Many health claims are made for vitamins and supplements, but most are not founded on scientific evidence. It is hard to know what to believe when it comes to supplements. Here are a few supplements that we feel can help support your good health.

Vitamin D3 — Recently much has been written about vitamin D. Vitamin D supplements come in two forms, D2 and D3. It has long been felt that the two were equivalent, but recent information indicates that D3 may be as much as three times more effective because its metabolites attach to vitamin D receptors much longer than D2. Research is being done to confirm that this higher affinity increases the functional effects. Vitamin D is necessary for bone health and to prevent osteoporosis. Research indicates that vitamin D may play a role in preventing diabetes, hypertension, glucose intolerance, multiple sclerosis and other health conditions. Supplements of vitamin D3 at 800 IU/day and calcium 1,200 mg/day have been shown to reduce the risk of falls, fractures and bone loss in the elderly.

Glucosamine — Glucosamine HCL was studied for its effect in reducing osteoarthritis pain and progression as measured by changes in the joint space. Information was conflicting but it did appear that glucosamine HCL 500 mg three times a day for 2 years reduced the loss of tissue in the joint space. While not conclusive, we feel that further research with glucosamine may prove that it helps slow the progression of osteoarthritis.

Omega 3 fatty acids — Omega 3 fatty acids are important for a number of body functions including the contraction and relaxation of muscle, blood clotting, digestion, and movement of substances including calcium in and out of cells. Omega 3 fatty acids are provided by fish oil, flax seed oil and walnut oil supplements. Fish oil supplements provide EPA and DHA which have shown heart health benefits such as lower triglycerides, lower blood pressure, slowing the progression of atherosclerosis, and reduced risk of heart attack, stroke and death from cardiovascular disease. They are being studied for benefit in autism, bipolar disorder, heart disease, depression, stress effects on the immune system and many other conditions. Supplementation is usually 1,000 mg of fish oil three times daily.

It is hard to find reliable information for supplements. These three supplements have been in the news recently as subjects of research. We feel that evidence suggests that they may be beneficial to prevent a number of conditions including osteoporosis, heart disease, and osteoarthritis.

Reference: http://dietary-supplements.info.nih.gov/factsheets/vitamind.asp, http://nccam.nih.gov/news/2008/092908.htm, http://nccam.nih.gov/health/omega3/D436.pdf.

[Return to Archive Index]

[PageTop]