Warning! I am not a doctor. This page is just my way of trying to make sense out of all the medical information out there on the 'Net. If you have more relevant or more accurate information, please pass it on to me.
Plant sterols have been shown to lower/reduce blood cholesterol. Blood cholesterol lowering may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. Plant sterols help reduce [or help lower] cholesterol.
Unlike the statins, where cholesterol lowering has been proven to reduce risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and overall mortality under well-defined circumstances, the evidence has been inconsistent for phytosterol-enriched foods or supplements to lower risk of CVD, with two reviews indicating no or marginal effect.
Plant sterols may stop working as well when taken for more than 2-3 months.
500 mg of turmeric extract twice daily for 2–3 months. Max 1000-2000mg/day.
Turmeric contains curcumin, a potent plant chemical with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Turmeric spices contain around 3% curcumin, compared to 95% curcumin in extracts.
In fact, there are more than 120 human clinical trials showing the effectiveness of curcumin in treating diseases ranging from autoimmunity to Alzheimer’s disease. The magic of curcumin is how it decreases inflammation at multiple levels in the body, not only helping with symptom relief from pain and arthritis but also blocking inflammatory cytokines driving autoimmune disease, heart disease and diabetes.
Curcumin has been classified as belonging to a group of compounds called “pan-assay interference compounds” (PAINS); when scientists screen chemical compounds looking for new drugs, pan-assay interference compounds tend to give false positive results because of their tendency to react with a wide variety of biological targets. A 2017 review published in the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry summed up the supposed miracle properties of curcumin quite simply as “much ado about nothing” and warned that the compound can “trick unprepared researchers into misinterpreting the results of their investigations.” Curcumin is basically a “con artist” of the chemical world, showing false activity in poorly designed studies. So far no double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial involving curcumin has been successful.
Psyllium should be taken at least one hour before any medications or two to four hours afterward because it can interfere with the absorption of those drugs.
If you are not used to taking psyllium, it's best to begin with a low dose. Gradually, you can increase the dose as needed.
Drink at least 8 oz. of water with each dose and plenty of liquids during the course of the day to prevent constipation.
gut health (ease constipation), heart health (lower cholesterol = lower LDL), blood sugar levels (diabetes)
IU = International unit - There is no equivalence among different substances; for instance, one IU of vitamin E does not contain the same number of milligrams as one IU of vitamin A.
The IU should not be confused with the enzyme unit, also known as the International unit of enzyme activity and abbreviated as U.
Omega-3 and oleic acid & garlic-thyme supplement (blood clots), kava (liver), contaminants (pharmaceuticals or heavy metals such as lead or mercury), dangerous combinations of supplements, St.John's wort (interaction with high blood pressure medications or oral contraceptives), poisonous at higher dosage (glucosinates, tannins), phytochemicals (pest poison) in supplements like green tea pills, vitamin C (renal failure), vitamin E (cancer), beta-carotene, vitamin A, Multivitamins, anti-oxidants (in supplements), tumeric, ...
Gluten-free foods (fat, sugar, sodium, heavy metals like mercury and arsenic). People who habitually eat low amounts of gluten tend to have more diabetes and more coronary heart disease than those who eat more of it. Of course, those with celiac disease have no choice.
You may not need to take anything more than a multi-vitamin plus some Lycopene.
A National Cancer Institute study published in 2007 that showed a link between excessive use of multivitamin supplements (more that one multivitamin a day) and an increased risk of advanced prostate cancer. There was no problem with men who took just one daily multivitamin; in fact, there seemed to be a slightly protective effect against the disease.
A study published in 2007 from the US National Cancer Institute, for instance, found that men that took multivitamins were twice as likely to die from prostate cancer compared to those who didn’t.
Vitamin A is essential for good vision and keeping the body healthy.
Too much can be harmful to bones
15,000 to 25,000 IU retinol a day for adults (2,000 IU or more for children) may lead to liver damage, headache, vomiting, abnormal vision, constipation, hair loss, loss of appetite, low-grade fever, bone pain, sleep disorders, and dry skin and mucous membranes.
You may not have to go sky-high on vitamin A to run into trouble. In January 2003, new data from a long-running (30-year) study at University Hospital in Uppsala (Sweden) suggested that taking a multivitamin with normal amounts of vitamin A may weaken bones and raise the risk of hip fractures by as much as 700 percent, a conclusion supported by data released in 2004 from the long-running Nurses’ Health Study.
A high blood level of retinol — from large amounts of vitamin A from food or supplements — apparently inhibits special cells that usually make new bone, revs up cells that destroy bone, and interferes with vitamin D’s ability to help you absorb calcium.
Liver and fish liver oils are concentrated sources of preformed vitamin A (retinol).
1 IU (of vitamin A) is the biological equivalent of 0.3 μg retinol, or of 0.6 μg beta-carotene
The new recommendations for vitamin A are 700 RE/2,300 IU of vitamin A for women and 900 RE/3,000 IU for men, but many popular multivitamins still contain 750–1500 RE/2,500–5,000 IU.
Doses higher than the RDA raise the production of liver enzymes and blood levels of sugar and uric acid, leading to liver damage and an increased risk of diabetes and gout.
If taking high doses, you should be monitored by a doctor.
Proponents of Niacin recommend taking a 500mg tablet three times a day; one with each meal.
Raise HDL; Lower triglycerides; slash Lp(a); convert small, dense LDL molecules into safer large, buoyant particles; decrease the likelihood of blood clots; can be used with statins
Side-effects (of higher dose)
Irritates the stomach - Best to avoid coffee, spicy food, alcohol
May cause headaches.
May cause dryness o fthe mouth.
Causes redness of the face
Best to use a "sustained release" or "extended release" dose.
Niacin is more effective and safer than taking Statins (like Lipitor) to lower cholesterol.
Both Statins and Niacin are too dangerous. Talk to your doctor. (Warning: doctors don't usually approve of natural remedies that aren't promoted by big pharmaceutical companies.)
Diet and exercise are a more reasonable method for reducing cholesterol.
Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine, pyridoxal, or pyridoxamine, or pyridoxine hydrochloride)
B6 is important to basic bodily processes, getting too much in supplement form can cause nerve damage and other serious effects
B6 - Continued use of 50 mg or more a day may damage nerves in arms, legs, hands, and feet. Some experts say the damage is likely to be temporary; others say that it may be permanent.
Vitamin C promotes collagen production in the body. The health of your hair, nails, skin, bone, teeth and joints directly relate to your ability to produce collagen. Collagen also promotes elasticity of skin and wrinkle prevention. Recent studies show a strong link to vitamin C levels and immune function. When given intravenously at high doses, vitamin C produces a pro-oxidant effect, thereby generating hydrogen peroxide, which is ultimately what kills the cancer cells. Regular vitamin c pills, liquids and foods have an upper limit of bioavailability due to absorption speed and the amount that could be handled by your digestive system without causing irritation and diarrhea. NCBI-PMC319462, PNAS-13604, NCBI-PMC4915787
Very high doses (14 to 37 times the adequate amount) have been linked to vomiting, salivation, sweating, low blood pressure, and fishy body odor.
The best case for supplementation can be made for vitamin D and the B vitamins, particularly folic acid. We have seen the tantalizing data linking vitamin D with protection against various cancers and the studies that suggest the risk of dementia is reduced with adequate B vitamin intake. Supplements containing about 2 milligrams of vitamin B6, 6 micrograms of B12 and 400 micrograms of folic acid can compensate for a lack of these in the diet. As far as vitamin D goes, many researchers now believe that we should be getting about 1,000 IU a day, an amount that is hard to achieve without supplements.
a dietary supplement - take with food and drink extra water
Antioxydant
Recommended dosage: 50-100mg/day if age<50; 200-300mg/day if age>50.
Usually, toxicity is not observed with high doses of CoQ10 (<3600mg/day).
The most common side effects are gastrointestinal symptoms (nausea, vomiting, appetite suppression, and stomach-ache, constipation), rash, and headache.
Vitamin D3 comes from animal sources, while vitamin D2 comes from plants. Both forms of the vitamin are effective but some studies have shown that vitamin D3 increased vitamin D levels in the body better than vitamin D2. However, vitamin D2 is available in higher doses and may be less expensive.
Summary: Use real sunlight, not vitamin D supplement.
"Avoidance of sun exposure is a risk factor of a similar magnitude as smoking, in terms of life expectancy."
Vitamin D "reduces the risk of prostate, breast, colorectal, and pancreatic cancers. It improves circadian rhythms. It reduces inflammation and dampens autoimmune responses. It improves virtually every mental condition you can think of. And it's free."
Australia's official advice? When the UV index is below 3 (which is true for most of the continental U.S. in the winter), "Sun protection is not recommended unless near snow or other reflective surfaces. To support vitamin D production, spend some time outdoors in the middle of the day with some skin uncovered." Even in high summer, Australia recommends a few minutes of sun a day.
You may also need magnesium to keep vitamin D from harming your health. Without enough magnesium, those D supplements aren't only worthless but they could be dangerously increasing your levels of calcium and phosphate.
Because of limited sunlight during winter months, most people need a supplement to get the recommended dose -- 200 IU per day for people aged 31-50, 400 IU for 51-70 and 600 IU for people aged 70 and older.
Our bodies get vitamin D in three ways - via food, the sun, and supplements.
Most people would get enough walking to their car or bus stop before and after work.
In summer, sunbathing for 10 minutes on your front and 10 minutes on your back makes about 10,000 units of vitamin D. This is the equivalent of 100 glasses of milk or 25 vitamin pills. 2010
Vitamin D is measured in International Units (IU) and is potent in small quantities
one IU is equal to only 0.000025 milligrams (mg) = 0.025 μg
40 IU is equal to one microgram (mcg or μg).
1 IU (of vitamin D) is the biological equivalent of 0.025 μg cholecalciferol/ergocalciferol
2,000 IU a day - Calcium and vitamin D reduce bone fracture rates. Higher vitamin D levels are also associated with a lower risk for multiple sclerosis, breast and colon cancers, an juvenile and adult-onset diabetes, as well as lower rates of cardiovascular disease. (UofT 2010)
Recommended: minimum 1000 IU/day, maximum 2000 IU/day
Recommended: 400 to 1000 IU. Dark-skinned people should take more than 2000 IU/day since they require six times the sun exposure to make the same amount of vitamin D as a white person.
The best case for supplementation can be made for vitamin D and the B vitamins, particularly folic acid. We have seen the tantalizing data linking vitamin D with protection against various cancers and the studies that suggest the risk of dementia is reduced with adequate B vitamin intake. Supplements containing about 2 milligrams of vitamin B6, 6 micrograms of B12 and 400 micrograms of folic acid can compensate for a lack of these in the diet. As far as vitamin D goes, many researchers now believe that we should be getting about 1,000 IU a day, an amount that is hard to achieve without supplements.
The amount of sun exposure needed to get the benefits of vitamin D is only a few minutes per day, so experts still encourage sunscreen use and sun-avoidance, especially when the sun is at its most intense.
Vitamin D toxicity can cause nausea, vomiting, poor appetite, constipation, weakness, and weight loss.
"2,000 IU a day can cause irreversible damage to kidneys and heart. Smaller doses may cause muscle weakness, headache, nausea, vomiting, high blood pressure, retarded physical growth, and mental retardation in children, and fetal abnormalities."
Comment - The information provided here on Vitamin D is completely inaccurate. The lowest intake of Vitamin D that has ever landed someone in the hospital was 40,000 IU a day for many months.
Comment (on the Dummies site) - "[The above comment] is utterly incorrect. I am a MSc degree-qualifed nutritionist, and I am yet to encounter a greater load of misinformation than what is written here.
To anyone reading this page, please disregard entirely what you have read. It is totally inaccurate. 2000IU of vitamin D is completely safe, 1000mg of vit C is completely safe, 50mg is completely safe, 800IU of vit E is completely safe, 25000IU of vit A is completely SAFE."
Proponents of DHEA argue that taking this hormone fights aging, increases muscle and bone strength, burns fat, bolsters immunity, improves brain function and protects against many chronic diseases such as Alzheimer's Disease.
a study delivered a dose of 50mg/day of DHEA for 10 months with no serious adverse events reported
Con
Some studies show that even when used for short periods DHEA may cause liver damage. It can also result in unwanted facial hair, acne and deepening voice in women. There is also concern that it may trigger cancer of the breast and prostate gland.
It is not known whether DHEA is safe for long-term use. Some researchers believe DHEA supplements might actually raise the risk of breast cancer, prostate cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and stroke. DHEA may stimulate tumor growth in types of cancer that are sensitive to hormones, such as some types of breast, uterine, and prostate cancer. DHEA may increase prostate swelling in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), an enlarged prostate gland.
DHEA is a steroid hormone. High doses may cause aggressiveness, irritability, trouble sleeping, and the growth of body or facial hair on women. It also may stop menstruation and lower the levels of HDL ("good" cholesterol), which could raise the risk of heart disease. Other reported side effects include acne, heart rhythm problems, liver problems, hair loss (from the scalp), and oily skin. It may also alter the body's regulation of blood sugar.
Caution advised if DHEA combined with pregnenolone?
DHEA is manufactured in the adrenal glands and testes/ovaries.
Johns Hopkins Health Alerts - Men who had taken 400 IUs of vitamin E daily for an average of 5.5 years increased their risk for prostate cancer by 17 percent. - JAMA 2011
Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin absorbed into the body and metabolized similarly to fat. Vitamin K is known as the clotting vitamin, because without it blood would not clot. Some studies suggest that it helps maintain strong bones in the older adults.
The main function of Vitamin K is modifying proteins to give them the ability to bind calcium. Vitamin K1 is mostly used by the liver to activate calcium-binding proteins involved in blood clotting.
Vitamin K2 is used to activate proteins that regulate where calcium ends up in the body. Vitamin K2 is believed to help prevent calcium from being deposited in the arteries. Anything that can reduce this accumulation of calcium may help prevent heart disease. Vitamin K2 reduces recurrence of liver cancer. A high vitamin K2 intake was linked to a 63% lower risk of advanced prostate cancer.
Provides protection against tooth decay and chronic disease.
Humans can partly convert vitamin K1 to K2 in the body. This is useful because the amount of vitamin K1 in a typical diet is ten times that of vitamin K2.
However, current evidence indicates that the conversion process is inefficient, because we benefit much more from eating vitamin K2 directly.
Vitamin K2 is also produced by gut bacteria in the large intestine, and there is some evidence that broad-spectrum antibiotics can contribute to K2 deficiency.
The benefits of supplementing K2 may be enhanced even further when combined with a vitamin D supplement, because the two vitamins have synergistic effects.
No specific dietary recommendations exist for vitamin K2. Experts at the Linus Pauling Institute recommend 120 micrograms per day for adult men and 90 micrograms per day for women.
Sources: gut bacteria, natto (a Japanese dish), sauerkraut, egg yolks, whole milk, butter, and fatty goose, chicken or beef meat.
Lycopene is a bright red carotenoid pigment and phytochemical found in tomatoes and other red fruits.
Because preliminary research has shown an inverse correlation between consumption of tomatoes and cancer risk, lycopene has been considered a potential agent for prevention of some types of cancers, particularly prostate cancer. However, this area of research and the relationship with prostate cancer have been deemed insufficient of evidence for health claim approval by the US Food and Drug Administration
Over-consumption of omega-3s may increase the risk of prostate cancer in men.
You cannot take too much omega-3s. There is, however, one exception, for individuals who take anti-coagulant drugs or have blood coagulation problems. They probably should avoid fish oil supplements since omega-3s can affect blood clotting. Diets that consist almost exclusively of fish may increase the risk of hemorrhagic stroke and have been associated with nosebleed and blood in the urine.
Micronutrients
Micronutrients = vitamins and minerals = daily dose of nutritional supplements rather than conventional medicines
TrueHope EMPowerplus = 34 vitamins and minerals including B vitamins, calcium, iron, magnesium, copper, potassium = $150 per 30 days - This is not a recommendation, just an example of supplements.
Pig Pills, Inc., The Anatomy of an Academic and Alternative Health Fraud" (2003) by Polevoy
Nobel Prize winning scientist Linus Pauling had another idea in the late 1960s. He speculated that some people have a stronger genetic-based need for vitamins and minerals than others. He suggested some mental illnesses could simply be results of failing to meet these requirements. Scientists have observed that nutritional deficiency in otherwise healthy people can quickly produce mental issues. Almost anyone will experience mood swings when very hungry.
“No big drug company is going to study this because there's no money in it – it can't be patented.”
Calcium can inactivate antibiotics, including tetracycline and doxycycline.
Experts recommend a calcium supplement for some to keep bones healthy -- especially since only 30% of calcium from dietary sources is absorbed into the body. But careful: Too much calcium can promote kidney stones and raise men's risk of prostate cancer.
Supports bone health; reduces cramps
See vitamin A, above.
Recommended: less than 1g/day, which includes the calcium in your food. Keep your supplement consumption to 500 mg or less a day.
30% of those tested taking 1 gram (=1000mg) of calcium, were more likely to have a heart attack than those taking an inactive placebo.
Calcium supplements (1,000mg daily) have been shown to increase the incidence of heart problems, gastrointestinal issues, and kidney stones.
Research suggests that people with low levels of calcium are at greater risk of high blood pressure.
Along with your calcium supplements, be sure to take magnesium (half the dose of your calcium supplement); without it you may find that the calcium is constipating.
cancer (colorectal, lung, breast, blood), cardiovascular disease, heart attack, stroke, diabetes, metabolic syndrome (a condition that often leads to diabetes, hypertension, liver disease, and cardiovascular disease). It's been known since the 1920s that neurodegenerative disease - illnesses like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's - is associated with increased iron deposition in the brain.
phlebotomy (=blood donation) improves insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism - A single phlebotomy session was associated with improvement in blood pressure, fasting glucose, hemoglobin A1C (a marker for average glucose levels), and blood cholesterol six weeks later.
Blood donation (about every three years) can reduce excess Iron levels in the blood.
Magnesium = Mg - Magnesium is a chemical element with symbol Mg and atomic number 12.
Forms of Magnesium (Magnesium Advocacy Group, 2016)
Chloride - detoxing, metabolism kidney function
Citrate - not recommended as it interferes with Ceruloplasmin & can cause iron dysregulation & health problems
Glycinate - relaxing, good absorption rate, leaky gut, nerve pain
Requirement - 420 mg per day for adult males, 360 mg for females
Warning! Magnesium supplements often contain large amounts of Calcium.
Deficiency is quite common and can lead to muscle cramps, calcification problems, fatigue, irritability, and insomnia. Because the body easily eliminates excess magnesium, toxicity is nearly unknown, although excess magnesium can cause loose stools or diarrhea.
Magnesium is naturally present in almonds, bananas, beans, broccoli, brown rice, cashews, egg yolk, fish oil, flaxseed, green vegetables, milk, mushrooms, other nuts, oatmeal, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, soybeans, sunflower seeds, sweet corn, tofu, and whole grains.
Signs and symptoms that you have had too much magnesium include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, feeling lightheaded or faint, low blood pressure, abdominal pain, or muscle weakness.
Ingesting too much magnesium can cause cardiac arrest by disrupting the electrical activity in the cardiac muscles.
Having too much magnesium in your system is extremely rare because for most healthy, functioning adults, the body will excrete excess magnesium through the bowels, causing diarrhea.
Magnesium may be the most commonly deficient mineral in human nutrition, even though dietary sources of this nutrient abound. Because it is the calming or anti-stress mineral, it’s very important to many human functions. Magnesium is also necessary for building body tissue — especially bone.
Key functions of magnesium include:
Relaxes your muscles, including the heart.
Works in concert with enzymes to carry out metabolic functions, including protein synthesis, energy production, and neuromuscular function.
Used for poor sleep, anxiety, menstrual cramps, muscle cramps or spasms, high blood pressure, asthma attacks, and abnormal heartbeats.
Relaxes muscles and blood vessels; helps with sleep
You find magnesium mostly in plant foods — grains, legumes, vegetables, nuts, and seeds — although seafood is also high in this mineral. Dark green vegetables are a particularly good source of magnesium.
magnesium sources include nuts, seeds, fish, whole grains and beans
Magnesium is naturally present in almonds, bananas, beans, broccoli, brown rice, cashews, egg yolk, fish oil, flaxseed, green vegetables, milk, mushrooms, other nuts, oatmeal, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, soybeans, sunflower seeds, sweet corn, tofu, and whole grains.
When choosing a magnesium supplement, keep in mind that magnesium salts, such as magnesium sulfate, magnesium oxide, magnesium chloride, and magnesium citrate, often have undesired gastrointestinal side effects.
Chelated magnesium, which is magnesium that is bound to an amino acid, is less likely to cause nausea, bloating, or diarrhea. Chelated magnesium supplements include magnesium aspartate, magnesium arginate, and magnesium lactate.
People with type 1 diabetes, and those on certain medications, such as some blood pressure drugs, should talk to their doctor before increasing their potassium intake.
Improves cell and nerve conduction, heart regularity, and electricity
Potassium-rich foods include fruits, vegetables, dairy products, beans and fish
Potassium is abundant in the food sources (beans, leafy greens, squash, potatoes, dried apricots, avacados, bananas, etc).
Don’t take potassium supplements unless a doctor has prescribed them.
Recommended: 3500mg/day to 4700mg/day of potassium
The current AI (Adequate Intake) for potassium for women and men ages 14 and up is 4700 mg. However, the British National Health Service recommends a lower intake, saying that adults need 3,500 mg per day and that excess amounts may cause health problems such as stomach pain and diarrhoea.
Because lack of potassium is rare, there is no RDA or RNI for this mineral. However, it is thought that 1600 to 2000 mg (40 to 50 milliequivalents [mEq]) per day for adults is adequate.
There is no set upper limit for potassium. So it's not clear exactly how much potassium you can take safely. However, very high doses of potassium can be deadly.
Potassium requirements can be affected by climate and physical activity, the use of diuretics, and the intake of other electrolytes, notably sodium. Potassium blunts the effect of sodium chloride on blood pressure, mitigating salt sensitivity and lowering urinary calcium excretion. Given this interrelatedness, requirement for potassium depends to some extent on dietary sodium, however, the ideal sodium:potassium intake ratio is not sufficiently established to use in setting requirements.
It has been hypothesised that high protein-low potassium diets could induce a low-grade metabolic acidosis that could induce demineralisation of bone, osteoporosis and kidney stones.
Because of its well-documented potential for toxicity, supplemental potassium should only be provided under medical supervision.
High potassium intakes can cause gastrointestinal discomfort and stress that may include ulceration and perforation. Arrhythmia can also arise from the resulting hyperkalaemia.
Sodium = Na
Salt=NaCl
Reducing sodium intake can help prevent hypertension (high blood pressure), and in turn reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.
magnesium, calcium, potassium and fibre all appear to have blood-pressure-lowering effects, but their impact may be missed if we become fixated on sodium alone. If we cut our sodium intake in addition to adding these nutrients, the results are even more dramatic.
Recommended: Not more than 1500mg/day
Too Much or Too Little Potassium - Electrolyte Imbalance
Potassium does not act in a vacuum, though. It interacts with other electrolytes, including sodium. It's long been known that sodium raises blood pressure, while potassium lowers it. But it's becoming clearer that getting the right balance between sodium and potassium in the diet may be key to your heart health. A recent study found that when it comes to the risk of developing heart disease or dying of it, the ratio of sodium to potassium in the diet is more important than the level of either mineral alone.
The vast majority of salt in your diet comes not from your salt shaker, but from processed foods.
Sulfur
Trace Minerals
Micronutrients = vitamins and minerals = daily dose of nutritional supplements rather than conventional medicines
Boron
Boron is a trace mineral essential to human health.
It helps the bones use calcium.
Examples of metabolic functions affected include iodine needed for thyroid production, iron for red blood cell hemoglobin production, and zinc for proper immune function.
You need about 1 mg of boron daily from your diet, but 3–5 mg may be more helpful as a supplement, particularly for the elderly.
Chromium
Copper
See also: memory.htm#Cu - Copper (in drinking water and multi-vitamins) combined with fats may lead to dementia.
Fluoride
Iodine
Iron
magnesium (a laxative)
Manganese
Molybdenum
Selenium
Boosts immunity; acts as an antioxidant; helps prevent cancer
Zinc
Provides immune support; controls sexual development and many enzyme systems
The Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) and Adequate Intakes (AIs) for minerals and trace elements are generous allowances. They recommend enough of these nutrients in your diet to prevent deficiency but not so large that they trigger toxic side effects. However, like some vitamins, some minerals nutrients are potentially toxic in large doses. Calcium: Though clearly beneficial in amounts higher than the current RDAs, calcium is not problem-free. here are some symptoms of calcium excesses:
Constipation, bloating, nausea, and intestinal gas are common side effects among healthy people taking supplements equal to 1,500 to 4,000 milligrams of calcium a day.
Doses higher than 4,000 milligrams a day may be linked to kidney damage.
Megadoses of calcium can bind with iron and zinc, making it harder for your body to absorb these two essential trace elements. Phosphorus: Too much phosphorus can lower your body stores of calcium. Magnesium: Megadoses of magnesium appear safe for healthy people, but if you have kidney disease, the magnesium overload can cause weak muscles, breathing difficulty, irregular heartbeat and/or cardiac arrest (your heart stops beating). Iron: Overdosing on iron supplements can be deadly, especially for young children. The lethal dose for a young child may be as low as 3 grams (3,000 milligrams) of elemental iron at one time. This is the amount in 60 tablets with 50 milligrams elemental iron each. For adults, the lethal dose is estimated to be 200 to 250 milligrams elemental iron per kilogram (2.2 pounds) of body weight. That’s about 13,600 milligrams for a 150-pound person. See also Iron. Zinc: Moderately high doses of zinc (up to 25 milligrams a day) may slow your body’s absorption of copper. Doses 27 to 37 times the RDA (11 mg/males; 8 mg/females) may interfere with your immune function. Gram doses (2,000 milligrams/2 grams) of zinc cause symptoms of zinc poisoning: vomiting, gastric upset, and irritation of the stomach lining. Iodine: Overdoses of iodine cause goiters. When you consume very large amounts of iodine, the mineral stimulates your thyroid gland, which swells in a furious attempt to step up its production of thyroid hormones. This reaction may occur among people who eat lots of dried seaweed for long periods of time. Selenium: Nutrition researchers have linked doses as high as 5 milligrams of selenium a day to thickened but fragile nails, hair loss, and perspiration with a garlicky odor. In the United States, a small group of people who got a mislabeled supplement that contained 27.3 milligrams selenium (436 times the RDA) suffered selenium intoxication fatigue, abdominal pain, nausea and diarrhea, and nerve damage. Fluoride: Large doses of fluoride which you’re unlikely to consume unless you drink well or groundwater in the western United States causes fluorosis (brown patches on your teeth), brittle bones, fatigue, and muscle weakness. Over long periods of time, high doses of fluoride may also cause little bumps of bone on the spine. Molybdenum: Doses of molybdenum 2 to 7 times the Adequate Intake (AI) (45 micrograms) may increase the amount of copper you excrete in urine.