Vitamins B, C and D
If our diets were packed with leafy greens, lots of fruit and low-fat dairy
(or if we spent 15 minutes bathing in the sun), we might not need as much
supplementation, but most of us do, in fact, need a multivitamin. All of the
types of vitamins have body benefits, but these are three of the powerhouses,
working to do everything from building bones to protecting against cancer.
Look for a multivitamin that includes the recommended
doses (see below).
Aspirin
I know, I know. It’s not a nutritional supplement,
technically. But this little bugger is so strong that you
should include it in your daily pill box (check with your
doc first because of potential side effects). Research
shows a 40 percent decrease in arterial aging, a major cause
of memory loss, for instance, for those who take 162 milligrams a day
(that’s two baby aspirin). It may help by improving circulation and by clearing
a gunky substance that can muck up your neurological wiring (that gunk is
called beta-amyloid).
Coenzyme Q10
This supplement has been shown to have a beneficial effect in protecting
against Parkinson’s disease and may help prevent inflammatory damage
to the brain, as well as to the heart. The ideal dose is 100 milligrams
twice a day, but many of these supplements don’t actually contain Q10, so
it’s important to check www.consumerlab.com to see if what’s listed on the
label is the real thing. A
Dr. Mehmet C. Oz is co-author with Dr. Michael Roizen of the highly successful YOU
book series. He serves as vice chair of surgery and professor of cardiac surgery at
Columbia University.
THIS&THAT
THE IDEAL DAILY VITAMIN DOSE
RIGHT NOW, THERE’S no one brand that Biotin: 300 mcg
perfectly matches the doses best supported by C: 800 mg, or 50 mg twice a day if you’re
research. So you’re a bit on your own when it taking a statin drug
comes to choosing a multi that matches your
needs. These are our recommended doses, bro- D: 1,000 IU if you’re 59 or younger;
ken down by individual vitamins and minerals. 1, 200 if 60 or older
E: 400 IU in the form of mixed tocopherols
( 100 IU from supplements if taking a statin)
K: You likely get enough from your diet
VITAMINS
A: 2,500 IU is all you need; more than 5,000
IU is too much
B (thiamin): 25 mg
1
B (riboflavin): 25 mg
2
B (niacin): At least 30 mg
3
B (pantothenic acid): 300 mg
5
B (pyridoxine): 4 mg
6
B9 (folic acid or folate): 400 mcg
B (cyanocobalamin): 800 mcg
12
MINERALS
Calcium: 1,600 mg for women, 1, 200 mg for
men (including from dietary sources)
Magnesium: 400 mg
Selenium: 200 mcg
Zinc: 15 mg
Potassium: 4 servings of fruit should do it
TIPS &TRICKS
TRICKING YOUR SYSTEM
YOU CAN CUT down on the amount you
eat at a meal if you trick your hormonal
system by sending a signal to your brain
that you’re full.
If you eat a little fat about 20 minutes
before your meal ( 70 calories in the form
of six walnuts, 12 almonds or 20 peanuts,
you’ll stimulate production of cholecys-tokinin, or CCK. This will do two things:
communicate with your brain and slow
your stomach from emptying to keep you
feeling full.
Another key is to eat slowly. This gives
time for the hormones that signal that
you are full to do their work. The average
person is finished eating well before these
“satiety signals” kick in.
One more tip: Use smaller serving plates.
We commonly think that availability
should dictate what we eat, rather than
physical hunger. You can give yourself
visual and psychological clues that you’re
full, rather than working to eat that whole
large box of popcorn.—Dr. Oz
