choosing supplements: the basics
Supplements won’t make you younger. But, supplements will slow the aging process in average Americans.
- Calcium and vitamin D can slow bone aging and help to preserve bone density and strength
- B vitamins protect blood vessels and brain cells from damage and aging
- Glucosamine sulfate can slow the progression of arthritis and the aging process in your joints.
- Fish oil can help to reverse the accelerated aging that occurs with insulin resistance and inflammation that are rampant in average Americans.
Everyone should be taking a supplement. Most people get plenty of calories (far too many some would say) but 80% of people suffer from nutrient deficiencies. Even if you eat well most of the time, I feel you should add a supplement as an insurance policy. The table below summaries what I recommend in a multivitamin supplement. Compare this with your current supplement.
For details, see Chapter 10 in Ten Years Younger.
What to look for when choosing a multivitamin supplement:
| Ingredient |
Dosing Range |
Comment |
| Iron |
0 mg or 8-20 mg |
0 for men and women without menses, 8-20 mg for mentruating women |
| Vitamin A (as retinol or retinyl) |
3,000-5,000 IU |
|
| Vitamin A (as mixed carotenoids) |
3,000-15,000 IU |
Mixed beta carotene, lycopene, lutein, zeaxanthin, alpha carotene, cryptoxanthin |
| Thiamin (B1) |
15-50 mg |
|
| Riboflavin (B2) |
10-30 mg |
|
| Niacin (B3)) |
30-10 mg |
Mixture of niacin & niacinamide |
| Pantothenic Acid (B5) |
50-100 mg |
|
| Pyridoxine (B6) |
10-50 mg |
Homocysteine elevations require higher dose |
| Cobalimin (B12) |
100-1,000 mcg |
Homocysteine elevations require higher dose. Stomach acid blocking meds decrease absorption. |
| Biotin |
300-1,200 mcg |
Higher dosages needed with blood sugar regulation problems. |
| Folic Acid |
600-4,000 mcg |
Homocysteine elevations require higher dose. |
| Vitamin C (calcium ascorbate) |
250-1,000 mg |
|
| Vitamin D |
400-1,200 IU |
Higher dosages needed with advancing age and with bone density loss, and without sun exposure |
| Vitamin E (with mixed d-alpha, gamma, and delta tocopherol) |
50-150 IU |
Dosages >150 IU are warranted for various indications |
| Vitamin K |
75-100 mcg |
|
| Calcium (as chelate) |
0-100 mg |
Can be dosed separately from a multi-vitamin (total needs vary from 800-1,500 mg daily) |
| Magnesium (as chelate) |
0-100 mg |
Can be dosed separately from a multi-vitamin (total needs vary from 400-800 mg daily) |
| Iodine (from kelp) |
75-100 mcg |
|
| Chromium (nicotinate) |
150-400 mcg |
400-800 mcg daily for blood sugar control |
| Manganese |
3-10 mg |
|
| Molybdenum |
100-150 mcg |
|
| Selenium |
100-200 mcg |
Caution: dosages >500 mcg daily may be toxic |
| Zinc (glycinate or amino acid chelate) |
15-25 mg |
Taking more than 40-50 mg daily long-term can cause gastro-instestinal irritation |
| Copper |
2 mg |
Zinc and copper should be in a 10:1 to 15:1 ratio |
| Boron |
1-2 mg |
|
We offer a Twice-Daily Multi that is of the highest quality >
FISH OIL SUPPLEMENTS:
Fish oil provides long-chain omega-3 fats that decrease inflammation and clotting, improve mental function, and are associated with a reduction in cancer rates and sudden cardiac death. Further, omega-3 fats help to block the accelerated aging that occurs with insulin resistance.
As part of the Ten Years Younger Diet, I recommend that you eat 2 to 3 servings a week of seafood rich in omega-3 fats and that are low in mercury. (See the omega-3 fat table in the appendix of Ten Years Younger for details.) Examples are salmon, trout, sardines, sole, mussels, and oysters.
If you don't or can't eat this much seafood, then I recommend taking 1 gram of distilled fish oil daily. When consider fish oil supplements, I find that many of the brands go rancid quickly and they taste terrible. Not only do they have a bad aftertaste, but rancid fish oil can't be good for you.
For general health, aim for 1 gram of fish oil daily (that equals what you get from 2-3 servings per week of sardines). For inflammation, diabetes, depression, or cognitive impairment, consider 2 grams daily. Higher dosages may be used (such as for a spinal disc herniation or treating abnormal cholesterol profiles) but more than 2 grams daily can increase your bleeding risk, so consult with your medical provider.
Testing the Quality of Your Fish Oil
The simplest way to test your fish oil is to poke a hole in a capsule and to smell and if decent taste a drop. If the drop tastes terrible, then throw it away. I think you should be able to chew and comfortably swallow a whole fish oil capsule. If it doesn't taste good enough to swallow, then why would you eat it? I recommend fish oil that is pure enough to swallow by the spoonful, although I still prefer the capsules.
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