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Grapevine
Dec/Jan 2012 Issue
5 Reasons to Supplement
© Elena Elisseeva/123RF.comDietary supplements are a $28 billion industry in the United States. That’s a lot of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, enzymes, proteins and herbs. For the average consumer (and even the savvy medical professional), the choices can be overwhelming. If you’re on a special diet, extra nutritional help is crucial—but which supplements are most important?
Generally, food-sensitive and allergic people must supplement for one or more of the following reasons:
1. Specific nutrients are missing from the diet due to elimination of certain foods.
2. Nutrients are deficient due to medication use or malabsorption.
3. The gut and digestion require additional support.
4. Immune function needs strengthening.
5. A related medical condition would benefit from nutritional bolstering.
Special Diets
Most nutrients have a large variety of food sources so elimination diets don't automatically put people at risk for deficiencies. One exception is the dairy-free, soy-free diet, which can create shortages in calcium and vitamin D. People often tell me they’re getting plenty of calcium because they love broccoli. However, they must eat three servings a day, each the size of their head, to meet the current requirement.
Even without their problem foods, people can usually get what they need if they eat a wide variety of the vegetables, fruits, meats and other whole foods they can tolerate. Picky eating opens the door to deficiencies.
Meds or Malabsorption
A surprising number of medications have nutritional interactions. For example, reflux medications, widely prescribed for symptoms that often turn out to be food intolerance, interfere with the absorption of protein, vitamins D and B-12, zinc, calcium and iron.
Conditions like celiac disease are linked to poor nutrient absorption.
Nutrient deficiency can be difficult to pinpoint until it becomes severe. You don’t notice your energy is flagging, for example, because the deficit evolves very gradually over time. Assume that general nutrient support is needed unless proven otherwise.
Gut and Digestion
Digestive dysfunction is behind many food sensitivities so supporting digestion is the foundation of most supplement programs. The main components are:
- Nutrients to heal the gut lining (such as vitamin A, zinc and L-glutamine).
- Substances to enhance and replenish natural flora (i.e., probiotics and prebiotics).
- Bad-bug exterminators (including yeast killers and natural antibacterial/antivirals).
- Digestives (like enzymes, stomach acid and bile salts).
Immune Function
Allergies are a sign of a misdirected immune system more than a weak one. Nonetheless, the immune system has finite resources and when misappropriated by frequent allergic reactions, the body can become vulnerable to outside attacks and fall ill. Low nutrient intake can contribute to immune weakness.
A common but indirect sign of pollen allergies is frequent ‘colds’ in the spring. (Food reactions are rarely seasonal.) If you get sick—colds, upper respiratory infections, stomach bugs, etc.—more than two or three times per year, your immune system could benefit from proper supplementation.
Related Conditions
In addition to food reactions, you may be dealing with a related medical issue, such as osteoporosis, anemia or infertility. Supplements can help improve a wide variety of conditions.
You’re likely wondering how to figure this all out. The average consumer cannot do it alone. Consider your symptoms and the potential application of each of these five areas of concern. Understanding your individual situation can help you pinpoint and prioritize your needs. It can also help you fully partner with your healthcare provider to develop your best strategy for using supplements. Over the next issues, we’ll explore the most relevant supplements in detail.
Licensed nutritionist dietitian Kelly Dorfman, author of What’s Eating Your Child?, has 29 years of clinical experience, developing nutrition and lifestyle strategies to address complex health problems.
Comments (5)
Just me again, the magazine was from Dec - Jan 2012, and here I am reading it nearly a year later as I had saved it in my email stuff.
Posted by: Lorna R | December 3, 2012 11:41 PM Report this comment
I am just really quickly reading this article I received in my email from the Nov/Dec 2012 articles about supplements. I'm a Celiac of 16 years and yes, I was really good about taking the supplements so my body would get enough to maintain good health. In the last 3 months, I have determined these supplements to be causing me dry skin problems. I already have extremely dry skin, a genetic thing, but any of the oils make it worse. The supplements have a base of vegetable sterate which I have learned is usually based in corn or soy. As I mentioned, I am a Celiac, but with the bonus allergies of corn, dairy, soy and nuts, now I also avoid canola, sunflower, safflower, palm, corn, soy . . . . .I think that is all of them! ! Slowly, I am getting back into baking using mostly coconut oil. I think olive oil is okay, but I am alternating between the olive and coconut oils. For those professional label readers, like me, you know limiting these oils from one's diet is difficult. . . . Do realize this cuts out crackers, chips, prepared buns and waffles, anything with soy lecithin in it, basically all processed foods. I am doing this with my diet and my 8 year old son's diet too. I think t is really very interesting as to how the food I eat is causing me problems, just makes me really wonder what is being put in these foods. Yes, I am an all round positive female who liked to eat the treats, but has always been a home cooked meals type of person. As a result of all of this, both my son and I have lost a lot of the treats. Is anyone else dealing with this same situation ? Thanks for reading
Posted by: Lorna R | December 3, 2012 11:38 PM Report this comment
A few more points - avoid food additives esp. carrageenan - a known inflammatory that causes many celiac, IBS, and other GI patients issues not only GI wise but often causes joint and muscle pain. It is derived from red seaweed species - so many find they cannot tolerate seaweeds in general - and these are sometimes added to things like canned beans (brown-komb seaweed). MSG (originally derived from seaweed) and similar additives like monoammonium glutamate can cause similar symptoms to carrageenan and should be avoided. Whole Foods recently came out with almond milk (and soy is on the way) that does not contain carrageenan-many think they have an issue with soy but can eat edamame and tofu...when in fact it is the carrageenan in the soy milk.
Posted by: Sharon M | July 16, 2012 7:58 AM Report this comment
Since IBS, Crohns, celiac, and other GI related disorders often cause nutritional malabsorption most doctors recommend a variety of supplements depending on your labs - eg. Vit D if that is low, perhaps iron, folic acid, etc. if anemic. Your doctor should direct you. Like foods, supplements are covered under the Consumer Protection Act of 2004 - that requires them to specify the source, say of "starch"- that it is from wheat or corn, and to be gluten-free (< 20 ppm or perhaps less if a supplement). The point is you will know what is in a vitamin or mineral supplement becuse of this act, but prescription and non-prescription OTC (over-the-counter meds) have no such requirement, and in fact a recent study out of Mayo Clinic noted celiac/spue-like presentation with a certain blood pressure medication- though the authors made no mention of the inactive ingredients being the culprit as one generic contained "starch" and lactose 12x that of the active ingredient.
Posted by: Sharon M | July 16, 2012 7:41 AM Report this comment
I have started to eliminate some things in an effort to control IBS. One of the things my Nurse Practitioner said was that many supplements are difficult because of the fillers used. For example, one B vitamin will not cause any reaction while another with the same B will cause problems, because a different filler or fillers was incorporated into the pill/capsule. So I have currently eliminated all supplements and will do a very careful reintroduction once I have the rest of my sensitivities figured out. Something to keep in mind if you decide you do need supplements and you have issues with sensitivities.
Posted by: dirob2 | November 30, 2011 6:18 PM Report this comment