for your health
By Andrea Downing Peck
BERIBERI, RICKETS, scurvy and other diseases linked to vitamin deficiencies no longer make headlines, but that does not mean most Americans are
getting all the nutrients they need from their
modern diets.
In theory, a healthful and balanced diet
filled with an ample supply of protein, fresh
fruits, vegetables and whole grains would
provide the recommended amounts of vitamins, minerals and macronutrients. The
problem, however, is that many people fall
short of that ideal, consuming mainly highly
processed foods filled with empty calories.
Dr. David Katz, founding director of Yale
University’s Prevention Research Center,
describes the American diet as “islands of
deficiencies in a sea of excess.”
“There is absolutely a very strong, evi-
denced-based reason to be concerned about
deficiencies in the typical American diet,”
Katz says. However, he adds, our diverse and
vitamin-fortified food supply means vitamin
deficiencies today rarely result in disease but
GAUGE: STEPHEN MARQUES; BLUE MAN: SCOTT MAXWELL/
LU MAX ART/SHU T TERSTOCK. COM
Running on empty
Vitamin deficiencies can create health issues
do cause people to have lower levels of vita-
mins and minerals than would be “optimal
for health.”
Older people have a higher risk of vita-
min deficiencies because they eat less,
Maryland Medical Center.
Vitamin D deficiency, meanwhile, is believed to be a contributing factor in health problems ranging
from infertility to cancer. While experts
continue to quarrel over the percentage of
Americans who are vitamin D deficient, a
growing number of health professionals recommend taking extra vitamin D.
“Taking vitamin D supplements is important for your health because you can’t really
get enough vitamin D without a supplement,”
says Dr. Michael Holick of Boston University
School of Medicine, who also subscribes to
the benefits of a daily multivitamin.
Holick, a Costco member, believes fish oil
supplements containing omega- 3 fatty acids
are another worthy addition to most people’s
daily regimens. While omega- 3’s heart-healthy
attributes may not be ironclad, he says, “I take
it with my vitamin D. I don’t think it will harm
me. That is the important message. If you
are going to take something, make
sure it doesn’t harm you.”
For consumers, that
means talking to your
healthcare professional
before taking dietary
supplements since they
can interfere with some
prescription medicines
or cause complications in
The Costco
Connection
Costco members will find a
variety of vitamin-rich foods,
as well as USP-rated vitamins
and supplements, at
their local Costco.
people with certain health conditions. In addition, consuming mega-doses of fat-soluble
vitamins A, D, E and K can cause health problems because excess amounts are stored in fat
tissue and in organs throughout the body. Too
much vitamin D, for example, can cause
weight loss, thirst, itchy skin and other symptoms, while high doses of vitamin E can
impair blood clotting. Pregnant women need
to be particularly careful about consuming too
much vitamin A since excessive quantities can
lead to birth defects.
Dr. Michael Roizen, chief wellness officer
at Cleveland Clinic, is an advocate for taking a
COSTCO MEMBERS shopping for
vitamins and supplements will see the
USP label on all Kirkland Signature™
over-the-counter items. What does that
label mean?
The United States Pharmacopeial Convention (USP) is a scientific nonprofit organization that sets standards for the identity,
strength, quality and purity of medicines,
food ingredients and dietary supplements
manufactured, distributed and consumed
worldwide. USP’s drug standards are enforceable in the United States by the Food and
Drug Administration, and these standards
are developed and relied upon in more
than 140 countries.
For nearly 200 years, USP has devel-
oped and updated standards with the
needs and quality standards of patients and
consumers in mind. Since its founding in
1820, USP has helped secure the quality of
the American drug supply.
Costco buyer Teresa Thompson says,
“We want to go the extra step to let mem-
bers to know they are getting the highest-
quality products.”—T. Foster Jones
USP sets the standard
