In last week’s column, I shared why I believe supplementation to your diet is necessary.
I also provided a list of nutrients I recommend, and their proper daily allowances.
Today, I’d like to continue the list.
Again, one of the biggest reasons to supplement your diet is the encouragement of a longer life span and reduction of chronic disease.
In fact, the Pracon Study, commissioned by the Council for Responsible Nutrition, estimated that $ 8.7 billion could be saved each year, on four major diseases, if Americans consumed optimal levels of just the antioxidants vitamins C, E and beta-carotene.
To continue the list:
Pantothenic acid: This nutrient is involved in the metabolism of fats, carbohydrates and proteins. It’s needed for the production of Sphingosine and Acetylcholine, two very important substances involved in nerve transmission. Pantothenic acid helps keep a strong immune system, and helps lower blood cholesterol levels, thereby helping prevent cardiovascular disease. It’s also used in the treatment of emotional and physical stress. Daily allowance: 100-500 mg daily.
Biotin: Actually, biotin isn’t a vitamin, but a coenzyme. It’s, also involved in the metabolism of fats, carbohydrate and proteins. Deficiencies of this nutrient include nausea, high blood cholesterol, hair loss, depression, numbness and loss of appetite. Daily allowance: 100-300 mcg.
Vitamin C: This one of my favorites. Vitamin C is essential for healthy blood vessels. Remember you can only get good from your diet, exercise, supplements and medications to the exact degree of your blood vessel health. That’s because it all goes through and is affected by the blood stream. This also means that vitamin C helps prevent high blood pressure and atherosclerosis. It’s needed by the adrenal gland to synthesize hormones to help during times of physical, and emotional stress.
Some research indicates vitamin C may be an effective form of cancer treatment. Daily allowance: 1500-3000 mg. (make sure the dosage is broken up into thirds, throughout the day to keep vitamin C blood levels high. Don’t take vitamin C, and Calcium within an hour of each other. Vitamin C is acidic and Calcium is a base. If taken together they’ll cancel each other out).
Now, let’s go strait into minerals, and Calcium: About 99 percent of all the calcium in our bodies is stored in our bones. That means the average person is storing about 3 pounds of it. The remaining one percent is distributed throughout the rest of our body. Actually, every cell in our body contains some calcium.
Our bones do provide structure to our bodies, but they also, serve as a sort of calcium “bank.” Through certain processes, our bodies “withdraw” some of this calcium every day, so we obviously have to put it back. There is also evidence that calcium helps prevent colon cancer. Ingesting calcium and absorbing it are two different things. Many factors like diet, medications, and even exercise can influence calcium absorption. Vitamin D along with Phosphorus is needed to absorb calcium. The ratio of calcium to phosphorus should be one to one.
This can create a problem, because if you consume too many phosphorus rich foods like soft drinks your calcium/phosphorus balance can be off, thereby not only preventing calcium absorption, but also actually causing calcium to be leached from your bones.
Daily allowance: 1200-1500 mg. (The two most common forms of calcium you’ll probably come across are calcium carbonate and calcium citrate. Both are well absorbed, but should be taken differently. Calcium carbonate should be taken with food and calcium citrate should be taken on an empty stomach for proper absorption. Coral calcium is calcium carbonate.)
Next week, we’ll continue the list.
David Crocker of Landrum has been a nutritionist for 24 years. He served as strength director of the Spartanburg Y.M.C.A., head strength coach for the S.C. state champion girls gymnastic team, USC-Spartanburg baseball team, Converse college equestrian team, lead trainer to L.H. Fields modeling agency, and taught four semesters at USC-Union. David was also a regular guest of the Pam Stone radio show.