Biotech Values

[biomaven0]

recommendations for vitamins and supplements

I follow the area pretty closely. Below are my summary views, with the caveat that trials in these areas are usually poor and so hard evidence is impossible to come by.

Fish oil - possibly helpful (I personally take some Neptune krill oil).

Vitamin C, E - not helpful and E is possibly harmful

Vitamin D - most people who don't get a lot of sun do need a supplement - 2,000 IU/day is about right. Particularly important if you have a dark skin and live in a Northern clime.

B12 - worth checking levels as folic acid food supplementation masks the first obvious symptom of deficiency (anemia). People on acid blockers often need supplementation (use a sublingual).

B-supplements - only needed if homocysteine levels are high. If they are, supplement with high B12 plus moderate B6 and folic acid.

Antioxidants - no evidence that they are helpful, a few hints that high levels of some may be harmful

COQ10 - likely helpful if you are on a statin

Acetyl-l-carnitine - unclear, as is alpha-lipoic acid.

Magnesium - murky. Some people on acid blockers do need supplementation.

Selenium - no evidence of benefit

Trials in all these have tended to be underpowered or observational. One well-run large randomized study did show a small benefit to a standard daily multivitamin.

The standard advice to eat lots of fruit and vegetables (and olive oil and wine) is probably the right way to go. There is theoretical support for a lot of the stronger-tasting vegetables and spices (broccoli, curcumin, red and yellow peppers), fruits (like pomegranate), also coffee, chocolate and spicy-tasting olive oil (high in phenols). All these phytochemicals tend to stress cells slightly and mostly originated as plant defenses against insects or fungal infections.

Peter