The daily use of Multivitamins and Supplements

The majority of adults in the United States take one or more dietary supplements either every day or occasionally. Today's dietary supplements include vitamins, minerals, herbals and botanicals, amino acids, enzymes, and many other products. Dietary supplements come in a variety of forms: traditional tablets, capsules, and powders, as well as drinks and energy bars. Popular supplements include vitamins D and E; minerals like calcium and iron; herbs such as echinacea and garlic; and specialty products like glucosamine, probiotics, and fish-oils.

Multivitamins

I've never found that multi-vitamins did anything for me that I noticed. On the other hand, a family member, is using a quality multivitamin, two tablets a day, and claims a significant benefit.

Antioxidants

The best antioxidants and the ones you don't need. Nutritional ketosis is low inflammatory, with it's own genetic mechanism for reducing inflammation. After that the best antioxidants are fruit and vegetables, especially fresh berries.

Mineral Supplements

Since living the Banting Lifestyle, I've been deliberately eating more salt. I'm also drinking the vegetable water and making a drink from the fry-pan after cooking meats. I've also made an effort to eat more seafood and meat offal.

If you don’t get outside every day, you may not be getting enough vitamin D. Vitamin D is absorbed from sunlight on the skin. It is also found in eggs, margarine, fish and seafood. In special cases, frail older people may need a Vitamin D supplement, but for most people, it is better to have short regular exposure to the sun.

U.S. National Institutes of Health - WARNING

These products (Supplements) ... in some circumstances are dangerous, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health. For those who fail to consume a balanced diet, the agency says that certain supplements "may have value." As with the recommended low-fat high-carbohydrate diet, official pronouncements have not been very helpful.

Fish Oil Capsules

People at risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis can probably decrease their risk by daily use of fish-oil supplements. 1-3 grams per day.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a systematic inflammatory disease, which affects multiple joints in the body.

RA is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

The exact cause of RA is not known, but the inflammation may arise from a faulty immune system response.

Dr Jill Norris of the Colorado School of Public Health says, "There is substantial difference in the blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids between the people who took omega-3 supplements and those who did not.

30 people with RA were compared with 47 people free of the disease. Two of the RA group used fish-oil supplements. While of the 47 RA free people, sixteen were taking fish-oil supplements.

DGAC Recommendations

According to the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, 2015, Vitamin E is now listed as a "shortfall" nutrient along with previously named nutrients, vitamins A, D, and C, folate, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and fiber.

The committee also states that fortified foods, broadening fortification of dairy and use of dietary supplements containing vitamin D can be effective strategies for meeting the RDA of vitamin D.

"Recognizing the importance of fortification and supplementation is an important advance given the nearly ubiquitous suboptimal levels in the US and worldwide."

I find that surprising. I am now taking fish-oil capsules again. (I stopped for a while.) I've also been taking another supplement which I'll tell you about if you ask.

I find the ability of these recommendations to remain, written in stone, not only in the USA, by around the world rather amazing. Only in Sweden have the government made a stand in favour of a Swedish Diet, based on the common Swedish food's of the 1920's. In New Zealand, we follow the American model.