Supplements

Supplemental Foods

We recommend eating these “supplemental foods” on a regular schedule:

3 egg yolks daily, 5 yolks daily for women who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant (for choline, folate, vitamin A)
A bowl of soup made from bone, joint, tendon, foot, or hoof stock, 3 days per week (for calcium, phosphorus, and collagen)
Fermented vegetables such as kimchi, sauerkraut, or fermented mixed vegetables (for nucleotides, probiotic bacteria, and vitamins K2 and B12), and other vegetables such as tomato, avocado, potato, sweet potato, banana, green leafy vegetables, and seaweeds such as dulse, daily (for potassium)
¼ lb beef or lamb liver, weekly (copper, vitamin A, folate, choline). If you like, substitute ¼ lb chicken, duck, or goose liver weekly plus 30 g 85% dark chocolate daily
fish, shellfish, eggs, and kidneys, weekly (for selenium)

Daily Supplements

These are supplements we recommend be taken daily:

Sunshine and vitamin D3 as needed to achieve serum 25OHD of 40 ng/ml.
Vitamin K2 100 mcg or more
Magnesium 200 mg
Iodine 225 mcg
Vitamin C 1 g
Pantothenic acid (vitamin B-5) 500 mg

Vitamin D3 Seek total dose from sun, food, and supplements of 4,000 IU/day Adjust to 25OHD level of 40 ng/ml (whites/Asians), 30 ng/ml (blacks)	<br />	<br />	<br />
Vitamin K2 Recommended dose: 100 mcg MK-7 Pharmacological, possibly therapeutic doses: 1000 mcg to 5 mg MK-4	<br />	<br />	<br />
Magnesium Use chelate (e.g. glycinate) or citrate Daily dose 200 mg	<br />	<br />	<br />
Iodine Recommended dose 225 mcg/day (one tablet) Nori sheets have about 50 mcg each; 2-4 per day replaces supplements Supplementation is to prevent lengthy iodine droughts	<br />
Vitamin C Low dose: 500 mg – 1 g per day Under stress or viral infections, more may be needed Powder is least expensive way to get large doses	<br />	<br />	<br />
Vitamin B-5 (pantothenic acid or pantethine) 500 mg per day; we suggest daily due to its extreme safety Acne/skin blemishes or low energy/endurance are symptoms of deficiency	<br />	<br />	<br />

Weekly Supplements

These are supplements we recommend be taken once a week:

B vitamins:
- 50 to 100 mg each of B1, B2, and B6
- 5 mg biotin
- 500 mcg B12
Zinc 50 to 100 mg
Boron 3 mg

B1 (thiamin) 50-100 mg weekly	<br />	<br />	<br />
B2 (riboflavin) 100 mg per week	<br />	<br />	<br />
B6 For those who don’t take a B-50 complex We recommend 50 mg to 100 mg per week	<br />	<br />	<br />
Biotin We recommend 5 mg once per week	<br />	<br />	<br />
B12 We recommend 500 mcg to 1 mg once per week Sublingual methylcobalamin is preferred	<br />	<br />	<br />
Zinc We recommend about 50 mg per week Be sure to follow our copper recommendations as copper-zinc balance is crucial	<br />	<br />	<br />
Boron The 3 mg dose can be taken one to three times per week	<br />	<br />	<br />

Prenatal Supplements

The most important prenatal supplements are:

Extra duck, goose, or pastured chicken liver.
Extra egg yolks.

The following supplements may also be helpful during pregnancy or in the months leading up to conception. Note: We do not recommend prenatal multivitamins.

Choline

Not necessary if you eat enough egg yolks and liver
But extremely important during pregnancy, and safe

Inositol plus Choline

Not necessary if you eat enough egg yolks and liver
If supplementing choline, good to mix in some inositol

Iron (optional)

About 30% of pregnant women develop iron deficiency anemia
Don’t guess, test; blood tests will indicate if you need iron supplements

Optional Supplements

These supplements may be helpful for a significant fraction of the population. Experiment to see if they help you:

Probiotics
Chromium, 200-400 mcg per week (not necessary if you cook in stainless steel pots) and (optional) vanadium, 25 mcg per week
Lithium 5 to 10 mg per week
Silicon 5 mg to 25 mg daily
FOR PEOPLE WHO DO NOT EAT LIVER: Copper 2 mg per day
FOR PEOPLE WHO DO NOT EAT LIVER: Vitamin A from cod liver oil, 50,000 IU/week
FOR PEOPLE WHO DO NOT EAT MAKE BONE STOCK OR DRINK MINERAL WATER: Calcium up to 400 mg/day
B-50 complex (as a substitute for individual B supplements if you prefer fewer pills
Molybdenum 150 mcg per week
Taurine 500 mg to 5000 mg per week (higher doses may be therapeutic for small intestinal or systemic infections)
Selenium 0 or 200 mcg per week depending on selenium content of food (if food is produced in dry, flat areas = high selenium, no supplements; rainy, well-drained areas = 200 mcg/wk)

Probiotics Bifidobacterium spp can help with leanness and weight loss. Lactobacillus spp can help with acid reflux, bloating, SIBO, prediabetes, high triglycerides	<br />	<br />	<br />
More Probiotics Bifidobacterium spp can help with leanness and weight loss. Lactobacillus spp can help with small intestinal issues	<br />	<br />	<br />
More Probiotics VSL#3 is a good mix for inflammatory bowel diseases. Prescript Assist includes soil-based organisms that are a little riskier and should be taken only occasionally, not continuously, for therapeutic reasons.	<br />	<br />
Chromium If you don’t cook in stainless steel, we recommend 200 mcg chromium one to three times per week Stainless steel pots may release 88 mcg chromium per day of use Optional: vanadium 25 mcg one to two times per week	<br />	<br />	<br />
Lithium Best is to take 1 mg per day; 5 mg once or twice per week is next best Caution: too much lithium can exacerbate hypothyroidism and increase potassium excretion		<br />	<br />
Silicon Up to 25 mg per day Most people would benefit from more silicon Seaweed is a good food source	<br />	<br />	<br />
Copper (Only If Liver Is Not Eaten) Target of 2-3 mg/day can be met by eating 1/4 lb beef or lamb liver per week Do not supplement copper if you eat liver	<br />	<br />
Vitamin A (Only If Liver Is Not Eaten) Target of 50,000 IU/week with remaining A needs met from carotenoids (green leafy vegetables and orange plants like carrots) Do not supplement vitamin A if you eat liver, unless for therapeutic reasons	<br />	<br />
Calcium (If No Mineral Water or Bone Stock) PHD foods may fall short of calcium target by up to 400 mg/day Standard PHD prescription is to make up the difference with bone stock and/or mineral water These supplements also replace magnesium supplement; aim for 300-500 mg calcium and 150-250 mg magnesium per day	<br />	<br />
B-50 complex An alternative to the other B vitamins for those who prefer to take fewer pills Not recommended more than once per week due to folic acid and niacin content	<br />	<br />	<br />
Molybdenum We recommend 150 mcg to 1 mg per week	<br />	<br />	<br />
Taurine We recommend 500 to 1000 mg weekly for healthy persons Supports production of bile salts	<br />	<br />	<br />
Vitamin E Red palm oil is a good food source If supplementing, take mixed tocopherols and tocotrienols	<br />	<br />	<br />

Therapeutic Supplements

These supplements are unnecessary for healthy people but may be helpful in various disease conditions.

N-acetylcysteine Precursor to glutathione Recommended dose is 500 mg Can take more in cases of severe chronic infection	<br />	<br />	<br />
Glycine Supports collagen production, bile conjugation, and glutathione production Desirable if you don’t eat daily extracellular matrix (bones, joints, tendons, skin, hooves) Up to 2 teaspoons (10 g) per day	<br />	<br />	<br />
Creatine Supports muscle growth and preservation; especially valuable for the elderly Up to 1 teaspoon (5 g) per day	<br />	<br />	<br />
Melatonin An important sleep hormone, deficient in many brain diseases, has antimicrobial activity Take 1 mg sublingually just before bedtime For larger doses, combine 5 mg time-release with 1 mg sublingual	<br />	<br />	<br />
Detoxification Aids These can help bind toxins and excrete them in feces, preventing them from being re-absorbed in the colon Likely to be helpful for most people suffering from chronic infection or environmental mold.	<br />	<br />	<br />

Miscellaneous

These items may be helpful in implementing Perfect Health Diet and Lifestyle advice.

Pill boxes

Set out pills once per week, aids remembering to take them

Pill cutter

For cutting tablets to reduce the dose

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4,438 Comments.

Gonçalo Moreira March 11, 2011 at 11:50 am

thanks Justin for mentioning iherb it has a very low international shiping rate. I need to check it out more carefully

Reply
KKC March 11, 2011 at 5:24 pm

@ JVN,

Hi. Here http://www.iherb.com/Now-Foods-Potassium-plus-Iodine-180-Tablets/767?at=0 is the product page (includes ingredients & amounts) for the NOW Foods “Potassium plus Iodine” tabs. I hope that Paul is able to come up with a gainful arrangement w/ iherb, as Justin suggested; I’m quite a regular of theirs.

You can also find Standard Process “Prolamine Iodine” at http://www.vitalbee.com/standard-process-prolamine-iodine-90-tablets.html Each tab contains 3 mg organic iodine. I don’t have personal experience with this, but many WAPpers (? – followers of Weston A. Price) like this brand. BTW, this site has unbelievable prices on Thorne Research supps (check out the K2 drops, for example), and any size order is shipped free w/in the Lower 50.

Good riddance to your rash.
Best, KKC

Reply
Which diet do you recommend Raj? « Harder. Better. Faster. Stronger. - pingback on March 12, 2011 at 9:35 pm
JVN March 13, 2011 at 11:45 am

Hi KKC,

Thanks for recommendations. I’m actually a regular customer at Iherb too and as much as I’d like to support this blog the Iherb prices are just superior to me as a scandinavian. I decided to try this one: http://www.iherb.com/Life-Flo-Health-Liquid-Iodine-Plus-2-oz-57-g/22640?at=0

The rash is almost all gone now so it’s quite obvious now it was due the kelp.

Hi Paul,

I’d be interested in your thoughts on following supplements: MSM, betaine hcl, digestive enzymes and probiotics.

On MSM I’ve read all kinds of wonders it is supposed to do (for example: http://www.evolutionhealth.com/msm-powder3.htm)
But still it seems to lack all the scientific evidence. What do you think?

I’ve understood that betaine hcl and enzymes are critical to digestion. Shouldn’t these then be on top of the list so that any of these micronutrients gets absorbed at all since low stomach acid seems to be so common problem?

What about probiotics? Just found a great article through Melissa Mceven’s blog about gut-brain-skin axis.
http://huntgatherlove.com/content/gut-brain-skin-axis#
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3038963/#B9
What kind of probiotics would you recommend?

Thanks again, im so glad you’re having this blog. Always great articles and on top of that I find a lot of helpful information in comment sections. In fact in my opinion your commenting makes this blog unique even though there are some other great bloggers too.

Reply
Robert Katz March 15, 2011 at 7:58 pm

Hi Paul,

I have 50,000 IU vitamin D3 tablets. Taking one of them every 10 days averages out to 5,000 IU per day, but is the single dosage spike too big?

Thank you.

Reply
Paul Jaminet March 15, 2011 at 9:56 pm

Hi Robert,

I think a daily dose is preferable, but I would finish out your supply. I think 5,000 IU/day is a bit much, I would take the 50,000 IU tablet at most once every 2 weeks.

Hi JVN,

Sorry, it looks like I overlooked your comment from the weekend.

MSM – I have no idea if it does any good. I didn’t notice any effect when I tried it. I no longer take it. But it seems harmless. I happen to like sulfur-rich foods like onion and garlic, so I eat those.

Betaine HCl – I think it may be therapeutic for those who produce inadequate stomach acid, especially if they have food sensitivities, as it will help digest the proteins. Take it only with food. If you don’t need it, don’t take it.

Enzymes – I am not a believer in replacing human digestive enzymes with supplements. I do believe in helping disrupt biofilms with polysaccharide digesting enzymes (maybe some proteases).

Probiotics – I do believe in probiotics. However, the range of species is too narrow. Fermented foods, and eating vegetables from the garden or organic farm without cleaning them, can introduce a wider range of gut flora.

I think the type of probiotic that should be taken depends on the condition being addressed. So I wouldn’t favor any particular brand or product.

Best, Paul

Reply
Perfect Health Diet » Iodine, the Thyroid, and Radiation Protection - pingback on March 17, 2011 at 4:45 pm
Gonçalo Moreira March 18, 2011 at 5:06 am

HI

Just to let you know that the Swanson’s Health products website is giving a discount on the shipping rates-17 cents till Monday 21, for orders over 50$

Reply
robert_evans March 22, 2011 at 1:17 pm

Paul, trying to load up on some supplements. Will attempt to use your links.

I notice you recommend Centrum Silver for men. I’ve used Centrum Performance in the past – it sounds better. Is the Silver for the no-iron? Are there other significant differences?

You’ve given up on Kelp?

Not quite ready to hop on the copper bandwagon, yet…

Reply
Paul Jaminet March 22, 2011 at 1:44 pm

Hi Robert,

Yes, iron is the big concern with Centrum Performance. No-iron should be the standard multi for men and post-menopausal women. Particularly since we recommend beef and beef liver in the diet.

Our only other issue is a slightly higher dose of vitamin A in Centrum Performance (3500 / 2450 IU preformed vs 2500 / 1500 preformed compared to Silver), but that’s less significant.

Kelp – Yes, I guess I am leaning toward supplements for iodine and eating other species of seaweed that are less diligent at scavenging the sea for metals and halogens.

Best, Paul

Reply
Perry March 22, 2011 at 2:21 pm

I just picked up the 12.5 mg iodine/iodide tablets from my local health food store, they still had it non-price gouged.

I spilled a tablet out on a cd jewel case and “cut it” with a razor blade into 20 even piles. With a slightly moist finger, its easy to pick up and eat. I keep a piece of saran wrap lightly over the top to keep it all clean day to day.

Each pile would be about 600mcg. Next month I’ll make 10 piles out of 1 pill…etc

I suppose it could be snorted but I’m not going there.

Reply
robert_evans March 22, 2011 at 2:25 pm

Had a horrible beef liver experience the other day. Let’s just saw the dog wouldn’t eat it. How can mushrooms, sherry, onions and liver go so wrong?

Sticking with pate and liverwurst for a while.

Thanks for the hint on Centrum Silver. Sigh — I feel old. And my Morton’s salt that I just picked up say “no iodine.” Great.

Reply
Paul Jaminet March 22, 2011 at 2:34 pm

Hi Perry,

Good plan. I would suggest keeping the fragments in a small pill bottle, otherwise they change color after a few days, probably due to water absorption.

Hi Robert,

My condolences. One trick you might try is to boil the liver pieces first in salt water, discard the water, then pan-fry the cooked liver with your mushrooms, sherry, and onions … that may get rid of bad flavors. Or lamb liver might taste better to you. Or you could grind it up in a food processor and make your own pate.

Maybe we should ask for a “Centrum Young Stud” in the same formula, that would solve our problems!

Best, Paul

Reply
Michelle March 22, 2011 at 3:10 pm

I have been supplementing with D3 (NOW softgels) at 4000-5000 IU per day for about six-eight months. Unfortunately, I did not do a baseline test before beginning to supplement.

Direct Labs has the Vitamin D 23(OH) test on sale this month ($39), so I ordered it. The results came back higher than I’m comfortable with. 68 ng/mL

Dropping the D3 for now! Sunshine will be here soon at 45 N (I hope!), and I plan to retest again in the fall sometime and decide whether to supplement in the winter, and if so, how much.

Reply
Paul Jaminet March 22, 2011 at 3:34 pm

Hi Michelle,

Yes, 4,000 IU/day from sun and supplements combined is usually sufficient to optimize D levels. So 5,000 IU/day will, sooner or later, usually get levels too high.

That’s why the pills we list above are 1,000 IU and 2,000 IU. You can always take 2 pills a day if you don’t get any sun.

Reply
Darrin March 22, 2011 at 10:00 pm

Australian Centrum. on the subject of Iron, fyi for those in Australia. The centrum range differs from the US range. They all contain Iron. see http://www.centrum.net.au/centrum-range.aspx for further info

Reply
Jeremy March 23, 2011 at 2:02 am

Paul,

I am avoiding a multivitamin because of Chris Masterjohn’s advice to take selenocysteine instead of selenomethione, a desire to avoid beta carotene as opposed to retinol in say liver, a desire to have mixed tocopherols and tocotrienols instead of vitamin E, a desire for methylcobalamin instead of regular supplemental B12, etc.

I take most of your non-multivitamin essential and therapeutic supplements above, except that I follow De Vany’s advice to take Ultrathione (a brand name) instead of NAC. I am going to start on the slow ramp up of iodine.

As I am not taking a multivitamin, what other supplements would you suggest, if any?

Also, you don’t advocate taking preformed antioxidants. Do you think taking a mixed set of antioxidant supplements could be harmful?

Thanks, Jeremy

Reply
Paul Jaminet March 23, 2011 at 7:51 am

Hi Jeremy,

If not taking a multivitamin, I might:

– take once a week or less a collection of B vitamins
– eat lots of seaweed or take a multimineral supplement for trace minerals
– consider whether my diet has the ~600 mg calcium that is probably optimal. Mine would normally be a bit deficient without the 200 mg in the multivitamin. However, if you drink mineral water that would fix it.

Re antioxidants, it’s only the vitamin A and E I’m concerned about. Minerals (zinc/copper/selenium) and C I’m fine with.

I’m inclined to think that food gets us pretty close to the optimum in A and E, if you’re eating (as we recommend) a fat-rich (they’re fat-soluble), varied plant-and-animal, egg-yolk-and-liver rich diet. Thus I’m not keen on A or E supplementation.

Best, Paul

Reply
robert_evans March 23, 2011 at 5:58 pm

Paul:

I did discover a “Centrum Silver Ultra” which fit my need for reassurance that I am not old. Slightly. Decided against it because although it has a bit more C and D, a lot less copper. I plan to buy a c vitamin anyway, and I would rather get sun than take D.

Thanks for the liver tip. It will take a while for the smell to go away….

Reply
Eric W. March 25, 2011 at 2:14 am

Hi Paul.

I’ve found a good minerals supplement that unfortunately contains 1000mg of calcium per serve. I supplement with 2000IU of D3 and the Life Extension Super K formula. Does this mean the 1000mg of calcium is safe for me to take?

Thanks.

Reply
Paul Jaminet March 25, 2011 at 8:05 am

Hi Eric,

It should be harmless … the K2 will protect you, I believe!

Reply
erp March 25, 2011 at 12:53 pm

Paul,

Speaking of K2, I’ve taken Super K With Advanced K2 Complex twice a week since I was taken off Coumadin after surgery — about three weeks.

Would it be okay to just start taking it daily now or should I work up to it?

Thanks.

Reply
Paul Jaminet March 25, 2011 at 12:56 pm

Hi erp,

I think it’s OK. Might do 4 times a week for a few weeks, then daily. Just monitor yourself for any side effects.

Reply
Justin March 28, 2011 at 11:52 pm

Hey Paul,

Here’s another option, LuckyVitamin has an affiliate program: http://www.luckyvitamin.com/t-affiliate-program

Sounds like they have pre-made links similar to the ones by Amazon you’ve got here.

I’ve used Iherb for over a year, but I checked my last couple orders and they would have been cheaper at LuckyVitamin.

I’ve taken the Life Flo iodine for 3 weeks now and it seems fine (at a cautious 100-200 mcg/day), while Nature’s Way kelp definitely seamed to trouble my skin.

Reply
Paul Jaminet March 29, 2011 at 8:12 pm

Hi Justin, thanks, I’ll check out iHerb and LuckyVitamin and make an alternative page.

Best, Paul

Reply
Mary March 31, 2011 at 6:47 am

Whoops! Did I miss something? The Amazon links are no longer showing up for me (I use Firefox). I have a couple siblings who have started PHD, but not the supplements, and I wanted to direct them here…

Reply
Paul Jaminet March 31, 2011 at 7:00 am

Hi Mary,

They show up for me in Firefox. You haven’t turned on an adblocker? That was the problem for others.

Reply
Ellen April 2, 2011 at 5:45 am

Hi Paul– I’ve been taking IntraMax as my multi-vitamin– it has everything and is organic. Are you familiar with it? And if so, do you have an opinion on it?

Reply
Paul Jaminet April 2, 2011 at 6:50 am

Hi Ellen,

It certainly has a lot of good stuff in it. It also has a lot of botanicals (ginseng, alpine tea, noni extract, etc) that I have no idea how to evaluate, and a few things I dislike (the worst forms of inositol).

It’s hard to have an opinion on something with so many ingredients, so I guess I would rather not offer one. Do you feel better when taking it?

Reply
Ellen April 2, 2011 at 8:01 am

Thanks Paul. Yeah, I actually do. I certainly don’t feel anything adversely, but I don’t know if that’s a benefit or not. I do feel a bit more bounce in my step and less mind-cluttered when taking it. Thanks for your honesty.

Reply
Paul Jaminet April 2, 2011 at 8:21 am

I strongly believe that being well-nourished is extremely important, and that traditional herbal remedies probably became traditional because they do us good. So I can readily believe the IntraMax is helpful. But I also wouldn’t be surprised if some people might have a bad reaction to something in there.

Reply
kratos April 4, 2011 at 2:16 am

Hi Paul,
sorry another question about k2.

I only found supplements with MK-4, should I also buy a MK-7 only supplement?

Reply
Paul Jaminet April 4, 2011 at 7:06 am

Hi Kratos,

If money is no object and you don’t eat fermented foods, then I would.

But the benefits are small, so if money matters then I wouldn’t bother. Also fermented foods have some MK-7 and are good for you in other ways, so that’s a good alternative.

Reply
kratos April 4, 2011 at 7:13 am

Thanks Paul.

The only fermented food I eat is homemade yoghurt (fermented for 24h).
Do you know if it contains any MK-7?

Reply
Paul Jaminet April 4, 2011 at 7:28 am

If it contains K2 then it will be MK-7. I’m not sure how much MK-7 are made by dairy bacteria. Nutritiondata.com says vitamin K levels are low in yogurt, but maybe commercial processing doesn’t ferment long enough?

Reply
Ellen April 4, 2011 at 5:08 pm

Paul, I have Lugol’s 2% and am really confused about the dosage– is it supposed to be diluted in water? and we are talking drops, not dropperfulls, correct? I’m also seeing that holding the dropper sideways administers a different amount than vertical. If I’m reading your above statement on Lugol’s correctly- 1 drop is 2.5 mgs. That’s not too much to start on, is it? Sorry for all the questions- I’m just so confused 🙁

Reply
Paul Jaminet April 4, 2011 at 5:14 pm

Hi Ellen,

I’m not personally familiar with Lugols so you’ll have to read the label for dosage.

I do think 2.5 mgs is too much to start with. Most hypothyroid people will have hyperthyroid symptoms with such a dose.

A more suitable starting dose might be 1/3 drop or 0.8 mg to 1/5 drop or 0.5 mg.

However, if you have been taking a full drop and haven’t noticed any effect, then you might as well stick with it.

Best, Paul

Reply
Ellen April 4, 2011 at 5:22 pm

You are probably tired of all the iodine questions by now! Yeah, unfortunately Lugol’s (J. Crows)– doesn’t have dosing information on it. Isn’t that crazy?
Thanks for the feedback.

Reply
Mary April 6, 2011 at 6:20 am

Only if you have free time and can’t wait to answer another question…

Do you have a thought about too much vitamin E? I happened on this supplement (controversial, involved in a case with Health Canada for claims that it can treat mental illness) – here are the ingredients:

https://www.mytruehope.net/store/_documents/EMP_Capsules_Facts_Sheet.pdf

What I immediately noticed was the focus on selenium and copper, which made me think of PHD. (FWIW, I feel like those are two of the PHD recommended supplements that have given me the biggest mental and physical health bang. Just intuition.) But all that E gave me pause.

I am investigating a supplement for my seven-year-old. I would not start for him without approval from our really great pediatrician, so please don’t worry I’m asking you to prescribe for my son…but if you have any general thoughts about kids and supplements, I’d love to hear them. (FWIW, son is likely ADHD, possibly Aspgergers, some OCD, some tics – that seem to be receding on PHD, yay! Son is already on 400 IU of D and a kids’ B complex lozenge.)

I’m sorry if you discussed too much E in your book, I’ve bought three copies and they’re all out with relatives! I need to get one back…

PS I read about these supplements as they were used in a study on multis and adults with ADHD – apparently the supplements seemed to help:

http://evolutionarypsychiatry.blogspot.com/2011/03/adhd-mood-dysregulation-and.html

Reply
Paul Jaminet April 6, 2011 at 6:56 am

Hi Mary,

We do discuss too much E in our book, it’s one of the supplements we oppose.

However, a little E in a multi is OK. This one has only 96 IU. Most of the trouble has come at 400 IU or higher.

That formulation looks good to me.

I haven’t really investigated how micronutrient needs vary with age in children. I know I need to do that. But in general, I’ve found the Linus Pauling Institute micronutrient center has excellent overviews of the literature. I would go there first.

I’m glad everything is going well, Mary! Keep me posted!

Best, Paul

Reply
Mary April 6, 2011 at 1:47 pm

“I haven’t really investigated how micronutrient needs vary with age in children. I know I need to do that.”

Slacker.

🙂

Thank you, as always, for the good info!

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RW April 12, 2011 at 1:39 am

Hi Paul,
Concerning iodine: If one builds up to a large dose of iodine (say, 6mg a day) and then abruptly stops (for a few days or longer), would this trigger (transitory or otherwise) hypothyroid symptoms?
RW

Reply
Darrin April 12, 2011 at 4:33 am

re chromium picolinate;
Hi, are you aware of any concerns around the picolinate form of chromium?

I remember ages ago, i made a mental note to avoid the picolinate form due to a study or studies carried out on rats. & have been using other forms since, such as Chromic Chloride & Chromium Amino Chelate.
I am just re-visiting the topic now, & can no longer find the studies, maybe i got it wrong?

tho, one of the sites i sometimes check for nutrition info
http://www.acu-cell.com/crcu.html has this comment “Chromium picolinate is clearly the least desirable form to be used for supplementation (see below for more adverse effects)”

Reply
Paul Jaminet April 12, 2011 at 6:32 am

Hi RW,

No.

Hi Darrin,

Chromium picolinate is the one that’s been well studied by researchers. The studies generally find it favorable or indifferent. In general mineral chelates are better (more like natural forms in food), but there is limited research on chromium chelates.

If you do find a negative rat study, let me know!

Best, Paul

Reply
What I’m doing on the Perfect Health Diet | My Bluest Moon - pingback on April 12, 2011 at 9:41 am
Gary April 12, 2011 at 4:30 pm

I think the chromium picolinate study that Darrin is referring to is http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11823896 “Chromium treatment decreases the sensitivity of 5-HT2A receptors”.

There is a suggestion that chromium picolinate might be harmful for people with bipolar disease. Found at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8849977

It appears that most studies use the picolinate form of chromium. The only other cautions that pop out are advising against high dosages, like anything over 1,000 mcg daily.

Reply
Paul Jaminet April 12, 2011 at 5:33 pm

Thanks, Gary.

The first one doesn’t seem that significant, at least at normal supplement doses.

The second one could be more worrisome, I would have to look further into evidence re picolinic acid.

If picolinic acid is problematic that would argue for amino acid chelates, even if there are few studies utilizing them.

Best, Paul

Reply
RW April 12, 2011 at 9:03 pm

Paul,
Any thoughts on lecithin as a (presumably closer to real food?) way to supplement choline? I think I know what you’re going to say (given linoleic acid content), but I thought I’d ask directly since, despite being a fairly popular supplement I’ve never seen it mentioned on any of the health blogs I read.
RW

Reply
Paul Jaminet April 12, 2011 at 9:17 pm

Hi RW,

I’m OK with lecithin.

Omega-6 content is tiny. Freshness is more of a concern.

Reply
Darrin April 12, 2011 at 10:19 pm

Thanks Paul, i will do some further digging, if i find any info i will post an update.

i think i would be okay with supplementing 200mcg picolinate equivalent to 50mcg elem chromium, which you sometimes see in multivits.
but i would not go as far as getting 200mcg elem chromium from picolinate, that would be about 800mcg of picolinate.

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