DrLopo’s Elite – to achieve your peak potential
Vitamins and Supplements
Remember what doctors (and lay people) used to say? “If you eat a good diet, you don’t need vitamins”. A Vitamin is a substance that your body must have but is not able to make and must obtain from outside sources. A Supplement is just that: a substance that is supplemental, or additional, to those required for survival.
Today, we understand a little bit more about the role of some vitamins and some supplements in health and disease prevention. Most people do not consume an optimal amount of all vitamins by diet alone. Additionally, as we age, we need increased amounts of some vitamins. Finally, there is growing evidence that higher doses of some vitamins and supplements are beneficial in the context of preventive care.
As modern medicine gains a better understanding of the role of vitamins and supplements, the recommended amounts to take have also changed. For example, recently there have been numerous reports outlining the role of Vitamin D (“the sunshine vitamin”) in prevention, not only of osteoporosis, but a variety of cancers, a role in fatigue, and overall skin health. Additionally, the amount of recommended vitamin D intake has increased.
Stay well,
Alina Lopo
Roles of some supplements in preserving good health
Vit A Vision (macular degeneration); skin support
Vit C antioxidant; tissue integrity; skin support
Vit D osteoporosis; skin, breast & prostate cancer; skin support
Vit E Vision (macular degeneration; prostate cancer; skin integrity; possibly dementia
Vit B6, B12 stroke; blood cell production, nervous system function, skin integrity
Folic acid stroke; possibly colon cancer; possibly breast cancer; nerve tube defect
Oil of Evening Primrose this GLA-rich supplement supports skin hydration
Lycopene prostate disorders
Coenzyme Q10 depleted in statin users; powerful antioxidant; skin integrity
Omega 3-Fatty Acids believed to lower risk of cardiac and vascular disease; Dementia prevention; Arthritis; Skin integrity
So, what to take?
Most multivitamin supplements that are sold to take one or two a day contain a lot of different vitamins and minerals, but often not enough of any specific one
The type and amount of vitamins and supplements you take, however, is something we should discuss at every annual physical. Those of you who have been in my practice for a long time know that I have insisted you tell me what other over the counter vitamins, supplements or drugs you take. I do this for a variety of reasons:
1. to ensure you are not taking something that interacts in a negative way with one of your prescriptions
2. to ensure you take only that which is necessary
3. to ensure you do not take too large a dose or too small a dose of a vitamin or supplement, so that you may derive the maximum benefit.
The Bottom Line
The FDA does not have sufficient resources to regulate the vast amount of products in the supplement and health-food marketplace, and therefore there is always the question of fraud and sham statements.
Dietary supplements are not required to be standardized in the United States. In fact, no legal or regulatory definition exists in the United States for standardization as it applies to dietary supplements. Because of this, the term “standardization” may mean many different things. product quality. This is not a place to scrimp, but you also don’t need to overdo it and spend thousands!
Please make sure that you review your vitamins at least once a year with your physician. A good time to do this is at your Annual Exam.
