NUTRITION AMMUNITION
by Victoria Harrison
...are supplements right for me?
Question: 
Our doctor recommended a supplement to my husband but he insists they aren't necessary. We eat a relatively balanced diet but I'm on the side of the doctor. What do you think?
Answer:
Yes, he may need some. When I do a nutrition assessment on clients, the top deficiencies without a doubt are calcium and essential omega-3 fatty acids. Why? Adults often don't meet their daily calcium needs with milk products and don’t consciously replace this loss with other sources. Nor do they eat enough deep sea fish or organic flax seeds, which are excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Strict vegetarians' (vegans) diets are often also low in vitamin B12, zinc, iron, magnesium, chromium and iodine.
If you are constantly catching colds or flu; pregnant or lactating; in your senior years; on a long term weight reduction plan or significantly underweight; concerned about high homocysteine levels (a coronary heart disease risk); or involved with ultra competitive sports, then you may also need supplements.
Points to Ponder Before Taking Supplements
- Keep a 1-2 week detailed diary of your dietary intake and see a registered dietitian for a computer assisted evaluation or use the food intake questionnaire at http://www.whfoods.com/index.html
- Read about the supplement, its recommended dose and possible side effects
- Never think that supplements replace eating real food
Points to Ponder Before Taking Calcium Supplements
Have you:
- Included high calcium sources in each meal?
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Maximized absorption by spreading your calcium intake over the day?
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Taken excessive amounts of bone robbers, such as coffee or soft drinks (over 3 a day), salt and animal protein?
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Done a bone density test to determine if you have osteoporosis?
Choose Calcium Supplements Carefully:
- Look for elemental calcium
- Look for phosphorous and vitamin D - both essential to help calcium make bone - with at least 200 IU vitamin D per 300mg elemental calcium
- Consider calcium that dissolves readily, such as calcium citrate and liquid formulas (usually calcium gluconate)
- Look for other minerals such as magnesium, boron and strontium as a bonus for calcium absorption.
- Avoid natural sources (oyster shell, coral, dolomite, bone meal) which may be contaminated with heavy metals
- Recommended Intake:
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Age19-50: aim for 1,000mg per day
Age over 50: aim for 1,200mg per day
Tips for Increasing Calcium in Your Diet
- Include sardines and dried tiny fish often (their bones supply calcium).
- Add a tsp of vinegar or lemon juice to soup containing bones before it simmers to leach calcium out of the bones.
- Buy beverages fortified with calcium (shake vigorously before drinking).
- Use blackstrap molasses on bread, cereal or in baking.
- Eat the long stems of vegetables (where calcium is concentrated), such as broccoli, kale.
- Eat more tofu (medium set with calcium), almonds, sesame butter (tahini) and dried beans.
Do you have a nutrition question?
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