Over the past few years I’ve been traveling around the country extolling the virtue of vitamins like the Bs, C, D, E etc, as essential elements in a brain healthy diet. However, in mid December an editorial from the Annals of Internal Medicine cited 3 studies which suggested that multivitamin supplements did no good and were basically “a waste of money.” So who’s right here? Me or them? …Well me of course! : )
But that’s not just my opinion. Dr. Gladys Block, a professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the University of California Berkeley, points out that none of the studies noted in the editorial accurately represented the American population. There is lots of good evidence for the importance and efficacy of good vitamin supplements. And the supplements used in these studies may not have been the best.
That brings us to the nasty reality that many popular multivitamins sold in grocery stores, like Centrum Silver®, contain artificial vitamins, minerals and other ingredients that are hard to absorb. Even though they are called “natural.” Some of these vitamins are synthesized from petroleum and coal tar, some of the minerals from rocks. The FDA just requires that they’re made from something with a hexane ring (molecule shape) which is in anything that was once living – including petroleum and coal tar. Yuck! They appear to be the same but the body treats them differently. For example:
Natural vitamin E (d-alpha or gama tocopherol) has been shown to be helpful as an antioxidant in protecting cells, while dl-alpha tocopherol, the synthetic form is much less effective and may even cause oxidation or other cellular damage.
Natural vitamin E is distributed through the body much better than the synthetic form. The reason is that specific carrier proteins in the liver selectively bind to natural vitamin E and transport it through the blood to cells throughout the body. These carrier proteins only recognize a portion of synthetic vitamin E and ignore the remainder. As a result when Japanese researchers gave natural or synthetic vitamin E to young women to measure how much vitamin E actually made it into their blood. It took only 100 mg of natural vitamin E to produce blood levels that required 300 mg of synthetic vitamin E. (See references here)
While natural vitamin E has been shown to inhibit oxidation, some cancers, and reduce cerebral and cardiovascular risk, synthetic forms of vitamins A & E may shorten one’s life.
(See studies here)
Seniors who care about their brain may also want to avoid supplements containing extra iron or copper (common in senior formulas) as these may increase risk for oxidation and cognitive decline. (If researchers want to give mice dementia they feed them iron.) Other potential toxins commonly used in vitamins include: aluminum, selenite, selenate, selenium dioxide, Titanium dioxide, and hydrogenated oils. If your supplement contains synthetic vitamin E or any of these best buy something else.
We do know good nutrition is essential to human health and malnutrition is a primary cause of aging, both of the body and brain. As we age we often don’t eat as well. Many don’t digest or assimilate their food as well. As a result our protective enzymes, antioxidants, and antibodies decrease, as free radicals, oxidation, inflammation and various diseases increase – ultimately leading to our demise.
Supplementation with natural vitamins and minerals, however, have been shown in numerous studies to be very helpful in overcoming these deficits and improving health.
You may recall the Cache Senior study at Utah State University in the 90’s, where they found those seniors who supplemented with healthy forms of vitamins C & E were more than 75% less likely to develop dementia than those who lacked these nutrients in their diet.(1) The Oxford Study showed a simple pill containing folic acid, B-6 and B-12 was (30-50% more) effective in staving off brain shrinkage and preserving memory then placebo. (2) Vitamin D has been shown in numerous studies to boost the immune system and promote brain health.(3) And various minerals like magnesium, selenium and zinc have also proven helpful in arresting and in some cases even reversing cognitive decline.(4)
Unfortunately it’s become increasingly apparent that those who write such editorials are more than just biased. Dr. Edgar Miller, professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins and co-author of the editorial.claims: “The (vitamin and supplement) industry is based on anecdote, people saying ‘I take this, and it makes me feel better… But when you put it to the test, there’s no evidence of benefit in the long term.” To come to such a conclusion based on 3 flawed studies alone, while ignoring many more suggests an agenda – likely driven by other financial interests. For an annotated rebuttal to such bullony click here.
Literally thousands of university studies – primarily from biology departments, have proven vitamin and mineral supplements help reduce oxidation, inflammation and related deterioration in the body and brain. For example a 2010 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that multivitamins can keep you younger, longer. It showed people who take a good daily multivitamin had longer telomeres (a predictor of long life) and younger DNA. For a more comprehensive listing of studies showing the value of supplements in reducing risk for more than 100 common ailments go to: http://www.lef.org/protocols/index.htm and pick a disorder.
Choosing a Multi-Nutrient Formula
The the market is flooded with multi-nutrient formulas, few stand up to a careful analysis of purity and potency. Many formulas contain only the US government’s recommended dietary allowance (RDA). While the RDA may be sufficient to prevent diseases such as scurvy, extensive studies have demonstrated that promoting optimal health requires nutrients in form and amounts that far exceed the RDA, especially as we age.
Research also shows, as noted above, that the body more readily uses certain forms of vitamins and minerals than others. Many vitamin combinations on the market today use the cheapest available forms. These, typified by synthetic vitamin E, are difficult for the body to absorb and use, and thus provide only marginal nutritional support, if any. And may even do harm. When choosing a multi-vitamin product, it is advisable to seek not only adequate potencies of nutrients, but also formulations designed for optimal absorption and use by the body.
There are some very good multi-vitamin supplements on the market that meet this criteria. One of the best is called “Two-Per-Day” Go to https://www.levitamins.com/16942/Home and click on it to see the comparison with Centrum Silver® (which uses synthetic vitamin E). Two-Per-Day contains up to 50 times greater potency with more nutrients for a comparable price (just $16.50 for a 2 month supply), plus some of the best antioxidants like alpha lipoic acid, to keep your body young and healthy. If you’d like something even better, with even more plant based ingredients (although it costs a bit more) check out the Life Extension Mix on that page. (Note if you buy online from that site you pay only $5 shipping no matter how much you buy, and of course you don’t pay tax. Plus a small portion of each sale will go to help support this site.)
If you’re ever in a quandary wondering if the supplements you are taking are the best for you give me a call at 801 529-8238. As my new years gift to you my readers I will review your regimen for free! And help you find the best values available to meet your unique needs. This simple review could save you thousands, not only on supplements, but medications and other health care costs down the road.
And if you’d like to preserve or improve your memory, it’s hard to beat the combination in Perceptiv. If you know someone with more serious memory issues consider Memoryze, or give me a call as there are several things you must consider, and that usually requires some personal tweeking.
If you’d like to feel and think better this year, why not conduct a little experiment of your own, and give a truly “good” natural supplement a try for a change. Give it just 3 months and see if it doesn’t make a real difference for you. After all, aren’t you and your health the real bottom line in this discussion.
References:
1. Zandi PP, Anthony JC, KhachaturianAS, et al. Reduced risk of Alzheimer disease in users of antioxidant vitamin supplements: the Cache County Study. Arch Neurol. 2004 Jan;61(1):82-8.
2 . Smith, AD, Smith, SM, de Jager, CA, Whitbread, P, Johnston, C, et al. 2010 Homocysteine-Lowering by B Vitamins Slows the Rate of Accelerated Brain Atrophy in Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Randomized Controlled Trial. PLoS ONE 5(9): e12244. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0012244
3. Grant, William B. Does Vitamin D Reduce the Risk of Dementia? Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, Volume 17, Number 1, May 2009, 151-159.
http://www.j-alz.com/issues/contents.html
4. http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2012/jan2012_Reversing-Brain-Decay_01.htm
If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing it!
Prevention Strategies 
