Taking Vitamins Properly
by Dr. Sandra Arndt, M.D.
of The Energy Institute

Yes! At least in the recommended dosages (see below). Most of the vitamins are water-soluble, meaning they will be passed with the urine if they can’t be used by the body – in the worst case, they are not beneficial for you, but won’t be dangerous, even up to much higher dosages and concentrations in the body, as shown by countless studies.

As for the fat-soluble vitamins, they can be stored and might develop negative effects when too high levels are reached! But this can’;t happen if yu follow our supplementation scheme, and again: even for higher levels of intake, as often used in specific conditions, no harmful side effects could be observed.

Which supplements do you need and how much?

A good basis is a daily high-potency multivitamin & multimineral formula – it is a compromise, as your individual need may not exactly been taken care of, dependent on your individual starting point such as additional underlying conditions or diseases or risk factors for those (e.g., family history, or smoking, etc), or additional needs due to exercise, for example. However, it’s a good compromise if you are not willing to take each ingredient separately, thus ending up with 2 hands full of different pills to swallow 3time a day.

The following overview is based on the recent literature and latest research results and is meant as a rough guidance to getting started:

MULTIVITAMIN:
Vitamin A: 7,500IU
Vitamin D3: 400IU – 800IU
Vitamin E: 100IU – 400IU
Vitamin C: 250mg – 500mg
Vitamin B1: 25mg
Vitamin B2: 25mg
Vitamin B3: 25mg
Vitamin B6: 25mg
Vitamin B12: 25mg
Folic acid: 200mcg
Biotin: 50mcg

MULTIMINERAL:
Calcium: 300mg
Magnesium: 150mg
Iron: 10mg
Copper: 1mg – 3mg
Zinc: 10mg – 30mg
Chromium: 200 – 300mcg
Selenium: 200mcg
Iodine: 100mcg - 200mcg
Potential additions: Manganese 3-6mg, Molybdenum 50-100mg, Vanadium 30-100mcg, Boron 2-3mg

Packing all the above mentioned micronutrients in one tablet is impossible – you wouldn’t be able to swallow it, so look out for products that provide these substances in a dosage of 2 – 4 tablets to be taken throughout the day.

Ideally you should take these tablets 3 times a day to ensure steady blood levels throughout the day, however, taking them in the morning and again in the early evening is also a good alternative.

The bulkiest nutrients are vitamin C, calcium and magnesium, so you may choose a formulation that has lower levels of these and take extra doses of these separately.

Vitamin C especially is worth stocking up on, it can prevent or reduce the effects of a common cold, but is also proven to reduce the risk of or fight existing cancer, and it is also a potent anti-oxidant:

Vitamin C: total daily supplementation 1 – 3 g (in times of extra need, eg when signs of a cold show, you can take 500mg – 1g every hour, until the symptoms fade – maximum intake per day should 10mg)
Calcium: total daily supplementation 800 – 1500mg (dependant on food sources)
Magnesium: total daily supplementation 400 – 750 mg (stick to the 2;1 ratio of Ca : Mg).

Recent research leaves no doubt anymore that anti-oxidants slow down the aging process and can prevent or reduce the incidence of many chronic diseases.

ANTI OXIDANTS
Vitamin A, C and E, probably iron, copper and manganese – all mentioned in above multi’s.
In addition, the amino acids glutathione or cysteine, and phytonutrients, such as bilberry or grapeseed extract.

Bioflavanoid Complex (the more, the better), eg: Rutin, Quercitin, Broccoli, Green Tea, Cruciferous, Bilberry, Grape Seed Extract or Bromelain
Alpha-lipoic acid: 15 to 30 mg
CoQ10: 20 to 30 mg
Glutathione: 10 to 20 mg
or as its precusor: N-acetyl L-cysteine 50 to 75 mg

Additional Essential Nutrients needed to improve homocysteine levels and brain function:
Choline: 100 to 200 mg
Trimethylglycine: 200 to 500 mg
Inositol: 150mg to 250 mg

ESSENTIAL FATS:
Omega-3 and Omega-6 fats, providing EPA, DHA and GLA, best derived from
Flaxseed oil: 3 x 1,000mg (use cold-pressed oil for dressings, don’t heat it, or take capsules)
or fish oil: 3 x 1,000mg (capsules, best if these are filtered oil so that the heavy metal toxins have been removed)
Evening primrose oil for GLA.