If a person cares about his health, then he will know the largest website that sells biologically active food supplements - Iherb. This online store is full of a variety of vitamins, prebiotics, and tablets with rare compounds that help maintain health and beauty.
Supplements sold here are of high quality, meeting all international standards, without dyes or preservatives. Such dietary supplements have many certificates that confirm their effect.
Various health associations officially sponsor the release of drugs and actively purchase finished products. Many dietary supplements are labeled to ensure that they can be taken by fasting or vegans.
But it is impossible to choose high-quality supplements based only on their appearance and instructions for use. No matter how much manufacturers boast, it is difficult to say how dietary supplements will actually interact with the body. Therefore, before use, do not forget to consult your doctor!
Let's see what reviews say about the most popular products among dietary supplements that the iHerb website is full of.
Supplements
ChildLife, Essentials, Liquid Calcium Magnesium, Natural Orange Flavor
A remedy for parents who cannot force their child to drink another pharmaceutical medicine. Especially if you compare it not with calcium tablets, but with calcium gluconate.
Liquid calcium is similar to thick yogurt in consistency and color, and tastes like a juicy sweet and sour orange. Children themselves ask their parents for it. The supplement contains no chemicals, dyes or flavors. In addition, the calcium in the preparation is presented in citrate form - it will not be deposited in the form of stones.
While taking the drug, children's teeth begin to erupt faster; these teeth are stronger and not susceptible to caries. Joints stop creaking, light fluff-like hair is quickly replaced by harder and straighter ones, and bald spots heal. If a child is diagnosed with the first stage of rickets, liquid calcium will help the bones recover and the fontanelle to grow.
Reviews of pediatricians on iherb recommend taking this drug when treating eczema - in a week the child will recover, his skin will become clearer. The supplement is worth trying for those who suffer from respiratory diseases. But liquid calcium will be of particular benefit to people (not only children, but also adults) who have been treated with drugs that wash away calcium from the bones.
The only disadvantage of this product is that nails grow too quickly and need to be cut frequently.
Nordic Naturals, Children's DHA with Vitamin D3
iherb reviews claim that this is another remedy that will turn taking medications from an attraction into a pleasant procedure. Not all children are ready to take fish oil even in gelatin capsules, not to mention liquid fish oil. But this fat is available in liquid form, and at the same time it has a juicy strawberry taste, and only a slight fishy smell. Children drink it with pleasure and ask their parents for more.
The drug is made from the liver of Antarctic cod, it does not contain synthetic fats and subcutaneous fish oil, as in domestic analogues. Each batch is thoroughly cleaned and processed, and then tested for the presence of heavy metals.
The bottle comes with a pipette, which can be used to easily draw up the required amount of the drug. She finds it convenient to add fish oil to her food.
Moms from iHerb recommend fish oil from this company for another reason - the dietary supplement is excellent for washing off children’s clothes.
Doctor's Best, CoQ-10, CoQ10, with BioPerine
The Iherb website is one of those rare places where Coenzyme Q-10 is constantly on sale. This is important, because residents of small towns can rarely find it in pharmacies; they can only order coenzyme on the Internet. At the same time, the cost of the drug on the iHerb website will be significantly lower than in pharmacy chains.
Coenzyme Q-10 is found in all tissues of the body. It supports the functioning of the heart and is involved in energy production. The coenzyme can not only prolong life, but also make it more joyful and happy. Taking it helps cope with depression, fatigue and weakness.
The coenzyme helps with:
- Inflammation of the gums;
- Tremors or numbness of the limbs and fingers;
- Heart diseases;
- Obesity;
- Migraines;
- Hair loss.
The drug works well for people with irregular working hours and those who do not know when they will next be able to sleep. In stressful situations it is indispensable. According to iHerb reviews, young mothers after taking a course of this drug not only have time to look after the baby, but also take care of themselves. And it will be useful for dads too. The drug saturates the body with energy so that people start getting up for work before the alarm clock rings. If a person has a hard time with jet lag, then he should take this supplement before the flight.
Natrol, Biotin, Maximum Strength
Biotin is vitamin B7. Biotin helps existing bald patches grow with new hair. Hair grows faster and returns to its original color. Improves nail growth. After finishing the first jar, many customers notice how smooth and beautiful their skin has become.
But you should pay attention to the dosage. There is too much vitamin in the tablet. You can’t take whole tablets; you need to take them in half, or even in quarters.
Jarrow Formulas, Jarro-Dophilus EPS
One of the best probiotics in the USA, which contains several strains of microorganisms. This is necessary in order to improve the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. Dietary supplement capsules are covered with a shell that protects the contents from stomach acid and delivers them further to their destination. Microorganisms have good survival rate in the intestines.
Probiotics help cope with the results of taking antibiotics - bloating and abdominal pain. Capsules can be taken immediately before a feast and immediately after it, so that the next day a large meal does not cause heaviness in the stomach and swelling. If nausea occurs, you can also take the drug, and the nausea will go away after half an hour. The skin condition is normalized, rashes disappear, oiliness and dryness disappear. The drug can be given to children with colic.
But side effects may occur:
- Bloating;
- Stitching pains;
- Nausea;
- Spasms.
In this case, you should stop taking dietary supplements for a week, wait until your own microflora “makes peace” with the new one, and try again.
ChildLife, Essentials, Liquid Vitamin C, Natural Orange Flavor
There is no need to put up with the taste of domestic drugs; the drug from iHerb has many advantages. And the main thing among them is that it is convenient to give it to babies. The dietary supplement is not allergenic, so anyone can take it.
The packaging of the drug is a large bottle with orange syrup, saturated with vitamin C. The syrup is very tasty, not cloying, but it is inconvenient to pour from the bottle; it constantly tends to flow down its outer surface. It is better to pour the dietary supplement into another, more convenient container.
Every day you can take a teaspoon as a preventive measure, if there is one patient in the family, two. Liquid vitamins should be taken in increased doses during epidemics, in the off-season, before going to kindergarten and elementary school. If you take it during illness, you don’t have to be afraid and drink a few spoons a day - the temperature will subside quickly.
Orange contains acids that corrode tooth enamel. Therefore, after drinking the syrup, it is recommended to rinse your mouth or drink water.
Reviews for these vitamins are extremely positive.
Nature's Way, Primadophilus, for children 2 to 12 years, cherry flavored chewable
Among iHerb dietary supplements for children, primadophilus occupies one of the leading positions. It is included in products that do not need to be forced to be taken - the child himself will say that it is time to share with him.
This supplement helps well to recover after a course of antibiotics or dysbacteriosis. Quickly improves digestion, removes rashes from the face, and helps in the treatment of allergies.
Weak, short children with poor appetite most likely have problems with the digestive system, with the presence of microorganisms that help digest and absorb food. If the necessary microorganisms are not present in the required ratio, then a small part of the nutrients is absorbed from food. Therefore, after taking primadophilus, children quickly grow taller, become a little fuller and more cheerful.
Nature's Way, Alive Maximum Action, Multi-Vitamin, No Iron Added
Another supplement from Nature’s Way, which is distributed by the iherb website.
In addition to vitamins and minerals, the multivitamins include spirulina and Siberian eleutherococcus.
Those who take these dietary supplements stop losing hair, their nails become stronger, and their skin returns to the state it was several years ago. A person becomes so energetic that he gets up before the alarm clock, and cheerful and rested, he easily gets down to work and sports.
The usual scheme with the stated three techniques every day is great, it is suitable for highly active people in a stressful situation. For most people, taking 2 capsules is enough, and sometimes one at a time.
But you need to pay attention to some of the disadvantages of these multivitamins.
The tablets of this dietary supplement are quite large, not everyone can swallow them conveniently, and it is difficult to divide it in half, it crumbles.
If you take vitamins before bed, it will be difficult to fall asleep. The treatment regimen includes two doses, so it is best to take them in the morning, and in the evening do not delay taking them until later.
Hero Nutritional Products, Yummi Bears, Multivitamin, All Natural Fruit Flavors and Colors
BIO active additives: benefit or harm?
Black list of dietary supplements: hellebore and others
Victims of Linus Paulling and vitamin overdose:
best the enemy of the good
"Placebo effect": the main thing is to believe
Misinformation that costs lives
Shark cartilage
Viturid - another panacea?
In recent years, bioactive supplements (BAA) have rapidly burst into our lives. They have replaced medicines on the shelves of pharmacies, annoying distributors offer them in the subway and underpasses, and they are delivered directly to your home by couriers from TV shops. How safe are dietary supplements?
In the USA, complications associated with taking dietary supplements are being studied very actively. Recently, one American agency published rather gloomy data: more than 2.5 thousand cases of side effects caused by dietary supplements have been officially registered, as well as more than 100 deaths associated with them. But of course this is the tip of the iceberg, and no one knows the true number of complications from dietary supplements. The conditions for their sale and reception are such that it is very difficult to link any incident with the dietary supplement. Ephedrine supplements account for the most victims - 900 registered complications and 44 deaths.
In second place in terms of yield of death are the so-called “diet teas” or “teas for weight loss,” the hormonally similar substance DHEA (can be hidden under different names) and even vitamins in high doses.
Manufacturers and traders of dietary supplements gained freedom in 1994, when a new regulatory law was passed in the United States. After this, a real boom began in the trade in dietary supplements. Supplements generously promised to slow down aging, reduce weight, improve memory, cleanse the body of toxins, protect the heart and even prevent the development of cancer. In Russia, dietary supplements promise even more, and cancer is offered not only to prevent, but also to cure.
The traditions of herbal medicine have deep roots, but we were still not ready for the advent of dietary supplements. Sometimes exotic plants that are not familiar to our medicine are used in dietary supplements. And those herbs that our doctors know are, as a rule, indicated on the packages under rare names that we do not use (after all, the more mysterious the composition of the dietary supplement, the higher its price).
And without knowing the composition of the herbs, it is impossible to assess either the effectiveness of the additive or its danger. Sometimes the degree of misinformation reaches the point of absurdity. Just one example. A friend of one of my patients was advised to take herbal tea "Gonseen", produced by the company "Doctor Nona", to cleanse the body. After two weeks of regular use, his sleep was disturbed and a strong diuretic effect developed. And all this started at a dose five times less than what was recommended. He turned to me for advice. But the composition of this tea was given in a Jesuitical way: of the eight herbs, only four were familiar, two were probably familiar (assuming that their names were given with slight errors), and neither a search in my extensive library nor in World Wide Web of the Internet. The known herbs were quite neutral, but what was hidden behind the others, and to what extent they were responsible for the development of complications (after all, maybe it was just a coincidence), it was impossible to establish.
Of course, the list of dietary supplements, like all other drugs and products, should contain the Latin names of herbs accepted in the scientific world. Only this will allow you to at least somehow navigate the world of dietary supplements. But manufacturers prefer to create fog, hiding behind some “Ma Huang” the familiar and unsafe ephedra. And behind Thai weight loss pills are drugs.
By the way, if psychotropic narcotic substances are officially found in Thai tablets (although for some reason this does not interfere with their advertising in newspapers and direct sales), then one can only guess about the incomprehensible dependence on products like Herbalife. I will not share rumors, I will only tell you about one of my patients with severe neurosis, panic attacks and an accompanying bouquet of diseases of the internal organs with severe weakness, who was “hooked” on Herbalife for two years. At the first appointment, when asked about taking regular (certified) vitamins (for example, undevit), the patient began to talk with a sparkle in her eyes about how she was taking much better vitamins in Herbalife.
According to legend, these are better purified vitamins. Although, what they need to be cleaned from so thoroughly is unknown to science. Moreover, there are only a few pharmaceutical giants in the world - producers of individual vitamins (located in “third world countries” due to environmental problems), from which all other pharmaceutical factories (small and not so small) purchase absolutely the same vitamin raw materials and produce various complexes (differing in the composition of components, brand promotion and, accordingly, in price).
Herbalife is also a “cellular nutrition” from a long list of herbs (I already shared my doubts with you about long-term use of any herbs at the beginning of this book). Distributors advise taking all this joy in natural doses (business is business). So, two years of taking the same herbs is obvious poisoning (taking into account her serious condition: physical and mental). But here’s an interesting detail: while praising the cleansing properties of Herbalife, the patient gave one example for credibility. One day she recently ran out of her favorite medications. And there was a forced break in receiving them for about ten days (money problems got in the way). At the end of this break, all her illnesses worsened, and even new symptoms appeared (typical withdrawal, like when weaning from a drug). Moreover, she did not accept my doubts about this, completely convinced that her body was simply so accustomed to good, expensive vitamins that it could not live without them. She even figuratively compared her habit of “cellular nutrition” with people’s habit of a good Mercedes (as if they wouldn’t agree to anything less). But, I hope, it is already obvious to you that this dependence is clearly not from vitamins.
I don’t know how her love for the “good” ended. At the second appointment three weeks later, she showed some improvement (panic attacks, which in the past were resistant to tranquilizers and other chemicals, disappeared from homeopathic medicines), but weakness (mainly from chronic intoxication) remained. She didn't make an appointment with me anymore. Apparently, financial difficulties had an impact - after all, her favorite Herbalife is very expensive (and the Bolivar could not stand it for two).
Black list of dietary supplements (components of dietary supplements that are particularly hazardous to health)
Hellebore
Lately, hellebore powder, a plant of the ranunculaceae family, has become very popular. Ladies are sweeping away the miracle remedy in the hope of losing weight in record time, and at the same time “cleaning” their body of toxins. The fact that the weight remains in place is not so important. The worst thing is that it can cause harm.
In homeopathy, microdoses of hellebore (other names are black hellebore or hellebore - Helltborus niger) are used mainly for conditions close to prostration and loss of consciousness. Such conditions are observed with severe infections (for example, meningitis), drug abuse, and severe depression. Even in homeopathy, it is not recommended to take too weak dilutions of the drug (naturally, prepared only in a homeopathic pharmacy) due to its toxicity. Even the name of the buttercup family indicates the poisonous, “fierce” effect of these plants. Black hellebore root extract, when accumulated in the body, causes heaviness in the head, dizziness, a state of intoxication, sometimes nausea and vomiting (of central origin), and arrhythmia. When horses were poisoned with black hellebore leaves, they experienced severe weakness, increased heart rate and breathing, and diarrhea and death by the end of the second day. Thank God, no one eats its whole leaves. Usually “healers” recommend taking hellebore “at the tip of a knife” (although everyone’s knives are different, and gullible people often do not want to limit themselves to “useful herb”).
Ephedra
Often called ma huang, epitonin, sida cordifolia. This plant contains ephedrine and related stimulants. Complications from ephedra include cardiac arrhythmias and psychoses, heart attacks and strokes. By the way, some states in America have already banned dietary supplements with ephedrine.
Chaparral or dwarf oak (Chaparral)
Dietary supplements in the form of tea or tablets promise to prevent the development of cancer and “cleanse the blood.” They are associated with serious liver damage. Two deaths and dozens of cases of hepatitis and other liver diseases were reported.
Comfrey
Comfrey root has long been used externally to reduce swelling, but later began to be used internally. It contains alkaloids that are toxic to the liver and have been shown to be carcinogenic in animal studies. There has been one reported death from this supplement. It is banned in Canada and Germany.
DHEA (dehydroandroepisterone)
A hormone that is converted in the body into the sex hormones estrogen and testosterone. Labels for this supplement indicate that it may fight aging. There is no data to support this. But the supplement can increase the risk of developing cancer or lead to liver damage, even in cases where it is taken for a short time. 31 cases of side effects were registered.
Diet teas
This is what is usually called in the USA for herbal mixtures containing components such as senna, aloe, rhubarb, buckthorn, joster, and castor oil. All of them have a laxative effect and at the same time wash potassium out of the blood, contributing to arrhythmia. These types of tea are associated with side effects - diarrhea, nausea, and with long-term use - liver damage, intestinal atrophy and chronic constipation.
Pennyroyal: sometimes leads to spontaneous abortions
Sassafras- used to be used as a flavoring additive in the production of butter and beer, but is now prohibited in the United States. However, it is still sold in various “tonics” and teas. There is evidence that it causes liver cancer.
Victims of Linus Paulling and vitamin overdose (the best is the enemy of the good)
Vitamin C
Thanks to the aggressive advertising of the American Irvine Naturals campaign, in recent years the idea has become popular in Russia that almost all serious diseases, including cancer and atherosclerosis, can be cured with loading doses of vitamin C. “Clean blood vessels make your heart lighter” is the advertising motto used to promote Lysivit-S. The company emphasizes that the discovery belongs to the winner of two Nobel Prizes, L. Pauling. True, he does not specify that the famous physicist and chemist received the prize for topics far from medicine, and his interest in medicines and vitamins arose only in his old age. However, large-scale clinical studies conducted by American doctors after the laureate’s death yielded shocking results: loading doses of ascorbic acid do not prevent, but rather help the development of atherosclerosis and kidney stones. But the negative results of clinical trials did not stop its spread, since Lyzivit-S was cunningly registered not as a medicine, but as a food additive.
Vitamins A, E, D
Over the past few decades, medicine has placed great hopes on vitamin preparations (which also include microelements) in terms of protection against various diseases and stopping premature aging caused by aggressive free radicals (formed in the body under the influence of poor ecology and smoking). Vitamin tablets have become a hot commodity in pharmacies, bringing billions in profits to their manufacturers. Vitamins A, C, E and beta-carotene (used by the body to synthesize vitamin A) were especially advertised as “anti-radicals”. But can vitamins really work miracles? The optimism of previous years is being replaced by sobering up. “This is the biggest disappointment of my life,” admitted Dr. Charles Hannekens of Harvard University, presenting the results of a study conducted under his direction. Over the course of twelve years, 22 thousand doctors drank beta-carotene tablets or placebo (pacifiers). As a result, it became clear that the drug does not help either against cancer or against any other disease. In other studies conducted in the USA and Finland on smokers, the result was even more disastrous. For example, in Finland, 30 thousand smokers took beta-carotene, vitamin E or a placebo for four years. The incidence of lung cancer among beta-carotene consumers was 18% higher than other participants in the experiment. They were more likely to die from a heart attack. The longest life expectancy was observed in smokers who took placebo. After summing up such disappointing interim results, the experiment had to be stopped. It also turned out that in smokers, even a small overdose of vitamin A (or its predecessor, B-carotene), contributes to the development of cancer, since their highly carcinogenic compounds are formed inside the body. So smokers (even passive smokers, that is, those who are regularly “smoked” by loved ones) should not even get carried away with carrot juice.
But non-smoking citizens especially cannot relax. An overdose of vitamins A and D in any case causes intoxication and is dangerous for the liver and kidneys, and during pregnancy can cause fetal defects.
To close the topic of vitamin overdose, we can remember about other vitamins - water-soluble - group B. Their excess supply in the composition of drugs (natural overdose, that is, with food, is practically excluded here) is also fraught with various complications for the weak point of a particular person (according to the principle: where it’s thin, that’s where it breaks). But, fortunately, excess water-soluble vitamins usually do not accumulate and are well excreted by the kidneys (if they are in order). There is even a joke that Americans (the most passionate fans of complex vitamins) have the most expensive urine in the world.
Not just a vitamin
How can we explain the negative research results?
It has long been known that consuming vitamin-rich vegetables and fruits is good for health and reduces the likelihood of cancer. But can the protective effect of vegetables and fruits be reduced to the action of several vitamins? After all, even the group of carotenoids includes not only beta-carotene, but also more than a hundred other little-studied bioactive substances found in fruits and vegetables. You can also remember about fiber, which is necessary for cancer prevention, about the particularly useful structure of water (similar to the structure of melt water) in the juice of raw vegetables and fruits, about bacteria in fermented milk products that normalize intestinal flora. Replacing all this with just vitamins will not be enough.
Selenium
Recently, selenium has been promoted (often included in vitamin complexes) as a powerful antioxidant that slows down aging. May be. But first, it should be noted that selenium, in principle, is not included in the metabolism of humans (and animals too). That is, this element is simply not found in the body of an ordinary healthy person (animal). Elemental selenium is low toxic. All selenium compounds are highly toxic. Toxic selenium diseases of livestock (known as alkali disease) have been described in various countries (in several areas in Canada, Columbia, Kansas, Nebraska and others). The soils there contain selenium in life-threatening concentrations. Alkaline disease is manifested by severe weakness, anemia, liver pathology, and convulsions. Selenium actively replaces the sulfur of proteins (more precisely, the amino acids methionine, cystine and cysteine), which leads to the destruction of keratins, and, as a consequence, to hair loss and splitting of nails. True, when taking selenium preparations it does not come to such a nightmare, since it is dosed in micrograms. And thank God!
"Placebo effect": the main thing is to believe!
Although, many of our bioactive food supplements sold in pharmacies or green shops are not at risk of an excess of any vitamins. Whatever pharmaceutical dietary supplements you take, all of them, as the advertisement claims, have been tested and approved by the Ministry of Health. The gullible buyer has no idea that the product was only tested for safety and the Ministry of Health guarantees that you will not be poisoned by it. But they are not officially tested for their usefulness and content of declared vitamins (since these are not certified medicines). One of the unofficial checks (commissioned by the TV program “Vprok”) showed that when taking many well-advertised remedies (for example, “longevity”), one will only have to rely on the placebo effect (improving well-being only through faith and self-hypnosis). And in order to get a daily dose of the most common simple vitamins (C, group B), you need to drink about 40 tablets of this bioactive supplement, which is inconvenient and, of course, expensive.
Misinformation that costs lives
Shark cartilage
It is much more dangerous if a pacifier is presented as a panacea for cancer. After all, the consequence of such “treatment” is, at best, terribly advanced stages of the disease (at worst, even poisoning).
Advertising hammers a clear idea into people's heads: sharks don't get cancer - it's all about the special properties of their body. Shark cartilage is sold with a bang all over the world and in Russia, however, the number of cancer patients not only does not decrease, but is also growing steadily. At a conference of the American Association for Cancer Research, it was found that sharks, like humans, are susceptible to cancer. According to the results of research by American oncologists, 23 forms of cancerous tumors were found in sharks, including liver cancer, and the healing properties of drugs from shark cartilage are simply a myth.
Viturid - another panacea?
Another “near-cancer” sensation was born in the city of Petrozavodsk. “Viturid” appeared - a 0.003% solution of mercury dichloride or sublimate. Its author, biochemist T. Vorobyova, claims that it is highly effective in the treatment of cancer, AIDS and other viral and bacterial infections. Thus, viturid is a panacea. After a successful advertising campaign, cancer patients from all over the country went to Petrozavodsk. True, there is no scientific data on cancer patients cured in this way. As always, there are only general phrases and thick noodles hung on people’s ears. There are also several well-known cases about the sad experience of some cancer patients using this course of treatment. Complications from this treatment are mercury intoxication with its various manifestations (the very possibility of which is for some reason denied by the “inventor”, although the doses there are clearly far from homeopathic), especially affecting the kidneys. But unlike official chemotherapy, such sacrifices were made absolutely in vain - the tumor did not shrink after these courses; on the contrary, it progressed.
Near-cancer sensations on the assembly line
The authors of “sensational” treatment methods (by the way, often not doctors, but biochemists, “food scientists”, apparently without the Hippocratic Oath it is more convenient to engage in such a business) always use the same scheme. First, they formulate their idea of the causes and mechanisms of development of any disease, in which well-known facts are mixed with fiction (in the case of vituride, this is the loss of some mysterious “polarization” by a cancer cell). Then they explain that their drug (or method) restores exactly what is damaged during the development of the disease, but they “forget” to indicate in which scientific studies this was established. And to reinforce the learned material, they tell beautiful tales about thousands of patients whom they allegedly cured after doctors abandoned them. Such “noodles” are enough for a patient. But history, as a rule, is silent about such well-known statistics as the percentage of those cured, how long they are observed, what are the complications after treatment, what are the contraindications and restrictions when using a given drug or method.
It is unlikely that a drug will be discovered that can cure the entire population of the Earth with cancer, since tumors, the bouquet of concomitant diseases, and the constitution of people are different, and in principle there cannot be a single remedy. Only joint management of a cancer patient by a homeopath and oncologists can really save a person’s life (or, in an advanced stage, at least make it as easy as possible and prolong it).
Http://www.homeopath.ru/2.shtml#4
Homeopathic office
Snezhinskaya M.Yu.
Helps you improve your health. Why? The food we eat, even if it is fresh and organic, does not have the same nutritional value. Simply put, the earth produces food with fewer essential nutrients.
The best dietary supplements - ideally dosed multivitamins
The very first and most important addition to the diet is multivitamins, which are consumed daily.
Some people believe that vitamins and minerals are no longer effective, it is worth trying some of the latest innovations that have a more powerful effect. Don't think of essential vitamins and minerals as outdated or ineffective. From vitamin A to zinc, the body relies entirely on nutrients to maintain optimal health. You can live without some of the latest Amazonian herbs, for example, which, as we are told, cures everything, but you cannot live without vitamins and minerals.
By the way, multivitamins are usually much cheaper than herbal and plant extracts. You should know that not all multivitamins are created equal—some provide minimal doses of nutrients, while others provide just the right amount of a full spectrum of vitamins and minerals.
The difference is in the dosage, the first type is based on the daily recommended amount by government authorities, the second is based on the ideal daily intake dose, scientifically based, exceeding the norms set by the government and aimed at optimizing health.
The dosage of vitamins and minerals at this level is protected from deficiencies and optimizes:
Reasons to Take a Multivitamin from David Letterman:
- You feel tired regularly.
- You are in a constant mental fog and cannot think clearly.
- Nails and skin look discolored and old.
- The nervous system is in disarray.
- We live in a toxic environment.
- Soils are depleted of important nutrients and end up producing similar food.
- You don't have the opportunity to buy organic food, you eat fruits and vegetables rich in pesticides.
- You exclude fruits and vegetables from your diet.
- You want to live longer and be healthier.
The best dietary supplements - omega-3, rich in healthy oils
The second important dietary supplement is omega-3 fatty acids. You've probably heard a lot about them from the media.
Simply put, these are good and healthy fats, sometimes called essential fats because they are essential for health and the human body does not create them. Therefore, omega-3 can only be obtained through diet or taking dietary supplements (fish oil).
Scientific research shows the health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids:
- Supports mental health.
- Stimulates cognitive abilities.
- Reduce the risk of cardiac diseases and heart attacks.
- Reduce systemic inflammation. It is the common denominator of all age-related diseases - cancer, heart disease and diabetes. Reducing the level of chronic inflammation in the body is the most important thing you can do to maintain optimal health.
The best dietary supplements - CoQ10 ubiquinol
Fully reduced CoQ10 (coenzyme) is the third important dietary supplement. Its contribution weighs heavily on the health and well-being of every adult.
What is coenzyme? "Co" means "with" or "together" and enzymes speed up all the chemical reactions in the body that support life.
The coenzyme CoQ10 interacts with enzymes (enzymes) inside the mitochondria of cells to create the ATP energy needed for cell function. In other words, it helps the cellular power plants - mitochondria - burn fuel more efficiently. If CoQ10 levels are low, a person experiences fatigue and exhaustion. Every cell, tissue and organ will suffer because they need ATP - a universal source of energy.
CoQ10 is best known for its cardiovascular health benefits. It's worth knowing about this, because... the heart requires more energy than any other organ. But CoQ10 has other benefits. Clinical trial results showed:
- It helps with numerous cardiac diseases.
- Slows down the progression of Parkinson's disease. Has a protective effect on the functioning of the brain and nervous system.
- Beneficial for asthma and chronic lung diseases, eye diseases.
- Helps with diabetes and metabolic syndrome.
- Increases vigor in healthy people, slows down the aging of the immune system.
CoQ10 is synthesized in the body, but as we get older, it is synthesized in smaller quantities. Tissue tests have shown that levels peak at age twenty and then decline steadily thereafter.
Do you want to add 9 years to your life? Research shows that CoQ10 makes this possible!
The best dietary supplements - probiotics 
The fourth and last most important dietary supplement is a probiotic product. It is worth knowing that human survival depends on the ability of the intestines to extract proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals from food.
If the health of this organ is compromised, no matter how healthy a diet you follow, you will not get everything you need from food. In addition, most of the immune system - about 70% - is located in the gastrointestinal tract.
The composition of bacteria in the intestines affects the functioning of the organ itself and the immune system as a whole. The more healthy bacteria there are, the stronger your immune system and the better your digestive system functions.
To start, avoid the following things, which reduce the level of beneficial bacteria and increase pathogenic ones:
- excessive alcohol consumption;
- smoking;
- stress;
- eating foods rich in toxins and poor in nutrients.
To restore microflora, use probiotic products that provide lactobacilli and bifidobacteria - at least 10 billion colony-forming units (CFU).
Based on materials:
- http://blog.lifeextension.com/2012/01/10-reasons-take-multivitamin.html
- http://blog.lifeextension.com/2014/11/4-must-have-supplements.html
- http://www.lifeextension.com/Magazine/2013/1/CoQ10-The-Longevity-Factor/Page-01
Dietary supplements for blood vessels are complexes of biologically active substances that are used to prevent cardiovascular diseases, which are often caused by an unbalanced diet. Scientists have proven that there is a clear relationship between insufficient intake of certain compounds into the body and the occurrence of cardiac and vascular pathologies. Taking dietary supplements helps compensate for the lack of compounds beneficial for the heart and blood vessels. Which remedies are most effective? Our rating, based on reviews from patients and doctors, will help you find out.
The best dietary supplements for blood vessels
When choosing dietary supplements for blood vessels, pay attention to the composition. Good products must contain antioxidants (vitamins C, A and E, coenzyme Q10, bioflavonoids), the essential amino acid lysine, plant extracts (gingko biloba, grape seeds, garlic, hawthorn).
- Vitamin C is a well-known natural antioxidant. With regular use, it reduces cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Strengthens the walls of blood vessels, preventing their fragility (especially in combination with bioflavonoids). Activates vitamins A and E, which are also powerful antioxidants.
- Dihydroquercetin and other bioflavonoids act similarly to vitamin C and enhance its activity. The compounds improve blood microcirculation and help increase the elasticity of vascular walls. Dihydroquercetin also prevents increased cholesterol levels, reduces blood viscosity, and improves oxygen saturation of cells.
- Coenzyme Q10 (otherwise known as ubiquinone) is an effective antioxidant that is part of the lipids of cell membranes and some other structural elements of cells. Ubiquinone is involved in energy production processes, has a pronounced membrane-stabilizing and antiarrhythmic effect, and supports the activity of enzymes that ensure the normal functioning of myocardial cells. The coenzyme is integrated into the structure of lipoproteins, preventing their oxidation, thereby preventing the development of atherosclerosis.
- Lysine is an essential amino acid that prevents the deposition of lipoproteins in vascular walls. In certain concentrations, lysine binds already deposited lipoproteins, reducing the size of atherosclerotic plaques.
- Ginkgo biloba extract contains unique substances - ginkgolides, which prevent blood clots. Products with ginkgo biloba have a vasodilator, antiarrhythmic, antioxidant effect, improve microcirculation in brain tissue, restore the structure of vascular walls, and reduce their permeability. In addition, the plant extract reduces fear, increased anxiety and restlessness, improves memory, and slows down the deterioration of mental abilities in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease.
- Garlic extract reduces the synthesis of cholesterol and lipids and stimulates their excretion from the body. By reducing blood clotting, it reduces the risk of blood clots. Normalizes blood sugar levels and exhibits antioxidant properties.
- Grape seed extract. Contains valuable polyphenols, essential amino acids (including lysine), PP, group B vitamins, bioflavonoids, anthocyanins and other beneficial compounds. The extract strengthens the walls of blood vessels, increases their elasticity, and reduces permeability.
- Hawthorn extract. Contains quercetin and other flavonoids (useful for blood vessels), choline (normalizes cholesterol levels), hyperoside (enriches myocardial cells with potassium ions, improves energy processes in the heart).
Advantages
Dietary supplements contain only natural ingredients. Their regular and long-term use:
- reduces the risk of developing hypertension, coronary heart disease, stroke and myocardial infarction;
- reduces the frequency of attacks in patients with angina pectoris;
- is an effective prevention and additional method of complex treatment of atherosclerosis;
- prevents the development of venous insufficiency and varicose veins;
- increases resistance to physical stress.
Flaws
In order for dietary supplements to have a positive effect, they must be used for a long time, in courses. In addition, all dietary supplements for blood vessels must be taken with meals, which is not always convenient, especially if it is recommended to drink the product 3 or more times a day. And finally, the products can cause allergic reactions due to individual intolerance to one or another component.
Rating of the best dietary supplements for blood vessels
| Rating | #1 | #2 | #3 |
| Name |  | ||
| Points | |||
| Gentle effect on the body | Ease of use | Manufacturer popularity | Improving heart function and normalizing blood pressure | Comprehensive strengthening of the body |
The dietary supplement includes capsules of three types: “morning”, “day” and “evening”, which differ in composition. Morning capsules contain lecithin, nicotinamide, folic acid, vitamins B1, B2, B5, B6, B12, biotin, magnesium oxide. Capsules for daytime use include vitamin E and fish oil; evening capsules contain vitamins C and E, isoflavones, lycopene, iodine, zinc, selenium, and chromium. A specially designed complex provides the body with all the substances necessary for the cardiovascular system throughout the day. Recommended for normalizing cholesterol levels and the functional activity of the cardiovascular system.
- Multicomponent composition, which increases the risk of allergic reactions.
- High cost - 1300 rubles per pack.
A dietary supplement based on coenzyme and ginkgo biloba extract has a pronounced antioxidant and vasodilator effect, stimulates cellular metabolism and cerebral circulation. Recommended for the prevention and complex therapy of heart failure, coronary heart disease, myocardial infarction, arterial hypertension and atherosclerosis.
- Has a complex effect. It has a positive effect on the heart and blood vessels, and is also recommended for diabetes, obesity, chronic fatigue syndrome, bronchial asthma and other respiratory diseases, and chronic infections.
- Helps with bleeding gums, periodontal disease, periodontitis.
- The coenzyme is available in a fat-soluble form, which is more stable and easier to digest than the water-soluble formula.
- An affordable product, always easy to get.
- High cost - the price of a package of 100 capsules averages 2,200 rubles.
The dietary supplement contains extracts of red clover and hawthorn, vitamin C and PP (nicotinic acid), rutin. The product helps normalize blood pressure, reduces cholesterol levels, strengthens vascular walls, and reduces the risk of blood clots.
- Effectively reduces cholesterol levels (from 7.7 to 5.7 per month of use).
- Reduces tinnitus, dizziness, normalizes heartbeat, reduces sensitivity to changes in weather conditions.
- It has general strengthening properties, and colds occur less frequently after use.
- Convenient to take - just two capsules per day.
- Affordable price - 400 rubles per pack of 60 capsules.
- Long-term use is required.
- Some patients complain of the lack of effects declared by the manufacturer.
The dietary supplement contains a high dose of hawthorn extract, potassium and magnesium (in the form of aspartate). Used to normalize blood pressure and heart function. The action of hawthorn is supplemented by potassium and magnesium, the deficiency of which can also lead to the development of cardiovascular pathologies.
- Normalizes blood pressure and reduces the frequency of tachycardia attacks.
- Removes arrhythmia.
- Increases performance.
- Calms the nervous system.
- To achieve the effect, you need to take 4 tablets per day, which is not very convenient, and a package of 40 tablets is only enough for 10 days.
- The price is affordable for one package (about 200 rubles for 40 tablets), but the minimum monthly course is quite expensive - 600 rubles.
A product based on the bioflavonoid dihydroquercetin helps restore microcirculation in tissues, increases elasticity and reduces the fragility of vascular walls, has a pronounced antioxidant effect, reduces blood viscosity, preventing thrombus formation, lowers cholesterol levels, and promotes oxygen saturation of cells. It is used for the prevention of heart and vascular diseases, as part of additional therapy for coronary artery disease and hypertension.
- It does not always help, only with mild forms of venous insufficiency.
- To make the effect more pronounced, it must be used in combination with Venokorset gel.
- A little expensive - about 700 rubles for a package of 60 capsules (for a month of use).
conclusions
Among the wide range of dietary supplements, it is not easy to choose a good, effective product that really works and does not have a placebo effect. The fact is that the effectiveness and safety of many dietary supplements has not been confirmed, since the products, unlike drugs, do not undergo appropriate clinical trials.
But there is another point. Any drug undergoes registration and then re-registration (every 5 years). These are complex and expensive procedures. And dietary supplements are much easier to register from a bureaucratic point of view, and cheaper economically.
Therefore, in order to save time and money, many pharmaceutical companies register their products as dietary supplements (if, of course, the composition allows it). There are many examples - vitamins from the Doppelgerz, Multi-Tabs brands, Duovit vitamins from the Slovenian company KRKA, Strix eye vitamins and others. Previously, they were medicines, but after re-registration the status changed: the products began to be produced as dietary supplements. At the same time, the composition, recommendations for use and quality remained at the same level.
The situation is similar with dietary supplements for blood vessels. Therefore, our rating did not include products of dubious quality that are distributed via the Internet. The drugs we list can be purchased at the pharmacy. They contain those components whose effectiveness has been proven in clinical studies. For example, Doppelhertz Cardio System contains a complex of vitamins and minerals, fish oil (its ability to reduce cholesterol and strengthen the immune system has long been confirmed).
There is no doubt about the dietary supplement with ginkgo biloba extract. In pharmacies there are many products based on ginkgo biloba, registered as medicines (Bilobil, Memoplant, Tanakan). These are drugs to improve cerebral circulation, which doctors often include in complex treatment regimens for cardiovascular diseases.
Medicines for veins (Detralex, Phlebodia) are made on the basis of flavonoids, and dihydroquercetin, which is part of dietary supplements, is also a flavonoid and has a beneficial effect on veins. The benefits of grape extract and hawthorn for the heart are also well known.
Taking high-quality dietary supplements helps maintain health and normal functioning of the cardiovascular system. In addition, many dietary supplements for blood vessels have a general strengthening effect and prevent the development of diabetes mellitus and other serious diseases. But for a dietary supplement to benefit the body, two conditions must be met. First, you need to drink the product for a long time and regularly, in courses. Secondly, the supplement must be of high quality. We recommend purchasing those products that are sold through the pharmacy chain, and not through Internet resources.
In the previous article, Candidate of Medical Sciences, naturopathic doctor, osteopath Alexander Ivanov talked about what dietary supplements are and how they are classified, and also touched upon the issues of legislative regulation of the production and sale of dietary supplements in our country. The new article will talk about common misconceptions about dietary supplements and their use. He also touched on the criteria for choosing dietary supplements when purchasing.
Alexander Ivanov talks about common misconceptions about dietary supplements and their use Photo: Irina Erokhina
MYTH No. 1. Dietary supplement is homeopathy
In the minds of many ordinary people, dietary supplements (BAA) and homeopathy are about the same thing. But dietary supplements are not homeopathic remedies!
Homeopathy is a branch of alternative medicine that is based on the principle of similarity, that is, treatment with microscopic doses of an active substance (literally a few molecules of a drug or poison), which in a slightly larger dosage can lead to illness or even death of the body. Homeopathy in our country is recognized as a pseudoscience.
Dietary supplements are based on concentrates of natural or natural-identical biological substances, which are intended for introduction into food products or directly into the diet in order to replenish vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other beneficial substances. In other words, dietary supplements are quite material, their use has a large evidence base.
MYTH No. 2. Dietary supplement is a medicine
Unfortunately, in my work I come across people who replace taking medications prescribed by a doctor with dietary supplements. Remember that taking dietary supplements as a medicine or instead of a medicine is unacceptable! Any dietary supplement is, in fact, a food product, albeit concentrated in one capsule. Dietary supplements can be used as disease prevention in healthy people or, as prescribed by a doctor, additionally as complementary therapy (together with medications), but they cannot be the main type of treatment! Sellers of dietary supplements who claim that their dietary supplement will cure you of all diseases are lying and committing fraud.
In the previous article, we already talked about the difference between a dietary supplement and a medicinal product; it is important to read the annotations (a small piece of paper in the package or a note on the package itself), what type of drug you are purchasing is: “medicine” or “biologically active additive".
MYTH No. 3. Supplements are ALWAYS BAD, YOU CAN DO WITHOUT THEM
A prejudiced attitude towards additives is formed due to the imperfection of legislation in terms of the production and sale of dietary supplements, as well as due to the aggressive advertising of unscrupulous sellers.
There is also a category of people who believe that we can get everything we need from food. They are, of course, right. However, in this case, our diet should be optimally balanced in terms of nutrient composition. Are you sure that your diet is optimally balanced? Even professional athletes, whose nutrition is thoroughly supervised by sports doctors and nutritionists, use dietary supplements.
Literature data and my own observations have shown that people, even with a varied diet, who do not deny themselves anything in terms of food, still suffer from a deficiency of certain components in the body (for example, vitamin D or magnesium). Hence the conclusion: our modern diet must be balanced with supplements. But this must be done wisely, together with a doctor. It’s good if you are on a mixed diet and eat more or less varied, but there are special groups of people: those who exhaust themselves on diets, strict vegetarians (vegans), as well as pregnant and lactating women. In such situations, taking dietary supplements is simply necessary.
MYTH No. 4. Supplements are USELESS BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT ABSORBED BY THE BODY
There is an opinion that many vitamins and minerals are not absorbed by the body and this is a waste of money. However, a group of researchers published an article in the respected scientific journal Nutrients 2017/9 (12) entitled “The contribution of dietary supplements to the nutritional value of the diet in adults.” Scientists compared the levels of vitamins (A, C, E, D, K, folic acid, group B) and minerals (calcium, magnesium, iron, selenium, zinc, phosphorus, copper) in people in different age groups, and in the same group people did not use dietary supplements and received all nutrients from food, and in the other, they took dietary supplements in addition to food. The study included 10,698 adults, excluding pregnant and lactating women, from 2009 to 2012. Participants were divided into three age groups: ages 19–50 years ( P= 5793), 51–70 years ( P= 3330) and ≥71 years ( P= 1575). As a result of repeated examination in the second group, the content of 15-16 nutrients out of 19 studied in the body was higher than in the first group, and inadequacy for 10 of 17, 6 of 17 and 8 of 17 nutrients among people aged ≥71 decreased significantly. 51–70 and 19–50 years old, respectively. Thus, the use of dietary supplements increased the content of beneficial nutrients in the body, which is important for preventing diseases and increasing life expectancy. Scientists noted that it is especially important to use dietary supplements in older age groups (over 70 years), since their nutrient indicators are worse than in young and middle age.
MYTH No. 5. ALL SUPPLEMENTS ARE SYNTHETIC AND HARMFUL FOR HEALTH
In the production of dietary supplements, various technological methods can be used: extraction, drying, fermentation, grinding, chemical synthesis, etc. Natural dietary supplements are absorbed better than chemically synthesized ones (for example, vitamin C), since the “natural” product may contain “ correct" molecules of the same vitamin C, and not its copies in the form of isomers that do not work under the body's conditions. Therefore, preference should be given to dietary supplements of natural origin. The use of dietary supplements as prescribed by a doctor in therapeutic dosages is safe for health, even if they are synthetic.
MYTH No. 6. Dietary supplements are “fuflomycins”, which do not have proven effectiveness
The use of many dietary supplements is clinically justified and proven by numerous studies. For example, take the same vitamin D. One of the latest Cochrane reviews on the use of vitamin D contains information that regular intake of vitamin D significantly reduces the risk of exacerbation of bronchial asthma attacks in children and adults.
For reference: Cochrane is an international non-profit organization that studies the effectiveness of medical technologies (health technologies) by critically assessing, analyzing and synthesizing the results of scientific research using a rigorous, systematic methodology that the Collaboration is constantly improving. The organization publishes the results of these studies in the form of Cochrane Systematic Reviews in its database, the Cochrane Library. Cochrane Centers work in the most respected academic centers - universities, ministries and agencies of health, education and science around the world, making a critical contribution to informing the development of clinical guidelines/evidence-based recommendations, health policy (Cochrane definition is taken from Wikipedia).
MYTH No. 7. Supplements are HARMFUL FOR THE BODY IN ANY DOSAGE
Despite the fact that vitamins and minerals are vital for the body, too much of them can also be harmful. Therefore, before using this or that dietary supplement, I always recommend consulting a competent doctor. Just like when using medications, when taking dietary supplements, the dosage, time of administration, course duration and compatibility are important. It is important to know the compatibility of certain vitamins and minerals. For example, when taking large doses of vitamin E (1500–2000 IU per day), the level of triglycerides in the blood increases, which contributes to vascular atherosclerosis; in addition, the synthesis of vitamin K in the intestine is disrupted, platelet aggregation in the blood is disrupted, which can lead to bleeding.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW WHEN BUYING A dietary supplement
The market is overflowing with dietary supplements; in any pharmacy you will see dozens and even hundreds of drugs from different manufacturers and in different price ranges. What are the rules for choosing high-quality dietary supplements? We have already talked about some criteria above, we will mention them here again, this is important.
Rule #1
Dietary supplements are sold in pharmacies and stores without a prescription, however, when purchasing a drug or product, you should consult your doctor for contraindications. For example, some dietary supplements have a choleretic effect (milk thistle leaf extract), which is contraindicated in case of cholelithiasis. Dietary supplements are not a means for self-medication!
Rule #2
The packaging of the drug must have a GMP quality marking - this is a guarantee that the product was manufactured according to a strict recipe.
Rule #3
Any drug must have a certificate of conformity and be registered in the federal register of dietary supplements. This can be checked on the corresponding website.
Rule #4
Buy dietary supplements from large manufacturers with a good reputation, who have been present on the market for a long time and have proven themselves.
Rule #5
Give preference to natural dietary supplements (extracts, extracts, lyophilisates, etc.) rather than synthetic drugs with a large list of improvers and preservatives.
Rule #6
Do not buy dietary supplements second-hand, do not agree to purchase a “miracle drug” after some dubious examination in a home-made setting.
HEALTH SYSTEM “7 D” ACCORDING TO IVANOV
In my “7 D” health system, I welcome reasonable “doping”. What does it mean? As practice shows, the diet of most people is not ideal, and in order to harmonize nutrition, it is necessary to identify deficiencies and replenish them. I recommend getting tested for macronutrient deficiencies (iron, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium) and micronutrients (zinc, selenium, sulfur, chromium, copper, lithium, iodine), as well as checking the level of vitamin D, B12, folic acid and, if your wallet allows, the omega-3 index. Identification of microelements can be done using the Oligoscan device or using hair. Everything else looks like blood. Testing for microelements and vitamins is necessary for all those who experience constant fatigue, sleep disturbances, depression, and are overweight or, conversely, underweight. And also to all those who are planning a pregnancy.
The topic of using dietary supplements is quite extensive; in my article I tried to cover the main issues of their use as fully and reliably as possible. I think that we will touch on this topic in future publications, talking about vitamins and minerals in nutrition.
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