Nutritional Supplements and Their Role in Improving Health

Today’s food grown “conventionally” in nutrient-poor soil is lacking many nutrients essential to human health. Lack of diversity in the diet, illnesses and medications may cause nutritional imbalances.

Though supplementation of vitamins, minerals and other co-factors can improve health, and may be warranted for some people and conditions, nutrition is best acquired through a healthy diet.

This section discusses various supplements and when their use is warranted.

Book Review: Ascorbate: The Science of Vitamin C — Hickey & Roberts

Supplements
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Humans lack a particular enzyme for converting glucose to vitamin C, so we must consume it in our diets. The authors provide numerous examples of scientists and doctors who have used vitamin C for the treatment of heart disease, cancer, AIDS, viral diseases, and polio with varying levels of success as well as the failures in treatment.

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CoQ10 Increases Energy and Is an Essential Supplement for Statin Users

Heart Disease
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CoQ10 is a cofactor or coenzyme for three large enzyme complexes in our mitochondria that produce approximately 90% of all cell energy. In this interview, Dr. Peter Langsjoen discusses the role of CoQ10 in producing cellular energy, at what age the levels of CoQ10 in the body begin to decline, where to find it in the diet, how supplemental CoQ10 is created, how much to supplement and in what form.

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The Importance of Vitamin A to Avoid Vitamin D Toxicity

Supplements
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In this snippet Nora talks about what form of supplemental vitamin D is preferred, how true vitamin A is not found in plant food, and the controversy over cod liver oil in the diet.

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Book Review: Iodine — Dr. David Brownstein

Supplements
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Iodine is an essential nutrient, meaning it must be consumed in the diet. Iodine is found primarily in seawater and sea organisms, particularly seaweed. Some iodine becomes airborne and is deposited in soil and water but in extremely small quantities. It is estimated that one-third of the earth’s soil is deficient in iodine and that people’s iodine levels have fallen 50 percent over the past thirty years.

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