Multiple Vitamin, Omega 3, CoQ10 and a Probiotic are Four Essential Supplements Everyone Should Take for Better Health

 

Reprint of an article by Robert Palmer from the Article Codex website, articlecodex.com

 

Introduction by Dr. Don Rose, Writer, Life Alert

 

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This article summarizes the beneficial effects of several essential vitamins and minerals – a useful topic for seniors and younger adults alike. One interesting point is the distinction between RDA (how much of a supplement the government recommends one take per day) and an optimal amount. Does one want health that is okay, good enough, average – or the best health one can eat and buy? Most would probably want the latter; thus, taking more than the RDA seems to be a wise choice in some cases. Health articles and books do suggest this for certain vitamins and minerals. Exactly how much more to take for which supplements is often debated; a plethora of papers, articles, books and websites address the subject. --Don Rose

 

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Vitamins are substances that are found in foods and are necessary for life. They also allow the body to get through each day. Although some have specific tasks, most work together to provide the body with many health benefits. Vitamins are either fat- or water-soluble. Those that are water-soluble leave the body quickly while those that are fat-soluble are stored in the liver and fat cells for quite awhile. Some of these fat-soluble vitamins include vitamins A, D, E, and K. Most people take vitamins to fill nutritional gaps that occur when our diets aren’t as good as we’d like to admit. Vitamins should not be taken as a substitute for a healthy diet, as good eating habits should always be the first priority. The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) is the amount of essential nutrients that is considered to be adequate to meet nutritional needs of almost all healthy people, or the amount to prevent a nutrient deficiency. However, the optimal levels are really a lot higher than 100% of the RDA.

Depending on your age and gender, men and women require different vitamins at different times in their lives, but there are vitamins that men and women of all ages need. Vitamin A lowers cholesterol, improves vision, boosts the immune system, and helps skin and hair. Similarly, vitamin C boosts the immune system, while it heals wounds and makes collagen. Vitamin D helps to build bones and teeth and also prevents colds. Vitamin E protects the skin, lowers blood pressure, heals burns, and also boosts energy. Vitamin K prevents bone loss, and helps with normal blood clotting. The B vitamins, which include thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, B6, B12, Biotin, and Pantothenic Acid, support nerve cells, provide energy, lower cholesterol, reduce homocysteine, burn fat, reduce skin inflammation, and convert sugar and fat into energy. Lastly, Folic acid can help to prevent spina bifida, increases milk production in nursing mothers, and makes the skin healthier in general.

Minerals help form the structure of our bodies. Without them, our bones could not continue to grow, strengthen, and repair themselves. They help our nerves send and receive signals and allow our muscles to respond properly. They are also very important in normal blood clotting and tissue repair. Any multivitamin that you get needs to have a full range of minerals including calcium, magnesium, zinc, selenium, copper, manganese, chromium, molybdenum, sodium, potassium, boron, and vanadium. Iron should be in a supplement for women who are still menstruating, but not for those who aren’t. Therefore, minding age and gender-appropriate multiples is something that needs to be considered.

When purchasing a multiple vitamin, it is also important to look for antioxidants from fruit and herbal sources. Lutein and Zeaxanthin support healthy vision. Grape seed extract strengthens veins and arteries, boosts the immune system, and reduces allergic symptoms. Bilberry prevents hardening of arteries and cataracts, and supports retina. Black tea lowers cancer risk and chances of stroke. Cherry fruit strengthens collagen, reduces inflammation, supports tendons and muscles, and also reduces the risk of heart attacks.


Although most people are trying to cut fats from their diets, fats aren’t necessarily a bad thing. Rather, it’s a matter of proportion. Both omega-3 and omega-6 fats need to be consumed to stay healthy. Omega-6 fats can be found in many everyday sources, including doughnuts, vegetable oils, and margarine. We tend to have an abundance of omega-6 fatty acids because foods made or prepared with these ingredients are very popular. Omega-3 fatty acids, on the other hand, are not found in most diets, but show the most benefits. Some of these benefits include: reducing high blood pressure, lowering bad cholesterol and raising good cholesterol, reducing heart attack risk, reducing risk of stroke, reducing osteoarthritis symptoms, increasing mental focus, helping improve eczema, reducing asthma symptoms, and reducing rheumatoid arthritis symptoms. Cancer survival, bipolar disorder, and depression all show promise with treatment from omega-3. Adding more fish to your diet is a good idea for everyone, but not every fish has the high levels of EPA and DHA that are beneficial in omega-3. A fish oil supplement that is mercury-free and naturally-stable can help provide the EPA and DHA that is necessary for people. Make sure that the supplement you choose isn’t artificially modified to boost DHA and EPA concentration. Be certain that natural antioxidants such as vitamin E are added to prevent rancidity and make the supplement taste better.

Probiotics, also called “beneficial bacteria,” are becoming more and more popular. Acidophilus is one of the best and most researched probiotic bacteria out there right now. It may seem strange, but not all bacteria are bad. Actually, probiotic bacteria are essential for the body so that it can digest food properly and absorb minerals. An imbalance of intestinal bacteria (microflora) is often associated with many diseases from yeast infections to colon cancer. By taking a nutritional supplement or eating foods containing probiotic bacteria, you can help support and modify the composition of the microflora in your large intestine. These microflora assist digestion, protect against disease-causing bacteria, and stimulate the immune system. Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacteria longum have a central role in the intestinal flora and provide many health benefits. Even though it is associated with dairy, Bifidobacteria longum assists in the breakdown of lactose and relieves some of the symptoms of lactose intolerance such as flatulence and bloating. When choosing a probiotic supplement, look for one that contains Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacteria longum. The supplement should be in a “super-capsule,” as regular capsules won’t protect the bacteria all the way through the stomach. Similar to foods, look for a freshness date that guarantees the amount of probiotic bacteria at the time of purchase, rather than just at the time of manufacture.

CoQ10, also known as ubiquinone, is a nutrient that can be found in all living cells of the body. Supplementing CoQ10 can: reduce the risk of heart attack, slow effects of Parkinson’s disease, replenish CoQ10 depletion from statin drug use, decrease high blood pressure, reduce the frequency of migraine headaches, and reduce tumors. CoQ10 also has great antioxidant abilities, as it scoops up free-radicals in the body. There are some major distinctions among CoQ10 products, one being that the product must be scientifically shown to absorb through the digestive tract and move into the mitochondria. Usually chewable and softgel forms are best because they cross the blood/brain barrier. The second major distinction is that the CoQ10 should be in a natural form, rather than a synthetic form. The third distinction is that the supplement should be proven to work. A commercially-available product should be the same formula studied by respected organizations, with documented research.

 

By building up a healthy foundation with a daily multiple, stable fish oil, daily probiotic, and absorbable CoQ10, we can ensure ourselves the basic nutrients needed each day to live a healthier life. All the above listed supplements can be found at your local or internet health food store.

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Visit VitaNet Health Foods; VitaNet sells high quality Multiples, CoQ10, Probiotics, and Omega-3 fish oil to boost health and wellness.

 


 

The article above is covered by a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 2.5 License. The information provided is, to the best of our knowledge, reliable and accurate. However, while Life Alert always strives to provide true, precise and consistent information, we cannot guarantee 100 percent accuracy. Readers are encouraged to review the original article, and use any resource links provided to gather more information before drawing conclusions and making decisions.

 

Dr. Don Rose writes books, papers and articles on computers, the Internet, AI, science and technology, and issues related to seniors.

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