarcasm) and it will include the ingredients I have listed here in their first aid kits.

With kids back in school it also means kids are back into their sport activities so I hope you find this helpful should the need arise.  It may be a good idea to keep these items on hand.

This is by no means meant to replace medical care after a head trauma but rather in addition to.  Always discuss these options with your doctor, especially if on medications.

But here are some supplements that can provide the tools to allow the brain to begin to heal.  These are not “cures” but rather they are used to optimize brain health for healing.

Here is a good starting place if your child sustains a concussion, even a mild one.

Homeopathic Arnica Montana: While traditional medicine is very skeptical in regards to homeopathic remedies, this is one that I keep in my son’s sport bags and is the first thing I reach for when a head injury occurs.  There are other homeopathic remedies for head injury side effects but this should be in your first aid kit to reduce swelling and inflammation due to the trauma.  Use it as soon as you can but it can also be used for head injuries that have occurred even months prior.

When using homeopathic remedies, it is best to consult with a specialist who is trained to work with them.

Otherwise, to keep on hand for these emergencies, I purchase Boiron brand Arnica Montana 200 ck. You can usually find this at Whole Foods or your local health food store.  Dose out 5 pellets every 15 minutes if you can but neither water nor food should not be consumed 15 minutes prior nor 15 minutes after so you may have to dose out more than every 15 minutes in those first few hours. Ideally just get as many doses in as you can. Do not touch the pellets-just pour them from the vial cap into your mouth.  Let them dissolve under the tongue.  After the first 24 hours you can start to space the doses out and give the pellets 3 to 5 times daily for the first week.

While others continue to be skeptical, I have seen great results with homeopathic remedies so I do use them in certain instances.

Curcumin (from Turmeric): This compound has been shown to have neuro-protective properties and has been shown to be beneficial in rehabilitation from brain injuries.  Giving Curcumin can result in a significant reduction in neuro-inflammation.

For a brand I like Terry Naturally Curamed 750 mg. capsules and I would give one to two three times per day for the first several days following the trauma.  There are other reputable brands out there but I have seen positive results with this product in my clients and so I stick with what has been effective.

High dose fish oil: Studies show that animal’s receiving fish oil after a head injury for 30 days had a greater than 98% reduction in brain damage compared with the animals that did not receive supplementation.

For a head injury I would give an immediate high dose of fish oil that contains 1 gram.   There are many contaminated fish oil products to be wary of. Also avoid farmed salmon and only consume wild caught Alaskan salmon for your fish oil dose or consume sardines (I like Wild Planet brand)

Start with a high dose for the first 1-2 weeks and then reduce the dose. Depending on the research the range can be from 4 grams of combined EPA/DHA to 10 grams.  Take 3 grams three times per day for the first week. I know that is a lot of fish oil but this is short term only.

For the second week reduce that to 3 grams two times per day. After week two it depends on how you are feeling as to whether you should continue on the high dose or reduce the maintenance dose.  Once you are feeling better, reduce the dose to 3 grams every day.

Always take your fish oil with a meal that contains fat.  If you are eating a low fat diet you will have difficulty reaping the benefits from the fish oil.

There are many more supplements that I would suggest for a head injury but this is a good place to start within the first few hours after the impact.

In addition to that, the diet should be clean, meaning free of sugar and processed foods.  Provide plenty of healthy fats such as avocado and it’s oil, quality EVOO, raw nuts and seeds, organic protein sources and plenty of organic leafy greens, vegetables and fruits.  This is not the time for sugar, candy, soda, fast food and frozen meals.  These are inflammatory foods. Avoid any foods with toxins for now so if you can buy all organic during this time that is the best choice.  Otherwise, choose your organic foods following the clean 15/dirty dozen guide provided by www.ewg.org.  The goal is to reduce brain inflammation and provide optimum conditions for healing.

While some are able to return back to their normal routine within weeks, others may have long lasting side effects from their concussion such as ADD symptoms, fatigue, confusion, forgetfulness, anxiety, depression and more. If you or your child needs more nutritional support during the healing process, please contact me or your holistic health professional.

Sources

Chapman, E., Weintraub, R., Milburn, M. et. al. Homeopathic Treatment of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury:

A randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled trial.  Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation, 14, 6,

Dec. 1999, 521-542.

Ji, S. (10/1/14) How Whole Turmeric Heals the Damaged brain.  http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/how-whole-turmeric-heals-damaged-brain-1

Mercola, J. (2/9/14) Fish Oil Cited in Dramatic Healing After Severe Brain Trauma.  http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archives/2014/02/09/fish-oil-brain-health.aspx

Wu, A., Ying, Z., Gomez-Pinilla, F. Dietary Curcumin counteracts the outcome of traumatic brain injury on oxidative stress, synaptic plasticity and cognition.  Exp. Neurol, 2006  Feb., 197(2):309-17  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16364299

www.brainhealtheducation.org

Karen Brennan, MSW, CNC, Board Certified in Holistic Nutrition (candidate), author of the E book Tru Foods Depression Free Nutrition Guide; How Food Supplements and herbs can be used to lift your mood and owner of Tru Foods Nutrition Services, LLC believes in food first when addressing the root causes to your health conditions.  For more information, visit her website at www.trufoodsnutrition.com

The information provided is meant for educational purposes only. As a nutrition professional, Karen Brennan does not treat, cure nor diagnose.

3 supplements to give right away for a concussion

Vitamin D supplements could halve risk of serious asthma attacks

Vitamin D pills can halve the risk of serious asthma attacks according to a major review of research into the impact the supplements have on the condition.

People with mild or moderate asthma who took the vitamin with their normal medicine had fewer attacks that required hospital treatment than those who went without, scientists found.

The risk of severe attacks fell from 6% to 3% in patients who had a vitamin D boost for six months to a year. The supplements cut the frequency of attacks too, with cases needing steroid treatment falling from one per person every two or so years, to one every four years.

Half of all asthma patients will at some point have an attack that needs treating with oral steroids such as prednisolone, while a quarter will end up in hospital emergency departments. One in eight will have such serious attacks that they are admitted to hospital for further care.

“There were some pretty striking positive findings,” said Adrian Martineau, a professor of respiratory infection who led the review at Queen Mary, University of London. “Asthma attacks cause 185 hospital admissions and three deaths each day in the UK, so this is a major problem for society.”

More than five million people in the UK, and 334 million globally, are affected by asthma which causes wheezing, coughing, tightness in the chest, and shortness of breath.

The review for the Cochrane library drew on results from seven published trials on 435 children, and a further two trials on 658 adults. Most of the patients had mild to moderate asthma, meaning they had symptoms at least two days a week, but their daily routine was not seriously affected. Nearly all kept taking their normal asthma medicine on top of the vitamin D supplements.

While the trials found that a daily dose of 25 to 50 micrograms reduced the risk of serious attacks, the evidence was largely from adults. “We need more trials specifically focusing on children and also specifically focusing on adults with severe asthma to see if those patient groups could benefit,” Martineau said.

In July, Public Health England recommended that everybody in Britain over the age of one consider taking a 10 microgram daily supplement of vitamin D, particularly over the autumn and winter when sunlight levels are low. The body makes vitamin D when sunlight falls on the skin, but people who cover up outside, and those who are housebound can struggle to make enough.

It is not clear how vitamin D helps asthma patients, but supplements may work by boosting the immune system’s defences against respiratory infections, such as the common cold, which are the main triggers for serious asthma attacks. The vitamin also seems to keep inflammation under control.

“You can think of vitamin D almost as a designer drug because it has these two actions, the first being to boost immunity to infections and the second to dampen down inflammation,” said Martineau.

One question scientists hope to answer in the next few months is whether supplements only benefit asthma patients with low levels of vitamin D. “At the moment we just don’t have the evidence to say who are those who are going to benefit and how low their vitamin D has to be in order to benefit,” Martineau said. “We don’t want people to stop taking their asthma medication and start taking vitamin D instead,” he added.

The findings come as scientists report impressive trial results for a drug that cuts asthma attacks in patients with the most severe form of the disease. Two trials in more than 2,500 people showed that a year’s course of benralizumab injections reduced asthma attacks by a third to a half, according to The Lancet.

Samantha Walker at Asthma UK said the new drug offered “genuine hope” for people in the UK who had a type of asthma that does not respond to standard treatments. “These people struggle to breathe every day, restricting their ability to carry out everyday activities such as going to work or school and severely affecting their quality of life,” she said.

Vitamin D supplements could halve risk of serious asthma attacks

16 herbs and supplements for allergy relief

Seasonal Allergies:

Find out what to do “off-season” and what to do right now for allergy symptom relief-the natural way!

It is that time of year when eyes start to itch; you have a runny nose or congestion, an itchy throat and are constantly sneezing. Do you rely on OTC anti-histamine products or just suffer through it?

There are natural ways to relive your seasonal allergies. Read on for allergy relief!

Everyone is different so it may take a few tries before you find the right product that works for your body. After allergy season (and even during and before) it is best to start working on supporting your gut health and immune health so that you can reduce or eliminate your allergies come next season.

Why you should avoid OTC allergy medication

A new study found that medications such as anticholinergics (of which Benadryl is classified) found an increase in brain atrophy, dysfunction, and cognitive decline in users, especially older adults. Don’t think that just because a medication is OTC that it is safe.

An allergy medication that has been linked to increased suicide risk is Singular. This medication is also used to treat asthma attacks.  While this drug is by prescription only, many may take Sudafed as an OTC alternate for relief.  Sudafed has also been related to suicidal ideation in some.  If you do choose medication, please do your homework first or talk to a professional first about whether these meds are the safest option for you.

Why has there been an increase in seasonal allergies?

• Cleanliness, our lack of exposure to environmental microbes-do kids play in the dirt anymore? Look at all the anti-bacterial soap we buy and use. While having good hygiene is a plus, too much of a good thing can disrupt the normal immune development and will increase your risk for allergies.


• Antibiotics


• Birth by C-section


• Not having pets in the home


• formula feeding


• Pollen counts continue to rise-blame it on air pollution. Many types of pollen such as ragweed are toxic. They contain enzymes that damage the lining of your nose and lungs when you breathe them in. This sets the stage for rising allergies.

All this sets the body up for lack of diversity in our microbes and contributes to allergies. When on antibiotics, especially repeated usage, this will disrupt the gut microbiome.  A birth by C-section means the baby did not get the healthy bacteria from its mother.  Studies show that those who have pets in the home or those who grow up on farms tend to have fewer incidences of allergies. Studies also show that if you have access to and drink raw milk your chance of seasonal allergies is also reduced.

When is the best time to address allergy symptom relief?

Actually, it’s not when your symptoms appear every season, rather you should be addressing them by supporting your immune system year round.

As always, food first! If you take supplements and herbs but still eat like crap then you are wasting your efforts and money!

What to add in year round to support your body

• Address delayed food allergies/sensitivities:  Seasonal allergies may be related to delayed food allergies (see my blog post April 2016) or food sensitivities. Get tested or do food elimination diet.


• Manage stress: stress can impact your immune system and your adrenal glands. Support the body with whole foods, mineral salts and adaptogens if adrenal fatigue is an issue for you. (for more on adrenal fatigue read Adrenal Fatigue by Dr. Wilson or go online and take the adrenal fatigue quiz)


• Reduce/eliminate sugar: sugar lowers WBC count and reduces immune function. Opt for raw, local honey in small doses instead. (see note below on bee products and seasonal allergies)


• Address gut health with Probiotics and Prebiotics: probiotics will help to populate the good bacteria in your gut. The prebiotics are essentially food for your good bacteria to help them thrive. Choose supplement form or add in raw garlic and onions, raw asparagus, kombucha, kefir, raw fermented vegetables such as sauerkraut, raw unfiltered apple cider vinegar and fermented soy

• Vitamin C: while we get vitamin C from our whole foods such as fruits and vegetables the amount that we get from these foods has been greatly diminished over the past 80 years or so. Take vitamin C with bioflavonoids at 500-1,000 mg. daily. Children can take ¼-1/8 this amount depending on size.


• Vitamin D: in studies with children with seasonal allergies, low vitamin D status was associated with higher risk of allergies, especially to birch, ragweed and oak. It is best to know your vitamin D levels before supplementing. Safe dose is 2,000 IU daily of D3. Avoid D2 as it is synthetic. If you choose products fortified with vitamin D, know that this too is vitamin D2, the synthetic form which is difficult for the body to absorb.

• NAC: this stands for N-Acetyl-Cysteine. This is the precursor to glutathione, our master antioxidant which also helps to balance the immune system. Take NAC at 50-100 mg. 3 times daily.


• Curcumin: this is a compound found in turmeric. This enhances the immune system and can be taken year round. It also reduces inflammation and thus may also be good for symptom relief. (I like a brand called Curamed by europharmausa.com and it can also be found in many natural health stores.)

Symptom Relief

You do not need to try all of these-pick a few and see what works for you. Always check with your doctor, ND, nutritionist or herbalist before adding in herbs if you are on any medications, are pregnant or breastfeeding or have chronic health conditions.  Some herbs can interact with medications while others are safe to take short term but not long term. It is best to work with someone knowledgeable in herbs for these reasons.

• Butterbur: butterbur can relax smooth muscle spasms and inhibit inflammatory histamines. Take in standardized form for symptom relief. Studies show that those who take butterbur in standardized tablets or in extract form 3 times daily get the greatest relief of their symptoms.


• Nettle: stinging nettle can provide dramatic relief from hay fever and stops a runny nose due to its anti-histamine properties. In capsules or tablets take 500 to 1,000 mg. 3 times per day. In some studies patients were given 600 mg. of freeze dried stinging nettle leaf at the onset of allergy season and then 300 mg. as needed with the average dose 3 times per day during the allergy season.

• Serrapeptase: this is an enzyme that can help reduce swelling in the lungs and make breathing easier. It is helpful for congestion, runny nose and post nasal drip associated with allergies. It is marketed as a joint supplement due to its anti-inflammatory properties. Veganzyme is a trusted brand from globalhealingcenter.com. This product contains Serrapeptase but other supportive enzymes as well such as bromelain which is also known to be effective for seasonal allergy symptoms.

• Quercetin: this can help prevent seasonal allergic reactions if started soon enough. Quercetin can also be found in onions and apples. Take in tablet form 125-250 mg. 3 times per day between meals for 6-8 weeks before the allergy season begins.

Some people prefer Source Naturals Activated Quercetin at 2 capsules 3 times per day.

Do not take Quercetin if you are on the immune suppressing drug cyclosporine or the calcium channel blocker nifedipine.

• Ginger: reduces allergic inflammation. Take capsules, 1,000 mg. 3-4 times daily between meals for 6-8 weeks before the allergy season begins.


• Horseradish: this will relieve sinus congestion and helps to deter future allergy attacks. If you can handle it, eat ½-1 teaspoon daily until symptoms subside.

• Rooibos: many know rooibos tea as very antioxidant rich herb with the green rooibos being higher in antioxidants than the red but either way both are still good sources of antioxidants. Rooibos also acts as an antihistamine and is also helpful if you have food allergies. Drink one cup of the tea 1-3 times per during allergy season but it is also good to drink all year round. This tea is caffeine free and can withstand long brewing times and does not get bitter with reuse.

• Chamomile: this can reduce the intensity and duration of allergic reactions due to its anti-inflammatory properties. Drink one cup of tea 2-3 times per day. Chamomile is relaxing for the nervous system so you may want to save one cup for before bedtime. Chamomile is considered a very safe herb, however those who are allergic to ragweed may be allergic to chamomile-use with caution the very first time you try it. Teas are less potent than in tincture form.

• Scutellaria (skullcap): It is used for allergies, hay fever and other respiratory conditions. It contains chemicals that may prevent histamine from provoking hay fever attacks. One of the compounds interferes with a complex set of hormonal reactions that constrict the bronchial tubes during asthma attacks. This also relieves headaches that are associated with hay fever. Take in capsule form 1,000-2,000 mg. 3 times per day. Do not confuse this herb with American skullcap as the two herbs are not interchangeable. You want the Asian form and may have to get it via online. Do not purchase one that also contains germander, an herb that can cause liver damage. Do not use if you have chronic diarrhea.

• Bee pollen: this must be local! Please talk to your doctor first since you may react to the pollen if you have seasonal allergies. When starting out with local bee pollen take only one pellet at first to make sure you do not react. With each new batch of pollen you purchase, do this test first. If no reaction, then start with 1/8 of a teaspoon daily, gradually working your way up to 1 teaspoon per day. This should be started several months before the beginning of hay fever season. Bee pollen is rich in B vitamins and other nutrients and if no reaction you can eat this daily, year round. You can add it to cold dishes such as smoothies, yogurt or chia seed pudding or just eat your dose daily off the spoon! Bee pollen is like a natural allergy shot-giving you small doses of the pollens you are allergic too and building your immune system over time. Find local farms for your pollen.

• Green Tea: the xanthine’s in green tea help relax bronchial spasms and can be effective for allergy symptom relief (and asthma too). Drink 1 cup in the morning (due to caffeine content) daily during allergy season.

• Diamine Oxidase: This is an enzyme that is responsible for histamine breakdown. For some, the root cause of the allergy symptoms may be due to histamine intolerance. This can be from excess histamine or from a deficiency of the enzyme that breaks it down. Histamine can act as a neurotransmitter and also regulates the production of stomach acid. You need some histamine but you don’t want it too elevated (or too low for that matter). Restore gut balance to resolve the histamine issue but take this enzyme to assist with high histamine levels. Take in supplement form. This enzyme also requires vitamin B6 to function properly.You can also try a low histamine diet. This would include limiting or advoiding foods such as fermented foods, aged cheese, citrus, fish, shellfish, avocado, spinach, cocoa, and left- over meat to name a few.

Sources

Balch, P. (2012) Prescription for Herbal Healing. 2^nd Edition.  NY: Avery

Galland, L & Galland, J. The Allergy Solution: Unlock the Surprising Hidden Truth behind Why your Sick

and How to Get Well.  www.terrytalksnutrition.com

Hoffmann, D. Medical Herbalism. (2003) The Science and Practice of Herbal Medicine. Vermont:

Healing  Arts Press.

Kresser, C. (4/28/16) Got Allergies? Your Microbes could be responsible. www.chriskresser.com

Mars, B. (2007) The Desktop Guide To Herbal Medicine. CA: Basic Health Publications Inc.

Mercola, J. (5/12/16) Suicides are surging. www.articles.mercola.com

Skenderi, G. (2003) Herbal vade Mecum. NJ: Herbacy Press.

Tweed, V. ( April 2016) Seasonal Allergies? Get Natural Relief. Better Nutrition, Vol. 78.  No. 4.

Wood, R. (2010) The New Whole Foods Encyclopedia. Penguin Books

www.consumerlab.com

www.ehealthme.com

www.hammernutrition.com

Karen Brennan, MSW, CNC, Board Certified in Holistic Nutrition (candidate), author of the E book Tru Foods Depression Free Nutrition Guide; How Food Supplements and herbs can be used to lift your mood and owner of Tru Foods Nutrition Services, LLC believes in food first when addressing the root causes to your health conditions.  For more information, visit her website at www.trufoodsnutrition.com

16 herbs and supplements for allergy relief

6 things you need to know about Super Premium Nutrients in supplements

Nutrients are the ingredients that can be found in upmarket, high range natural supplements that meet the highest selection and manufacturing criteria. These products provide the foremost available quality in supplementary nutrition for the best value. Here is what you need to know:

1. Completely Natural

These products contain only natural ingredients. There are no artificial additives, colors, flavors or preservatives.

Super Premium Nutrients mean exactly that. They are premium original supplements. These products contain only the natural ingredients from source without any cosmetic or aromatic additives or fillers. You get what it says on the label.

2. The Best ingredients

Only the best available ingredients are used. When a product is manufactured to provide the best available, all raw ingredients come only from the most reliable sources ensuring that product quality is established and maintained.

3. Formula design is influenced by the Key ingredients

The formula is designed so that all the key ingredients function optimally in order to bring the best nutrition to all the body’s 30 trillion cells. Premium nutrition ensures that the correct minerals, antioxidants and vitamins reach the correct cells in the body. This enables optimal healthy body function.

4. Top of the range finished products

The finished product has been through the most stringent testing in order to ensure that the raw materials that have been used meet the highest standards. Formulas are scientifically based and each ingredient is individually tested for approval. This ensures that the labelling of Super Premium Nutrients can be relied upon.

5. Safety and Standards Assurance

You can rest assured that your supplement is not only safe, but the best there is. The ingredients that pass through the facilities at top notch manufactureres are a really good example of this kind of assurance. There are at least 10 different kinds of laboratory tests that each standard ingredient goes through before it makes the grade and can be released for sale. This means that specifications have to be met in order for the formula to be accepted.

6. Manufactured in the best facilities

The manufacturing facilities are the best available without uncontrolled outsourcing and the facilities meet cGMP standards. Many supplement manufacturers outsource their manufacturing processes, however upmarket manufacturers retain control by managing their own facilities guaranteeing ingredient quality and thus product integrity.

When choosing a product that contains Super Premium nutrients, you can rest assured that you will get the same quality from your body’s performance as the quality of the supplement that you have put in.

There is an excellent range of these upmarket quality nutritional supplements, including cardiovascular, immunity and sleep management products that enhance rather than interfere with your body’s natural processes.

Whether you are looking for a product that will improve concentration, your general health or maintain your overall wellbeing, the place to start is with a range that complies with the five criteria mentioned above.

The bottom line is the better the supplement, the better your health.

6 things you need to know about Super Premium Nutrients in supplements

Dr. Oz Senate Scolding: His 10 Most Controversial Excess weight Loss Supplements

Yesterday Dr. Mehmet Oz generally admitted just before a Senate subcommittee hearing that a lot of of the claims he can make about fat reduction dietary supplements are not primarily based in reality.

“I can not figure this out, Dr. Oz – I really don’t get why you need to have to say this stuff when you know it’s not real,” complained Senator Claire McCaskill in a hearing prior to the Senate subcommittee on Customer Safety, Item Security and Insurance. “When you have this incredible megaphone, why would you cheapen your display?”

Replied Oz: “I actually do personally believe in the things I talk about on the display. I passionately study them. I recognize that oftentimes they really don’t have the scientific muster to current as fact. However, I would give my audience the exact same suggestions I give my family members, and I have offered my family these merchandise.”

Senator Claire McCaskill chastised Dr. Oz yesterday for his enthusiastic coverage of untested excess weight loss dietary supplements. (Photograph: public domain)

The bodyweight loss products Dr. Oz is talking about are, of program, the numerous dietary supplements that have attained mega-success soon after a mention on his present, a phenomenon now recognized as “the Oz effect.”

And although he admits they’re “controversial,” he also argues that they’re a needed “crutch” for the two thirds of American grownups now classified as obese.

“If the only message I gave was to consume much less and move far more, which is the most crucial point people require to do, we wouldn’t be very successfully be tackling this challenge, because viewers know these actions and they nonetheless struggle,” he explained. “So we search for resources and crutches for quick-phrase help so folks can jump-start off their applications.”

Even more defending the role of his display, he adds: “I would rather have a conversation about these resources on my stage than in back alleys.”

So what are the fat loss supplements getting Dr. Oz into sizzling water? A rapid rundown:

one. Forskolin: In the hearings, McCaskill brings up Forskulin, reminding Oz that he called it “lightning in a bottle” and “a miracle flower” in an episode of his present this previous January.

What it actually is: A chemical located in the roots of the plant Plectranthus Barbatus that’s been utilised in traditional medication to treat higher blood pressure and heart disorders.

2. FBCx: Oz counters McCaskill with a defense of FBCx, “which is basically a fiber and we know that fiber when taken accurately is a really efficient fat reduction device.”

What it really is: A kind of fiber known as alpha-cyclodextrin that is been used to decrease cholesterol and bind triglycerides. The term FBCx is an abbreviation for “Fat Binding Complexer” and is generally just a branding term.

3. Raspberry Ketones: Dr. Oz has named it: “A number 1 miracle in a bottle to burn up your body fat.”

What it really is: A compound derived from red raspberries that may possibly help regulate adiponectin, a protein that impacts metabolic process.

four. Yakon Syrup: Dr. Oz has termed  it “a metabolism game-changer.”

Dr. Oz Senate Scolding: His 10 Most Controversial Excess weight Loss Supplements

Calls for hundreds of thousands to be given cost-free vitamin D dietary supplements

New guidance suggests people living the Uk basically are not able to get sufficient vitamin D from the sun or their diet plan. Photograph: Paul Hackett/Reuters

Hundreds of thousands far more individuals ought to be offered free vitamin D supplements underneath proposals from the government’s well being advisers to tackle the more and more widespread deficiency in the vitamin.

Councils need to take into account making supplements obtainable to the 1 in 5 grownups who are at risk. A lack of the “sunshine” vitamin has been linked to soft bones and other health situations. Older people and individuals from ethnic minorities, whose darker skin implies they generate significantly less vitamin D, would be amongst the recipients, in accordance to the Nationwide Institute of Well being and Care Excellence (Nice).

It is also calling for an growth of the government’s scheme to give pregnant girls and young children from poor backgrounds dietary supplements.

Nice has produced guidance following investigation showed rickets between youngsters had risen ten-fold more than the last twenty years. “Living in the Uk you just can’t get adequate vitamin D from the sun or by way of diet regime”, stated professor Mitch Blair, health promotion officer with the Royal School of Paediatrics and Kid Health. “So we have to be looking at choices this kind of as widespread availability of supplements, fortification of food items and greater guidance for healthcare pros on how to spot the signs and symptoms of vitamin D deficiency so they can act speedily.”

Dr Benjamin Jacobs, a consultant paediatrician at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital in London, urged mothers and fathers to “make each day a vitamin D day, incorporating naturally-wealthy or fortified food items and drinks into toddlers’ diet plans, proper supplementation and protected sun publicity.”

A recent report from the Vitamin D Mission, a campaign group, located that just a single in 7 parents give their kid a every day vitamin D supplement, even though 60% never ever do. Several of the most well-known children’s meals, this kind of as fish fingers and spaghetti bolognese, contain no vitamin D, although scrambled eggs do.

Calls for hundreds of thousands to be given cost-free vitamin D dietary supplements

Dietary supplements: who demands them? | Tania Browne

Anytime I see an post entitled “The science of … ” I turn out to be suspicious. So when the Guardian’s G2 part published a piece last week called “The science behind dietary supplements” by Spencer Nadolsky of nutrition site examine.com, it rang alarm bells.

As it did for numerous other folks. Commenter flash131 identified that Nadolsky appeared to be registered as a co-director of Leaner Residing, which sells diet regime supplements. Subsequently, examine.com advised the Guardian that he no longer has any connection to the firm he co-founded, which is now run by his brother. Nevertheless, in the course of his time at Leaner Residing Nadolsky received a warning from the Federal Drug Administration for creating therapeutic claims for a item that hadn’t received FDA approval.

It is also worth noting that every single web page of examine.com promotes a $ 49 manual to dietary supplements.

The Guardian’s write-up links to the related sections on examine.com, in which there are in excess of 700 PubMed references citing proof. It really is correct that PubMed is a wonderful search hub, but it is hardly an endorsement for dietary tips. It is an index of every paper published in existence science journals and eBooks, and with 22 million citations listed, the scientific top quality varies.

So how do you know no matter whether a scientific paper can be trusted? The 1st point to seem into is regardless of whether it has been peer-reviewed. Most content material indexed on PubMed, although not all, will have been. Greater even now, look out for systematic evaluations, which consider to summarise every thing that has been published on a certain subject. Greatest of all are meta-analyses, which get all the details from research identified in a systematic overview and crunch the data in an try to give a definitive consequence.

A document on supplements from NHS Choices notes that most articles about science in the media fail to mention that some varieties of evidence are more dependable than other folks. We are not aways told that a systematic assessment is greater than an individual research, for instance, or that a meta-evaluation is the gold standard.

So as Nadolsky says in his report, let’s “tune out the hype and see what the evidence has to say”.

Underneath the heading “do you require it?” in the section on glucosamine, Nadolsky recommends a daily dose of glucosamine sulfate of at least one,500mg a day. Yet regardless of currently being the third greatest-marketing supplement in 2009 with sales of £68m in the Uk, glucosamine has no established result on osteoarthritis and is not suggested by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, which produces guidelines on treatment for the NHS after reviewing the ideal investigation. Wonderful says there is insufficient evidence to support the use of glucosamine in osteoarthritis and suggests that it should not be funded by the NHS. A systematic overview published in the BMJ found that the supplement did not decrease discomfort or have any result on the narrowing of the “joint area”, which is a characteristic of the condition.

So why does Nadolsky presume it is all good and advise a dose? Even his very own site advises that the impact seems modest.

In the segment on protein, Nadolsky – a keen body builder – tells us that “gradually but definitely, protein powders have turn into a common portion of a standard diet regime” and that they “are the most easily ingested and practical type of protein”.

It really is true that in 2010 protein powder sales hit £200m in the Uk, but is there any want for them? The advised everyday sum of protein for 19-50 year olds is 55.5g for men and 45g for females. But in accordance to the British Nutrition Basis, common protein intake is 88g for males and 64g for ladies.

Taking a protein supplement may not only be pointless, it could be harmful. In 2010, a Customer Reports survey of 15 brand names in the USfound that some protein drinks were contaminated with heavy metals that could reach damaging ranges in the advisable three every day servings. Simply because protein supplements are not categorised as medicines, high quality manage for the duration of their manufacture is maybe not as rigorous as it may be. Additionally, the NHS warns that excessive protein intake can lead to bone demineralisation and osteoporosis. And a current article in the journal Cell linked higher intakes of animal protein to cancer and higher all round mortality in the underneath 65s.

Given that most of us presently consume much more than the recommended every day volume of protein, why consume protein powders at all?

Nadolsky recommends taking multivitamins “if you shell out no interest to your diet regime or are always dieting”, implying that the drugs would support compensate for a poor diet plan. In reality, multivitamins may well make issues worse. A recent meta-evaluation discovered no evidence that the antioxidants beta-carotene, vitamins A, C, E and selenium avert illness. Beta-carotene and vitamin E actually improved mortality, as did large doses of vitamin A.

Worryingly, Nadolsky also advises 50 micrograms (two,000 IU) of vitamin D per day, which is twice the NHS advisable optimum consumption of 25 micrograms. The suggested day-to-day allowance is only 5 micrograms, even though guidance varies amongst countries. Taking as well a lot vitamin D for a extended time can result in calcium buildup, damaging the kidneys and even softening bones, and whilst we need added at certain phases of lifestyle – especially in the course of pregnancy and breastfeeding and for individuals aged more than 65 – most of us get ample from our food and what we synthesise for ourselves with the assist of sunlight.

In summary, you most likely shouldn’t consider taking supplements except if suggested to by your GP. NHS Options also offers great tips, and the Cochrane Collaboration is an independent entire body that gives open studying equipment to support you put the media hype surrounding diet and nutrition into point of view.

The genuine science of dietary dietary supplements displays that really number of of us need them and most of us will do just fine by consuming a wholesome, balanced diet program.

Dietary supplements: who demands them? | Tania Browne

9 helpful dietary supplements when getting the flu

We all know that it is terrible to get the flu, and it can make you feel pretty run down. Remarkably, couple of men and women truly know what the flu is. Discover how to stop and deal with the flu from the guide from Opencare organization.

Contemplate using the following dietary supplements to aid fight viruses and strengthen your immune program:

1. Zinc – immune booster

Use zinc lozenges at the 1st signal of signs as they nourish cells. You can get zinc from food items this kind of as beans, nuts, meat, and poultry.

two. Licorice root

Licorice root can aid your immune technique in attacking the virus. It consists of glycyrrhizic acid which develop T cells for safety. Moreover, it stimulates the main body’s infection fighting chemical – interferon. Licorice extract getting into the cells can support your immune method battle not only from influenza, but also from Bird Flu, HIV, Herpes Simplex, Hepatitis B, SARS, Streptococcus Mutants and Helicobacter Pylori.

You can uncover licorice root in herbal foods retailers, in dried, capsules, tablets, powdered and other kinds. Also, you can uncover it in herbal preparations. For instance, The New Age company eHelps produces Bio Dream, a normal herbal tonic which contains licorice root extract.

three. Vitamins A, C, E, and selenium

The ACES antioxidant formula and immune booster increase the quantity and good quality of white blood cells, which strengthens the immune method. Use buffered Vitamin C for young children.

Recipes:

• Vitamin C Boost: Blend ½ cup of diced pineapple, two oranges (peeled), and ½ cup of purified water.


• Potato Water: Wash and chop two-three medium-sized potatoes (raw) into large pieces. Drop into a pitcher of pure water. Wait 15 minutes, and then drink the water. Raw potatoes are a rich supply of vitamin C.

four. Omega-three

This oil has been proven, in many research, to reduce your poor cholesterol amounts and minimize plaque buildup in your blood. Fish oil and flax seed are higher in Omega 3 and are excellent ways to aid your blood stream.

five. Vitamins B6 and B12 9.

Meals rich in the B vitamins, which aid regulate metabolism, are also helpful, as diet plans substantial in sugar have a tendency to burn these nutritional vitamins at a quicker price. These meals consist of wheat germ, yogurt, and liver.

6. AlphaLipoicAcid

AlphaLipoicAcid is a exclusive anti-oxidant that is both water and body fat soluble, which makes it possible for it to enter all parts of the cell to neutralize free of charge radicals. AlphaLipoicAcid contributes to and is essential for the production of energy within the cell by utilizing sugar to make vitality contributing to mental and physical stamina, minimizing muscle fatigue and neutralizes free of charge radicals. AlphaLipoicAcid recycles and enhances the results of Vitamin C.

7. Lysine

Lysine, an amino acid, can have a basic antiviral, tonifying result that fortifies the immune system. Take 1,000 mg daily in divided doses.

eight. Goldenseal

Goldenseal is a very well-liked herb, frequently used as a herbal antibiotic and immune method enhancer. Goldenseal improves the wellness of sinus and mucus membranes. This supplement treats sinus and nasal cavities as soon as the initial sign of cold or flu appear, and might stop or shorten the power and duration of the sickness. An energetic part of goldenseal is Berberine, which has a broad spectrum of antibiotic and immense stimulating exercise. Aside from, goldenseal is made up of calcium, iron, manganese and various assortment of vitamins: A, C, E, B-complex and others.

Goldenseal is available in powdered type in capsules, in herbal food stores as effectively as online. You can purchase it also in bulk type, with gelatin capsule separate. Bear in mind to preserve it in cool dark area.

9. Vitamin D

Vitamin D can also be quite effective in protection against the flu. A excellent supplement of vitamin D would be in a oil primarily based form commencing at 5 000 IU/d. Scientific studies have shown that the sunshine vitamin plays an essential part in regulating the immune program and defending the entire body against viruses. It need to be also noted that anybody living in North America is specially susceptible to vit D deficiency due to our winter months.

*Even so not absolutely everyone is very likely to be cured by goldenseal and if your signs and symptoms are not acute, you should seek advice from with your doctor.

9 helpful dietary supplements when getting the flu

We Fret About Trace Quantities Of BPA Even though Taking part in Russian Roulette With Dietary Dietary supplements

We Have A Badly Distorted Sense of Risk.

Exactly forty years ago, in a seminal paper, the behavioral economists Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky described cognitive mistakes and pitfalls that have an effect on our ability to gauge the probability of even easy occasions.

These pitfalls impact contemplating in a lot of places, but they are probably nowhere far more prominent than in contemplating about issues that could have an effect on our overall health.

Above the past two decades we have been socialized to fret about a succession of elusive hazards to our wellness lurking in our environment.  These have incorporated – and this is a extremely partial listing — chlorinated compounds in consuming water, DDT and other pesticides, PCBs, radon fuel seeping into our homes, electromagnetic fields from power lines and electrical appliances, cell phones, and, most not too long ago, chemicals this kind of as BPA and phthalates.

BPA (or bisphenol-A), a compound that has been utilised for the previous 60 many years in canned foods containers to avert spoilage and in certain plastics, has been linked to every little thing from obesity and diabetes to heart condition and cancer.  Despite the efforts of a minor cottage industry cranking out these benefits, the most rigorous scientific studies suggest that BPA is not a hazard even to infants at the amounts encountered in daily existence.

BPA and the other threats pointed out above could be known as “theoretical hazards.”  That is, they have been linked to some wellness final result in some animal experiment or in observational epidemiologic scientific studies, but the proof is weak and inconsistent.  They might well pose a hazard if the exposure had been higher.

Let’s contrast these theoretical hazards with yet another publicity, which is very substantial in the US population but which is viewed in a really various light from that which is directed at minimal-level environmental hazards.  I’m referring to “dietary supplements,” which is an elastic term that encompasses vitamins, minerals, botanicals, amino acids, probiotics, and other ingredients.

Use of dietary supplements has been a development market in the United States more than the previous twenty years.  Since 1994, when there have been four,000 such merchandise, the quantity of dietary supplements on the industry has increased in excess of 20-fold.  As mentioned in an report in last week’s New England Journal of Medicine, right now Americans commit a lot more than $ 32 billion a yr on far more than 85,000 different sorts of dietary dietary supplements.  Far more than half of Americans report employing dietary supplements.

The NEJM write-up Dr. Pieter A. Cohen of the Harvard Medical College is the most latest of several attempts to educate physicians and the public about the dangers of dietary dietary supplements.  The danger stems from the truth that, in contrast to prescription medicines, dietary dietary supplements are not essential to be examined for security and efficacy just before they are marketed.  Under the 1994 Dietary Supplement Overall health and Training Act (DSHEA), any item labeled as a dietary supplement is assumed to be protected right up until proof to the contrary surfaces.  When this kind of proof emerges, it is the responsibility of the FDA to identify and get rid of implicated dietary supplements from the market.

We Fret About Trace Quantities Of BPA Even though Taking part in Russian Roulette With Dietary Dietary supplements

Vitamin Dietary supplements Come Up Brief Once Once again

As soon as again the U.S. Preventive Providers Activity Force (USPSTF) has concluded that there is no good proof to support the program use of multivitamins or most person or blend nutritional vitamins by wholesome grownups to stop cardiovascular ailment or cancer.

The USPSTF also recommended against the use of two distinct vitamins — beta-carotene and vitamin E. Beta-carotene has been linked to a significant enhance in the chance for lung cancer among smokers, although “a large and constant physique of proof has demonstrated that vitamin E supplementation has no effect on cardiovascular disease, cancer, or all-trigger mortality.”

For other vitamins or multivitamins, the process force located handful of considerable harms, however they stated the evidence was insufficient to permit definitive assessments of the risks and positive aspects.

The recommendation statement, published in Annals of Inner Medication, updates the USPSTF’s preceding 2003 suggestions and incorporate new evidence about vitamin D, calcium, selenium and folic acid. An initial draft of the recommendation statement was published final December. The USPSTF statement is broadly consistent with equivalent statements from the National Institutes of Health, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the American Cancer Society, the American Institute for Cancer Research, the American Heart Association, and the American Academy of Household Doctors, all of which identified no proof that nutritional vitamins could aid prevent cardiovascular ailment or cancer.

The USPSTF states that nutritional vitamins and minerals are important to general well being and notes that “a diet plan wealthy in fruits, greens, entire grains, fat-totally free and lower-body fat dairy items, and seafood has been related with a diminished risk for cardiovascular ailment and cancer.” The group also acknowledges that some people with nicely-defined conditions may possibly advantage from specific nutrients. Folic acid, for instance, when taken by pregnant females can support avoid neural tube defects, and vitamin D  may be advantageous in older folks to stop harm from falling.

Virtually half (forty%) of  U.S. adults take at least one particular dietary supplement, and nearly a third (32%) take a multivitamin supplement. In 2010, people in the U.S. invested a lot more than $ 28 billion on dietary supplements.

Vitamin Dietary supplements Come Up Brief Once Once again

Vitamin supplements raise chance of cancer in guys, research displays

Scientists learning the results of vitamin E and selenium concluded they could the two increase cancer hazards in guys. Photograph: Fiona Hanson/PA

Males have been warned not to take a pair of well-known vitamin and mineral dietary supplements right after research showed they can dramatically enhance the chance of lifestyle-threatening prostate cancer.

Overdosing on the mineral selenium by taking supplements raised the possibilities of building high-grade cancer by 91%, scientists located.

Vitamin E drugs also boosted the risk of aggressive cancer, far more than doubling it for men lacking selenium.

The researchers believe selenium can flip toxic when present in the body at excessively higher ranges.

At the exact same time, the mineral appeared to defend towards the hazardous results of also significantly vitamin E.

The US examine was a follow-up of Select, the selenium and vitamin E cancer prevention trial, which initially recruited more than 35,000 males to see if the supplements could support avoid prostate cancer.

Researchers stopped the trial 3 years early in 2008 after there had been hints that as an alternative of defending males, vitamin E was placing them at better risk, whilst selenium showed no advantage.

A subsequent comparison of one,739 participants diagnosed with prostate cancer and three,117 matched cancer-totally free folks highlighted the supplement hazards.

Research leader Dr Alan Kristal, from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centre in Seattle, explained: “These dietary supplements are common – specially vitamin E – despite the fact that so far no huge, effectively-designed and nicely-performed review has shown any positive aspects for stopping major continual ailment.

“Males employing these dietary supplements need to end, period. Neither selenium nor vitamin E supplementation confers any known positive aspects, only risks.”

Selenium dietary supplements had no result on men who commenced out lacking the mineral, but were dangerous when extra to baseline amounts that had been currently high. For aggressive, higher-grade cancers, the risk went up by 91%.

Among men with low selenium standing at the commence of the research, vitamin E supplements elevated the general chance of prostate cancer by 63% even though the substantial-grade risk rose by 111%.

Of the males in the study who developed prostate cancer, 489 have been diagnosed with high-grade condition.

Dr Kristal stated individuals had been often misled by the supposed benefits of dietary dietary supplements.

“Numerous people think that dietary dietary supplements are beneficial or at the least innocuous,” he mentioned . “This is not real. We know from a number of other research that some substantial-dose dietary supplements – that is, dietary supplements that offer far more than the daily suggested intakes of micronutrients – boost cancer chance.

“We knew this based on randomised, managed, double-blinded scientific studies for folate and beta carotene, and now we know it for vitamin E and selenium.”

The new findings appear in the most recent edition of the Journal of the Nationwide Cancer Institute.

In their paper the scientists warn that “males aged better than 55 must keep away from supplementation with either vitamin E or selenium at doses that exceed advisable dietary intakes”.

Guys taking portion in the investigation had been offered 400 worldwide units (IU) of vitamin E a day and a selenium dose of 200 micrograms.

Dr Matthew Hobbs, deputy director of investigation at Prostate Cancer Uk, said: “It is extremely hard to draw any valuable conclusions from this paper that would be applicable to all guys. We would need to have to see data from significantly longer scientific studies that search at the total well being impact of selenium or vitamin E dietary supplements just before we could say if the small effects on the chance of receiving prostate cancer advised by this research outweigh any general positive aspects to health.

“If guys are concerned about their prostate cancer risk, rather than worrying about selenium and vitamin E or selenium at doses that exceed recommended dietary intakes”.

Males taking part in the research had been given 400 international units (IU) of vitamin E a day and a selenium dose of 200 micrograms.

Vitamin supplements raise chance of cancer in guys, research displays

Lawsuit claims PCBs found in ten fish oil dietary supplements item labeling sought

SANTA CRUZ – Folks acquiring particular fish oil supplements to get the advantage of omega-3 fatty acids are ingesting chemical compounds banned in 1979, according to environmental advocates who filed a lawsuit Monday aimed at forcing companies to warn shoppers.

The lawsuit names five makers of dietary supplements located to have polychlorinated biphenyl compounds, drugstores CVS and Rite Support, which promote people goods, and Omega Protein Inc., of Houston, which touts itself as the world’s greatest producer of omega-three fish oil.

Lawyer David Roe filed the suit in San Francisco Superior Court contending Proposition 65, a law he aided compose, calls for consumers to be warned when goods incorporate toxic components above the restrict deemed risk-free by regulators.

Some of the tested supplements exceed California’s daily restrict for PCBs by a factor of 10 in terms of the cancer risk, Roe mentioned.

A restrict has not been set for the danger of birth defects. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has been studying that risk for 20 many years, explained co-plaintiff Benson Chiles, director of the Coastal Ocean Coalition in New Jersey.

“Our message to the public is: ‘Buyer beware,’” Chiles explained.

Manufacturers of the dietary supplements contest the benefits of the tests, saying their products are secure.

Two organizations whose merchandise have been examined issued swift responses.

Twinlab’s chief science officer, Greg Grochoski, said the two Twinlab Norwegian cod liver oils tested are distilled to minimize impurities this kind of as PCBs and meet government standards.

Stephen McCauley of public relations firm Porter Novelli responded for Pharmavite LLC, which can make Nature Manufactured fish oil supplements, saying its merchandise comply with all federal laws as well as “the stringent market standards” set by the Council for Accountable Nutrition, a trade group.

“PCBs are ubiquitous inside of the atmosphere, which implies that all fish – whether fish identified in oceans and rivers or fish oil dietary supplements – contain at least trace amounts of PCBs,” explained Erin Hlasney of the Council for Accountable Nutrition. “The attorneys are employing California’s Prop. 65 statute to bring interest to their situation by trying to frame this as a public wellness concern, when in actuality, fish oil has loved decades of secure use.”

Chris Manthey, a Surfrider volunteer in New Jersey and one particular of the plaintiffs, stated, “Many of them say their dietary supplements have been ‘treated’ to get rid of or decrease PCBs. Since they don’t say how a lot PCB contamination is still left, even buyers who choose ‘treated’ supplements can not know what PCB levels they’re swallowing.”

The exams, done by a California lab at a expense of $ one,000 per product, measured PCBs two ways, in accordance to the plaintiffs.

1 way determines every day publicity to PCBs by hunting at all 209 separate compounds in the PCB chemical household. The 2nd way seems at toxicity based on the 12 most toxic compounds in the PCB loved ones.

Some dietary supplements did far better on one particular check than the other. Now Meals cod liver oil and salmon oil were substantial in every day publicity to PCBs and reduce on the toxicity measure. Nature Made cod liver oil was substantial in terms of the toxicity measure and reduce in terms of daily publicity if taken as directed.

Roe stated far more pricey merchandise did not automatically get much better results.

The plaintiffs, which consist of the Mateel Environmental Justice Basis of Eureka, mentioned they chosen goods primarily based on a survey by the Environmental Defense Fund of fish oil purification practices at 75 businesses.

“We had been not cherry-selecting,” explained Manthey, noting the exposure degree for Now Meals shark liver oil was reduced.

Scott Daniel, marketing communications manager at Now Meals, stated the organization has been investigating the considerations raised by environmental advocates for months.

“The current testing approaches for PCBs are hugely variable and incomplete,” Daniel explained. “There are no universal specifications to test for the 209 various compounds that are included below the term PCB. Even so, we believe we are in compliance with the most widely followed market and regulatory requirements.”

Daniel suggested shoppers pick items produced from small fish with quick daily life spans, this kind of as anchovies and sardines.

Solgar and GNC, producers of other merchandise named in the lawsuit, did not reply instantly.

New Leaf Local community Market, a nearby natural health food chain, has been stocking 9 manufacturers of fish oil supplements at its Felton keep, but after vitamins manager Tracy Frankl heard about the lawsuit, she pulled Twinlab’s emulsified Norwegian cod liver oil off the shelf.

“We do not want to promote a item we really do not feel is safe,” said New Leaf co-proprietor Scott Roseman.

He explained New Leaf would talk to fish oil makers about their goods and their labeling.

3 nearby organizations make supplements with fish oil, but none was examined for this lawsuit.

“We come to feel consumers should have access to exact details about environmental contaminants and that comprehensive transparency about freshness and purity is quite, extremely essential,” said Tiffany Diehl, strategic undertaking manager at Nordic Naturals in Watsonville.

The organization has participated in third-celebration testing and posts results on its Internet site, she mentioned.

Marci Clow, senior merchandise investigation director at Rainbow Light in Santa Cruz, declined to comment and Threshold Enterprises of Scotts Valley did not instantly reply.

Soquel resident Madelaine Hairrell, who will take fish oil to reduce cholesterol, was surprised by the findings.

“It may possibly modify the way I take dietary supplements,” she stated. “I seem on the labels to see which is the most normal and unpolluted. I try out to get the best top quality I can afford.”

Experts have located that it is not expense successful for most fish oil firms to try out and clean their solution.  They recommend buying a fish oil alternative, such as PhytOriginal manufactured by Aqua Wellness Labs, which is live phytoplankton.  It contains all of the very same nutrients as fish oil but absorbs significantly easier.   They increase it utilizing purified ocean situations, 100% guaranteeing that your supplement only contains the ideal ingredients.  Fish oil could in no way be ready to be trusted again along with the Fukushima incident.  Physicians are suggesting staying away from all fish that might have been exposed to Pacific Ocean currents.

ten Merchandise Tested

Nature Created cod liver oil and odorless fish oil producer Pharmavite LLC in Northridge

Twinlab Norwegian cod liver oil and emulsified Norwegian cod liver oil manufactured in American Fork, Utah

Now Food items shark liver oil, double power cod liver oil and salmon oil produced in Bloomingdale, Ill.

Solgar 100 percent pure Norwegian shark liver oil complicated and Norwegian cod liver oil produced in Leonia, N.J.

GNC liquid Norwegian cod liver oil produced in Pittsburgh

Lab exams of these 10 fish oil dietary supplements containing omega-3 fatty acids located they incorporate some of the 209 polychlorinated biphenyl compounds recognized to result in cancer and birth defects.

PCBs became subject to California’s Prop. 65 warning necessity in 1989 for cancer and in 1991 for birth defects. When extensively utilised in electrical transformers, PCBs have been banned by Congress in 1979, but the Excellent Lakes and the Hudson River stay contaminated despite cleanup efforts. The chemical, which was produced to last a extended time without breaking down, accumulates in the foods chain.

Jordan Markuson is the Founder of Aqua Health Labs. He has been a nutritionist, writer and conservationist for more than 10 many years. He is an activist supporting consumption of raw, renewable, and organic foods. Jordan believes that primarily based on all obtainable scientific evidence, once meals is processed it loses the bulk of the crucial nutrients. He is extremely interested in marine-primarily based phytoplankton as a fish oil substitute since of the pure omega-three EPA &amp DHA essential fatty acid it produces.

www.fishoilsafety.com

Lawsuit claims PCBs found in ten fish oil dietary supplements item labeling sought

Fears in excess of spina bifida as girls fail to get folic acid supplements

Significantly less than a single in three of the 500,000 females questioned at antenatal clinics in England and the Isle of Guy took folic acid prior to their pregnancy, researchers from Queen Mary University of London found.

The proportion of girls who followed the guidelines when arranging a family members has fallen from 35 per cent in the years 1999 to 2001, to 31 per cent in 2011 to 2012, the examine showed.

Professor Sir Nicholas Wald, from Queen Mary, 1 of the review authors, stated: “It truly is a public wellness tragedy that in spite of the folic acid fortification initiative in many countries, the Uk has not introduced mandatory folic acid fortification.

“The failure to fortify flour with folic acid is like possessing a polio vaccine and not utilizing it.”

The research, published in the on-line journal Public Library of Science A single, showed far more women took folic acid after they have been pregnant but experts stress that to offer you effective protection, the dietary supplements require to be taken prior to.

Fears in excess of spina bifida as girls fail to get folic acid supplements

3 Supplements For A Plant Primarily based Diet

Whether it is for the overall health positive aspects, ethical motives, or environmental concerns it would seem like each day a lot more and more people are moving in direction of a complete-food, plant-based mostly diet regime. But not everybody is convinced. Numerous men and women are uncertain regardless of whether this way of consuming can supply all of the nutrients needed for lasting health.

I am a strong proponent of acquiring the majority of our nutrition through complete, unrefined, plant food items. I also consider that a lot of of the dietary supplements out there on the shelves are not really essential. I do feel nevertheless there can be a couple of exceptions to the rule.

I will share with you these days the handful of supplements that I believe may be needed on a plant-based mostly diet plan.

1. Vitamin B-twelve

B-12 is a vitamin that is vital for a lot of various bodily functions, like: cell manufacturing, upkeep of the nervous program, red blood cell synthesis, and DNA formation. A deficiency can lead to anaemia, neurological degeneration and gastrointestinal difficulties.

For the most part, B-12 is only identified in animal products even though there are a few arguments towards this declare. Some state that B-12 utilised to be abundant in our soils, but over farming and modern agriculture has stripped the ground of its nutrients. Other individuals say we would nevertheless absorb B-twelve from microbes in the dirt if we weren’t so fussy about washing our produce.

Irrespective of these claims, it is important to note that a B-twelve deficiency is not exclusive to a plant-based diet. Final results from a research in 2000 showed that meat eaters even now had a 1/6 chance of becoming B-twelve deficient, and these with the highest B-twelve amounts in the study were in fact these eating fortified meals or taking B-twelve dietary supplements [1].

Yes, supplementation might go against the whole-istic view of nutrition – that you can’t take into account an individual nutrient without contemplating the entirety of the whole food. But there is also a great deal of proof to suggest that consuming animal products can have adverse effects on your health. We can not consider in the B-twelve from animal products without also taking in the cholesterol, the saturated fats, and animal protein so we’re caught in a bit of a catch-22.

1 selection is to consume a diet program consisting predominately of total plant meals, but quite little quantities of animal items. A likely situation I can see with this strategy is the definition of ‘small’. Moderation is really subjective, and for some men and women can lead to a extremely slippery downward slope. The subsequent factor you know, you are back to the standard american diet program.

On the other hand, you can use a supplement, and abstain from animal products fully. As far as I’m conscious, a diet program consisting of entirely plant meals that is supplemented by B-12 has no unfavorable results, and can even be useful to your health.

I personally use a B-twelve supplement in the form of a sub-lingual spray, as this strategy is thought to let the most powerful absorption. The supplements also come in a couple of various types, the most well-known currently being cyanocobalamin and methylcobalamin. Most dietary supplements are of the cyano type – a synthetic version of B-12, which creates very tiny amounts of cyanide as a by-product. I lean towards the use of methylcobalamin the natural edition of B-twelve that is simpler for your body to retailer and utilise. I usually get in about 1000 mcg a day.

2. Vitamin D-three

Vitamin D is yet another crucial micro-nutrient concerned in bone formation, and calcium and phosphorus absorption. A deficiency can lead to a variety of skeletal troubles, like rickets in young children.

The majority of Vitamin D (for both herbivores and omnivores) is made from the interaction of the suns rays with sterols in our skin. Various amounts are located in other animal and plant food items, but the predominant supply stays our personal bodies.

Twenty minutes of exposure to sunlight a day need to be ample for most individuals to reach their everyday needs. Nevertheless, in the course of the Winter months in the larger latitudes, the volume of sunlight is frequently not sufficient, hence we dig into our stores from the rest of the year.

I dwell in Britain notorious for cold, wet, cloudy Winters. The sun is often not substantial ample in the sky even at midday to generate ample ranges, so I currently consider a supplement to supply a safety net and guarantee my merchants do not drop as well reduced.

Once more, not all Vitamin D dietary supplements are developed equally. I go for the a lot more readily obtainable sublingual D-3 spray rather than the significantly less potent, fungus derived D-2. I take in all around 750 mcg each and every other day for the duration of the winter, but come to feel no need to have to take anything for the duration of the rest of the yr. Above supplementation can also have adverse results, so if you are contemplating supplementing, proceed with a small caution and do your research.

three. Iodine

Iodine is a trace mineral required to regulate the thyroid gland and synthesise thyroid hormones. A deficiency can cause goitres on the thyroid gland, hypothyroidism, and even mental retardation [2]. Nonetheless, excess iodine can also lead to thyroid difficulties too.

Plant sources of iodine contain sea greens, but actual amounts of iodine can vary significantly. Interestingly, the largest dietary supply of iodine is from dairy merchandise, which have absorbed the mineral from cleaning answers employed on farms. Fish are also a source, but ensure you weigh up the positive aspects with the expenses and make the determination that resonates the best with you.

Due to the fact of the delicate balance of iodine necessary in the body, I advise getting an iodine loading test accomplished to measure your typical levels ahead of thinking about any supplementation. I have but to do this, so I do not at the moment supplement. Some advocate using drops of a hundred micrograms a day to ensure you fall into the secure group among one hundred-300 mcg [3], but I would still advise acquiring examined very first.

Do you believe dietary supplements are essential on a plant-based mostly diet? Would you add any other individuals to this list?

 References

1. Tucker, Katherine L., et al. “Plasma vitamin B-twelve concentrations relate to intake supply in the Framingham Offspring examine.” The American journal of clinical nutrition 71.two (2000): 514-522.


2. Felig, Philip, and Lawrence A. Frohman. “Endemic Goiter.” Endocrinology &amp metabolic process. McGraw-Hill Specialist (2001).


3. http://www.vegansociety.com/life style/nutrition/iodine.aspx

3 Supplements For A Plant Primarily based Diet