warning for Vitamin users

[NZdick1983]

Although I am a great proponent of quality supplements, I thought I would balance that with a caution about vitamins:

I am wary of consuming too high quantities of vitamins (especially fat soluble vitamins A, E, D, K)

Vitamin A has been linked to osteoporosis and liver damage in high/long term use/abuse

A separate (concentrated) vitamin E supplement might actually increase the chance of developing prostate cancer in some men.

The main consequence of vitamin D toxicity is a buildup of calcium in your blood (hypercalcemia), which can cause poor appetite, nausea and vomiting. Weakness, frequent urination and kidney problems also may occur. Treatment includes the stopping of excessive vitamin D intake.

Excessive vitamin K can build up in the liver and cause damage.

*I think I have covered the main ones, you should be wary of.

Although the Omega 3 in fish oil capsules have proven benefits, 83% of American fish oil tested - showed high levels of oxidation... 20% of NZ fish oil showed the same. Fish oil is very delicate and sensitive to oxygen and sunlight. While very healthy prior to oxidation, if it oxidizes in the manufacturing process, or storage, they will do more harm than good and may become
pro-oxidant, i.e. harmful, under certain circumstances by behaving as free radicals themselves.

My focus has moved away from vitamins, I do take a vitamin supplement 2/3 times per week, but it doesn't contain vitamin A and only small amounts of fat soluble vitamins I listed above.

*I would stay away from Mega-doses of vitamins - except perhaps vitamin C which is water soluble and almost impossible to overdose on and doesn't tax the liver.
If you are taking high doses of Vitamin C for health, stagger them throughout the day, try not to take more than 1,000mg per 3/4 hours - rather than all at once. This gives your body a chance to utilize it more effectively.

Magnesium is something most people are deficient in (80% of Americans are deficient) - and most could use the additional benefits of a supplement.

Unfortunately, foods that contain lots of magnesium tend to be the ones non health nuts aren’t particularly crazy about. That includes dark leafy greens, nuts and seeds, lentils, whole grains and dark chocolate.

As a result, the average person – according to EnviroMedica – gets just over one half the bare minimum amount of magnesium required to function properly (320 mg daily for women, 420 for men).

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I focus more on herbs and super foods (like Manuka honey UMF 10+) coconut oil, Macca, Astaxanthin *a potent antioxidant, green smoothies, Chia seeds, pro-biotic yogurt etc.. all of which are food based and natural as opposed to vitamin pills

Just food for thought... the Supplement industry is massive (much like the Pharmaceutical industry) plagued with low quality and misleading products. Not to say that supplements are useless (quite the contrary) one just needs to be judicious in selecting high quality bio-available products to enhance your health and not harm it.