Transcript Nutritional Supplements

Nutritional Supplements
What to look for before buying
Read and understand the label
 What form is the mineral in? Citrate,
acetate, gluconate, oxide, etc
 Organic forms (citrates, acetates etc)
generally better than inorganic forms
(oxides, carbonates etc)
 How many capsules / tablets are there?
 What is the potency per tablet?
 What are the additional (non-active)
ingredients?
Which is better value for money?
ZINC CITRATE
15mg
100 capsules
£4.99
15mg Zinc
as Citrate
60 capsules
£6.99
Additional Ingredients
 Fillers, binders, lubricants, emulsifiers,
preservatives, coating agents, anti-caking agents
– eg, Lactose, sucrose, corn starch, sodium chloride, talc,
soap, waxes, dicalcium phosphate, magnesium
stearate, stearic acid, microcrystalline cellulose, etc
 Introduces undesirable substances into the body
 Can upset the mineral balance of the prescription
 May be difficult for the digestive system to break
down and obtain the nutrients
 Capsules have less additional ingredients
 Capsules easier broken down by digestive system
Beware of Marketing
 Marketing literature may not be written by
qualified nutritionists
 Clever wording designed to sell / make profit
 Beware of vague wording such as “complex”
“formula” or “blend”
 Patented products not necessarily effective
 Several companies may buy products from
the same manufacturer and repackage
Other Types of Supplements
Timed Release Supplements
• May be useful for water soluble vitamins
• Coatings may hinder absorption
• Generally more expensive and benefits not always clear
Food Form
• Mineral is delivered with natural co-factors to enhance absorption and utilisation
• Scientific evidence is lacking in this area
• No clear evidence that these can outperform citrates.
Chelated minerals
• Metallic minerals usually chelated with an amino acid
• Better absorbed within the body than inorganic minerals
• Scientific evidence comparing them to organic forms is lacking
Liquid Supplements
• Often low potency – poor value for money
• Likely to be destroyed by stomach acids
• May be beneficial to those who are unable to swallow tablets
Independent testing
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Potency
Stability
Contamination (heavy metals)
Yeasts / Moulds / Bacteria
Chemical solvents / pesticide residues
 If in doubt ask the company if they can provide
independent test results for their products
Signs of a good company
 Check the company website for details of
manufacturing processes / quality assurance etc
 Trained nutritionists will be available to answer any
questions you have about their products
 Products should have been independently tested
and chemical assays available
 A good company will provide scientific research to
back up the claims for its products
 Some companies run seminars or workshops
which are educational – not just a sales technique
Problems with cheap products
 Fillers and binders may upset the mineral balance or
hinder absorption
 Could contain impurities which result in allergic reactions
 May contain heavy metals / chemicals which increase toxic
load in the patient
 May not contain as much of a particular nutrient as is
stated on the label
 Potency not adequate for therapy
 Likely to use cheap forms of minerals with lower absorption
 Storage may not be adequate eg for fish oils / probiotics
Implications for therapy
 Lack of results reduce confidence in the
practitioner
– patient is less likely to stick to the diet or take further
advice
 Results may be slower than expected
– the patient may become impatient, lose motivation and
give up the treatment
 Allergies may be triggered
 Mineral imbalances may be caused or worsened
 Toxic load may be increased
Multivitamin Tablet #1
Each tablet contains:
VITAMINS
Vitamin A ........................ 750µg (2500 I.U.) 94%
Beta Carotene................... 3.144mg **
Vitamin D ......................... 10µg (400 I.U.) 200%
Vitamin E.......................... 34mg (50 I.U.) 340%
Vitamin C ......................... 150mg 250%
Thiamin (Vitamin B1) ....... 39mg 2,786%
Riboflavin (Vitamin B2).... 50mg 3,125%
Niacin ............................... 50mg 278%
Pantothenic Acid .............. 50mg 833%
Vitamin B6 ....................... 41mg 2,050%
Vitamin B12 ..................... 25µg 2,500%
Folic Acid ......................... 200µg 100%
Biotin................................ 50µg 33%
MINERALS
Calcium ............................ 158mg 20%
Iodine ............................... 100µg 67%
Iron .................................. 15mg 107%
Magnesium ...................... 60mg 20%
Zinc .................................. 10mg 67%
Chromium ........................ 25µg **
Copper ............................. 1mg **
Manganese....................... 1mg **
Molybdenum .................... 25µg **
Selenium .......................... 32µg **
Multivitamin Tablet #1 cont’d
Ingredients: Dicalcium Phosphate, Vitamin C (as Ascorbic Acid),
Magnesium Hydroxide, Bulking Agent (Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose),
Choline Bitartrate, Calcium Carbonate, Soya Lecithin, Pantothenic Acid
(as d-Calcium Pantothenate), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Vitamin B6 (as
Pyridoxine Hydrochloride), Thiamin Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Niacin (as
Niacinamide), dl-Methionine, Inositol, PABA (ParaAminobenzoic Acid),
Anti-Caking Agents (Stearic Acid, Silicon Dioxide, Magnesium Stearate),
Ferrous Fumarate, Vitamin E (as d-Alpha Tocopheryl Acid Succinate),
Natural Carotenoids, Citrus Bioflavonoids, L-Lysine Hydrochloride,
Emulsifier (Acacia Gum), Beta Carotene, Zinc Oxide, Betaine
Hydrochloride, Hesperidin Complex, Glazing Agent (Hydroxypropyl
Methylcellulose), Vitamin A (as Retinyl Acetate), Potassium Iodide, Biotin
(as d-Biotin), Vitamin D, Vitamin B12 (as Cyanocobalamin), Manganese
Sulphate, Cupric Sulphate, Folic Acid, Papain, Rutin, Sodium Selenate,
Sodium Molybdate, L-Cysteine, Chromium Chloride.
Multivitamin Tablet #2
Amount Per 2 Tablets % Daily Value
Vitamin A(as natural beta-carotene) 20000 IU
400%
Vitamin C (as calcium ascorbate) 300 mg
500%
Vitamin D(as ergocalciferol) 400 IU
100%
Vitamin E (as D-alpha tocopheryl succinate) 200 IU
667%
Thiamin (as thiamin mononitrate) 100 mg
6667%
Riboflavin 100 mg
5882%
Niacin (as niacinamide, niacin) 100 mg
500%
Vitamin B6(as pyridoxine HCI) 90 mg
4500%
Folic Acid 400 mcg
100%
Vitamin B12(as cobalamin) 100 mcg
1667%
Biotin 100 mcg
33%
Pantothenic Acid (as D-Ca pantothenate) 100 mg
1000%
Calcium (as calcium carbonate, glycinate amino acid chelate†) 50 mg
5%
Iron(as ferrous sulfate, bisglycinate††) 10 mg
56%
Iodine (as potassium iodide) 150 mcg
100%
Magnesium (as magnesium oxide, glycinate amino acid chelate†) 30 mg
8%
Zinc (as zinc oxide, glycinate amino acid chelate†) 15 mg
100%
Selenium (as L-selenomethionine) 25 mcg
36%
Copper (as copper gluconate, glycinate amino acid chelate†, copper oxide) 1.5 mg
75%
Manganese (as manganese gluconate, glycinate amino acid chelate†) 2 mg
100%
Chromium (as chromium picolinate, yeast-free) 25 mcg
21%
Molybdenum (as glycinate amino acid chelate†) 50 mcg
67%
Sodium††† 10 mg
Potassium (as potassium chloride, glycinate amino acid complex) 10 mg
Multivitamin Tablet #2 contd
Other Ingredients:
Microcrystalline Cellulose, Vegetable
Cellulose, Vegetable Stearic Acid, Silica,
Vegetable Magnesium Stearate, Guar
Gum, Citric Acid, Vegetable Glycerin, LAspartic Acid, Picolinic Acid, Carnauba
Wax.
What do practitioners use?
Brands / suppliers used by some of our practitioners include:
• Allergy Research Group
• Archturus Healthlink
• Biocare
• Bioforce (Herbal tinctures)
• Biopathica (Homoeopathic remedies)
• Biotics Research Corp (sublingual
free-form amino acids)
• Cytoplan
• Enzyme Process
• Garden of Life (PRIMAL DEFENSE)
• Heels Remedies
• Higher Nature (selected products)
• Jarrow Formula
• Lamberts
• Metabolics
• New Vistas
• Nutri Ltd
• Nutrigold
• Positive Living UK (NATREN
products)
• Practitioner Supplies (herbal
cleanse)
• Dr Reckeweg
• Savant (flax oil)
• Solgar (selected products)
• Specialist Herbal Supplies
• Thorne Research
Do not assume that all products from these companies would be suitable, it
is up to your professional judgement to evaluate the products on the market
and select which ones you are going to use in your practice!!
Summary
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Check labels carefully
Use reputable suppliers
Beware of fillers and binders
Don’t be fooled by clever marketing
Beware of excessively cheap products
You generally get what you pay for
Ask for research to support claims for products
If in doubt ask for independent test results
If it seems too good to be true it probably is!