The Beginner's Guide to Nutritional Supplements

[biogeek]

The Beginner’s Guide to Nutritional Supplements

NOTE: This post will be updated regularly as questions and new information arises. Certain updates will be noted in red or added to the FAQ.


As a beginning Atkinsteer, it may be pretty daunting to learn so many new concepts and ideas at once. It is my goal to help you through one particular part of doing Atkins, and that is the importance of nutritional supplements. If you have DANDR, please read chapter 23 (p. 301-310), and then this guide. Your new life of healthy living is right around the corner!

For those that want the immediate answer to “What should I take?” answered now and without the need to read further, the consumption of the following is the very basic and great for most individuals: a good multivitamin, a vitamin B complex, and either flaxseed and/or fish oil supplement.

Want more info, read on, friend!

So who needs to take dietary supplements? The answer is, unfortunately, most people! Atkins talks about the depletion of nutrients within the soil affecting the nutritional value of produce, and while this is true for large, agricultural crops that supply most homes, those of you that do your own gardening should have an easier time in correcting this. However, there’s more to it than that.

Many people, including most on this forum PRE-Atkins, did not eat enough fresh produce, but rather a lot of refined carbs, junk food, or fast food. Even if this does not apply to you, there are still those who do not receive all of the nutrients they need because either they can’t or don’t eat enough (never was my problem!) or they choose not to eat a variety of healthy meals (fits me to a T). Others are affected by restrictive diets, such as being on induction, and dietary supplements can help provide vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and fatty acids that may be in short supply depending on what we choose to put in our mouths.

Dietary supplements are NOT meant to be food substitutes! You cannot skip your serving of veggies and pop in a supplement! A vitamin supplement is just that, a supplement to what you eat by complementing your daily food intake to help ensure that you have enough nutrients.

For those who are still skeptical about the benefits of supplements, here’s some info for you! Feel free to read the journal articles and if you have questions about it, we can discuss your concerns. I’m listing the journal citation first followed by a brief (well, I tried) summary.

“The Effects of a Multivitamin/Mineral Supplement on Micronutrient Status, Antioxidant Capacity and Cytokine Production in Healthy Older Adults Consuming a Fortified Diet.” Journal of the American College of Nutrition. 19(5):613-21, 2000 Oct. McKay, et. Al. Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts.

This research followed a group of healthy, older adults for 8 weeks. All ate a fortified diet, but some were given a multivitamin while others received a placebo. Those consuming the multivitamin had higher levels of many of the essential nutrients, even though they were already eating fortified foods. The conclusion was that the use of a daily multivitamin can help adults obtain optimal nutrient status.

“Vitamins for the Chronic Disease Prevention in Adults: Clinical Applications.” Journal of the American Medical Association. 287(23):3127-9, 2002 Jun 19. Fletcher, RH. Harvard Medical School.

This was a landmark article as it was the first time that JAMA had announced that all adults should take a vitamin supplement to help prevent chronic diseases. It also represents a radical departure from the conventional perspective that had always maintained that adults get sufficient nutrition from food.

The findings of this research says that there are many syndromes associated with deficiencies of vitamins and essential nutrients. Lesser levels of vitamins will increase the risk for chronic diseases. Specific vitamin deficiencies are related to various chronic diseases or cancer.

Other ingredients to note from this research was that vitamins B6 and B12 are protective against heart disease and some cancers, vitamin D is good against many fractures and healing time, and vitamins A, E, and C deficiencies are related to many chronic diseases. Pregnant women should also look for folate in their multivitamin, and too much vitamin A during pregnancy should be avoided. The conclusion? The best way to gain the maximum protective benefits from vitamins is to use a good daily multivitamim.

So how to start? Check the supplement label carefully! When selecting a multivitamin, besides looking to see how much of each vitamin it has, look at the serving size. Some require that you take more than one pill daily and only when you have consumed the noted number of pills, does it equal to the listed values. You can also see what the active ingredients are since some are better than others.

While you’re looking at the label, look for the USP marking. Although not required, this ensures that the supplement meets the standards for strength, purity, disintegration, and dissolution established by the testing organization U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP). Why is this important? Since supplements are currently not regulated by the FDA, USDA, or any other government backed agency, as consumers, we are trusting that the manufacturers have come through in good faith with their product. For a list of USP verified dietary supplements, check out this link: http://www.usp.org/USPVerified/dieta...pplements.html

And just for the record, if your supplement is not USP verified, it does not mean that it is a poor product. USP verification is a voluntary process and many companies choose not to go through with it because of cost or other reasons.

Also important when selecting any sort of supplement is to see that there are no sugars, starches, or other fillers added to the product. Some products, such as Nature Made, clearly state this on their labels. If not, read the ingredient list carefully! By the way, I am NOT endorsing Nature Made. They make a fine product, but so do other manufacturers.

For most folks, another thing to avoid in a multivitamin is iron. Here’s a link to why that is the case: Iron

Besides taking a multivitamin, one should also take a vitamin B complex for good measure. Unfortunately, some manufacturers do not put enough of these Bs in their products because of cost. As always, read the label carefully!

If you wish to know more about vitamin B and why they are so good for you, I have written a 3-part article that you may peruse. Just click on the link! Questions specific to vitamin B should be addressed in the appropriate thread.

Vitamin B part 1
Vitamin B part 2
Vitamin B part 3

The last of the basic supplements deal with Omega 3 oils such as those found in flaxseed or fish oil. Here’s another link to a thread about it.

Omega 3-6-9

FAQ

When should I take my supplements? In general, it is up to you. Most people find it easiest to take them with breakfast as it helps remind them to take it, but also helps reduce nausea for those with sensitive systems. Also, some supplements are geared for taking two or three times a day. In this case, you should spread them throughout the day and not take them all at once.