Dr. Vicki: Vital Vitamins

Victoria Rhoades, ND

By Victoria Rhoades, ND

Much has been written about vitamins and minerals. The most important thing to remember is that we need them because we cannot make them. They have to come from the outside, usually from something we eat. My favorite sources are from foods, and whole foods have more of them than refined and processed foods. Foods have the most natural form of nutrients that we have evolved to use the most easily. Whole grains, fruit and vegetables, dairy, meats and eggs – sure, you can eliminate some of these foods and still come close, but you will probably want some supplements to fill the gap between what you are eating, and what you need.

Other factors can make a supplement necessary. For one thing, as we age, we need fewer calories, and it gets harder to meet our needs from our foods without over-eating. Additionally, if you are less active, you need fewer calories, making it harder to get all the vitamins you need from foods. You may have a food sensitivity, such as lactose intolerance. Eliminating dairy products makes it difficult to get enough calcium without taking a pill; oh, it’s possible, I don’t deny that – but it takes a lot of specific vegetables.

Photo by Steven H. Robinson

Further complicating matters are four simple facts: some medications are affected by vitamin or mineral intake; some vitamins and minerals should be taken at separate times; the chemical form of the vitamin or mineral will affect uptake; and finally, different people have different needs.

Let’s tackle medications first, because the answer is easy: if you take a medication – any medication – ask your doctor if there are any vitamins, minerals, or foods that it should NOT be taken with. This is true whether you are just starting an antibiotic for 3 days, or are taking a medication every day for years. Another good resource, and an underappreciated one: ask the pharmacist who dispenses the medication. Pharmacists are well-educated and have exactly this sort of information.

Second of all, not all nutrients should be taken together, making multivitamin/mineral products potentially more a problem than helping you out. For example, iron should be taken separately from calcium, as they compete for uptake. Similarly, zinc and copper compete for uptake. The flip side to this competition is that some things help each other – vitamin C helps with iron uptake, for example. A good product for women under about 50 should include iron … but those same women also need calcium. Ideally, these two minerals should be taken at different times of the day. This is just one example of why a multivitamin/mineral product might not be the right product – instead, two separate products might be better for you.

Third is the form of the vitamin or mineral. Calcium is a good example because there are many forms used in vitamins. The most common form used is calcium carbonate, which tends to be less well absorbed than calcium citrate, or calcium malate. Further, some calcium products are contaminated with lead! Finding a well-absorbed, contaminant-free vitamin/mineral product can be complex – some naturopathic doctors sell them, or can direct you to stores carrying these products. They may be more expensive, but worth it as they provide a safer, more certain benefit. These concerns are true of many ingredients in multivitamin/mineral products.

Fourth and finally, who you are will determine what your needs are. A woman of child-bearing years will have very different nutritional needs from a 50 year old man with high cholesterol, or a physically active, healthy teenager. These needs include vitamin and mineral needs as well as total caloric needs. Again, a physician or nutritionist can help you determine your overall needs; there are many, many details involved, and a nutrition-oriented professional is your best source to determine what is right for you.

Dr. Rhoades eats as healthily as is practical, but takes vitamins to close the gap. She helps many people to find the right products to help them live happier, healthier lives – it’s complicated, but she can make it simple for you.