Water enriched with calcium, orange juice with extra vitamins, multivitamins tubes and all combinations of minerals: the offer has become so complex that it is hard to choose who his health a helping hand to give. Moreover, it is not clear whether all these remedies are effective and harmless.

Dr. pharmacist Geert Vergote provides further training for pharmacists on minerals and vitamins and therefore follow all the research into the foot. He is not as comfortable in one flow easily available health in tubes, jars, bottles and trays. “Many people swallow everything: pills and advertising,” he says. “But the combination of multivitamins from Aldi with the energy tablet from the Delainey and some extra pills here and there is not harmless.

Certainly not to that cocktail but also by the doctor prescribed drugs to be added.”
Watch out for the opposite effect

From American and Canadian research shows that the majority of dietary supplements without the advice of a doctor is swallowed, on the recommendation of family and friends or on – whether commercial or not – information, especially via the Internet. Worse still, many users of nutritional supplements brought their doctor has not even aware that they swallow extra vitamins and minerals. A worrying finding, finds Geert Vergote.

“Calcium is an example of the popular dietary supplements in people who suffer from osteoporosis. They reason that a large amount of extra calcium will do them good. But the total daily intake of calcium – nutritional supplements and added together – may not exceed 2.5 grams. Furthermore, your calcium supplements never together taking bisphosphonates. These are medicines for osteoporosis. If you do, but if that does the medicine less and you’ll even get an opposite effect. It is not unimportant that a doctor or pharmacist advises whether additional Calcium should be taken, when and how. There zijn no general lines to withdraw: every person is different, live differently and eat differently. Whoever likes cheese and milk will be door are voeding alleen nooit an overdose of calcium in their diet. Maar if he is on top of that a calcium supplement inside play is that of course. And too much is never good: you increase your risk of kidney stones, nausea and constipation. ”

Not only calcium supplements may in some circumstances do more harm than good. “Beta carotene is a building block for vitamin A and therefore useful. But studies indicate that the substance of the risk of lung cancer in smokers increased. That does not mean that smokers are no carrots longer allowed to eat, but rather for them not so wise also a supplement for those with substance to swallow, “qualifies shed.

Non-judicious use of the jars and bottles range vitamins and minerals can cause misery. “Especially on doses of certain minerals and the fat soluble vitamins can be very serious consequences.” These substances are stored by the body, they disappear so easily from the body less than the water-soluble vitamins, of which an overdose is easily washed away. “But there can be unpleasant side-effects,” assures Vergote. “If vitamin C is limited to up to diarrhea, but some people may be sensitive to vitamin B6 and a small dose already tingling in hands and feet observed. The signal for the therapy to stop. Otherwise there is irreversible nerve damage occur. ”
Necessary or unnecessary?

Do we also need food to stay healthy? An issue. For every avid supporter of extra pills there is an equally fanatical opponent who claims to find that a normal healthy diet should suffice.

“In principle this is true,” explains Geert Vergote out. “But you are wondering who eats all by the book. Mere five fruits and vegetables per day by the researchers from the World Cancer Research Fund recommended that would be so, but how many people do that? And are other obstacles such as marine pollution.

Three times a week, oily fish is on the one hand, recommended because of the beneficial Omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants, but then you hear another professor say that you are consuming oily fish, better to limit because by this means too many unhealthy substances like heavy metals or dioxins on your plate arrived.

Well, you come so automatically in capsules with fish oil. But those capsules vary in quality and you take the best the most pure. And maybe a multivitamin because it is such a broad spectrum antibiotic, there will be something that can help concubines. ”

So we do not have to bekreunen the food triangle, rules and regulations and advice: we just swallow extra pills and thus do not pay attention to our diet? “Error!” Said Vergote. “It does not. The vitamins and minerals in our diet are surrounded by various additional substances including them in our bodies and the operation easier. This is not the case with artificial preparations and therefore can never substances replaced we our diet record.

You can not dispense with a get healthy diet and healthy lifestyle remain the prerequisite for long life. To be sure you can also regularly blood tests, so that any deficiencies can be resolved by a temporary cure with vitamins or minerals.

You can do this better not be on your own, but in consultation with your doctor or pharmacist. They could, for example in the winter months some extra vitamin D and selenium recommend. Also pre-and probiotics may be useful , but in a modified form. Without some movie around it reach the intestines do not agree! ”
Vitamins for seniors?

Are there any vitamins or minerals where mostly people over 50 could benefit from it? “They are sure,” says shed. “Calcium, vitamin B12, vitamin D and iodine, for example.

Deficiency it may have unpleasant consequences. So it’s important occasionally to check and if you do enough of it since. And iodine is a substance that hardly anyone enough absorbs from food. She sits among other algae and seaweed. Furthermore, the need for extra vitamins and minerals very individual.

Not every over-50 eats and lives the same. The best you can so check through your food in about getting what The High Council for Health as a daily dose recommended by the doctor and then see what might need to be supplemented. “

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Of the women who regularly swallow vitamin pills, breast cancer was 3.25% during the study. In women who took no vitamin pills, it was 2.6%. After taking into account other risk factors (such as age, family histories, etc.) decide Swedish researchers that women who take vitamins on average 19% more likely to develop breast cancer than women who do not take vitamins. What exactly would be responsible for this vitamin is not known.

By the type of study can not conclude from this that a causal link between the vitamin and breast cancer, only that breast cancer is more common in women taking these preparations. But it could also be that these women were without life, unhealthy eating, etc

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In the body, it exists as Retinol from retinal, Retinoic acid and retinyl phosphate. These molecules are altered by oxygen in the air, changes accelerated by light and heat.

Foods of animal origin (meat, dairy products and especially liver) contain retinol and retinyl esters, whereas plants contain predominantly carotenes which are precursors of retinol. One molecule of beta-carotene, by hydrolysis of the 15-15 ‘under the influence of carotenoid monooxygenase (??-carotene 15,15′ monooxygenase), gives two molecules of vitamin A. For cons, the two other Carotenes (alpha and gamma) give birth to only one molecule of vitamin A.

The need for vitamin A are estimated at about 5 000 IU per day. An international unit of vitamin A equals 0.3 mg of retinol. Retinol is considered the basic unit, retinol-equivalent, which compares the vitamin activity of various derivatives of vitamin A. The most useful form of vitamin A is retinol, although it can also be found in the form of retinal or retinoic acid. Retinol is a hydrophobic molecule synthesized from isoprene. Vitamin A is involved in bone growth and synthesis of pigments of the eye. Retinol is sometimes used to treat severe acne.

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Vitamin C is an antioxidant that prevents a connection to other substances harmful free radicals of oxygen entering. The site is easily oxidized and thus identifies the free radicals. It is also added to foods as a preservative, for example to applesauce. When most people think vitamin C in citrus spontaneously as lemons and oranges, but many products contain more vitamin C are peppers and sprouts. Also quite a few berries and potatoes contain vitamin C.

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