Just Ask Terry

Terry is happy to provide his opinion on diet and nutrition, supplements and lifestyle choices. This information is for educational purposes only. It is not meant to replace the advice of your physician and is not to be considered medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Should you have any concerns please contact your physician directly.

Q. Terry, “There are so many choices out there when it comes to supplements. If you could only take a few vitamins and supplements, which would you suggest taking?” — Nancy R., Jacksonville, FL

A. Dear Nancy, To have the greatest impact on your health, I believe there are five natural, nutritional products that can have the greatest impact on your health.

#1: If I had to choose one supplement to take, that supplement would be high bioavailability curcumin. This one amazing herb (my friends in India call it “Indian Gold” because it is so valued) will provide dozens—maybe even hundreds–of health benefits. It is a potent antioxidant and has an amazing capacity to reduce inflammation, which is the root cause of nearly every type of degenerative disease from Alzheimer’s and arthritis to inflammatory bowel conditions and auto-immune disorders. It is very effective for helping to prevent cancer, or to help with recovery after a cancer diagnosis. Curcumin is liver healthy, which means it helps facilitate removal of toxins from the body. Some preliminary studies also show that it helps alleviate depression. The list could go on and on. I personally think that every adult in America could benefit from taking one dose per day of a clinically studied, high bioavailability curcumin. However, don’t be fooled by inflated claims. When you choose a curcumin, make sure its absorption has been PROVEN in published human studies, for 7 to 10 times that of plain curcumin. I would suggest taking 750 mg daily.

#2: The next supplement I would recommend is a comprehensive multivitamin and mineral formula. Steer clear of the “one-a-day” varieties – the very best premium daily multivitamin and mineral formulas are taken more than once a day. Look for a multivitamin and mineral formula that features active forms of the B vitamins, along with chelated minerals. Both of these features ensure that nutrients are readily available and more easily absorbed. I suggest taking 2 tablets with each meal.

#3: Omega-3 fatty acids containing DHA and EPA would be third on my list. There are a multitude of studies showing the benefits of Omega-3 fatty acids for heart, brain, skin, immune, and nervous system health. I recommend taking Omega-3 fatty acids from salmon, naturally bound to phospholipids, which you can find in a tablet form. The advantage to this type of omega fatty acid supplement is that the absorption is increased up to 50 times over regular fish oil supplements, and the purity is vastly superior. Therefore, you only need one or two tablets a day instead of handfuls of fish oil capsules or spoonfuls of fishy tasting oils. I suggest taking 1 -2 tablets daily.

#4: The fourth spot goes to iodine. People in the U.S. consume an average 240 mcg of iodine per day, which is slightly above the amount needed to prevent a deficiency syndrome (such as goiter). However, that is not the amount needed for beneficial health effects. Look for an iodine formula that features a triple blend of three forms of iodine: potassium iodide, molecular iodine, and sodium iodide. I like combining the three because different parts of the body prefer different forms of iodine. I suggest taking a 12.5 mg dose once daily.

#5: Rounding out the top five would be vitamin D3. Sixty percent of Caucasians are deficient in vitamin D and ninety percent of African Americans are deficient in vitamin D. You are probably already aware of the role vitamin D plays in promoting calcium absorption and preventing osteoporosis. But every day, new research is finding that vitamin D plays a crucial role in multiple health issues, whether it is helping to reduce the risk of heart disease and dementia, preventing diabetes, slowing the progress rate of cancer, and even promoting weight loss! If everyone had optimal levels of vitamin D, I feel we could dramatically reduce the amount of illness in this country. While both vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) and vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) can increase circulating vitamin D levels, I believe vitamin D3 is far superior. Vitamin D2 is poorly utilized compared to vitamin D3. In fact, in a study of the two forms, researchers found that vitamin D2 is only one-third the potency of vitamin D3. (J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2004;89:5387-91.) That means you’d have to take 3 times as much D2 to get the same effects as vitamin D3. I usually recommend about 3,000-5,000 IU of vitamin D3 a day for most people.

Healthy Regards!

Terry . . . Naturally