I have often been asked, "What supplements would you recommend that I take?"

To answer that question, I have written this page.

We have reviewed supplements from hundreds of manufacturers and have developed an opinion on what is best, what is the best value, and what would be a good selection for the typical person to take.  While everyone is different, here is my opinion for a typical adult.  I believe the same basics are needed by both men and women.  Eating reasonably well and getting moderate exercise are important in addition to supplements.  A pill is not going to solve your problems, but it may enhance your quality of life and longevity. 

First, I recommend a robust multivitamin

Source Naturals Life Force Multiple is the best multivitamin on the market today based on a study of 500 multivitamins in the U.S. and Canada.  Life Force is very reasonably priced and contains effective dosages of many nutrients including CoenzymeQ10, antioxidants, lutein and lycopene.  It was rated 20 times as potent as Centrum, One-A-Day, or the CostCo Kirkland brand in the Comparative Guide to Nutritional Supplements written by Lyle MacWilliam.  The newest version of Life Force (which we carry exclusively) was rated 100, whereas the three other brands mentioned were rated about 5 on a scale of 0 to 100.  My personal choice would be the Life Force version containing NO iron.  Only people with an iron deficiency should take supplemental iron.  I would suggest taking 2 tablets per day with or after a meal for best absorption and to minimize the chance of an upset stomach because it is so strong.

My second recommendation is a Calcium supplement

Source Naturals Calcium & Magnesium is an effective, inexpensive mineral supplement.  The 2:1 Calcium:Magnesium ratio is appropriate, and the tablets contain Vitamin D3 for enhanced absorption.  The calcium and magnesium are delivered in the "amino acid chelate" form, which is one of the most easily absorbed forms.  With a typical American diet providing 500 mg per day of calcium, the recommended dose of 3 tablets per day of the supplement will provide the right amount of calcium intake for adults.

The third basic recommendation is an Omega-3 fish oil supplement

Ultra Potency Omega-3 Fish Oil from Source Naturals is the next recommendation for everyone.  The typical American diet has way too much Omega-6 oils from prepared foods (margarine, salad dressing, vegetable oils [corn, safflower, etc.], popcorn, frozen and fried foods).  A lifetime of eating this imbalance of Omega-6 oils causes all kinds of problems --  inflammation, Alzheimer's, attention deficit, heart disease, joint problems, and more.  It is best remedied by limiting intake of prepared foods and balancing their intake by eating fish and taking purified Omega-3-rich fish oil. 

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Enhance Gut Health and Immune Function with Probiotics

Inside each of us is a vast ecosystem, as complex as the soil or the oceans, that helps us digest food and contributes to our health and well-being. These acids, enzymes and bacteria actually digest your food, while the intestines manage the flow and absorb nutrients. Many experts believe that an imbalance in gut bacteria is one of the key reasons an estimated 80 million U.S. adults suffer from some digestive disorder each year.  Incomplete digestion due to imbalances in the gut flora is a cause of gas, bloating, diarrhea, constipation and other gastrointestinal (GI) problems.  Stress, diet, and prescription medications, especially antibiotics, disrupt the bacterial balance in your GI tract.

Daily supplementation with probiotics will result in reduced production of putrefactive substances and toxic metabolites. Thus a healthy intestine with adequate and balanced bacteria will provide healthy digestion, minimizing gas, bloating, diarrhea, and optimizing absorption of the nutrients in your food. JarroDophilus + FOS is a top-quality probiotic containing a mix of 6 strains of bacteria that are each beneficial in different ways and locations in the GI tract. To retain potency, JarroDophilus is best kept refrigerated.

Older adults should take Coenzyme Q10

Coenzyme Q10 is a catalyst in the cellular energy production cycle.  The heart and brain use the most energy of all organs, therefore Coenzyme Q10 benefits have been documented as most effective for these two organs.  An over all energy increase is often noticed when taking CoQ10.  Life Force contains 20 mg per day of CoQ10.  The Natures Purest brand provides the best value on 100 mg CoQ10, which is becoming a typical dose for adults over 50 years of age. At 1 capsule per day, this bottle will last 4 months.

Enhance longevity with resveratrol and vitamin D

Resveratrol is naturally found in non-commercially processed red wine.  Recent studies have shown that Resveratrol extends lifespan in yeast (70%), fruit flies and mice (40%).  It has been shown to offset the effects of obesity and poor lifestyle choices, but not shown to actually reduce weight.  It is beneficial for cardiovascular function – supporting healthy blood lipids and promoting endothelial health. 

Once only considered for bone health, recent studies indicate that vitamin D decreases cancer risk 50 – 60%, low vitamin D is associated with chronic pain and a 98% higher diabetes risk, even the AMA announced that vitamin D supplements are associated with lower mortality rate.  Vitamin D-3 has proven to be 10 times more potent than D-2. Harvard researchers recommend 1000+ IU vitamin D daily.

New research indicates Pinolenic Acid suppresses appetite

Since 1/2 to 2/3 of the U.S. adult population is overweight, this new recommendation applies to people who may need to lose a little or a lot of weight.  Pine nuts have been available -- well, as long as there have been pine trees.  The remarkable news is that pinolenic acid – a natural extract of the oils from pine nuts has been shown to suppress appetite dramatically without causing any stimulatory effect. Pinolenic acid attacks the underlying mechanisms involved in hunger so effectively that study participants reduced their food intake by 36%. 

Losing weight involves eating healthy and getting exercise.  Now pinolenic acid may be just the trick to ease the snacking or overeating that makes it so hard to lose weight. To reduce alcohol consumption, another contributor to weight gain, kudzu is demonstrating excellent results.

Everything else is condition specific

Those are the basics.  Everything else is condition specific.  You may want to review the health news by structure/ condition for more information if you have a particular concern.  Combined with relatively healthy eating and moderate exercise, you should feel much better with this program. 

Taking the supplements with or after a meal helps them stay in your digestive tract longer, thus enhancing absorption.  Taking supplements as a divided dose (i.e.: 1 pill with breakfast, 1 with dinner, if 2 pills is the daily dose) is better than taking them all at once.  If this is difficult, taking them all at once is better than not taking them at all. 

If you are taking prescription drugs, you may want to check with your doctor or pharmacist to ensure that they are compatible.  Some of the supplements may increase or decrease the effectiveness of prescription drugs, so they may need to be monitored and adjusted.  Many prescription drugs deplete the body of vitamins and other nutrients - thus causing prescription drug side effects.  But that's another topic. 

I invite you to also read "My Favorite Articles."  Also see My 5 recommendations for healthy hair growth.

Wishing you the best in health.

Howard Simon

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