Taking the right stuff
Dr. Mike’s Fab 9 supplements
In an ideal world, the food you eat would provide all the vitamins, minerals and micro- and macronutrients needed to power your body. But research shows that when it comes to the recommended dietary allowance of nutrients — that’s the minimum you should get — well, 99.9 per cent of American folks fail to take in 100 per cent of what’s recommended, and only seven per cent get more than 20 per cent.
The power of the
Fab 9 Supplements Because many folks don’t get the needed nutrients, taking supplements is an important way to fight deficiencies. The Fab 9 Supplements help protect your gut biome and fight off infection and chronic illnesses, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and depression. These nutrition boosters should be routine for most men 35 and older and women 45 and older; they’re lowor no-risk or the benefits outstrip the risks.
No. 1: Vitamin D-3 Between 67 and 93 per cent of Americans are vitamin-D deficient, with a blood level below 30 ng/ml. A blood level of 35 ng/ ml protects you against cancer, helps protect arteries from the effects of aging, reverses diabetes and protects against erectile dysfunction. So get a blood test annually to find out what supplementation you need to boost your level to 50 to 80 ng/ml. Until then, start taking 1,000 IU daily.
No. 2: Multivitamin
Split a multi; take half in the morning, half at night (keeps nutrient blood levels constant). Stick with a multi that has nutrient doses close to their RDA — super-spiking one nutrient can throw off the working relationship between nutrients and do more harm than good. And there is good! For example, taking a multivitamin for 20 years decreases cancer rates —18 per cent for non-prostate cancers in men over 70 — and decreases cardiovascular disease by over 25 per cent.
No. 3 and No. 4: Calcium citrate and magnesium Calcium protects your health in many ways, including building bone strength. Generally, folks get about half the daily calcium they need (around 1,200 milligrams), so take a 600-milligram supplement. Taking 300-milligram magnesium daily helps counteract the constipation associated with taking calcium. It also helps regulate muscle and nerve function, blood sugar levels, blood pressure and is important in making protein, bone and healthy DNA.
No. 5: DHA omega-3 DHA is the part of fish oil that’s brain food and is one of five elements that protect your eyes from macular degeneration. The carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin; avoiding secondhand smoke; and wearing sunglasses are the other four. Take 900 milligrams daily or eat 12 ounces of salmon/sea trout weekly.
No. 6: Low-dose aspirin (81 milligrams) Taking two 81-milligrams aspirin (not enteric/coated) daily — one in the morning, one at night — protects against nine cancers, including breast, prostate and colon, as well as heart- and artery related conditions such as stroke, impotence and deep-vein thrombosis. Benefits exceed risks for the typical man over 35 and woman over 45 — but gastro upset and bleeding can happen, so check with your doc before taking. If you do take aspirin, have a half glass of warm water before and after each dose. Take aspirin consistently; if you forget it for two days, there’s a risk of rebound clotting.
No. 7: Omega-7s
These fatty acids seem to decrease inflammation and insulin resistance. We suggest 420 milligrams of purified omega-7 daily.
No. 8: Probiotics Probiotics (good-for-you bacteria in cultured yogurt) help metabolize the youth- and energy-giving benefits in foods. Eating over four ounces of red meat or six ounces of pork weekly changes the bacterial makeup in your gut and produces chemicals that contribute to arterial aging, heart attack and stroke. Take a daily probiotic (lactobacillus or spore form) containing four billion colony-forming units.
No. 9: Coenzyme Q10
This coenzyme decreases the side effects of LDL-lowering statins and may reduce your risk of diabetes and hypertension. It seems to work by helping restore vigour to your mitochondria — the energy centres of each cell in your body. We recommend 200 milligrams daily.
Bonus: NAD+ is a coenzyme essential for delivering nutrients to cells, but we’ll explore its benefits another time!
Mehmet Oz, M.D. is host of “The Dr. Oz Show,” and Mike Roizen, M.D. is Chief Wellness Officer and Chair of Wellness Institute at Cleveland Clinic. To live your healthiest, tune in to “The Dr. Oz Show” or visit www.sharecare.com.