Christian
Active Member, June10MOTM
Nutritional Supplements for Optimum Health
By
Donald W. Miller, Jr., M.D.
Nutritional supplements help us maintain optimum health, along with a good diet, daily exercise,
avoiding stress, and getting a good night’s sleep. There is growing evidence that nutritional
supplements—vitamins, minerals, amino acids, fatty acid nutrients, herbal and botanical products, and
various other natural compounds like coenzyme Q10 and alpha lipoic acid—have specific health
benefits. Taken in the right doses these unpatentable natural medicinal products (i.e., nutraceuticals)
can prevent cancer, heart disease, neurodegenerative diseases, and, among other things, prevent loss of
vision from macular degeneration and cataracts.
These are the supplements that I take, along with their doses and a brief explanation of each one’s
benefits:
The Top Ten:
Vitamin D3
– 5,000 IU/day
Called the “master key to optimum health,” vitamin D controls the expression of more than 1,000 genes
throughout the body, notably in the immune system, in endothelial cells lining blood vessels, pancreatic
beta cells, and brain neurons. Genes that vitamin D express prevent influenza and treat tuberculosis,
strengthen muscles, prevent common cancers (and possibly suppress metastasizes), and prevent
autoimmune diseases. Vitamin D also expresses genes that blunt the immune system-mediated
inflammatory response that propagates atherosclerosis and congestive heart failure. For most people
the dose needed to reach an optimal vitamin D blood level (25-hydroxyvitamin D) of 50 ng/ml is 5,000
IU/day, ten times the government’s recommended dietary allowance (RDA). People with cancer,
chronic illness, and neurodegenerative diseases should take sufficient vitamin D to attain a level of 80
ng/ml (which requires 8,000-10,000 IU/day). See my article “
Vitamin D in a New Light.”
Iodine
– 12.5 mg/day (two drops of 5% Lugol’s solution or one Iodoral tablet)
Iodine taken in doses 100 times the RDA (100-150 micrograms/day) has important extrathyroidal
benefits. These include its role as an antioxidant, in preventing and treating fibrocystic disease of the
breast, and in preventing and treating cancer. In the right dose, iodine helps keep the immune system
healthy, and it provides antiseptic mucosal defense in the mouth, stomach, and vagina. People who take
iodine in milligram doses say that they feel healthier, have a sense of well being and increased energy.
See my article “
Iodine for Health.”
Selenium –
200 mcg/day, as selenomethionine
Bound to cysteine in place of sulfur and called the “21
st amino acid,” selenocysteine is the active site in
some 35 proteins. Glutathione peroxidase, which contains four selenium atoms, plays a major role in
free radical defense. Plasma selenoprotein P protects endothelial cells against damage, and epithelial
selenoprotein protects prostratic secretory cells from developing carcinoma. People deficient in
selenium have an increased risk of cancer. Selenium prevents cancer through a variety of mechanisms,
which include antioxidant protection, enhanced immune surveillance, suppression of angiogenesis,
regulation of cell proliferation, enhancement of apoptosis (cell death), and inhibition of tumor cell
invasion. See my article on selenium titled “
The Moon Goddess’ Role in Human Health.”
Vitamin K2
– 90 mcg/day, as menaquinone-7
2
Vitamin K comes in two basic forms, K1 and K2. K1 is a cofactor for blood coagulation. K2 activates
osteocalcin, a protein secreted by osteoblasts that plays a role bone mineralization and calcium ion
hemostasis. Calcium deposits in the walls of blood vessels play an active role in the formation of
atherosclerosis. K2 activates a protein called matrix Gla (carboxyglutamic acid) protein. It
carboxylates the glutamate residues in matrix Gla protein, which enables it to bind and remove calcium
from blood vessels and thus prevent the formation atherosclerotic calcific plaques. Vitamins D and K2
work together in this regard because vitamin D expresses the gene that makes matrix Gla protein.
Menaquinone-7, the natural form of vitamin K2, is better than synthetic menaquinone-4, the more
widely marketed form of vitamin K2.
Magnesium (Mg)
– 450 mg/day, as Mg citramate
Magnesium ions are essential to the basic nucleic acid chemistry of life, and 80 percent of the enzymes
in the body need Mg in order to function. Mg deficiency can affect every organ system in the body. In
skeletal muscles, Mg deficiency causes twitches, cramps, back aches, neck pain, tension headaches.
With the heart Mg deficiency can cause angina (from spasm of the coronary arteries), high blood
pressure, and rhythm disturbances, including sudden death.
Alpha Lipoic Acid
(ALA) – 300 mg/day
Sporting a sulfur-hydrogen (sulfhydryl) group and being soluble in both fat and water, ALA is one of
the most powerful antioxidants in the body and a critical nutraceutical. In addition to its own work as
an antioxidant, ALA restores the four other network antioxidants (vitamin C, vitamin E, coenzyme Q10,
and glutathione) when oxidized back to their functional, reduced antioxidant state. ALA aids glucose
entry into cells, improves insulin sensitivity, and reduces the risk of diabetes. It protects brain cells by
blocking excitotoxicity, chelates (removes) mercury from the body, and reduces the risk of
atherosclerosis. ALA also plays an integral role in producing the energy molecule adenosine
triphosphate (ATP), feeding pyruvate from the glycolytic cycle into the Krebs cycle.
Coenzyme Q10
(CoQ10) – 100 mg/day
CoQ10 is a vitamin-like compound. The body synthesizes it, but in insufficient quantities, especially in
people who take statins like Lipitor to lower cholesterol. It is a strong antioxidant and removes
oxidized low-density lipoproteins (LDL), a leading culprit in atherosclerosis. CoQ10 also plays a
critical role in mitochondrial energy production. It is a necessary ingredient in the electron transport
chain that produces ATP through oxidative phosphorylation. A central event in chronic degenerative
diseases is the loss of a cell’s ability to produce sufficient energy. The hearts in people with congestive
heart failure, and the brains in those with Parkinson’s disease lack CoQ10. High doses of this
supplement (800-1,200 mg/day) effectively treat these diseases. Even in these high doses CoQ10 has
no side effects or toxicity.
L-Carnitine
– 660 mg/day
Fats supply most of the fuel that heart muscle cells use, and this compound is needed for cells to
metabolize fats. L-carnitine transports long chain fatty acids, which, by weight, have a double
concentration of calories (compared with carbohydrates and proteins) into mitochondria, where they are
converted into ATP. As is the case with CoQ10, people with congestive heart failure also have low
levels of L-carnitine in their heart muscle cells.
Omega 3 fatty acids:
EPA eicosapentaenoic acid)
– 850-1080 mg/day (in 2 tsp Quantum Cod Liver Oil)
DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) –
1,050 mg/day (in 2 tsp Quantum Cod Liver Oil)
These two essential, Omega-3 fatty acids promote cognitive and neurological health, and they prevent
heart disease and cancer. DHA influences brain cell signaling, receptor expression and function, and
neurotransmitters. It stimulates neurite outgrowth and synaptic development and repair (brain
plasticity). EPA thins the blood. Both regulate the expression of many genes involving antioxidant
capacity and oxidative stress response, others that control cell signaling and proliferation, and genes
that produce chemicals which reduce inflammation and improve blood flow through the coronary
arteries and other blood vessels.
Resveratrol
– 100 mg/day, as Longevinex
This anti-aging agent, found in red grapes, extends the life span of yeast (by 70%), roundworms, fruit
flies, and mammals (as seen in studies done with mice). Resveratrol controls the expression of more
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than 100 genes, including Sirtuin 1, the DNA-repair “survival” gene. Notably among its effects,
resveratrol is a potent antioxidant, an anti-inflammatory agent (COX-inhibitor), liver detoxifier, brain
plaque cleanser, and mineral chelator. It also normalizes blood sugar.
The cost of taking these ten supplements purchased online (see below) is $4.45 a day, less than the cost
of a Starbucks double mocha latté. Taken together, they can substantially reduce of getting cancer,
heart disease, and neurodegenerative disorders with aging, such as Alzheimer’s disease, amyotrophic
lateral sclerosis, and Parkinson’s disease.
To ensure optimum health I take these inexpensive nutraceuticals rather than prescription drugs like
Lipitor (or other statins) to halt coronary atherosclerosis and Fosomax, for osteoporosis.
I obtain the requisite Omega 3 EPA and DHA by taking 2 teaspoons a day of high-vitamin
Quantum
cod liver oil (
Blue Ice cod liver oil is equally good), which also has 23,000 IU of vitamin A along with
2,300 IU of vitamin D. The vitamin D present renders this dose of oil-based vitamin A completely safe
and non-toxic. (See
here and here.) Instead of cod liver oil, other preparations of EPA and DHA (in
capsule form) are suitable substitutes.
In addition to these ten essential nutraceuticals one should also take a broad spectrum multivitaminmineral
supplement. Better yet, I take these:
Other Nutritional Supplements I Take
Vitamins:
Fat-soluble vitamins (in addition to vitamins D and K above):
A
– 23,000 IU/day, oil-based, in Quantum Cod Liver Oil
Vitamin A helps protect the mucous membranes of the mouth, nose, throat, gastrointestinal tract, and
lungs by promoting mucin secretion and microvilli formation. It is an essential nutrient for the eyes,
skin, and immune system. The hormonally active form of vitamin A, 9-
cis-retinoic acid, is essential for
the full functioning of vitamin D (without it, activated vitamin D binds weakly to its receptors on DNA,
resulting in a reduced effect on gene expression). Water-miscible, emulsified, and solid forms of retinol
(vitamin A) supplements are ten times more toxic than oil-based preparations like that in cod liver and
should be taken in a considerably lower dose.
E
– 400 IU/day, in Unique E, which contains natural d-alpha tocopherol and a proprietary blend
of d-gamma tocopherol, d-delta tocopherol and d-beta tocopherol.
(23 cents/day)
Functioning as an antioxidant, vitamin E, protects cell membranes by extinguishing various singlet
oxygen and polyunsaturated fatty acid radicals. And like vitamins D and A, vitamin E also acts as a
hormone in regulating gene expression. Natural d-alpha tocopherol works better than synthetic dlalpha
tocopherol, the most common form of vitamin E in multivitamin supplements. The natural form
makes platelets less sticky, whereas platelets cannot absorb the synthetic kind. There are seven other
forms of vitamin E, three tocopherols and the four tocotrienols. Gamma tocopherol neutralizes free
radicals that the alpha form cannot douse, and studies show that it, in particular, lowers the risk of
prostate and colon cancer.
Water-soluble vitamins:
B1
(thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin, as niacinamide), B5 (pantothenic acid), B6
(pyridoxine),
B7 (biotin) – each 50 mg/day, in “B Complex 50” (8 cents/day)
Cells depend on these B vitamins for energy production and cell maintenance.
Thiamine plays an
essential metabolic role in carbohydrate and protein metabolism and in neural function.
Riboflavin
plays a key role in energy metabolism of fats, carbohydrates, and proteins. Niacinamide, the functional
vitamin form of
niacin, is a precursor for electron-carrying coenzymes involved in cellular respiration.
It is also involved in DNA repair and the production of steroid hormones in the adrenal gland. Animal
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studies show that niacinamide protects against Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease, and it
produces dramatic improvements in cognitive brain function after head injuries and stroke.
Pantothenic
acid
is a cofactor necessary for forming coenzyme-A, a compound that plays pivotal role in the
synthesis and oxidation of fatty acids, and the oxidation of pyruvate in the citric acid cycle (the process
during aerobic respiration by which cells generate biochemical energy).
Biotin is necessary for cell
growth, production of fatty acids, and metabolism of fats and amino acids; and it also plays a role in the
citric acid cycle. During times of stress these critical water-soluble vitamins become quickly depleted.
B9
(folic acid) 400 mcg/day, in B Complex 50
Folic acid repairs DNA. Without folic acid, breaks in DNA, like that which occurs when a person is
exposed to ionizing radiation, remain unrepaired. Along with vitamins B6 and B12, folic acid is a
cofactor in the metabolism of methionine. When any one of these three vitamins is deficient, blood and
tissue levels of homocysteine rise. Elevated homocysteine blood levels increase the risk of stroke, a
heart attack, and peripheral vascular disease; and it is associated with a greater incidence of
Alzheimer’s disease.
B12
(methylcobalamin) 1,000 mcg/day sublingual (13 cents/day)
Along with folic acid, cobalt-containing vitamin B12 is essential for the formation of the nervous
system’s intricate patterns and plays a key role in brain function and in maintaining a healthy nervous
system. This vitamin is required for synthesis of DNA during cell division and is especially important
in tissues where cells divide rapidly, particularly the bone marrow, which produces red blood cells that
have a 50-day half-life.
C
(buffered) – 1,000 mg/day (7 cents/day)
In addition to its role as an antioxidant, vitamin C is an essential cofactor for protein synthesis,
particularly for collagen, the structural component of connective tissue (bone, teeth, cartilage,
ligaments, skin, and blood vessels), which makes up 25% of the proteins in the body. In its role as an
electron donor, vitamin C readily transfers electrons to iron. The iron in enzymes that make collagen
transfers its vitamin C-supplied electron to oxygen, enabling it to combine with hydrogen as a hydroxyl
(-OH) group. The hydroxyl group attaches to amino acids in collagen, forming cross links that give this
protein its tensile strength.
Minerals
(along with magnesium in the top-ten supplement list):
Calcium
– 1,000 mg/day (5 cents/day)
In its ionic form, calcium functions as a signal for cellular processes and is the major material used in
mineralization of bones and teeth. By taking calcium as a nutritional supplement one avoids ever
having a deficiency of this element. It helps keep one’s bones strong and helps prevent colorectal
cancer.
Zinc
– 30 mg/day (13 cents/day)
Zinc is a constituent of more than 3,000 different proteins in the body. Like calcium, cells employ zinc
to serve as a signal for cellular processes, notably in salivary glands, intestine, the immune system, and
prostate gland. Zinc deficiency leads to poor night vision, a decrease in sense of taste and smell,
reduced ability to fight infections, and poor wound healing.
The
(Five) Network Antioxidants (along with vitamin C, vitamin E, alpha lipoic acid, and
coenzyme Q10 above—see
The Antioxidant Miracle by Lester Packer and Carol Colman)
Idebenone
– 90 mg/day (61 cents/day)
On the recommendation of Dr. Russell Blaylock, I take this synthetic form of CoQ10 in addition to
CoQ10 itself. Idebenone is better absorbed by the brain than CoQ10 and has been shown to protect
neurons from free radical damage and other excitotoxic effects.
N
-Acetyl-Cysteine (NAC) – 500 mg/day (24 cents/day)
The two major thiols (sulfur-containing compounds) in the five-fold antioxidant network are alpha
lipoic acid and
glutathione. Glutathione, the “master antioxidant,” regulates the actions of other
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antioxidants in the body, notably vitamins C and E and various bioflavonoids—water-soluble plant
pigments. Glutathione also plays an important role in DNA and protein synthesis and repair, and the
amount of glutathione in one’s cells predicts how long that person will live. Glutathione is poorly
absorbed and does not cross the blood-brain barrier. Readily absorbable NAC provides the scarce
sulfur-containing amino acid cysteine needed for synthesis of glutathione (with two other amino acids,
glycine and glutamic acid, which are abundant in cells and food).
Another Carnitine
Acetyl-L-Carnitine –
1,000 mg/day (24 cents/day)
This form of carnitine is better absorbed by the brain. It increases cell energy, and the acetyl
component is an important neurotransmitter. Acetyl-L-carnitine helps prevent and treat Alzheimer’s
disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and Parkinson’s disease.
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