Have you ever found yourself tuning out information about
nutritional supplements because it all seems confusing and contradictory? If
yes, you are not alone. One headline says 'get more X' the next headline says
'be careful about too much X' and another says 'X supplementation not necessary
at all'. Headlines are meant to sell newspaper and magazines. They report on
what's new not necessarily what is backed by the most evidence. And, the stories
are often selected based on findings that are contrarian or against
conventional wisdom. After all, who is going to buy a magazine with the
headline, "No change in guidelines – eating more plant-based foods is
still good for you."
Consumers really
need a reliable source of evidence-based recommendations for nutritional
supplements. Since these are not regulated by the FDA, there isn't a government
run website that you can count on to be unbiased. There are several private
companies, non-profits and even individuals that claim to offer comprehensive
unbiased information on nutritional supplements, but who has the time to sift
through all of these to figure out whose information is the best?
At the risk of
offending a number of other great sources, this article is a plug for the Linus Pauling Micronutrient Information
Center at Oregon State University at http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter.
Chances are this is a source you've never heard of or looked at, but you
should.
The website
describes the Linus Pauling Institute as a “source
for scientifically accurate information regarding the roles of vitamins,
minerals, other nutrients, dietary phytochemicals and some foods in preventing
disease and promoting health”. As you can see from the description, their
mission extends beyond nutritional supplements to also include whole foods. This
is critically important because sometimes nutrients are more potent together
(as in a food) than they are separately.
When you visit
the website, you'll have a chance to subscribe to the newsletter near the top
of the page. Do it. This isn't another email newsletter but rather a printed,
bound newsletter sent to your house containing all of the Institute's latest
research.
The folks at OSU
are doing excellent work to bring us all trustworthy, evidence based
recommendations on the tens of thousands of nutrients in our foods. Take some
time to look at their website, bookmark it and share it with others. If there
are concepts or terms you don't understand, feel free to ask us during your
next appointment or send us an email.
About the Author:
Dr. Matt Ramirez graduated with a degree in Bachelor of Human Biology in 2004 and received his Doctor of Chiropractic Degree in 2006. He specializes in auto injury recovery and rehabilitation and has enhanced and improved thousands of lives as well as treated people of all ages over the years. He is also an expert in health and wellness, massage therapy, chiropractic care, nutritional support and more...
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