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Quite often, I am asked the question, "What supplements do you take?" I began taking dietary supplements in 1977 when I was 19 years old. Back then, it was not too many. Still, as I started learning about nutrition and becoming a naturopathic physician and an expert within the dietary supplement industry, my list of daily supplements grew. I am now in my sixties, 65 years old to be exact, and every day, I take about 30 different dietary supplements and have done so for over 35 years.
Rather than provide a long list of what I take. I have arranged what I take in categories and highlighted the best single recommendation for each category, which I summarized below.
Please keep in mind that in addition to my supplementation regimen, I eat healthfully and have a health-promoting lifestyle that includes quality sleep, daily exercise and meditation, and a focus on a positive mindset and emotions. I am a proper "health nut," but I wear that badge with honor. I take dietary supplements to enhance my odds of achieving optimal health and functioning at my highest possible state.
Taking so many supplements requires some organization and planning. I created a shopping list at iHerb and set up all auto-ship products. This feature is not only convenient, but it offers some cost savings as well.
Every two months, I organize my supplements in pill form by laying them out on the counter in six rows of ten 60 small 3-ounce Dixie cups. I then add to the cup the number of pills required for my daily dosage of each of the 27 supplements I take. After filling the cups, I empty the capsules into a small plastic bag. I usually only take one packet daily, just before a meal. I take a few supplements on an empty stomach first thing in the morning. I do not put these in the packets.
Most supplements I take are iHerb brands or Natural Factors. As you likely know, in 2021, I became iHerb's Chief Scientific Advisor. I have great confidence in iHerb house brand products because of their iTested program to ensure the highest level of quality control. Before coming to iHerb, I served as Director of Product Science and Innovation for Natural Factors from 2000 to 2017. So, I know this company's quality control process very well, too.
Our health is a complex system of interdependent and interrelated nutritional factors. A single nutrient deficiency disrupts this system and puts our health at risk. And even though you may not feel the effects or benefits of foundational supplements, they provide much-needed nutritional insurance. The notion that we can get all the nutrients we need through diet is a myth.
The World Health Organization indicates over 2 billion people suffer from dietary deficiency of vitamins and minerals. In the US, data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) and the United States Department of Agriculture's Food Consumption and Nutrient Intakes for Americans have clearly shown nutrient deficiencies exist in a substantial portion of the US population, perhaps as high as 80% for some selected vitamins and minerals that impact immune function. All of this data supports the importance of taking foundational dietary supplements.
Few people could make the financial commitment to take all that I take. Still, a few supplements are foundational pillars everyone should take:
I think the investment into these foundational supplements should be considered an "insurance policy" that you are providing your body with these critical nutrients at sufficient levels.
The specific multiple vitamin and mineral formula I have taken for the last twenty years is the Men's 50+ Multistart from Natural Factors.
I also take Natural Factors’ RxOmega-3 Ultra Pure Pharmaceutical Grade Fish Oil. The ISURA® seal on this fish oil assures it is independently verified as clean and safe and has been tested for up to 800 possible contaminants. It is from sustainably sourced, wild-caught fish and delivers a superior concentration of research-supported omega-3s (EPA & DHA, and DPA). Over 1,000 human studies have shown omega-3 fatty acids can produce significant health benefits, especially cardiovascular and brain health.
Vitamin D deficiency is a global health care issue as considerable indicates that about 50% of the world's population may be deficient in vitamin D. In the US, about 70% have inadequate vitamin D3 levels (i.e., blood levels below 30 ng/ml). That is a big problem because there is considerable evidence that vitamin D3 supplementation may be the most cost-effective strategy for improving health and living longer. Individuals with vitamin D3 deficiency have a shorter life expectancy and a doubled risk for many health issues.
The merits of taking enough vitamin D3 to reach ideal blood levels are now well-known, and many physicians include checking blood D3 levels as part of an annual checkup. I check my vitamin D3 levels yearly, and you should, too. And even though I live in Arizona and am outside hiking or playing golf at least two days a week, if I did not supplement with 5,000 IU of vitamin D3 daily, I would not achieve the target blood level of 50-80 ng/ml that most health experts recommend. It is a good idea to check your vitamin D3 blood levels to dial in the proper dosage, but if you can't, a daily dosage of 2,000 to 5,000 IU of vitamin D3 is recommended by many experts.
Polyphenols and flavonoids are plant pigments with fantastic health and anti-aging benefits. I have made a concerted effort for over 45 years to have a high dietary and supplement intake of these valuable plant compounds. Good dietary sources include berries, pomegranate, citrus fruits, tomatoes, peppers, greens, olives, legumes, cacao and dark chocolate, and green tea.
Supplemental sources include various extracts of these dietary sources and curcumin (from turmeric), quercetin, and resveratrol.
I recommend grape seed extract at 100 to 300 mg daily if you are looking for a single polyphenol source. Grape seed extract is rich in flavonoids known as procyanidolic oligomers. These flavonoids have confirmed health benefits in human double-blind studies, including promoting cardiovascular health, reducing oxidative damage, and protecting against aging, especially in the brain.
Different polyphenols share many health benefits but differ in specific actions promoting health. I take a broad range to offer the greatest range of benefits. And remember, I also achieve this goal with my diet by eating various richly pigmented fruits and vegetables daily.
The carotenoids are another class of plant pigments that exert essential health benefits. These fat-soluble antioxidants are more specific in their antioxidant activity than flavonoids. Carotenoids are more potent in dealing with toxic, unstable forms of oxygen, such as singlet oxygen and superoxide. These free radical forms of oxygen can severely damage cellular structures, particularly fats and cholesterol.
I take three carotenoid supplements: astaxanthin, lutein, and lycopene. Of these three, astaxanthin is my top recommendation. Astaxanthin is called the "King of the Carotenoids" because of its superior benefits and actions in promoting health and protecting against cellular damage, especially in the brain, skin, and cardiovascular systems. I take 12 mg per day for maximum benefit.
When purchasing an astaxanthin supplement, it is a buyer-beware situation. One of the most common problems with dietary supplements sold online on sites other than iHerb is products that must meet label claims. For example, an independent, third-party assessment of astaxanthin supplements conducted by Consumer Labs showed that 13 out of 22 selected astaxanthin products provided less than 1 mg of astaxanthin per serving despite a label claim indicating 10 mg or more.15 Not only did most of the astaxanthin analyzed contain less than 10% of the claimed amount, but several also contained no detectable levels!
Any excellent companies manufacture dietary supplements that employ "Good Manufacturing Practices" or "GMPs," including processes that guarantee what is stated on the label is in the product. iHerb goes one step further through its iTested program. Each product with the iTested logo has been tested by a certified 3rd party independent laboratory for ingredients, purity, and label compliance. You can see the actual Certificate of Analysis to give you confidence in quality, authenticity, and guarantee the product meets label claims.
I take several supplements for detoxification support, such as Natural Factors Liver Health Formula, but N-Acetylcysteine (NAC) is the best recommendation for general detoxification support. I take 1,200 mg per day. NAC boosts the levels of glutathione, the key antioxidant protector in our cells that also aids in eliminating toxic compounds, particularly those that are hard for the body to get rid of, known as persistent organic pollutants that include pesticides, herbicides, solvents, etc. NAC promotes the health of the gastrointestinal and respiratory tract lining, immune system, and brain.
I also take several supplements such as berberine, R-alpha lipoic acid, and PGX to support metabolism and blood sugar control. My top recommendation is berberine if you are overweight or need blood sugar, cholesterol, or blood pressure support.
Over 30 double-blind studies have shown berberine to support metabolic processes cardiovascular health, and exert beneficial changes to the microbiome. Recently, a new form of berberine has been introduced, Berberine Phytosome, which has shown to be much better utilized by the body. Take 550 mg once or twice daily.
I recommend R-alpha lipoic acid for people with blood sugar control issues who also show signs of nerve damage due to elevated blood sugar levels. This vitamin-like molecule is critical to proper nerve function and has also been shown to support blood sugar control and liver detoxification. Take 200 mg daily.
The mitochondria are the energy-producing compartments in our cells. To a large extent, mitochondrial function significantly determines our health, energy levels, and thinking ability. The human brain requires a lot of energy.
Several supplements I describe above support mitochondrial function, including B vitamins, grape seed extract, R-alpha lipoic acid, berberine, and NAC. But the top supplement I take for mitochondrial support is the combination of CoQ10 (coenzyme Q10) and PQQ (pyrroloquinoline quinone).
Both nutrients are critical to mitochondrial function. Our cells can manufacture CoQ10, while PQQ is only available through dietary intake. While our body can make CoQ10, some people have genetic variations that do not produce sufficient levels, and levels can also decline with aging, medications such as statin drug use to lower cholesterol, and other factors. As a result, given the central importance of CoQ10, it leads to decreased cellular function and significant health risks.
Rather than taking CoQ10 alone, I recommend pairing it with PQQ. PQQ protects mitochondria from oxidative damage and stimulates the generation of new mitochondria. These effects support efficient energy production, especially in energy-hungry tissues like the brain and the heart. A suitable dosage level is CoQ10 200 mg and PQQ 20 mg. That dosage level has been shown clinically to enhance memory function in elderly subjects.
The skin is a good reflection of our overall health and nutritional status. If you want healthy, vibrant skin, nutrition or "beauty from within" is the key.
The foundational supplements provide great general support to the skin. The skin is the body's largest organ and requires essential nutrients provided in the diet and through supplementation to build new skin cells constantly.
In addition, the skin is supported by a collagen-rich connective tissue matrix. Nutrients like zinc and vitamin C, along with the polyphenol compounds in grape seed or pine bark extract, provide valuable support to this collagen matrix of the skin.
While collagen supplements help supply the building blocks of collagen, my favorite recommendation for "beauty from within" is silica, a highly bioavailable form of silica (choline-stabilized orthosilicic acid). Silica acts on cells known as fibroblasts in the skin to increase collagen and elastin production. As a result, it has produced impressive results in improving shallow fine lines, skin elasticity, and the health of nails and hair.
I take saw palmetto extract to support my prostate health. I have been taking saw palmetto extract since I was 30 years old, and now, even at 65 years old, I have no symptoms of an enlarged prostate (e.g., frequent nighttime awakening to empty my bladder or a reduced force of my urinary stream).
Numerous double-blind studies have shown standardized extracts of saw palmetto to significantly improve prostate health and fight against the aging of this gland. However, like with many other dietary supplements, there is a buyer beware warning as most saw palmetto products sold online other than iHerb do not meet the label claim.
In the analysis, only one of the 28 products met the US Pharmacopeia criteria for a standardized saw palmetto extract. And that is a problem because these products will not likely produce the same results seen with high-quality extracts. Buying clinically proven saw palmetto extract products from respected brands or iHerb is essential.
I am a big fan of a nighttime dosage of magnesium. It not only promotes relaxation and physical recovery, but it also ensures adequate intake of this important essential nutrient. Magnesium is involved in more than 300 biochemical reactions of the human body, including activation of various chemical enzymes and optimal functioning of most body organs, including the brain. If magnesium levels are low, it is a huge problem. That is especially true in the brain, where magnesium deficiency can lead to fatigue, anxiety, depression, irritability, fear, insomnia, confusion, restlessness, and memory loss. Magnesium is critical for heart function, blood pressure control, bone health, and nerve and muscle tone.
The reality is that most people are magnesium deficient. The average magnesium intake by healthy adults in the United States ranges from 143 to 266 mg/day. This level is well below the RDA of 350 mg for men and 300 mg for women. Depleted magnesium in our food supply is the main reason for the reduced intake.
I recommend magnesium at night because it calms, relieves stress, and promotes relaxation and restful sleep. For best results, use a highly absorbable form of magnesium like magnesium citrate, malate, or bis-glycinate. I prefer my nighttime magnesium as a drink mix. Both iHerb and Natural Factors offer versions I like regarding taste and mouthfeel. I take 250 to 500 mg at night.
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