VITAMINTESTING.COM: Test Your Vitamin Levels

Reservatrol, found in red wine, has been shown to potentially lengthen your life.  Since the initial research findings, this supplement has become very popular.  With prices approaching $80 a bottle, people are scooping up this supplement.  The claims are based on lab studies in which worms, fruit flies, fish, and mice did indeed enjoy longer, friskier lives after eating food laced with resveratrol.  But, the problem is that  there’s no solid proof that ingesting this supplement will extend your life.

In test-tube studies, Reservatrol boosts enzymes called sirtuins, which regulate aging and could help you beat the clock.  In animal studies, resveratrol discourages the development of cancers of the colon, breast, intestine, and esophagus. And it protects your heart by discouraging blood clotting, keeping artery walls flexible and squelching inflammation. This sirtuin activation does the same thing as calorie restriction in animal studies: You live the equivalent of 50% longer with the same quality of life.

But despite these studies, the evidence remains unconvincing.  The primary reason: the animal studies used huge doses.  You’d have to drink 180 to 1,500 bottles of red wine a day to get the levels that help lab mice. Second, no one really knows quite how much it would take to get similar effects in humans. Then there’s safety. Among the concerns: Resveratrol slows how fast your liver breaks down common drugs, including some statins, erectile dysfunction meds, calcium channel blockers, and some immune system suppressants. That could dangerously screw up the doses. And there’s some evidence that resveratrol may activate estrogen receptors on cells, spelling trouble for women with a history of estrogen-sensitive tumors (often breast, ovarian, and uterine).

There are also quality concerns.  In one analysis, 3 of 19 brands contained far less than their labels promised. It’s not clear that any of the supplements are made in an oxygen-free environment, which is critical to preserving supplements’ potency (you’d have to buy nitrogen-wrapped, single-pill foil wraps to get the active compound).

So  for now, why not drink a rich, red wine or eat a handful of peanuts to get your resveratrol?  Some of the highest concentrations are found in the skins of grapes; that’s why dark red wines (pinot noir, cabernet sauvignon, zinfandel) have the highest levels. White wines have the least because skins are removed earlier in the fermentation process.

Don’t drink? Chill and munch half a cup of red grapes (not green) every day. Snack on peanuts and peanut butter.  Sprinkle on some blueberries (or cranberries; they have some resveratrol, too). When summer’s fresh berries aren’t available, blend frozen berries into smoothies or throw some into muffin mix.

And don’t focus just on Reservatrol.  Other powerful ways to add years to your life include regular exercise (at least 30 minutes a day); relaxing to reduce chronic stress (a major ager that zaps energy, raises blood sugar, and boosts heart disease risk); getting 7 to 8 hours of good sleep every night (burning the candle at both ends encourages diabetes, heart disease, and overeating); and maintaining a healthy waistline.

While Vitamin E is thought to be good, there has are no conclusive studies showing that it protects the heart or prevents cancer. And large doses can thin out the blood and may inclrease the risk of stroke in those with uncontrolled blood pressure.

The recommended daily allowance (RDA) is 15 mg of which half could be satisfied with just one ounce of dry roasted almonds.

While taking vitamins is often thought to be a good thing, getting too much of them can simply be dangerous.

For instance, large doses of Vitamin E can increase the risk of bleeding if you’re on blood thinners.  Higher doses of this vitamin, according to researchers at Johns Hopkins University, was associated with a higher risk of dying.  Furthermore, high dosages of vitamin A can increases the risk of liver cancer, lung cancer, birth defects and reduced bone density.

An earlier analysis by these same researchers in 2004 found that actual dosages contained in vitamin supplements may greatly exceed the dosages listed on the package.  For instance, some Vitamin E supplements advertised to contain 400 IU actually contained as much as 1000 IU.  Further compounding the issue of high vitamin consumption is that a number of processed foods are “fortified” with vitamins, causing you to have vitamin levels in excess of that which you consume in supplements.

In summary, the safe use of vitamins is best achieved by creating a partnership with a qualified medical professional and undergoing vitamin testing to ensure that what you’re taking is the right amount.

Excess amounts of Vitamin A acumulate and can eventually be toxic. Other effects of high levels of this vitamin include: blurred vision, headaches, vomiting and liver, bone and nervos system problems.

The RDA for men is 900 mcg and for women 700 mcg. Foods that are Vitamin A rich include: carrots, fortified cereals, dark leafy greens, fruits and sweet potatoes.

If you’re taking Zinc supplements, beware. High doses can interfere with how your body metabolizes copper and iron, may weaken the immune system and may also reduce the levels of HDL (good cholestrol). It is unclear, since there are many studies with mixed results, if Zinc reduces the length of a common cold.

Zinc supplements can also interact with a number of drugs, including antibiotics, blood pressure medications and NSAIDs.

The Recommended Daily Allowance for Zinc is 11mg for men, 8 mg for women. Common sources include: meat and poultry, beans, nuts and lentils.

Vitamin D deficiencies are now thought to be rampant amongst kids.  While pediatricians thought the problem had been solved amongst children with Vitamin D fortification of milk, crereal and other foods, a number of studies shows that Vitamin D deficiency is much more of a health problem than anyone realized according to Catherine Gordon, director of the bone health program at Children’s Hospital Boston.  In the June issue of the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Gordon found that a whopping 40% of toddlers and infants tested below average for Vitamin D. 

A review of Vitamin D research published last July in the New England Journal of Medicine indicates that sunlight (15 minutes a day), diet and supplements are all good sources of this important Vitamin.  While the Nationhal Institutes of Medicine suggest 200 IU per day for children and 400 IU for adults, some doctors suggest doubling this dose as overdosing on Vitamin D is thought to be highly unlikely. 

As many of 95% of older Americans are also thought to be Vitamin D deficient.  Besides helping with bone health, Vitamin D is also thought to play a role in preventing diabetes and hypertension as well as decreasing heart attack risk according to the National Institutes of Health.

So how do you know if you are Vitamin D deficient?  Follow our proven process to get your Vitamin Levels checked !!!

Several reports have come out, most recently by the Associated Press, that so-called “natural sexual enhancers” mjay contain unregulated versions of the very pharmaceuticals they are intended to replace.  While this may not sound dangerous, it is for tbe millions of men who take nitrates, drugs that help regulate blood pressure and treat heart disease.  As you may know, the ingredients in nitrates can interact with the ingredients in Cialis, Levitra and Viagra and cause heart issues.

Emergency rooms and hospitals are logging more incidents of these drug interactions, especially in men who are older and more likely to need both blood pressure medication and help with erectile dysfunction.

Estimates by the Nutrition Business Journal are that almost $400 million of these herbal remedies were sold last year, a 400% increase in just 5 years!  Moreover, many of the ingredients for these pills come from China and can cost from $1 – $5, just a fraction of the cost of Cialis, Levitra or Viagra.  In fact, the FDA has placed such pills, made by two manufacturers in China and one from Malaysia, on an import watch list.

Bottom line:  If you suffer from erectile dysfunction and are on any prescription drugs, unregulated “herbal” remedies can pose real dangers and should be avoided. 

According to recent studies reported in Parade Magazine, more than half of American women don’t get enought Vitamin D.  Our bodies manufacture Vitamin D when we’re out in the sun, yet many of us actively avoid the sun, use sunscreens and otherwise limit our exposure.  While all multivitamins contain vitamin D, and fortified foods also contain vitamin D, many of us still don’t get enough.  The recommended dosage of vitamin D is between 1000 and 1500 IU of vitamin D3 daily.  The best way to tell if you’re vitamin D deficient is via a blood test.

Vitamin D is essential for healthy bones because it’s needed for calcium absorption.  New research also indicates that vitamin D is important for immune system health as well as for the prevention of cancer, including breast and prostrate cancers.

According to recent reports on ABC News and Good Morning America, up to 60% of Americans may be deficient in Vitamin D, particularly Vitamin D3.

Why are we deficient?  A primary source of Vitamin D is sunlight, and we’re told to stay out of the sun.  Likewise, darker-skinned people absorb less Vitamin D from sunlight. 

Why is this deficiency an issue?  Men and women who don’t get enough vitamin D from their diets or exposure to the sun are at increased risk for muscle weakness and poor physical performance.

How much do we need?  The National Academy of Sciences says that for people older than 50, 200 international units (iu) of vitamin D per day is adequate. People between 51 and 70 need 400 iu and people older than 70 need 600 iu.  But many experts think that amount is too low, according to ABC News medical editor Dr. Tim Johnson.

Johnson recommends people get 1,000 iu of vitamin D a day. One of the best sources of Vitamin D is the sun.  “The sun’s ultraviolet rays cause us to manufacture vitamin D,” Johnson said, “but that’s problematic because we are all told to stay out of the sun and to wear sunscreen, which means less vitamin D.”

Dark-skinned people often don’t get enough vitamin D, because the sun doesn’t penetrate their skin. And the elderly often miss out on vitamin D in their diets, Johnson said.

Can I get too much Vitamin D?  Johnson said risks associated with getting too much vitamin D include too much calcium buildup in the blood, which can lead to kidney and bone problems, buildup of calcium in muscles, and heart trouble.

VitaminTesting.com recommends you follow our process to get your Vitamin D level assessed and then, under the guidance of a medical professional, take appropriate supplements to get your vitamin levels in balance.

Even if you buy vitamin supplements that are manufactured in the US, chances are that the ingredients came from China.  In fact, a majority of vitamins A, B12, C and E are made in China.  In fact, in less than a decade, China has captured 90 percent of the U.S. market for Vitamin C.

So, why be concerned?  China has few regulatory controls on the manufacture of vitamins and other products.  Recent analyses of vitamin supplements have found dangerous levels of lead and other substances in some supplements.   In a number of product areas, including toys, pet foods and drugs, Chinese producers have been found to produce substandard and sometimes dangerous products.   And, since U.S. vitamin supplement manufacturers are also not regulated, the possibility of vitamin supplement contamination or abnormalities are further increased.

Vitamintesting.com suggests you research the supplements you take and make sure they’ve passed the content and quality analyses from one of the four, independent testing laboratories (see Vitamin Potency Testing).  You take vitamins to improve your health…it would be a shame for them to have the opposite effect.

Source of Information for this Post:  Article entitled “Pet food scandal has Chinese drugs under microscope” by Tim Johnsonn, MCT News Service.  June 3, 2007.