Phytonutrients work synergistically
Everything needed to make a nutrient work in the body
is IN the whole food
Don't allow isolates to rob the body of the needed nutrients to make it work!!
CoQ10: Most Brands Are Virtually Worthless
Coenzyme Q10, or CoQ10 for short, is one of the most important nutrients and widely recommended by nutritionally-oriented physicians because of its ability to protect against heart disease, high blood pressure, premature aging, gum disease, free radical damage and various other degenerative health conditions, and it helps safeguard the health of the brain and bolster immune function. CoQ10 also is important for healthy skin, and can help protect against skin cancer. In addition, CoQ10 plays a vital role in maintaining the healthy function of your cells’ energy factories, the mitochondria. According to Dr. Robert Jay Rowan, one of our nation’s top holistic physicians, the overall health benefits of CoQ10 have been proven by over 1,500 peer-reviewed scientific studies
CoQ10 is produced naturally by your body. However, peak production of CoQ10 occurs in one’s early 20s. After that, the body’s production of CoQ10 begins to decline, in most cases precipitously so once reaches age 40. Since CoQ10 isn’t readily found in food, and because it is so important for optimal health, it is not surprising that the use of CoQ10 supplements have dramatically increased during the last two decades, as more doctors and lay people have learned about the significant health benefits it provides. (Ironically, few cardiologists in the United States recommend CoQ10 to their patients despite the fact that CoQ10 plays such an important role in preventing and helping to reverse most types of heart disease.)
Unfortunately, in the majority of case, the CoQ10 supplements that people use today are virtually worthless unless they are taken in extremely high doses. That’s because the majority of CoQ10 supplements being sold today contain a form of CoQ10 known as ubiquinone
What’s Wrong With Ubiquinone?
.
Two things, actually. First, ubiquinone is very poorly absorbed. In fact, only 4 percent of ubiquinone taken orally is able to be absorbed by the body. That means that 96 percent of the ubiquinone is not able to be used by your body. Instead, it simply gets eliminated in your urine. (Yes, this is one of the rare examples in which the “expensive urine” attack made against supplements by the pro-pharmaceutical drug camp is true.)
Because of how poorly ubiquinone is able to be absorbed and used by your body, you would have to take megadoses of it before you experienced the health benefits CoQ10 provides. Dr. Rowan states that the average person would need to consume 3,000 mg of ubiquinone a day to receive any benefit. Considering that CoQ10 supplements are usually in the range of 30 to 100 mg, you can easily understand why a daily intake of 3000 mg of ubiquinone would be a very expensive proposition.
But even if you can afford such an extreme measure, there is still another problem with ubiquinone. And that is that, before the small percentage of ubiquinone that your body is able to absorb can be used, it first must be converted into ubiquinol, the primary version of CoQ10 that is produced by your body. (CoQ10 found in blood has a composition that is 95 percent ubiquinol.) This conversion requires energy being used by your body that would otherwise be used for other purposes.
So What’s the Solution?
Although your body requires and produces both forms of C0Q10, it’s clear that ubiquinol is by far the most essential form. Based on that fact, you may wonder why manufacturers of CoQ10 chose to market ubiquinone formulas over ubiquinol. The answer to that question, until recently, was ubiquinol, when exposed to oxygen (oxidation), turns into ubiquinone as a direct result of the oxidation process. Given that fact, from a manufacturer’s standpoint, there would be little reason to bring ubiquinol to market when it would quickly turn into ubiquinone in the presence of oxygen. That’s why, today, most CoQ10 products on the market are made up of ubiquinone, not ubiquinol.
Fortunately, this trend is starting to change thanks to recent innovations that allows manufacturers to make a stabilized form of ubiquinol that effectively resists the oxidation process. In addition, researchers have proven that the human body is far better able to absorb this stabilized form of ubiquinol compared to ubiquinone. As a result, the studies show, amounts of ubiquinol that are nearly a tenth the amount of ubiquinone are able to provide the same benefits. In short, this means that you get far greater benefit from ubiquinol in lower doses than you do from ubiquinone. Just as importantly, the ubiquinol form of CoQ10 has been shown to be far more effective for protecting body cholesterol from oxidizing. (It’s the oxidation process, rather than cholesterol levels themselves, that is the reason cholesterol has been linked to heart disease; when cholesterol does not oxidize, it poses little to no threat for heart disease.)
Based on all of these facts, it’s clear that the best choice for CoQ10 supplementation is to use stabilized ubiquinol, not ubiquinone. Although such products typically cost more than the more common standard CoQ10 products, they are far more effective for providing the health benefits you want. So, the next time you buy a CoQ10 supplement, be sure that you check the label. Because if you’re buying ubiquinone, you are in effect throwing your money away.
Note: If you are on any of the following prescription medicines, please consult with your physician before using CoQ10: ACE inhibitors, anticoagulants, beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, diabetes drugs, diuretics, dopamine-enhancers, insulin, and HMG Co-A Reductase Inhibitors. The use of CoQ10 benefits may require that the dosages o such drugs be changed. Pregnant women should also consult with their doctors before using CoQ10.
Also note that statin drugs significantly reduce CoQ10 levels in the body, thereby increasing the need for CoQ10 supplementation.
To read this The Health Plus Letter in it's entirety and/or sign-up for this newsletter click here
The Health Plus Letter, February 19, 2009, Vol. 7, No. 5. Copyright © 2009 by Larry Trivieri, Jr. All rights reserved.
If you have not already gone to www.4livefoodfactorfriends.com be sure to do so! You will get 40 raw beverage recipes. Victoria also shares her secrets in preparing the most delicious raw drinks ever!
(Real) Food, Not Vitamin Supplements, Says New Study
Four reasons to avoid vitamin pills and to get your
vitamins from a real food diet instead. The Daily Green has always promoted healthy eating in the form of real foodsas opposed to vitamin supplements. It's not just because we love visiting the farmers' market and cooking up delicious recipes. Studies have shown that real foods high in vitamins do more for your health than their vitamin supplement counterparts.
The Daily Green has always promoted healthy eating in the form of real foods as opposed to vitamin supplements. It's not just because we love visiting the farmers' market and cooking up delicious recipes. Studies have shown that real foods high in vitamins do more for your health than their vitamin supplement counterparts.
A study in this week's issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, and detailed in the New York Times, proposed that if you are exercising to improve metabolism and prevent diabetes, then you may want to avoid antioxidant vitamins like C and E. Why? It comes down to reactive oxygen species (ROS), of which free radicals are a subset. When you exercise, your body creates these compounds, which damage your body's tissues. But your body has a natural defense system for ROS, which vitamin supplements may interfere with. "Thus, it is possible that preventing the formation of ROS by, for example, antioxidants might actually increase, rather than decreases the risk of type 2 diabetes." Essentially "antioxidant s upplementation blocks many of the beneficial effects of exercise on metabolism," the study states.
This study also recaps several other recent findings that suggest antioxidant supplements could harm you. According to the study, "[A]ntioxidant use in type 2 diabetics has been linked to increased prevalence of hypertension and use of antioxidant supplements has recently been proposed to increase overall mortality in the general population. Taken together, these previously published findings tentatively suggest that fruits and vegetables may exert health-promoting effects despite their antioxidant content and possible due to other bio-active compounds."
The study makes one last important point: Eating vitamins present in foods is still good for you. It's only vitamin pills that seem problematic.
This is one study, of course. But we have yet to hear of any study that reports any negative effects from eating healthy fruits and veggies.
Below is a recap of three more reasons to question the health benefits of vitamin supplements:
1. Vitamins C and E Won't Prevent Heart Attack
In a long-term study of male physicians, vitamins C and E did not reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events, but it is well documented that people who eat plenty of plant foods have a lower risk of heart disease, cancer and other conditions.
2. Vitamin C and E Pills Don't Prevent Cancer
Using the same data as the above study, researchers determined that taking vitamin C and E supplements doesn't lower cancer risk either.
3. Vitamins A, E and Beta Carotene Pills May Shorten Your Life
This study, published by the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that although antioxidant supplements are used for the prevention of several diseases, "Treatment with beta carotene, Vitamin A, and Vitamin E may increase mortality. The potential roles of vitamin C and selenium on mortality need further study."
Note from Susan: This is why it is always best to get as many of your nutrients as you can from foods rich in minerals. https://www.noblelifeelements.com/livefoodfactor
As you know, in The Live Food Factor, I discuss how the media has brainwashed us to believe in drugs and cooked food.
Here is a book that really goes into depth about how this occurs, and what you can do to deprogram yourself!
We all know that minds create and most of us put a lot of energy into
positive thinking. Why then are we living in such troubling times? Today I
bring you information that is vital for living truly free lives, where we
are in control and can once again create our ideal life.
I am writing about my friend and colleague, Eldon Taylor and his brand new
book, Mind Programming: From Persuasion and Brainwashing to Self-Help and
Practical Metaphysics. This is simply a must-read book! This message is so
important that many of the world's visionaries, myself included, have joined
together to support this book launch.
View the trailer for Mind Programming
http://www.progressiveawarenesspromotions.com/innertalk/May09/index...
As you read this book, you'll feel the blinders being removed and you will
truly see the world in an entirely new light.
Jeff Warrick, - documentary filmmaker, Programming the Nation?
Eldon bares the facts, exposing the groups ranging from media types to
governmental agencies that have spent billions of dollars learning how to
surreptitiously gain access to your thoughts, your motivations and your
choices. See for yourself in the 'smoking gun' of advertising manuals, in
the secret clandestine work of governmental agencies, in the
neuro-technology labs of the sellers of goods and services. You will be
shocked and horrified at the extent a few have gone to shape every aspect of
your thinking, and this programming goes on everyday!
Brainwashing and marketing are big business; and your precious mind is a
coveted commodity. In this book Eldon Taylor exposes all and tells you how
to take your power back and be free to become your own best self. Eldon is a
grand master of the mind.
Joan Borysenko, Ph.D. - author of Your Soul's Compass
More details here.
http://www.progressiveawarenesspromotions.com/innertalk/May09/index...
Mind Programming is really two books in one. The first half of the book is
the tell-all story that uncovers the unseen influences that are so
pervasive, penetrating and effective. The second half of the book is all
about the tools and technologies you can use to cleanse your mind of the
non-sense you may not have even recognized as being present before reading
this liberating book. Think about it. How many original thoughts do you
really have? How many thoughts are about your limitations, your fears, your
anxieties, the things you want, and so forth. You will learn that from
sickness and anxiety to the way you comb your hair and dress, and so much
more, are all a part of what you have been trained to think and choose. You
will also learn some very simple easy-to-use tools that can free your mind
and empower your being.
In a period when fear has reached a frenzied pitch, Taylor shines a
brilliant spotlight to dispel the darkness!
Angelina Heart - author of The Teaching of Little Crow
Even if you already have some awareness of the everyday mind manipulation
techniques, and are already guarding against these intrusions, there will be
areas you simply have not heard of. Even if none of this information is of
interest to you because you are already guarding the input into your minds,
you will be thankful to finally have the facts, figures and hard evidence to
present to your family and friends, so they too can escape from the everyday
brainwashing. But Eldon does not leave it there as he also covers numerous
tools and techniques to assist you in taking back the control of your mind.
These tools range from exercises that will not cost you a penny, such as the
'50-day plan,' automatic writing, and mind exercises, to high tech (but
affordable) tools such as cortical electro-stimulation. Whatever your
preference, Mind Programming will provide you with the information vital for
today's climate. -- PLUS: Mind Programming ships with a free, high-tech,
mind-training CD, that utilizes the patented and proven InnerTalk
technology.
More details here.
http://www.progressiveawarenesspromotions.com/innertalk/May09/index...
Even though I consider myself to be quite aware of what is going on in the
world, this book boldly shatters illusions about how extensive the mind
control in our society has become. Are you really free? Only if you can take
back control your mind. Thank heavens, Dr. Taylor shows us how in one of the
most important books I have ever read.
Terri Marie - author of Be the Hero of Your Own Game
More details here.
http://www.progressiveawarenesspromotions.com/innertalk/May09/index...
I am so excited about this new book because I know it can really make a
powerful difference in your life. That is why I have joined with many
visionaries in offering special bonus incentives when you get your copy
today. When you purchase your copy of Mind Programming, you will:
1) Have a chance to win 2 tickets to a Hay House conference. Everyone who
orders Mind Programming between May 19th and June 17th can enter to win a
trip to the I CAN DO IT Conference in Tampa, Florida where Eldon will be
appearing in November. (Trip includes 2 full conference tickets, hotel
accommodations, and round-trip domestic coach airfare).
2) Be entered to win Eldon's finest success library, Your Personal Best,
featuring 28 programs on 20 CDs; all using the patented and proven InnerTalk
technology. This is a $599 value.
3) Attend a free pre-screening of Jeff Warrick's mind-blowing documentary,
Programming The Nation.
4) Gain free membership to Eldon's Mind Matters community, where you will
find numerous gifts valued at over $5000. These gifts are all yours for
acting today and getting your copy of Mind Programming. Pick up all your
gifts today, or come back once you have read Mind Programming - the choice
is yours. Take your time and enjoy exploring the best tools available. Try
them for free and decide for yourself what works best for you! These gifts
come to you from almost 300 supporters including Louise Hay, Wayne Dyer,
Marci Shimoff, Joan Borysenko, Judith Orloff, and Bruce Lipton.
PLUS: For every book sold during this event, Eldon will be donating all of
his author proceeds to Women for Women International, an award-winning
non-profit organization. Women for Women provides women survivors of war,
civil strife and other conflicts with the tools and resources to move from
crisis and poverty to stability and self-sufficiency, thereby promoting
viable civil societies.
So don't hesitate, act now and get your copy today.
It's only your mind if you manage what goes into it, otherwise it is
analogous to a computer that the world has read and write access to.
Eldon Taylor - author of Choices and Illusions and Mind Programming
ACT NOW
http://www.progressiveawarenesspromotions.com/innertalk/May09/index...
To receive this newsletter click here
The family demanded that the doctors try high doses of Vitamin C. The hospital told them it wouldn't work, but the family insisted. They had to hire a lawyer to get their way -- but their actions saved the man's life. Click the link below to see a news report of this amazing story.
Sources:
4 years ago, when I began holistic chatting, my buddies thought I was a nut. I refused to take vitamins. To this day, I've not consumed a vitamin pill ... and I will NOT.
If you go back and read carefully, you will find where Dr. Mercola is warning against vitamin C causing a copper imbalance ... and stating that vitamins are best gotten from our food sources.
Are there instances where mega doses are needed for short periods of time - probably SO, and at the guidance of someone that knows what they are doing and what the test #s mean! Ex: C needs the copper for proper assimilation or it wouldn't use it all up - and I have no doubt that their are other things that become imbalanced in mega-dose situations.
~PC~
By - Jon Barron
There was a time when it took a lot of arguing to convince people that they need some kind of vitamin/mineral supplement. Not so anymore. Although people may not know the exact numbers, they are aware that the food that is sold in markets today is less nutritious than it was 50 years ago. For example: When you think about it, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what's happened. We've exchanged quality for quantity. You can't keep increasing your yield per acre, at the same time steadily depleting your soil year after year, and not expect to lose something in the process. And what's been lost is the quality of our food. The bottom line is that if you live in any industrialized country in the world today, you must supplement to maintain your health -- to reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease, degenerative diseases of all kinds, retard the aging process, and protect against toxic injury. You would think that supplementation would be pretty easy. Figure out just where people are likely to be deficient; then make a pill that supplements for those suspected deficiencies -- sort of a one-a-day multiple-vitamin kind of thing. Determining the best supplement to take would then be a simple job of reading the label. Unfortunately, it's not that simple. There are actually several problems. Actually, vitamins can be classified as either: totally natural, co-natural, or synthetic. Almost no vitamins that you buy are totally natural. Why? Quite simply, cost. Direct extraction of vitamins from foods is prohibitively expensive. For example, acerola cherries, the best natural source of vitamin C, contain only 1 percent of vitamin C by weight. Most supplements that list acerola cherries as their vitamin C source contain only a small percentage of vitamin C from the cherries -- the rest is synthesized vitamin C. Co-natural vitamins are derived from vegetable and animal source through the use of solvent extraction, distillation, hydrolysis, or crystallization -- but, by definition, haven't undergone any conversion or chemical alteration during the extraction process. However, analysis reveals that most co-natural vitamins contain substantial amounts of chemical residues such as hexane -- the result of the extraction process. They also contain all kinds of preservatives and additives. And the amazing thing is that none of these chemicals and additives appear on the label. All you see is "Vitamin A" or "Niacinamide." The labels NEVER show the other nonsense that comes along with these vitamins. Synthetic vitamins can be derived from either natural or chemical sources. What makes them synthetic is that they undergo a process of "conversion," either as a result of the extraction process or as the result of pure chemical buildup. Synthetics are, at best, about 50% as effective as natural vitamins and may actually suppress the body's ability to absorb the natural portion of the vitamin. Synthetics are easily identified by an "l" designation, which stands for levorotary (referring to the fact that they rotate light to the left). Natural vitamins carry a "d" for dexorotary (referring to the fact that they rotate light to the right). A natural vitamin E, for example, is easily identified by the "d-alpha-tocopherol." The synthetic by "dl-alpha-tocopherol." (Incidentally, the body can't use the l-form of vitamin E, and the l-form may even inhibit the d-form from entering cell membranes.) Many commercial grade vitamin and mineral concentrates are synthesized by the large pharmaceutical and chemical companies (Kodak, Hoffman La Roche, etc.) from the same starting material that they make their drugs from (coal tar, wood pulp, petroleum products, animal byproducts, waste and fecal matter, ground rocks, stones, shells, and metal.) Another surprise is that the term organic, when applied to supplements, does not mean the same thing as it does with food. For supplements, all the word organic means is that the molecule contains at least one carbon atom (as in organic chemistry). In other words, a supplement can be labeled 100% organic and not be natural at all. Many so-called natural vitamins have synthetics added to "increase potency," or to standardize the amount in a capsule or batch. Many vitamins also add a synthetic salt form of the vitamin to increase stability. These synthetics are easily identified by the terms acetate, bitartrate, chloride, gluconate, hydrochloride, nitrate, and succinate. Modern medicine refuses to define the human body as a holistic entity, but rather as a grouping of separate parts and pieces. Not surprisingly, that same paradigm has been applied to nutrition. In other words, modern nutrition is based on the concept that key nutrients can be identified and isolated. Unfortunately, the reality is quite different. I could go on and on giving examples, such as the B vitamins and vitamin E, where Science has continually come up short in identifying the key factors that make it all work. The bottom line, though, is that in nature, vitamins do not exist in isolation; they exist in molecularly bound in complexes. And here's a final thought for you. Although it is conceivable that Science may someday identify all of the key nutrients contained in nature so that we don't keep finding out what nutrients we forgot to include, it is an absolute impossibility that Science will ever identify how all of these nutrients interact with and support each other. The mathematical possibilities are just too immense.In the end, we will find that there are literally thousands of nutrients that our bodies require to remain healthy, and the possibilities for the synergistic interaction of all of these nutrients is astronomical. (As I've already mentioned there are some 400 carotenoids alone that have already been identified -- just in one carrot. And each day there are new phytochemicals (not to mention whole new classes of phytochemicals) and brand new antioxidants being identified and added to the list. So the question remains, what's the best overall (one-a-day kind of thing) supplement? The best way to look at the question of an overall supplement is to break it into three categories: Optimum, Acceptable, and Avoid at all costs. Supplements made from synthetics are not an option. At their best, they are only 50% as effective as a natural vitamin. At their worst, they actually may carry harmful side effects. It's possible to find high quality vitamin/mineral supplements at the health food store that use only co-natural vitamins and no synthetics. The problem with supplements BASED on co-naturals is that they can never be complete (they don't contain the full vitamin/mineral complexes), and they rely on megadoses to overcome this deficiency. A good choice is to use concentrated "food-based" vitamin complexes. Such supplements will contain concentrated forms of liver, yeast, and wheat germ for example. Another alternative is a superfood combination that contains things like spirulina, chlorella, flower pollen, nutritional yeast, wheat grass, barley grass, powdered beets, etc. to provide a full complement of vitamins and minerals. The actual amount of vitamins and minerals you get will be less than in the other options, but the bioavailability will be high. Watch out for fillers. Superfoods are expensive, and many manufacturers cheat their formulas down by adding large amounts of things such as non-stabalized rice bran and lecithin. Also, it's important to make sure that your superfood provides good sources for the B vitamins and for vitamin D. For years, it was thought that edible seaweeds, fermented soya foods, and spirulina contained high levels of B12. They don't. What they contain are B12 analogues (chemical lookalikes) which your body cannot use. You'll need another source of B12. Recent studies have found that more than half of all people have too little vitamin D in their bodies. The big surprise was that 1/3 of those who were deficient were taking vitamin D isolate supplements. Make sure your superfood provides adequate amounts of real vitamin D -- and get some sunlight on your body. At this point in time, the best supplements are actually “grown” using a live, biodynamic growing process that results in organic food matrix supplements. Make no mistake. This type of multivitamin/mineral formula is unlike most other supplements you have ever used. Supplements made this way are easily the most body-friendly vitamin/mineral supplement you can find and provide optimum levels of nutrition, while avoiding the problems associated with the mega-dosing of synthetic and co-natural vitamins. There are several companies that manufacture this type of supplement. All produce good quality product, but some are better than others. Some actually energy balance their supplements, using an energy that can be quantified and seen in Kirlian (or energy field) photographs. The first picture shows one of the largest selling "Natural" multivitamins in the world. Notice how the tablet in the center projects so little energy that it is almost invisible. In the second picture, we see a top selling "Chelated" multivitamin in a whole food concentrate. Here we see the tablet in the center projecting a small, unbalanced energy field. And finally, in the third picture, we see a bio-dyamincally grown, energy balanced tablet putting out such a strong and coherent energy field that it literally obscures the tablet in the center. This is your best choice in multivitamin/mineral formulas at this time.
Why we need to supplement
What kind of supplements?
Totally natural
Co-natural
As non-optimal as they may be, however, co-natural vitamins are nevertheless far superior to synthetic vitamins.
Synthetics
What you actually get in the store
The bigger problem
What to do? What to do? What to do?
Avoid At All Costs
Almost Acceptable
Good
Better
Best choice at this time
More specifically, the resulting supplement is an organic food matrix consisting of non-denatured, water-soluble nutrients and micro-nutrients molecularly bound into a highly complex interlocking systems of lipoproteins, glycoproteins, phosphoproteins, phospholipids, nucleoproteins, essential fatty acids, complex carbohydrates, numerous enzymes and coenzyme groups, biologically-active bioflavonoid groups, water molecules, and countless other naturally occurring food constituents in an authentic food complex.
Energy Balanced
(NaturalNews) Once someone has overcome all of the hurdles to get appropriate testing and is told that they have vitamin B12 deficiency, there is still a problem to overcome- getting the right KIND of vitamin B12. There are several kinds of vitamin B12 that are all CALLED vitamin B12, but only ONE, methylcobalamin, is the form that should be used in the vast majority of cases. Yet few doctors use methylcobalamin, favoring using their prescription pads and tradition over good Science in their decision to supplement this vital vitamin.
When talking about vitamin B12, this is actually a generic term for a class of compounds called the Cobalamins, and indeed when one has vitamin B12 deficiency, it is more scientifically called Cobalamin Deficiency. This makes perfect sense when you understand that the various formulations of Vitamin B12 all end with the suffix Cobalamin. While there are MANY `Cobalamins`, only three are generally used as dietary supplements, namely:
Hydroxocobalamin
Cyanocobalamin
Methylcobalamin
All three types are considered `Vitamin B12`, they are NOT all the same and using the right one can be a critical decision. Cyanocobalamin is probably the most commonly used in the medical world and is often given as `B12 Shots` in a doctor's office for those with certain medical conditions. But cyanocobalamin is actually the WORST choice, despite the fact that doctors in the US are more likely to prescribe it over any other form. Not only does cyanocobalamin require a higher dosage for the same effectiveness of hydroxycobalamin, but it is Entirely Ineffective for several different conditions related to vitamin B12 deficiency. As such, it has been suggested repeatedly by several researchers, starting with Dr. AG Freeman in 1970, that cyanocobalamin should be removed from the market. While Great Britain followed through with researcher recommendations and removed the inferior product, doctors in the the United States have no such restrictions and still use cyanocobalamin routinely.
"...there [is] no condition in which it has been
claimed that cyanocobalamin was
preferable to hydroxocobalamin"
`Cyanocobalamin- a case for withdrawal: discussion paper`
While hydroxocobalamin is preferred over cyanocobalamin, another formulation called methylcobalamin is actually the BEST choice. Technically a `coenzyme` of vitamin B12, it is almost never used despite being effective, readily available, inexpensive and available in both sublingual preparations and injectable form. This is too bad because there are many people that could very well benefit from the methylcobalamin form of vitamin B12 that would NOT benefit from the other forms. Degenerative neurologic problems are where methylcobalamin shows its greatest benefits over other cobalamin preparations, and it is often one of the ONLY promising treatments for these tragic diseases. While Japan uses methylcobalamin nearly exclusively and it is the form present in prescription vitamin B12 there, the United States has virtually ignored the hundreds of studies that show the benefits this simple vitamin can bring.
"Methylcobalamin is the form found in food and
has much higher bioavailability than the form most
widely available in supplements, cyanocobalamin."
`B12 (Cobalamin)`
Not only has methylcobalamin been shown to work in neurologic diseases, it also helps with the elimination of toxic substances in the body. One of the ways that humans detoxify is through a process called 'Methylation'. Methylation is a CRITICAL function of a healthy body, but all too often we 'use up' the necessary raw materials because of our nearly constant exposure to environmental pollutants. Methylcobalamin is actually able to replenish the 'methyl' portion that is missing in methylation, while the other forms of vitamin B12 REQUIRE a methyl donor in order to be converted into a biologically active form in the blood. Therefore, people who already HAVE methylation detoxification problems, such as children with autism, can actually be made WORSE if other forms of vitamin B12 are administered!
While getting ENOUGH vitamin B12 is an important factor for maintaining general well being, getting the right KIND, in the form of methylcobalin is equally important. In fact, choosing correctly could very well mean the difference between good health and disease.
Resources:
1) http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/picrender.fcgi?artid=1293728&b...
2http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/119759807/abstract?CRETR...
3) http://www.hormonalfitness.com/facts/HFN%209%20-%20b12%20Cobalamin.pdf
4) http://www.pnas.org/content/99/15/10072.abstract
About the author
Kerri Knox, RN is a Registered Nurse and Functional Medicine Practitioner.
With over 14 years of experience in health care, she has the unique perspective of being solidly grounded in Conventional Medicine and being well versed in Alternative Medicine.
She can help you to to find and repair the UNDERLYING CAUSES of illness using cutting edge in home lab testing that finds nutritional deficiencies, hidden infections and chemical and metal toxicities that contribute to ill health.
She has a private practice in the San Francisco Bay Area, but works primarily by Telephone Consultation so that she can help you wherever you happen to live in the US. She can be reached through her website at:
http://www.easy-immune-health.com
"Finally Be Well Again!"
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The Right Kind of Vitamin B12 is Vital for Treating Deficiency
In this episode of the Running Raw Project: While speaking in Detroit, Tim VanOrden shares his views on supplement use.
Did you know your multivitamin may be creating toxic
build up within your body? The deadly secret
multivitamin suppliers hope you never discover...
What if you discovered your multivitamin was punishing you instead of helping you?
Believe it or not, all multivitamins are not created equal. Some may, in fact, inflict enough punishment on you that they should probably be flushed down the toilet.
Radical?
Consider this… If your multivitamin is synthetic, how do you know it’s even doing you any good? Are you assuming that because you take a ‘multi’ you’re guaranteed better health than if you don’t – because it seems like the healthy thing to do?
Obviously if you take a multi, this is something you’ll want to check out.
In my opinion, if you shop for your supplements at discount stores you may be seriously shortchanging yourself because those products typically use cheap synthetic isolates.
Millions gorge themselves on synthetic vitamins, only to acquire and die from degenerative diseases.
You see, isolated vitamins are partial vitamins, combined with other chemicals. They’re a low-end alternative to whole, real complete food.
When you remove a part from the whole, you get ‘Synthetic,’ ‘Isolated,’ or ‘Fractionated’ pieces of the whole, but it’s simply not the same.
There are four problems with synthetic vitamins…
1. Nature intended for you to consume food in WHOLE form because all the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants
and enzymes are together in one package. They work synergistically to give your body the nutrition it
requires for optimal health.
2. Your body only absorbs a small percentage of an isolate form of vitamins and minerals – and it utilizes even
less. You get the best bioavailability in whole food form.
3. Synthetic vitamins often give you massive quantities of some nutrients (usually the most inexpensive ones)
and insufficient quantities of others, not balance.
4. You can experience side effects of synthetic isolates from the additives and the unnatural state of the
synthetic supplement.
You’ve heard me say it before… Fast food and a sedentary lifestyle can be a disaster for your health.
Don’t let your multivitamin add to the collateral damage.
In fact, you want to be sure it makes a real and significant contribution to your health, especially if you’ve already adopted healthy lifestyle practices.
After all, I’m quite sure you’re one of the nearly 100% of the human race who wants to feel on top of the world…. All the time.
One thing you can always do to optimize your health and feel great is to maximize your immune system’s capabilities.
Because face it – everybody wants to feel well all the time, don’t they?
There’s no better time to get started than right now then, is there? The beginning of 2010 – all those goals you set for a healthier new year…
Now is the time to start moving toward a healthier diet and lifestyle. Start today, by adding just one raw vegetable per day to your diet… a small, do-able step toward your better health.
Because today is the first day of the rest of your life! Why wait?
Ideally it is best to receive all your nutrition from high quality unprocessed foods. Unfortunately, if you’re like most people, you may find it impractical or impossible to eat right one hundred percent of the time.
Therefore, even when you take the steps of adding raw veggies to your diet and getting some exercise and vitamin D, you still might want to hedge your bets by supplementing with a quality multivitamin every day – just to be sure.
While I cannot endorse the practice of sloppy eating and a sedentary lifestyle while taking a supplement to cover for reckless lifestyle choices…
It is true that multivitamins do help promote your optimal health and strong immune system, providing support for defense against a growing number of health concerns*. At least some of them do. More on that in a moment…
Taking pro-active steps, including taking a multivitamin to help maintain and boost good health and wellness is still one of the best things you can do for yourself and your health*…
Especially if you’re already adhering to a smart lifestyle with a healthy diet, exercise, adequate sunshine and good sleep.
However, there are important issues for you to remember…
I received quite a bit of feedback that you wanted an even more comprehensive formula than my original Whole Food Multi. So I went back to the drawing board and worked with my team to come up with an extraordinarily powerful formula -- at a fantastic price.
Here's the stringent criteria I used to find you the best high-potency multi on the market:
• Must AVOID additives or synthetic nutrients -- I only considered natural and whole food-based
multivitamins.
• Must be produced by a highly reputable company with the highest quality control manufacturing practices
in place -- I focused on quality as a higher priority than quantity.
• Must go beyond RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) and RDI (Recommended Daily Intake)
guidelines -- In my opinion, RDA/RDI amounts define the lower limits of daily nutrient intake. I wanted the
best nutrient formula to promote your optimal nutrition
• Must include the added bonus of essential minerals -- Minerals add their unique layer of nutritional
support*. Many high-potency multivitamins with rich vitamin concentrations lack important minerals.
Before I jump into all the details of this exclusive multivitamin and its power-packed formula now available to you, you might be wondering...
Excellent question -- and one you deserve an answer to...
As you already know, I've been a proponent of eating whole foods for proper nutrition for years... and now -- eating the proper whole foods based on your Nutritional Type (NT).
So, in recommending a high-quality multivitamin, please remember that these nutritional supplements complementt the food you eat. They do not take the place of a healthful diet of unprocessed organic foods, which I believe is still the best physical factor for you to achieve optimal nutrition.
However, accessing and eating high quality foods regularly may be a personal challenge for you and your family. Your busy schedule may lead you to cook healthy whole food less than you know you should -- and eat "fast food" more.
Even if you do well with your diet choices, another factor involves the actual food supply itself.
A number of carefully controlled studies have provided startling evidence that by the time the food reaches your table, serious nutrient content could already be lost.
Some estimates report the nutrient value lost at over 50%!
This is largely the result of conventional farming methods that rely heavily on chemical fertilizers and pesticides, which deplete the soil of nutrients... nutrients that must be absorbed by plants in order to be passed on to you.
And it does not necessarily end there.
In many cases, it's likely you unknowingly further deplete the nutrients in your food -- just by the way you prepare it. For most food, cooking it will seriously impair its nutritional value.
So, realizing that you cannot always obtain the whole unprocessed foods you need -- and knowing how easy it is for valuable nutrients to be destroyed -- you now know why I believe adding a good multivitamin to complement your diet is a sound move.
There are literally hundreds, if not thousands, of high-potency multivitamins on the market today... but there are only a few great ones out there. If you are convinced of the importance of using a multivitamin, than I would strongly encourage you to do your homework, and make sure a GREAT company produced it.
When I first started my investigation, I was absolutely shocked at the low quality demonstrated by so many companies. That's why I spent many long months of hard effort to research and identify what I believe is the absolute best supplement manufacturer in the U.S. today.
After much tedious and careful research, I was able to identify an outstanding supplement manufacturer -- one who allowed me to help formulate the best multivitamin possible for you.
The lab I chose has won outstanding awards on numerous occasions:
• One of the latest awards received by this lab was the 5-Star Gold Medal of Achievement for several of
its supplements. The independent research firm, NutriSearch Corporation, issued this top award to the lab in
its Comparative Guide to Nutritional Supplements
• Of the over 1500 products evaluated, only 4 laboratories received this top award..
For more information on THE multivitamin recommended by Dr. Mercola Click here.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have found that more than half of U.S. adults use dietary supplements such as multivitamins, minerals or
herbs. The number has risen from just 42 percent in 1988 to 53 percent in 2006.
The most popular supplements are multivitamins, which were used by 39 percent of U.S. adults in 2006. Some consumers may be viewing supplements as a way to
make up for a poor diet, which is not the best approach.
According to CNN:
"While some are helpful, supplements can't entirely replace proper nutrition ... "
Dr. Mercola's Comments:
Fifty-three percent of Americans now use dietary supplements, an increase of 11 percent in just under two decades, but the question remains, is this
trend making people healthier?
In general, it doesn't appear so. Chronic disease rates are rising and the latest study published in Health Affairs revealed that the United States now
ranks
49th for male and female life expectancy
worldwide, a ranking that has fallen sharply from fifth place in 1950.
Supplements Cannot Make up for an Unhealthy Lifestyle
It has always been my belief and teaching that supplements are in addition to NOT in place of a good sound diet. You can't cover
your nutritional or lifestyle "sins" by taking a handful of supplements. Biology doesn't work that way.
Your biological imperative to achieve good health is to eat the highest quality toxin-free foods you can possibly find or afford. Anything less
will increase your risk for weight gain and accelerated aging.
A healthy Diet based on food choices that are appropriate foryour nutritional type, along with exercise, are the two bedrocks of optimal health. Typically supplements will not
work nearly as well if these foundations are not in place, and they will certainly not replace these healthy habits.
The latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed that multivitamins are the most popular supplements, taken by 39
percent of U.S. adults no doubt as an "insurance policy" to make up for poor diet.
Taking pro-active steps, including taking a multivitamin to help maintain and boost good health and wellness, is not a bad idea, but if you're
taking a synthetic multivitamin (like the majority of those sold at discount stores or large chain stores) you may as well be flushing your money
down the toilet.
Why Synthetic and Megadose Vitamins are a Waste of Money
Synthetic alternatives to whole foods are known as "isolates." Your body will only absorb a small percentage of an isolate form of vitamins and
minerals -- and utilize even less (Your body absorbs much more of the whole food form.) On top of that, there may be side effects, depending on the
quality of the isolate.
Synthetic nutrients are not natural in that they are never found by themselves in nature. Taking these isolated nutrients regularly, especially at
the ultra-high doses found in formulas today, is frequently more like taking a drug.
When you take vitamins or Antibiotics that are concentrated above what is found naturally, in nature, your small intestine actually forms defenses
against the absorption of these excessively concentrated ingredients.
It does this by creating a biofilm -- a barrier that effectively blocks the absorption of nutrients -- as a form of self defense, if you will.
According to
Dr. Dietrich Klinghardt
, who frequently monitors his patients' nutrient levels, oftentimes the more supplements you take the less your body actually absorbs. Further,
studies show your body treats these isolated and synthetic nutrients like xenobiotics (foreign substances). This is why your urine will oftentimes
turn some shade of glow-in-the-dark yellow when you take synthetic vitamins, as your body is simply flushing these foreign substances out.
So if you choose to take a multivitamin, you'll want to be sure that it is a whole food supplement.
Whole food supplements are what their name suggests: Supplements made from concentrated whole foods. The vitamins found within these supplements
are not isolated. They are highly complex structures that combine a variety of enzymes, coenzymes, antioxidants, trace elements, activators and
many other unknown or undiscovered factors that work together synergistically, to enable this vitamin complex to do its job in your body.
Whole Food Nutrition vs. Supplements
Of course I believe in supplements but really only a handful. I far prefer whole food. Let me give you an example.
Many body builders want to gain muscle so they will take branched chain amino acids or glutamine to increase their muscle growth. While that may
result in some benefit, it is my strong belief that the risks of isolated amino acid supplements far outweigh the benefits of whole food nutrition.
In this case I prefer the use of a high-quality whey supplement.
Whey has all the amino acids in the right ratio to better optimize muscle growth compared to isolated amino acids. Similarly, many take glutathione
for anti-aging or for detox and while that is helpful it is not as useful or less expensive than taking a high-quality whey protein
Notice I mention HIGH QUALITY. The reason I do that is that whey protein is processed and the majority of whey protein on the market is not high
quality and should be avoided, as it will do more harm than good. Because it is a processed food, one needs to be ultra-careful in the details of
the processing. So make sure you do your homework.
Another great example is animal-based omega-3 fats. Ideally the best source would be clean fish. Unfortunately, 20th century industrialization has
contaminated virtually all waterways making this very difficult so one needs to rely on supplemental sources. I really don't consider these
supplements but a food substitute for fish
Similarly most benefit from eating fermented foods, but if you are unable to do so then a high-quality probiotic becomes an imperative. This is not
really a supplement but more of a food.
Be Wary of Supplement Additives
Aside from the issue of synthetic versus whole is the issue of what is added to your supplement aside from the active ingredient. Many supplement
makers are adding flowing agents into their capsules, such as magnesium stearate. Previous research has shown that magnesium stearate suppresses your
natural killer cells, which are a key component of your immune system.
Magnesium stearate is much like a chalk filler that stimulates your gut to form a biofilm -- a sort of sludge lining -- that acts as an effective
barrier to the absorption of not only that particular vitamin but ALL the nutrients you'd normally get from food sources as well!
Which Dietary Supplements Might be Useful?
Vitamin D is the one that most people are deficient on. Ideally one should optimize their levels by safe and appropriate exposure of their skin to
UVB, either from the sun or a safe tanning bed.
A poor, but important, second choice would be to take oral vitamin D3. When using oral vitamin D a blood test is important
to make sure your levels stay in the optimal range as, unlike sun or a safe tanning bed exposure, your body can't self-regulate oral doses as it
really was not designed to get vitamin D this way.
As I mentioned, another incredibly useful supplement is probiotics, which
influence the activity of hundreds of your genes, helping them to express in a positive, disease-fighting manner.
You can get these healthy bacteria from eating fermented foods, and if you eat them enough you will keep your digestive tract well supplied with
good bacteria, but there may still be times when a probiotic supplement is necessary, such as when you stray from your healthy Diet and consume
excess grains or sugar, if you have to take Antibiotics , when traveling to foreign countries or when eating at suspicious restaurants.
I've found that using a high-quality probiotic every 30-60 days will typically help maintain a well-functioning digestive system.
There are other instances when supplements may be useful as well, such as in the case of CoQ10 if you're taking statin drugs, but
their effectiveness depends largely on the quality of the supplement itself.
Conclusion
If you are interested in optimizing your health your BEST solution is to choose the highest quality foods possible. You can use myfree nutrition plan and work your way up to the advanced stage.
Once you have done that and you are looking for further improvement, odds are you would likely benefit from some supplements, like a high-quality
animal-based omega-3 supplement, probiotic, astaxanthin and a whey supplement. There are many others you could consider depending on your specific
circumstances, but just about everyone would benefit from these four.
When choosing a supplement, do your homework first and use only those that come from a reputable manufacturer using whole-food, natural ingredients
that are free from additives and have gone through a vigorous quality control process.
Both sodium selenite and selenate are classified as dangerous and toxic to the environment. They can be carcinogenic and genotoxic, and may contribute to
reproductive and developmental problems in animals and humans. Nonetheless, they are the primary forms of the mineral sold on the mass market today.
Most mass-market vitamins actually contain chemicals that the EPA has banned from public drinking water at levels above 50 parts per billion. That's the
equivalent of a tablespoon of water in an Olympic-size swimming pool.
According to Green Med Info:
"... [T]his is not the first time in American history that such a hoax has been perpetuated on the public. The FDA-approved use of fluoride in our
drinking water and the use of radioactive cobalt-60 culled from nuclear reactors for the IRRADIATION OF conventional food illustrates how
industrial waste products with known toxicity are eventually converted into commodities or technologies 'beneficial to health.' Whereas initially
these substances have very high disposal costs for the industries that excrete them into our environment, the liability is converted -- through the
right combination of lobbying, miseducation and "checkbook science" -- back into a commodity".
Dr. Mercola's Comments:
Just because something is touted as being "natural" or "healthy" doesn't automatically make it true, and such is the case with some multi-vitamins. You
really need to check the label and know what's what, because there can be a vast difference between a synthetic or synthesized vitamin or mineral and
the real thing. Some products may also contain additives and fillers that can cause problems in large doses.
According to the latest statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC), more than 50 percent of the US population takes some form of nutritional supplement each day, and approximately 40 percent of US adults take a
daily multi-vitamin. But despite the fact that the
U.S. spends close to $27 billion on supplements
each year, the rates of most chronic diseases remain unchanged, while others are still on the rise.
If supplements are so good for us, why aren't we getting healthier?
Part of the reason could be that many people mistakenly believe that a vitamin is a vitamin, and one form of a mineral is equal to any other, failing
to understand the inherent differences between synthetic chemicals and whole food nutrients. Many also mistakenly use supplements as a way to avoid
having to change their dietary habits. But the proof is in the pudding, as they say, because if you eat a diet consisting primarily of processed junk
food, and take cheap synthetic vitamins and minerals, you're not likely to see a major change in your health status...
It has always been my belief that supplements should be used in addition to, NOT in place of, a sound diet. You simply cannot cover
your nutritional- or lifestyle "sins" by taking a handful of supplements.
Why Selenium Supplements have Become More Popular
Selenium is an essential trace mineral found primarily in plant foods, and is known to have powerful antioxidant activity. Past studies have shown
it can play a beneficial role in:
Cancer
Heart disease
Cognitive decline
Cataracts and macular degeneration
Cold sores and shingles
Osteoarthritis
The selenium content in whole plant foods depend on the level of the nutrient in the soil, and, unfortunately, many farming areas around the world
are becoming increasingly selenium depleted. Most of the selenium is also lost when the food is processed or refined, so unless you consume lots of
whole organic produce, you may be at risk of selenium deficiency.
It is because of these facts that supplements containing selenium have increased in popularity in the United States, to the extent that close to 25
percent of Americans over 40 take a selenium supplement or multivitamin that includes selenium. However, supplementing with sodium selenite and
selenate may do more harm than good...
Beware of Inorganic Selenium
As explained in the featured article, sodium selenite and selenate are two potentially problematic ingredients found in many multi-vitamins.
According to PAN, a database for pesticide chemicals, both sodium
selenite and sodium selenate are classified as "Highly Toxic," based on oral administration trials using rabbits and rats. And according to the US
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the highest allowable level of selenium in public drinking water is 50 parts per billion, which is
equivalent to 50 micrograms, dry weight.
Studies have shown that:
Long-term exposure to selenium, sodium selenite, sodium selenate, or selenium dioxide may cause paleness, coated tongue, stomach disorders,
nervousness, metallic taste and a garlic odor of the breath. Damage to the liver and spleen in animals has also been observed, according to The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
(NIOSH).
According to the 1986 edition of the Handbook of the Toxicology of Metals,
daily intake of about one milligram of selenium as selenite can be toxic.
In one study, sodium selenite was found to induce substantial DNA damage in human
fibroblasts.
More recent research also indicates that
too much selenium may contribute to the onset of diabetes
.
It's very important to realize that these potentially toxic chemicals are some of the primary forms of selenium sold as dietary supplements on the
market today. As discussed in the featured article, such inorganic minerals cannot replace biologically active trace minerals.
Green Med Info writes:
"The selenium that is found in foods like brazil nuts, mustard seeds, and fresh produce grown in selenium-rich soil is infinitely different
from the biologically inert forms being put in some multivitamins. In fact, i.e., sodium selenite/selenate can cause cancer, whereas the
selenium found within food, or laboratory chelated forms like selenomethionine have all been shown to prevent and combat cancer.
The basic principle that explains this difference is that when you isolate a nutrient or vitamin out of the food complex within which it is
naturally found, and where it is inseparably bound to thousands of known and unknown food factors (e.g., enzymes, protein chaperones,
glyconutrients, etc.) it is no longer as beneficial to life. This is especially true in the case of vertebrate mammals who are equipped to
get their minerals from the plants they ingest or through the biotransformation of inorganic minerals to organic ones by microflora in
their gastrointestinal tracts.
The primary reason that sodium selenite/selenate are preferred by some vitamin manufacturers over safer, more beneficial forms like
chelated or yeast-grown selenium is because it is more profitable to use raw materials of lower quality."
Other Problematic Ingredients Found in Many Multi-Vitamins
In the U.S., many supplement makers add so-called 'flowing agents' into their capsules. Two common additives are:
Magnesium stearate
Titanium dioxide
Now, neither of these will cause any major harm in small doses. But they do add up over time, and magnesium stearate can cause a biofilm to be
created in your intestine, which will prevent the absorption of nutrients. The only purpose of it in the supplement is to help the raw materials
become more slippery and easily flow through the machines that create the supplements.
Magnesium stearate is not a supplemental source of magnesium but rather a form of stearic acid. It's essentially chalk, and previous research has shown that it suppresses
your natural killer cells, which are a key component of your immune system. Unfortunately, this chalk filler stimulates your gut to form a biofilm
– a sort of sludge lining – that acts as an effective barrier to the absorption of not only that particular vitamin but all the nutrients you'd
normally get from food sources as well. This is a major reason for focusing on nutritional foods rather than taking handfuls of vitamins each day.
Fortunately, once I became aware of this issue, I was able to get my personal brand multi-vitamins reformulated, so they do not contain magnesium
stearate any longer. Titanium dioxide is another absolutely unnecessary color agent you don't want to see in your supplements, as it has been
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shown to cause autoimmune disorders
.
The Problem with Synthetic Vitamins
Most natural health experts agree on one thing: No matter which foods you eat, whole foods are far better for you than refined foods. So
why do some people believe the rules of nutrition would suddenly change when it comes to vitamins and other nutritional supplements?
Whole food supplements are what their name suggests: Supplements made from concentrated whole foods. The vitamins found within these supplements
are not isolated or synthetic. Rather they are highly complex structures that combine a variety of enzymes, coenzymes, antioxidants, trace
elements, activators and many other unknown or undiscovered factors that work together synergistically, to enable this vitamin complex to
do its job in your body.
Synthetic nutrients, on the other hand, are not natural, in that they are never found by themselves in nature. When you take these isolated
nutrients regularly, especially at the ultra-high doses found in formulas today, it's more like taking a drug... At best, they will not benefit you
as much as high quality food and food-based supplements. And at worst, they may cause problems.
Nature does not produce any nutrient in an isolated form. The nutrients in foods are blended together in a specific way and work best in that
format. For an isolated nutrient to work properly in the body, it needs all the other parts that are naturally present in the food too. If the
parts are not all there from the start, they are taken from your body's stored supply. This is why isolated nutrients often work for awhile, then
seem to stop working.
Once your body's store of the extra nutrients is used up, the isolated nutrient you're taking just doesn't work as well anymore. Worse yet, a
deficiency in these extra nutrients can be created in your body.
Studies also show your body treats these isolated and synthetic nutrients like xenobiotics (foreign substances). This is why your urine will
oftentimes turn some shade of glow-in-the-dark yellow when you take certain synthetic vitamins, as your body simply flushes these foreign
substances out.
How to Identify High Quality Multi-Vitamin Supplements
I do believe that dietary supplements -- including vitamins and minerals -- can help compensate for some of the damage your body incurs through
modern living. However, it's not wise to use supplements to justify a poor diet. In my experience no amount of supplements will ever be able to
substitute for healthy food choices...
There are times when supplements can be quite useful, and I believe that some supplements, such as a high quality animal-based omega-3 supplement,
for example, are essential for nearly everyone. This is because the main source of animal based omega-3 fats in your diet comes from fish – most of
which is now so grossly polluted with heavy metals, PCBs and other environmental toxins I can no longer recommend eating fish for optimal omega 3
levels. Another supplement that many people need is vitamin D3, unless you can get sufficient amounts of safe sun exposure year-round, or
use a safe tanning bed.
Another incredibly useful supplement is probiotics, which
influence the activity of hundreds of your genes, helping them to express in a positive, disease-fighting manner. You can get these healthy
bacteria from eating fermented foods, and if you eat them enough you will keep your digestive tract well supplied with good bacteria, but there may
still be times when a probiotic supplement is necessary, such as when you stray from your healthy Diet and consume excess grains or sugar; if you
have to take Antibiotics ; or when traveling to foreign countries for example.
There are other instances when supplements may be useful as well, such as in the case of CoQ10 if you're taking statin drugs, but
their effectiveness depends largely on the quality of the supplement itself.
You may also want to take one or more food-based supplements to ensure you are getting an adequate variety of nutrients. However, I
strongly recommend you make whole food supplements your first choice, and steer clear of synthetic vitamins. How do you tell whether or not a
supplement you're looking at is a good choice?
For starters, make sure it has the following characteristics:
It is as close as possible to its natural (whole food) form.
Use independent third party labs that check the raw materials for contaminants and correct dosage.
Follows industry standards for quality assurance including ISO 9001, ISO 17025 and Good Manufacturing Processes (GMP) certifications.
The utmost care has been taken in all phases of its production, from growing its ingredients, to manufacturing, testing for potency and quality
control.
It works! I always try to select from companies that have a long track record of providing high quality products that produce good clinical
results.
If you are interested in optimizing your health your BEST solution is to choose the highest quality foods possible, and eat a wide variety of whole
organic foods. You can use my free nutrition plan and work your way up to the advanced stage.
Once you have addressed your diet and are looking for further improvement, odds are you would likely benefit from some supplements, like an
animal-based omega-3 supplement and a probiotic, for example. There are many others you could consider depending on your specific circumstances,
but just about everyone would benefit from these two.
Just remember to do your homework first and use only those that come from a reputable manufacturer using whole-food, natural ingredients that are
free from additives, and have gone through a vigorous quality control process.
http://www.therenegadehealthshow.com - Today, we have one last interview from the Health Freedom Expo...
I met up with our friend Chris Herbert who is the educational director for the North American Herb and Spice Company.
Chris knows his stuff when it comes to supplements and in this episode he's going to talk about the difference between synthetic and whole food supplements, some shocking info about Vitamin C, the antioxidant properties of the chaga mushroom and more.
UntitledSynthetic Supplements vs Whole Food Supplements from Alive Raw on Vimeo. You have this incredible armed services which has one objective—to save you and protect you. So, from the time you are alive, that Army is significantly watching to see if anything is coming into the body that ought not to be there.
Now, at the beginning of the human race—when the planet was pristine—and we haven’t polluted it and destroyed it as we have today—the only thing it had to deal with was a little bit of viruses, a little bit of mould, a little bit of fungus, a little bit of yeast, a little bit of bacteria—not very much.
As we threw an imbalance off, now we have massive viruses and massive bacteria’s and massive fungus and we built houses that fungus grows in the walls and you get the picture.
Then about three hundred years ago, the new guy came onto the scene, called cancer. That’s only been around, we think, for three hundred years or so and it was insignificant. It was a fraction of one percent and it came into being really, in the beginning of the 20th Century where less than 3% of the people had it, and now it’s up to big, big, big numbers. It’s really made a good hit. It’s become very popular, this cancer thing.
So that became part of it. Then about 150 years ago—well, we really geared up the industrial revolution. We started to push all of our waste into the atmosphere and pour it into the rivers, lakes and streams and oceans. Then we got environmental pollution and we got electromagnetic pollution, and then we have all types of water pollution. And all these things started to assault the immune system. So you have thousands of times more of the microbes happening. You have mutagens start where the cancers start to go wacky. Then you have all this man-made stupidity that we’ve created and this poor immune system that had a good job, was paid well, was well respected, is now abused, overwhelmed and underpaid.
Now, you’ve just come home with Vitamin Z and you’re going to take 35,000 milligrams to become extra sexy. You get it. But the smart thing in your body is not the brain, of course, it’s the immune system. It never makes mistakes. So, it says “What is this idiot now? It’s bad enough they took coffee this morning. They were in that damned place with everyone smoking last night. Oh, my God, they had that angry outburst yesterday with their husband or their wife. Boy, they’ve made me really tired. Now they’re putting this crap into my body?”
So, what happens when you take this highly expensive vitamin? The immune system now goes and attacks it. But you’ve been told it’s good for you—and it’s not good for you. And guess what?
Vitamin C—98% on the market is a chemical called ascorbic acid—highly dangerous for you.
Vitamin A—beta carotene—Look at the study that was conducted at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston—on lung cancer—beta carotene. They stopped it in the middle of the study because the people who were taking the beta carotene had double the amount of cancer growth in their lungs as the people who did not.
Look at the finished study on antioxidants—the other sexy word they threw out for you. People who took antioxidants had a 64% higher incidence of cancer than people who did not take supplements.
You don’t hear about these studies. You hear the rah-rahs from the pharmaceutically-driven companies. What are you doing? What do you think, you’re taming tigers over there or something?
Now, so the immune system is over here taking care of Vitamin Z. Now, why is that a problem? Let’s use our imagination. Let’s imagine that your whole immune system is over here engaged and a knock comes on the door from cancer, or a knock comes on the door from a virus and says “I’m coming in.” Well, it can walk right in because there’s no immune system to protect you. There’s no immune system to prevent that from happening. Does that make a little bit of sense to you? It better make a whole lot of sense. You better make sure that you do not take chemical forms of supplements. It is now back up to 95% of supplements on the market are damaging and dangerous for you to take, that have nothing to do with health, but have to do with profiteering.
It’s a multi-billion dollar industry that has one objective—profits—not health. You’re going to say to me that all the doctors and the chemists are liars? No, let’s explain Science to you. For those of you that are lucky enough not to be scientists, I should say.
What Science is, is the study of. It is not the absolute. So, any scientist who’s not having the scruples that they should can easily allow them self to buy into their own B-S and say that “Wait a minute, when I’m in a laboratory and somebody has come to me and said, ‘Why don’t you prove Vitamin Z makes you sexy and live forever?’ because I’m manipulating those facts and statistics, it’s science, so I have the capacity to manipulate that science.
Do you follow that? This is how it happens. Do not think that somebody comes and gives big checks to people and says “Do what you want to do with it.” Somebody comes in and said, “Look, let’s invent a new supplement. Let’s show the supplement helps you. Let’s say that it heals cancer.”
If you saw the way they work with the cancer numbers, you’d be shocked. You’d be appalled. You’d be marching in the streets of the capitals of the world that you live in. It’s that simple. They give you these absolute fabricated, bogus numbers, like it works in half the cases, when in fact, the real study shows that it works in less than one or two percent of the cases. What they do is they fractionate the numbers and if two people—as an example—if two people out of a hundred people have some benefit from it, they say it’s a 50% success rate. Isn’t that amazing.
What I’m telling you is a fact, by the way. I don’t exaggerate a drop on this stuff. I don’t’ have to. That’s how insane this stuff is.
They do the same with the supplements. You show me the real research that shows me a chemical ever helps anyone. I’ll show you real research—because we do it here—that it hurts every one. You don’t know how many people I’ve seen in there. It’s like getting them off drugs—getting them off all the unfortunate chemical supplements that they’ve had put into their body. You don’t know how many people out there and again—it wouldn’t cost a whole lot more money, and they could make just as much profit to do the right thing. But the pharmaceutical companies are not used to doing the right thing. They’re used to doing the profit thing and that’s what you have to watch out for.
Now, let’s move on. Several years ago—we’ll hold the questions ‘til the end—several years ago, I became so comfortable with giving you the “right supplements,” I got a little concerned because I hadn’t really looked at what we were doing in depth. Assumption’s a dangerous thing, so I challenged my own ideologies.
What we did is we took the guests here for a year and a half and we broke you into two categories: people who were ill at this level of illness—moderate and very ill; and people who were well—moderately well and extremely well.
My question then was the same question I’m going to pose to you now. How important is the use of whole food supplements in their health and in their life? We were shocked when we found out for people who were ill, it was literally on an average 26% of the reason that they got well—the use of whole-food supplements. What that means in real word statistics is life and death.
Now again, I’ve tested thousands and thousands of people on supplements. Many people who have been living “this way” for decades—and I don’t find people who at times do not have some deficiencies. Why?—we’ll explain that to you in a minute. Don’t let me forget to explain that to you.
This morning we spoke to everyone that was here about how when people arrive at Hippocrates who are facing a disease, this is almost hardly ever the first stop. This is after you’ve been beaten into the ground you show up here and you’re at the edge of a cliff. You’re ready to go like this.
Now, this program always works. You look at me in the eye and you try to challenge me that I’m wrong. We’re giving you the most nutritious food on the planet Earth. Anyone want to fight me on that? We’re telling you to think positive. We can show you scientifically how that increases immune function. This is not mysticism, it’s biology.
We’re telling you to exercise the human body to let circulatory activity to occur to build muscle and bone structure. And we’re telling you to get God into your life. I don’t care what brand you choose, I’m telling you to get it. That works. It never fails. But the problem is that we humans are always, always, always impatient.
Healing occurs like nature changes. We don’t go from July (when it’s a 100 degrees) to January without something called Autumn between that. We don’t go from 20 below zero to 90 degrees without something like Spring.
So, when you’re close over here, the program may be working, but you may fall off the edge of a cliff. You follow that? What the supplement does is boost your “what” system? Not the bad supplement—not the 95%--that will weaken your immune system and put you off the side of the cliff. I’m telling you to grab the person with whole food supplements, boost the immune system, pull them back over here on solid ground, so now we have some room to allow the program to click in, to allow the immune system to boost up. And that’s why the use of proper supplementation is paramount in one’s recovery.
The silly boys and girls that tell you get everything you need from food, they haven’t explored what we’ve explored here—called stress.
Several years ago when I did a definitive study called the Spectra Cell on my body—and at that point I found a little bit of a reduction of zinc and magnesium—my mantra to myself is “How does Brian Clement, who eats this every day in abundant amounts, have that?”
I didn’t learn this from my biology buddies. I learned it from my psychology buddy who used to teach at Harvard. He said to me, “Brian, have you ever thought of yourself as stressed?” I said, “Absolutely not. I’m a calm guy.” He said, “No, you’re not. How many lectures have you done this year? How many planes have you been on? And how many hours do you—oh excuse me, you don’t call it work—but have fun every week?”
That’s all he had to say to me. He said, “Do you realize that the average”—listen closely—“the average woman or man today, compared to a woman or man 50 years ago, has 15,000 times more stress in our lives.”
We’re not talking about some of us. We’re talking about all of us. He said, “That’s if you’re an average person. Now, if you’re running a company or have young children running around the house, or teenagers, or you just found out your son’s on drugs—now we’re going to”—this is average people we’re talking about—he said, “Oh, furthermore, as the information age implodes, we get closer to it—every year we’re going to go up 1000%. So, every five years, we’ll be up 5000% more stress.
And he said, “Think about it. Did your grandfather have a television n? Did he have a Cell Phone ? Did he have an iPod? Did he have a Blackberry? Did he have a laptop computer? Did he have a radio in the car? Oh by the way, did he have a car?” Do you follow me? We take things for granted that freak people out.
One of the great autobiographies I read was with Henry Ford. How many of you have ever read that? Great stuff. Henry Ford’s biggest dilemma was, when he made the Model A—or was it the Model T?—literally, when the people got up to 5 miles an hour, they jumped off. Now, this is not a joke. I said, “I’m thinking, you and I would think 5 miles an hour—that’s like crawling.”
But he said, what happened, is when it got up to any significant speed—5 miles an hour—people were so used to either walking and being on the earth and having total control or on the back of a horse where they had control—that this big square metal thing, they felt out of control. And that was his first thought, “How am I going to get people to stay in there?” They didn’t have seat belts then. How are they going to get people to stay in there? Can you imagine that?
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For LOTS of good health information, check out:
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Copyright 2007-2008 by Alive Raw Inc.
Many consumers -- even health-conscious ones -- aren't aware of just how many binders, fillers, excipients and lubricants are used in the nutritional supplements industry. These elements aren't just added for fun; they have a real purpose. Some are designed to make the vitamin tablet "stick" together. Others are designed to help the powders flow more freely through the vitamin-making machinery. Polishes and glazes are designed to make vitamin tablets look more "polished" (literally) and easier to swallow.
The choice of such binders, fillers, excipients and lubricants tells you a lot about the quality of the vitamin manufacturer. Some companies use titanium dioxide and artificial colors to make their tablets look "painted." Others, like Vitacost.com, refuse to use titanium dioxide in their in-house brands.
New Chapter, one of my top-recommended sources for high-quality supplements, uses silica as a binder. That's probably the best choice for a natural binder, and it has a nutritional benefit to boot. But The Synergy Company takes the winning ticket with its unique approach that's 100% free of all binders, excipients, fillers, etc.
How does it accomplish this? The short answer is that it costs more money to manufacture vitamins without the use of binders and excipients. The ingredients can't be pushed through the manufacturing equipment as quickly, and the machinery requires more frequent cleaning (which slows production). Also, without fillers, the vitamin tablet must be made 100% out of the listed ingredients (instead of filler). Some vitamins and minerals in the natural health industry are made from as much as 95% filler and only 5% active ingredient. Filler provides a cheap way for some manufacturers to create a large-looking pill even though it only delivers a very small amount of active ingredient. (The No. 1 ingredient in many Centrum formulas, for example, is calcium carbonate, which can be cheaply made from ground up sea shells.)
Manufacturing a vitamin without the typical binders, excipients and fillers is costly. But it's the only way to deliver high-density nutrition without all these extra elements.
The jury is out, of course, on the safety of the long-term use binders, excipients, fillers and lubricants. Vitamin companies that use such ingredients aggressively defend their use as safe, often citing the FDA as their source for determining the safety of such ingredients. (Because the FDA cares about your health, didn't you know?...) Yet holistic nutritionists and food purists fall back on the commonsense idea that nutrition probably shouldn't include elements that aren't part of the food supply in the natural world.
In other words, when you pick an apple off a tree, it's not coated with paraffin wax like the apples in the grocery store. When you eat berries off a bush, they aren't preserved with sodium benzoate or enhanced with artificial coloring chemicals. When you eat medicinal herbs out of the garden, they aren't compacted into tiny tablet shapes that are glued together with chemical binders. In the real world, food doesn't need binders and excipients. That's why it's so exciting to find a concentrated food source, in tablet form, that provides all the benefits of high-density nutrition without any of the binders, fillers or excipients that don't technically belong in our food.
It's worth mentioning, by the way, that I personally still take many supplements made with natural binders. New Chapter products are a good example of that: I'm not concerned about a little silica or corn starch. I don't mind flow agents if they're natural and the body can recognize them as food. There are lots of high-quality supplements available today that still use small amounts of stearates, silica or other such ingredients. But for those who want the purest nutritional supplements made today, Vita Synergy simply can't be beat. It's expensive but worth every penny.
We don't earn anything on the sales of Pure Synery products, by the way. This is a 100% independent recommendation based on my knowledge and experience with the Vita Synergy product. I've also read the history of Mitchell May and learned a lot about this company over the last few months. They're the real deal, and they deserve your business.
They also make a powdered superfood product called Pure Synergy. I've been recommending that product for years. It's a hard-core, nutrient-dense superfood that's among the best in the world. It's not for superfood beginners, however, as the taste takes some getting used to. If you're a superfood beginner, blend it with Delicious Greens or Emerald Balance to enhance the taste.
This is why the Vita Synergy vitamins are so convenient: They contain many of the same ingredients as Pure Synergy, but you can just swallow them (and you don't have to drink a liquid). Of course, for hard-core nutrition fans like myself, we LIKE tasting the nutrition as we drink it, but that's definitely an acquired taste.
In any case, if you're looking for the very best food-based vitamin / supplement in the world, look no further: Vita Synergy is what you've been waiting for. In the world of vitamins made from real food, it doesn't get any better than Vita Synergy.
Learn more at the Pure Synergy website:
http://thesynergycompany.com/pages/...
Additional sources for this story:
Centrum ingredients:
http://centrum.com/productdetail.as...
About the author: Mike Adams is a natural health author and award-winning journalist with a strong interest in personal health, the environment and the power of nature to help us all heal He is a prolific writer and has published thousands of articles, interviews, reports and consumer guides, impacting the lives of millions of readers around the world who are experiencing phenomenal health benefits from reading his articles. Adams is a trusted, independent journalist who receives no money or promotional fees whatsoever to write about other companies' products. In mid 2010, Adams produced NaturalNews.TV, a natural health video sharing website offering user-generated videos on nutrition, green living, fitness and more. He also launched an online retailer of environmentally-friendly products (BetterLifeGoods.com) and uses a portion of its profits to help fund non-profit endeavors. He's also a veteran of the software technology industry, having founded a personalized mass email software product used to deliver email newsletters to subscribers. Adams is currently the executive director of the Consumer Wellness Center, a 501(c)3 non-profit, and enjoys outdoor activities, nature photography, Pilates and martial arts training. He's also author of numerous health books published by Truth Publishing and is the creator of several consumer-oriented grassroots campaigns, including the Spam. Don't Buy It! campaign, and the free downloadable Honest Food Guide. He also created the free reference sites HerbReference.com and HealingFoodReference.com. Adams believes in free speech, free access to nutritional supplements and the ending of corporate control over medicines, genes and seeds. Known as the 'Health Ranger,' Adams' personal health statistics and mission statements are located at www.HealthRanger.org
Check your nutritional supplement labels. Do they contain Magnesium Stearate or Stearic Acid? Studies by the University of Texas Health Science Center and the East Carolina University School of Medicine reveal that these toxic acidic excipients cause a rapid collapse of T-cell membrane function and cell death; therefore suppressing the immune system. (Immunology, 1990, Jul.) Robert O. Young, Ph.D., D.Sc.
It is estimated that 90% of the vitamin and mineral products consumed today contain stearates. Stearates are acids that are used as binders in tablets and in the processing of gelatin capsules. Consumers often take handfuls of capsules and tablets to get vitamins, minerals and other key nutrients from supplements that contain stearates, and instead, in reality, get a powerful acidic immune suppressive treatment.
"The public must be more aware of nutritional products that initially bring a good vitamin or mineral but hurt you in other ways." (Dr. Eduardo Sanchez, Commissioner - Texas Department of Health, speaking before the Texas Strategic Health Partnership, University of Texas, Sept. 25, 2003)
According to Dr. Robert O. Young, Director of Research at The pH Miracle® Healing Center, "all of the YoungpHorever® Nutritionals contain ingredients that will help alkalize and maintain the alkaline design of the body. I do not use capsules or fillers in any of my formulas that contain the acids of magnesium stearate or stearic acid."
Founder of 'THE NEW BIOLOGY' ®
Creator of the 'SCIENCE OF ALKALINE
LIVING'™ for Health.
pH Miracle Living Center 16390 Dia Del
Sol Valley Center, California 92082 US
© Copyright 2009 - Dr. Robert O. Young
All rights are reserved. Content may be
reproduced, downloaded, disseminated, or
transferred, for single use, or by
nonprofit organizations for educational
purposes, if correct attribution is made
to Dr. Robert O. Young.
The big topic people ask me often about is how do I get b-12 on a raw vegan diet? I talk about the answer to this question in this video. I also want to share with you a free one hour webinar about vitamin b12 I think does an excellent job explaining the b12 issue. You can view the free 1 hour webinar by David Rainoshek at this link; http://www.healthwatchman.com/b12
One of the pitfalls of pursuing a healthy Diet is that we are sometimes blind to nutrients we may be missing. And in the world of healthy eating, one of
the most common nutrient deficiencies involves vitamin B-12, a crucial nutrient for nerve health and the construction of red blood cells
that carry oxygen throughout your body.
Vitamin B-12 deficiency is especially common among vegetarians and vegans, but it's also surprisingly common in meat eaters, too. Why?
Because vitamin B-12 can only be absorbed in the small intestine, and due to common intestinal ailments, even many meat eaters who consume high levels of
B-12 are unable to absorb it in their gut.
This leads to a series of seemingly "mystery" health symptoms that actually have a simple common cause: Vitamin B-12 deficiency!
Symptoms of B-12 deficiency
B-12 deficiency is shockingly widespread. Studies now show that up to 40% of the population may be deficient in vitamin B-12 ( http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7595423.stm).
Here are some of the most common symptoms of deficiency (do you experience any of these?):
* Chest pain or shortness of breath
* Fatigue or unexplained weakness
* Dizziness, trouble with balance, and fainting
* Confusion, memory loss or dementia
* Coldness, numbness or tingling in the hands and feet
* Slow reflexes or diminished nervous system function
* Pale skin or yellowing of the skin
* Sore mouth and tongue
... in addition, vitamin B-12 deficiency can actually cause brain shrinkage, according to a University of Oxford study ( http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7595423.stm). Although more work needs to be done, research
is already suggesting a link between vitamin B-12 deficiency and Alzheimer's.
If you (or someone you know) shows any of the symptoms listed above, I urge you to immediately investigate vitamin B-12 and determine if a
deficiency in this nutrient may be causing your symptoms!
Again, vitamin B-12 deficiency is especially common in vegans and vegetarians because typical vitamin B-12 sources (meats, yogurt, etc.) are simply not
present in their diets. But even meat eaters can be deficient in B-12 due to poor digestion. This is especially true for older people who suffer a
diminished ability to absorb nutrients in their small intestine.
In addition, diabetes medications and even pain pills can interfere with B-12 absorption, and intestinal parasites can also strongly block its absorption
in the gut.
Solutions for vitamin B-12
Traditionally, people who are deficient in vitamin B-12 have received injections of B-12. This is extremely effective because it bypasses the
digestive tract and goes right into the bloodstream. But it has one obvious downside: It requires being injected! So most people aren't interested in this
method.
Instead, most people supplement their vitamin B-12 using nutritional supplements. But here's where this can go wrong: The most commonly
available form of vitamin B-12 on the market is the cheap synthetic form that's actually bound to a cyanide molecule (yes, cyanide, the poison). It's
called cyanocobalamin, and you'll find it in all the cheap vitamins made by pharmaceutical companies and sold at grocery stores and big
box stores.
Action item
: If you have any vitamin B-12 supplements, check the ingredients label right now to see what form of vitamin B-12 they contain. If they contain
cyanocobalamin, throw them out!
Cyanocobalamin is a cheap, synthetic chemical made in a laboratory. It's virtually impossible for you to find this form in nature. Low-end vitamin
manufacturers use it because it can be bought in bulk and added to products with claims that they "contain vitamin B-12!" What they don't tell you is that
the vitamin is bound to a toxic, poisonous cyanide molecule that must then be removed from your body by your liver. Cyanocobalamin is also up to 100 times cheaper than the higher quality methylcobalamin which we'll talk about below.
As Wikipedia explains:
"A common synthetic form of the vitamin, cyanocobalamin, does not occur in nature, but is used in many pharmaceuticals and supplements, and as a food
additive, because of its lower cost. In the body it is converted to the physiological forms, methylcobalamin and adenosylcobalamin, leaving behind the
cyanide..."
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin_B12)
Removing the cyanide molecule from the vitamin and then flushing it out of your body requires using up so-called "methyl groups" of molecules in your body
that are needed to fight things like homocysteine (high levels cause heart disease). By taking low-quality cyanobalamin, you're actually stealing methyl groups from your body and making it do more work at the biochemical level. This uses up substances such as glutathione
that are often in short supply anyway, potentially worsening your overall health situation rather than helping it. This is one of the reasons why low-grade
vitamins may actually be worse for your body than taking nothing at all!
Cyanocobalamin, in summary, is a low-grade, low-quality and slightly toxic (cyanide) form of vitamin B-12 that's used by all the cheap
vitamin manufacturers. I recommend avoiding it completely. It won't kill you to take it, of course, but there's a better solution for B-12.
The better choice: Methylcobalamin
The proper form of vitamin B-12 to supplement is called methylcobalamin. This is the form that exists in nature, and it is pre-methylated,
meaning it's ready for your biochemistry to put to immediate use. Methylcobalamin has several key advantages over cyanocobalamin:
* Increased absorption
* Better retention in tissues
* Contains no toxic cyanide
* Supports production of SAMe
As explained by Ed Sharpe:
"The coenzyme form of vitamin B12 is known as methylcobalamin or methyl B12. It's the only form of vitamin B12 which can directly participate in
homocysteine metabolism. In addition, converting homocysteine to methionine via methyl B12 generates an increased supply of SAMe (S-adenosyl
methionine), the body's most important methyl donor."
(http://www.health101.org/art_methylcobalamin.htm)
Every informed nutritionist knows that methylcobalamin is far superior to cyanocobalamin. That's why companies like Ola Loa ( www.DrinkYourVitamins.com) use only the high-end "methyl" form of B-12.
Why 99% of vitamin B-12 supplements are wasted
Taking vitamin B-12 as an oral dose is largely a waste of money. As much as 99% of what you swallow is not even absorbed... it's just passed through your
body. (http://www.health101.org/art_methylcobalamin.htm)
There are really only three methods for absorbing vitamin B-12 that reliably work:
#1) B-12 injections.
#2) Sublingual absorption.
#3) Skin absorption.
B-12 injections obviously require injections from a trained medical professional, so few people pursue this route. Sublingual absorption is a viable route,
but nearly all the sublingual B-12 products use the cyanocobalamin form of the vitamin (with the cyanide molecule).
A vitamin B-12 skin patch is now available that delivers methylcobalamin through the skin, using a small medical-grade patch placed behind
the ear. Each patch delivers 1000 mcg of methylcobalamin (1,666% DV) in a steady release over a 1-2 day period, after which the patch may
be removed and discarded.
In addition to methylcobalamin, each path also delivers 400mcg of Folic Acid (another form of a B vitamin), which is widely known to work synergistically
with methylcobalamin to help support healthy heart function and nervous system function*.
B-12 energy patch works through skin absorption
The B-12 Energy Patch is available now in packs of 8 patches (a 1-2 month supply) from the NaturalNews Store. This 8-pack carries a list
price of $39.95, but through our volume purchasing, we are able to offer it to NaturalNews readers at 53% off the list price.
When purchased in a 3-pack (total of 24 patches), the price is lowered even more to 57% off the list price.
Click here to see the products in our store.
* These products are not intended to treat, diagnose, prevent or cure any disease.
What customers say about this B-12 patch
(From Amazon.com) "For me a much better alternative to effective sublingual pills"
"B12 is running low in my family tree. A couple of relatives have been regular at getting B12 shots. I never felt like I needed the shots, because I
thought I could get by with red meat, liver and sublingual pills. I decided to try the patches just to see... I did not expect them to be more
effective than sublingual pills.
I must say I was wrong. From the first patch I noticed the boost, which is at first more subtle than the more noticeable boost of the sublingual pills
giving you more B12 in a shorter time span. But it picks up over time and feels way more efficient. By way of example, I used the big plate in my road
bike and did not pant at the top of three bad climbs hours after getting the patch. To get this kind of effect with sublingual pills after getting low
of B12 would take over ten days for me and quite a bit of dedication remembering to keep supplementing. It can get rather tedious waiting for the pills
to dissolve under the tongue.
The second day I used two patches right behind the ear, but they both fell off, presumably from the sweat biking. Yet the day before the one patch I
tried less close to the ear stayed put biking and after two showers, and I had no dropped patches since. If you exercise, watch out for areas where
sweat would accumulate.
I think there is no comparison between this brand and the other one advertised. For four bucks more, you get half the patches and the wrong type of B12
-- cyanocobalamin instead of methylcobalamin. Read about it because cyanocobalamin has to be turned into methylcobalamin by the liver. You can spare
that. My doctor put me on cyanocobalamin initially and I turned to methylcobalamin with much greater results. Also, this brand I review has the daily
allowance of folic acid as an added bonus (read up on the benefits of taking folic acid with B12), rather than selenium.
I've had no side effects and no skin reactions with this product. I am so satisfied I have ordered a B-complex as a patch from a different company. It
is advised to have a B-complex if you supplement in big doses with any vitamin of the B family."
Click here to see the products in our store.
They're discounted right now at an incredible price through the NaturalNews Store.
Whatever form of vitamin B-12 you use, remember this: avoid cyanocobalamin! (Unless you enjoy eating cyanide, that is...)
Additional sources for this story include:
http://www.dadamo.com/B2blogs/blogs/index.php/2004/02/07/cyanocobalamin-versus-methylcobalamin?blog=27
Ting R, Szeto C, Chan M, Ma K, Chow K (2006). "Risk factors of vitamin B(12) deficiency in patients receiving metformin". Arch Intern Med 166 (18): 1975–9
http://archinte.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/166/18/1975
- Mike Adams, the Health Ranger
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Only bacteria have the enzymes needed for
the synthesis of various forms of Vitamin
B12. No fungi, plants, or animals can make
vitamin B12. However, animal tissues
significantly store vitamin B12, which is
made from bacteria that they have consumed.
This is the reason that meat, poultry,
eggs, fish, and dairy foods are recommended
sources of B12 in people's diets. Those of
us who follow a vegan diet (no animal
foods) are often told we must eat animal
foods or risk developing deficiency of this
essential vitamin.
Fortunately, we live in a world naturally
populated with trillions of B12-producing
bacteria. Plus our mouth and large
intestine are very large reservoirs of
B12-synthesizing bacteria. The various
sources of bacteria in our environments
supply sufficient amounts for most people,
and as a result, actual cases of vitamin
B12 deficiency disease due to lack of
sufficient oral intake are very rare.
There Are 4 Common Forms of B12
Three natural forms of vitamin B12 are
commercially available: methylcobalamin
(MeCbl), adenosylcobalamin (AdCbl), and
hydroxycobalamin (OHCbl), all of which have
been shown in clinical studies to improve
the vitamin B12 status of individuals.
Because these three forms are biologically
identical to those found in our tissues,
they would seem to be
>
preferred
.
The fourth form is cyanocobalamin (CNCbl).
This is a synthetic B12 compound sold
commonly as supplements and used for food
fortification. All four forms (natural and
synthetic) are converted in the body into
the metabolically active molecule
cobalamin. However, some people do not
efficiently make this conversion with the
"cyano" products. Plus the cyanide portion
of the cyanocobalamin molecule accumulates
in the body. Cyanide is a well-known poison
that was once used as a chemical warfare
agent that can cause death. In small doses,
as taken in vitamin B12 supplements
(cyanocobalamin), cyanide may have
long-term toxicity. Early symptoms of mild
cyanide toxicity include headache,
dizziness, fast heart rate, shortness of
breath, and vomiting.
Assimilation and metabolism of various
forms of B12 (cobalamin) differ in people.
The way to discover how you respond to a
particular form is determined by an
inexpensive vitamin B12 blood test. Normal
vitamin B12 blood levels are above 150
pg/ml (picograms per milliliter). However,
many laboratory references consider normal
to be above 200 pg/ml, and some clinicians
suggest levels, especially in older people,
to be above 500 pg/ml.
My Recommendations for Vitamin B12
Supplementation
Over the past 40 years I have been
recommending that people who follow my
diet, which is based on starches,
vegetables, and fruit, take a vitamin B12
supplement. The body efficiently stores and
reutilizes B12, and as a result, people on
the standard American diet accumulate at
least a three-to-eight-year supply of this
vitamin.
The daily requirement of B12 is
href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/5948742"
>
less than 1 microgram
(one-millionth of a gram). However, just to
be on the safe side, my recommendation has
been to take a supplement of 5 micrograms
daily. When you look for B12 supplements in
the store, the smallest doses available are
500 micrograms in liquids, capsules, and
tablets. Fortunately, there is little known
toxicity from an overdose of cobalamin.
With amounts of a hundred times greater
than needed, rather than taking daily, a
safe regime could also be 500 micrograms
weekly. This dose can be swallowed or
dissolved sublingually under the tongue.
My recommendation is to take the hydroxyl,
methyl, and/or adenosyl forms (not the
cyano form due to the toxicity from chronic
cyanide accumulation). After taking any of
the individual forms for three months you,
should have your blood tested. A simpler
and more certain approach would be to take
a formulation that is already in a
combination of the hydroxylcobalamin,
methylcobalamin, and adenosylcobalamin.
Vitamin B12 Deficiency—the Meat-eaters'
Last Stand
Defending eating habits seems to be a
primal instinct for people. These days
Westerners are running out of excuses for
their gluttony. Well-read people no longer
believe meat is necessary to meet our
protein needs or that milk is the favored
source of calcium. With the crumbling of
these two time-honored battle fronts the
vitamin B12 issue has become the trendy
topic whenever a strict vegetarian (vegan)
diet is discussed. Since the usual dietary
source of vitamin B12 for omnivores is the
flesh of other animals, the obvious
conclusion is that those who choose to
avoid eating meat are destined to become
B12 deficient. There is a grain of truth in
this concern, but in reality an otherwise
healthy strict vegetarian's risk of
developing a disease from B12 deficiency by
following a sensible diet is extremely
rare—less than one chance in a million.
I knew forty years ago that vitamin B12
would become the last bastion for meat- and
dairy-lovers (and the industries that
profit from them), because this is the only
criticism with any merit that could be
lodged against the McDougall Diet. In order
to avoid that condemnation and the small
risk of harming anyone, I have recommended
and printed in the beginning of my books
and DVDs the following advice:
If you follow the McDougall Diet for more than 3 years, or if you are pregnant or nursing, then take a minimum of 5 micrograms of supplemental vitamin B12 each day. |
Avoid B12 Deficiency; Get Heart Disease
and Cancer
Vitamin B12 is involved in the metabolism
of all cells in the body; but the effects
of deficiencies are first seen in the blood
and then the nervous system. An anemia,
called megaloblastic anemia, because it is
characterized by large red blood cells, is
a common manifestation of deficiency. The
low red blood cell count is very well
tolerated by the patient even when severe,
and is always cured by the taking of small
amounts of B12. Mild problems with the
nervous system characterized by numbness
and tingling in the hands and feet also
develop. These sensations are reversible in
early stages; however, damage to the
nervous system can become much more severe
and irreversible after prolonged
deficiency.
Take a moment to compare the possible
consequences of your dietary decisions. You
could choose to eat lots of B12-rich animal
foods and avoid the one-in-a-million chance
of developing a reversible anemia and/or
even less common, damage to your nervous
system. However, this decision puts you at
a one-in-two chance of dying prematurely
from a heart attack or stroke; a
one-in-seven chance of Breast Cancer or a
one-in-six chance of prostate cancer. The
same thinking results in obesity, diabetes,
osteoporosis, constipation, indigestion,
and arthritis. All these conditions caused
by a B12-sufficient diet are found in the
people you live and work with daily. How
many vegans have you met with B12
deficiency anemia or nervous system damage?
I bet not one! Furthermore, you have never
even heard of such a problem unless you
have read the attention-seeking headlines
of newspapers or medical journals.
Sensationalism Surrounds B12-Deficient
Vegetarians
Rare cases of B12 deficiency suspected to
be caused by following a vegetarian diet
make media-selling banners, because "people
love to hear good news about their bad
habits." However, in depth research reveals
that many of these "vegetarians" also
suffer from generalized malnutrition—not
just isolated B12 deficiency from a diet
based on plant foods. For example, the
March 23, 2000 issue of the New England
Journal of Medicine published a letter (not
a scientific article) with the provocative
title, "Blindness in a Strict Vegan."1 The
letter described a 33-year old man who was
found to have severe loss of vision
(bilateral optic neuropathy). He had
started a strict vegetarian diet at age 20.
Tests showed he suffered from deficiencies
of vitamins A, C, D, E, B1, B12 and folic
acid, as well as zinc and selenium. All
combined, these deficiencies clearly
indicate severe malnutrition. B12
injections corrected his anemia, but not
his visual loss.
Do you see the disconnection between the
case history and the headlines? Starches,
vegetables, and fruits are very rich
sources of folic acid and vitamin C (as
well as A, E, B1, zinc and selenium). His
malnourished condition most likely was
caused by an intestinal disease and/or an
unhealthy "vegetarian" diet.2 The headlines
published worldwide that followed this
letter reassured meat- and dairy-lovers
that becoming a vegetarian was an unwise
decision. Examination of many reported
cases of B12 deficiency connected to a
vegetarian diet in both children and adults
reveals similar confounding factors. 1-6 The patients may have subtle
malabsorption and often come from
conditions of poverty and/or live an
eccentric lifestyle—their health problems
are not simply due to avoiding animal
foods. However, I do believe there are very
rare patients with diseases due to lack of
B12 from following a strict vegetarian diet
for years—while others have disagreed with
me and believe that all cases have
confounding factors.7
Germs for Good Health
Although vitamin B12 is found in animal
foods it is not synthesized by plants or
animals. Only bacteria make biologically
active vitamin B12—animal tissues store
"bacteria-synthesized B12," which can then
be passed along the food chain by animals
eating another animal's tissues. Ruminants
(like cows, goats, sheep, giraffes, llamas,
buffalo, and deer) are unique in that
bacteria in their rumens (stomachs)
synthesize vitamin B12, which is then
passed down and absorbed by their small
intestines. Lions and tigers get their B12
from eating these grazers.
The human gut also contains
B12-synthesizing bacteria, living from the
mouth to the anus.8 The presence
of these bacteria is an important reason
that disease from vitamin B12 deficiency
occurs very rarely in people, even those
who have been strict vegetarians (vegans)
all of their lives. The colon contains the
greatest number of bacteria (4 trillion/cc
of feces), and here most of our intestinal
B12 is produced. However, because B12 is
absorbed in the ileum, which lies upstream
of the colon, this plentiful source of B12
is not immediately available for
absorption—unless people eat feces (don't
gasp). Feces of cows, chickens, sheep and
people contain large amounts of active B12.
Until recently most people lived in close
contact with their farm animals, and all
people consumed B12 left as residues by
bacteria living on their un-sanitized
vegetable foods.
Why would a plant-food-based diet, heralded
as a preventative and cure for our most
common chronic diseases be deficient in any
way? Such a diet appears to be the proper,
intended, diet for humans, except for this
one blemish. The reason for this apparent
inconsistency is we now live in unnatural
conditions—our surroundings have been
sanitized by fanatical washing, powerful
cleansers, antiseptics, and Antibiotics .
Since the germ theory of disease was
developed by Louis Pasteur in 1877 our
society has waged an all-out war on these
tiny creatures—most of them extremely
beneficial with only a very few acting as
pathogens. The rare case of B12 deficiency
may be one important consequence of too
much cleanliness.
Efficiency Is the Other Reason
Deficiency Is Rare
The human body has evolved with highly
efficient and unique mechanisms to absorb,
utilize, and conserve this vitamin. Our
daily requirement is less than 3 micrograms
a day—one microgram is one-millionth of a
gram (1/1,000,000 gram).9 Which
means, by design, people are expected to be
exposed to only miniscule amounts of this
essential nutrient.
Vitamin B12 is the only nutrient that
requires a cofactor for efficient
absorption. The cells of the stomach
produce a substance, called intrinsic
factor, which combines—after the acidic
digestion of the food in the stomach—with
the B12 released from food. This "intrinsic
factor-B12 complex" then travels to the end
of the small intestine (the ileum) where it
is actively absorbed.
There is a second, much less efficient
process, called "the passive absorption of
B12" which also occurs in the intestine.
This mechanism does not use intrinsic
factor and as a result it is 1/1000 as
efficient. But by consuming very large
doses of oral B12, passive absorption will
correct B12 deficiency even for patients
with diseases of the stomach and small
intestine.
On average, for someone raised on the
Western diet, about 2 to 5 milligrams of
B12 are stored, mostly in the liver. This
means most people have at least a three
year reserve of this vital nutrient.
Conservation of B12 by the body boosts the
time this supply lasts by 10-fold. After
excretion through the bile into the
intestines most of the B12 is reabsorbed by
the ileum for future use. As a result of
this recirculation it actually takes, on
average, 20 to 30 years to become deficient
after becoming a strict vegan. That is if
no vitamin B12 were consumed—which is
impossible, even on a strict vegan diet,
because of bacterial sources of B12 from
the person's bowel, contaminated vegetable
foods, and the environment.
There is evidence that suggests that during
pregnancy and nursing a mother is more
dependent on B12 from her diet, because B12
stored in the woman's body is less
available for the baby.10
Therefore, during these important times,
B12 supplementation should be used by a
vegan mother.
Biochemical Changes Occur with Low B12
Blood levels of B12 can be measured
directly in the blood and are a means to
help diagnose deficiency. Values above 150
pg/ml (picograms per milliliter) are
considered normal, and levels below 80
pg/ml represent unequivocal B12 deficiency. 11
Within the body, biochemical reactions
require B12. A deficiency can cause an
interruption of normal metabolism and
result in the accumulation of substances
like methylmalonic acid and the amino acid,
homocysteine. Tests showing increases in
these metabolic products are used to
diagnose "early B12 deficiency"—before any
actual disease occurs.
Elevated homocysteine has been associated
with an increased risk of common Western
diseases (heart attacks, strokes, etc.).
However, this amino acid itself does not
cause disease—it serves as a marker for
identifying people who consume large
amounts of animal foods. Eating meat,
poultry, fish, and cheese raises levels of
homocysteine—as well as these same foods
making people fat and sick. Efforts to
lower homocysteine with supplements of
folic acid and/or B12 have produced no
reduction in heart disease or stroke 12—and in fact the use of folic
acid supplements increases the risk of
cancer, heart disease, and overall death. 13
The long-term consequences of B12
supplementation are unknown; so far this
vitamin appears to be non-toxic and
beneficial. As a result, I currently have
no hesitation recommending supplements to
strict vegetarians in order to prevent the
rare chance of a deficiency occuring.
Intestinal Diseases, Not Dietary
Deficiency, Cause Most B12 Problems
Almost all cases of vitamin B12 deficiency
seen in patients today and in the past are
due to diseases of the intestine, and are
not due to a lack of B12 in their diet.
Damage to the stomach (parietal cells)
usually from an autoimmune disease or
surgery halts the production of intrinsic
factor. Damage to the ileum, preventing
reabsorption and interrupting
recirculation, causes the loss of B12. Over
a period of 3 to 6 years the body's stores
of vitamin B12 are depleted. The disease
that results is called pernicious anemia.
(The word pernicious refers to a tendency
to cause death or serious injury.) Prior to
the development of a treatment with liver
extracts in 1926 this condition was fatal. 14-15
|
Sources of Vitamin B12
As little as 0.3 to 0.65 micrograms per day
of vitamin B12 has cured people of
megaloblastic anemia;9 however, to add an
extra margin of safety I have recommended a
higher dosage of 5 micrograms per day. You
may be surprised to discover that you
cannot purchase these tiny dosages.
Supplements sold contain 500 to 5000
micrograms per pill. These exaggerated
concentrations will correct by passive
absorption B12 deficiency caused by disease
of the intestine.16-17 Everyone else is
being overdosed by a factor of 1000. If you
are an otherwise healthy vegan and are
using typical dosages of B12 (500
micrograms or more per pill), a weekly dose
of this vitamin will be more than
sufficient.
You will often find B12 sold under its
proper name. Because vitamin B12 contains
one molecule of the mineral cobalt, the
scientific name is Cobalamin. As a food
additive and a supplement pill, vitamin B12
is usually found in the form
cyanocobalamin. The effectiveness of this
"cyanide complex" for treating neurologic
problems has been questioned; therefore,
other forms, such as methylcobalamin and
hydroxycobalamin may be better choices for
the prevention and treatment of B12-related
conditions.18
Choosing a bioactive form of B12 is
important. There are many B12-like
substances called analogues found in food
supplements, such as spirulina and other
algae—these are ineffective and should not
be relied upon.19 Foods
fermented by bacteria, such as tempeh, and
miso; as well as sea vegetables (nori),
have been recommended as sources of B12.
Miso and tempeh do not contain B12.20
Nori—the dried green and purple lavers
commonly used to make sushi—has been tested
and found to have substantial amounts of
active vitamin B12 and has been recommended
a "most excellent source of vitamin B12
among edible seaweeds, especially for
strict vegetarians."20,21 (Nori
obtains its B12 from symbiotic bacteria
that live on it.22)
However, there is still some uncertainty
about nori as a reliable B12 source;
therefore, I suggest if you do choose this
seaweed that you should monitor your B12
levels by blood tests now, and if adequate,
every 3 years.
In order to minimize your risk of any
health problems, I recommend you and your
family follow a diet based on starches,
vegetables, and fruits. To avoid the
extremely rare chance of becoming a
national headline, add a reliable B12
supplement. By making this addition to a
healthy Diet you can't go wrong, nor will
you suffer from any justifiable criticism
of your McDougall Diet delivered by
well-meaning family and friends.
References:
1) Milea D, Cassoux N, LeHoang P. Blindness
in a strict vegan. N Engl J Med. 2000 Mar
23;342(12):897-8.
2) Lavine JB. Blindness in a vegan. N Engl
J Med. 2000 Aug 24;343(8):585;
3) Carmel R. Nutritional vitamin-B12
deficiency. Possible contributory role of
subtle vitamin-B12 malabsorption. Ann
Intern Med. 1978 May;88(5):647-9.
4) No authors. Vegetarian diet and vitamin
B12 deficiency. Nutr Rev. 1978
Aug;36(8):243-4.
5) Avci Z, Turul T, Aysun S, Unal I.
Involuntary movements and magnetic
resonance imaging findings in infantile
cobalamine (vitamin B12) deficiency.
Pediatrics. 2003 Sep;112(3 Pt 1):684-6.
6) February 2003 McDougall Newsletter:
Vegan Diet Damages Baby's Brain –
Sensationalism!
http://www.nealhendrickson.com/mcdougall/030200puVeganDietDamages.htm
7) Immerman AM. Vitamin B12 status on a
vegetarian diet. A clinical review. World
Rev Nutr Diet. 1981;37:38-54.
8) Albert MJ, Mathan VI, Baker SJ. Vitamin
B12 synthesis by human small intestinal
bacteria. Nature. 1980 Feb
21;283(5749):781-2.
9) Stabler SP, Allen RH. Vitamin B12
deficiency as a worldwide problem. Annu Rev
Nutr. 2004;24:299-326.
10) Koebnick C, Hoffmann I, Dagnelie PC,
Heins UA, Wickramasinghe SN, Ratnayaka ID,
Gruendel S, Lindemans J, Long-term
ovo-lacto vegetarian diet impairs vitamin
B12 status in pregnant women. J Nutr. 2004
Dec;134(12):3319-26.
11) Ting RZ, Szeto CC, Chan MH, Ma KK, Chow
KM. Risk factors of vitamin B(12)
deficiency in patients receiving metformin.
Arch Intern Med. 2006 Oct 9;166(18):1975-9.
12 Wierzbicki AS. Homocysteine and
cardiovascular disease: a review of the
evidence. Diab Vasc Dis Res. 2007
Jun;4(2):143-50.
13. McDougall Newsletter. Folic Acid
Supplements are a Health Hazard
October 2005
https://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2005nl/oct/051000folic.htm
14) Chanarin I. Historical review: a
history of pernicious anaemia. Br J
Haematol. 2000 Nov;111(2):407-15.
15) Okuda K. Discovery of vitamin B12 in
the liver and its absorption factor in the
stomach: a historical review. J
Gastroenterol Hepatol. 1999
Apr;14(4):301-8.
16) Butler CC, Vidal-Alaball J,
Cannings-John R, McCaddon A, Hood K,
Papaioannou A, Mcdowell I, Goringe A.Oral
vitamin B12 versus intramuscular vitamin
B12 for vitamin B12 deficiency: a
systematic review of randomized controlled
trials. Fam Pract. 2006 Jun;23(3):279-85.
17) Vidal-Alaball J, Butler CC,
Cannings-John R, Goringe A, Hood K,
McCaddon A, McDowell I, Papaioannou A. Oral
vitamin B12 versus intramuscular vitamin
B12 for vitamin B12 deficiency. Cochrane
Database Syst Rev. 2005 Jul
20;(3):CD004655.
18) Freeman AG. Hydroxocobalamin versus
cyanocobalamin. J R Soc Med. 1996
Nov;89(11):659.
19) Watanabe F, Takenaka S, Kittaka-Katsura
H, Ebara S, Miyamoto E. Characterization
and bioavailability of vitamin
B12-compounds from edible algae. J Nutr Sci
Vitaminol (Tokyo). 2002 Oct;48(5):325-31.
20) Watanabe F. Vitamin B12 sources and
bioavailability. Exp Biol Med (Maywood).
2007 Nov;232(10):1266-74.
21) Watanabe F, Takenaka S, Katsura H,
Masumder SA, Abe K, Tamura Y, Nakano Y.
Dried green and purple lavers (Nori)
contain substantial amounts of biologically
active vitamin B(12) but less of dietary
iodine relative to other edible seaweeds. J
Agric Food Chem. 1999 Jun;47(6):2341-3.
22) Croft MT, Lawrence AD, Raux-Deery E,
Warren MJ, Smith AG. Algae acquire vitamin
B12 through a symbiotic relationship with
bacteria. Nature. 2005 Nov
3;438(7064):90-3.
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