DIET, VITAMINS, AND SUPPLEMENTS

     General guidelines in nutrition include the importance of eating as much “whole food” as possible, limiting the intake of red meat, increasing the intake of cold-water fish such as salmon, and including five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables daily.

     Overall intake of saturated fats should be decreased along with the intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids and trans-fatty acids.  Margarine is one of the products that should be discontinued.  Cold-pressed olive oil or canola oil is by far the healthier choice.

     As a rule, fast food should be eliminated.

     The issue of Glycemic Index is important to weight control and overall health.  This has to do with the speed with which foods are absorbed and the amount of insulin required for metabolism.  The quicker a food is absorbed, the more insulin is required.  What the insulin cannot handle is laid down as fat to be processed later.  Rarely does the insulin catch up, and eventually there is an insulin resistance that develops where the cells no longer respond.  This is a factor in the increase in overweight people and may be a factor in the recent epidemic of Type II diabetes.

     The issue of inflammation is important in the aging of the entire body as well as the integrity of the skin.  Omega-3 fatty acids are critical to decreasing inflammation and the intake of such foods as wild, cold-water salmon, mackerel, walnuts, and flaxseed is critical as is the use of an omega-3 supplement.

     It is most important to read the labels, not only on food packages, but also on nutritional supplements and herbal preparations.  You owe it to yourself to know what you put into your mouth.

     Analysis of modern diets indicates that processed foods make up about 90 percent of what we eat.  What’s processed out are the vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants, and essential fatty acids.  The following recommendations are made with that in mind.

RDA’s

     RDA’s, or Recommended Daily Allowances, were formulated by the government more than 60 years ago in an attempt to provide some guidance regarding amounts needed.  The database was revised in 1989.  Amounts stated are for healthy people, “do not cover special nutritional needs,” and do not address such issues as anti-aging or the maintenance of skin health.  In most cases the amounts cited are low.

     What follows are my recommendations for daily vitamin intake based upon analysis of the best and most current research.

VITAMINS

     While a multivitamin can only address only the most general vitamin requirements, it is often a convenient way of getting some of the important minerals including magnesium and zinc.  Additional supplements are always necessary to provide the amounts thought beneficial.

VITAMIN A

Vitamin A is responsible for the health of the skin, bones, and teeth as well as hair and vision.  This is a fat soluble vitamin and a potent anti-oxidant.  Often available as beta carotene, the daily dose should be in the range of 25,000 IU daily.

VITAMIN B

These vitamins are water soluble and need to be replaced on a daily basis.  In addition, our ability to absorb the B Vitamins is diminished as we age.  We know these substances definitely help to lower cardiac risk factors and have been shown to fight depression.

     Specifically,  I recommend the following B Vitamins:

• B1 (Thiamine) 100 mg hs been shown to have anti-depressant characteristics and should be taken by anyone using SSRI mood drugs.
• B2 50 mg plays a role in energy production.
• Niacin, or Vitamin B3, has been shown to help lower Cholesterol, specifically LDL, or ‘bad’ cholesterol, and raise the good HDL cholesterol. It also helps to lower triglycerides.  Doses for this are usually in the 1000 to 2000 mg per day range and should only be undertaken after speaking with the doctor.  Doses in the 2000 mg per day range should be monitored with liven function studies at six to eight week intervals.  Raw Niacin may cause flushing.  I always advise Niacin be taken as so-called ‘no-flush’ Niacin to avoid this symptom.
• B6 100 mg works to decrease inflammation.  Adequate B6 is necessary to convert homocysteine back to methionine and thus lower cardiovascular risk factors.
• Folic acid 800 mcg has been shown to decrease the incidence of ischemic stroke.
• B12 500 – 1000 mcg     Helps in energy production

VITAMIN C

     The late Dr. Linus Pauling advocated taking 10,000 mg daily.  He lived into his 90’s.  Not a bad recommendation.  But not long after his death, the pendulum swung back, and large doses of Vitamin C were no longer thought to be necessary.  At this time, however, we know how much Vitamin C helps collagen production and we have a new appreciation for its value as an anti-oxidant.  Current thinking is that 1,000 mg daily are necessary, with doses up to 3,000 mg recommended for people over 50.

VITAMIN E

     This important vitamin is actually an amalgam of eight different sub-fractions, four tocopherols and four tocotrienols.  It is a fat-soluble vitamin that is a potent anti-oxidant and improves skin tone and texture.  It is known to be cardioprotective and has recently been shown to cut the incidence of bladder cancer.  The most important of the tocopherols is gamma tocopherol.  Be careful and check what you are taking.  Most of the time, when you think you are getting Vitamin E you are only getting d- and l- alpha tocopherol with not a gamma in sight.  Bottom line is you are wasting time and money.  A good Vitamin E that contains all the fractions is also one of the most difficult to locate.  LIFE EXTENSION Super Booster Softgels contains all of the tocopherols in one capsule.

     In the 1980’s, research uncovered the tocotrienols and as time has passed they have emerged as being even more potent as anti-oxidants and as natural cholesterol lowering agents.  They are still hard to find, but LIFE EXTENSION has a Tocotrienol formulation that contains 75 mg, a dose that seems adequate.

MINERALS

     Minerals are important for bone and teeth strength as well as muscle integrity.

CALCIUM

     Calcium is not only important for bones but also critical for muscle contraction.  A good amount is 1200 mg to 1500 mg daily.  This can be found in two CALTRATE 600+D tablets.  This is one case where generic copies are usually not good because they are put up in waxy coats.

MAGNESIUM

     While calcium helps muscular contractility, magnesium help muscles to relax.  A good amount to take is 400 mg daily.

ANTI-OXIDANTS

     These supplements are absolutely vital to neutralize the free radicals created during oxidative stress.

COENZYME Q-10

     This important anti-oxidant powers the mitochondria, the energy-producing material in cells, and protects the skin from free radical injury.  Mitochondria exist in great number in healthy heart cells but Co Q-10 is severely depleted by the statin drugs, given to a huge segment of the population to lower cholesterol.  The result is that the mitochondria are weakened, the heart muscle is weakened and thereby predisposed to heart failure.  Makes good sense to take Co Q-10 if you are on a statin drug and you may do a good deed and save a friend’s life by passing that nugget on.  It is widely available in pill form.  A good amount to take is 100 mg daily.

LIPOIC ACID

     Also known as alpha lipoic acid, this substance prevents inflammatory reactions in the body and can slow the onset of Alzheimer’s Disease and heart disease.  A daily dose of 100 mg is recommended.

ACETYL L-CARNITINE

     Another mitochondria booster, Acetyl l-carnitine has also been shown to improve cognitive function and increase muscular strength.  Ideal replacement is between 500 mg and 1500 mg daily.

ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS

     Essential Fatty Acids, Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, are called “essential” precisely because they cannot be synthesized in the body and must be ingested.  To remain healthy, the proportion of Omega-3 to Omega-6 fatty acids must be nearly equal but food processing increases the amounts of Omega-6’s at the expense of Omega-3’s.  Recent studies confirm the importance of Omega-3 fatty acids in decreasing inflammation, and as seen in Dr. Perricone’s new book, inflammation has increasingly been implicated in obesity, aging in general, and in skin aging in particular.

     In addition, a high Omega-6 to Omega-3 ratio leads to an increase in cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s Disease, and autoimmune disease.

     Precisely because Omega-3’s are becoming more difficult to find in an ordinary diet, seeking ways to increase this essential fatty acid is critical.  One of the best ways to increase your intake of omega-3’s is by eating cold water fish, such as salmon, sardines, and mackerel.  Other sources include walnuts and flaxseed.

     Because of the difficulty of obtaining an adequate amount of omega-3’s, I recommend taking a supplement that has the right proportion of omega-3 to omega-6.  A product that contains approximately 2000 mg of omega-3, such as LIFE EXTENSION Super GLA/DHA, is the best way to go.

     AS A CONVENIENCE TO OUR PATIENTS, MANY OF THESE LIFE EXTENSION SUPPLEMENTS ARE AVAILABLE IN THE OFFICE.