Nutritional Supplements

There’s a saying, popular among uninformed doctors, that the only thing supplements do for you is give you expensive urine. An abundance of research continues to show that this could not be further from the truth, and that supplementation with the right nutrients can have a profound impact on your health and longevity.

A few months ago a study1 was published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, which showed that a complex multivitamin lowered cholesterol oxidation by 14.6 percent after 24 weeks of supplementation. Oxidation occurs when “reactive oxygen species” (ROS) react with the cholesterol molecule, causing it to become more “sticky” and likely to deposit in the artery. Antioxidants work by “quenching” these ROS molecules.

The same study showed a reduction in homocysteine by 17.2 percent. Elevated homocysteine levels are associated with heart disease, colon cancer, stroke, and Alzheimer’s.

Research2 published in the January 13, 2004 issue of the journal Neurology found that women who take multinutrient supplements that contain at least 400 iu of vitamin D have a 40 percent reduction in the risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS) compared to women who don’t take supplements. Multiple sclerosis risk was not lower in those whose vitamin D source was food alone. Vitamin D levels are very low in most foods (though milk is fortified with it for just this reason), so most vitamin D is produced by the body in response to sunshine. It is likely that a great many people have less than optimum levels of this nutrient in their bodies.

A study3 just published in the journal Archives of Neurology suggests that regular use of vitamin E supplements, especially in conjunction with vitamin C, may reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Study participants taking these supplements were 78% less likely to show signs of Alzheimer’s than those not taking C and E.

A study4 published in the October 1, 2003 issue of the American Journal of Epidemiology showed a reduced rate of colorectal cancer when multivitamins were taken for a period of ten years or longer.

And the list goes on…

A key aspect of all these studies is the fact that these nutrients are involved in prevention. Because most degenerative disease takes years or even decades to develop, taking these supplements in your 30’s, 40’s, and 50’s may prevent the appearance of disease in your 60’s, 70’s or 80’s.

A description of our current supplement plan can be seen at http://www.highperformanceliving.com/supp.htm.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Go Long,

Wiley

1. Earnest, C.P. et al. Complex multivitamin supplementation improves homocysteine and resistance to LDL-C oxidation. Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 22(5), 400-407 (2003).
   
2. Munger, K.L. et al. Vitamin D intake and incidence of multiple sclerosis. Neurology, 62, 60-65, (2004).
   
3. Zandi, P.P. et al. Reduced risk of Alzheimer disease in users of antioxidant vitamin supplements: the Cache County Study. Archives of Neurology, 61(1):82-88 (2004).
   
4. Jacobs, E.J. et al. Multivitamin use and colorectal cancer incidence in a US cohort: does timing matter? American Journal of Epidemiology, 158(7):621-8 (2003).
   
   

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