08 Sep SUPPLEMENTS 101

How are we men suppose to figure which vitamin to take and which supplements are good for us? Don’t we have enough to think about, on top of everything else?  Taking one to eight giant capsules, which are pretty damn hard to swallow, is suppose to help with our natural functions, that’s if you don’t choke.

To help lesson the confusion, my cousin, Dr. Thomas Boldt (Herbalist, Acupuncturist and Dr. Chinese Medicine) has been kind enough to enlighten us, as to what supplements accomplish and their benefits for mankind.

• Supplements help our bodies by supporting their various natural functions: circulation, illness prevention, waste management, metabolism regulation and more. In an ideal world, we would eat a varied diet that provides the complete nourishment our bodies need, but it is not always possible to consume these foods regularly. So supplements are the best second option.

• The better quality supplements are taken from food sources. Whole food vitamins, as they are known, are often more easily tolerated by the digestive track and are sourced directly from the food, i.e. vitamin C is sourced from cranberries and folate is sourced from broccoli.

• However, in some cases a chemically derived supplement is needed. Science has isolated mutations in the genetic makeup of some people showing those people’s bodies cannot process certain food sources of vitamins, like folate, for example.

• People with the mutated MTHFR gene cannot as easily reduce folate from food sources or whole food vitamins to the form our bodies require. In these cases, a laboratory created supplement is superior as it isolates a form of folic acid that is already reduced, and can therefore be used in the bodies of those with the mutations (affecting up to 40% of the population, by the way).

• It’s best to adjust your lifestyle to include a wide variety of fresh foods, instead of using supplements as a crutch to support an unhealthy lifestyle of say pizza and beer exclusively. Use supplements to help become the best person you can be but when taking them each day, encourage yourself to make another good choice by the day’s end.

SUPPLEMENTS 101 – OUR LINEUP: (always check for drug interactions)

Quercetin: Contains flavonoids, an anti-oxidant that removes dead cells, reduces inflammation and acts like an anti-histamine. Used for allergies, heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis, hypertension, prostatitis, and cancer prevention.

Get it: Citrus fruits, apples, red wine, parsley and onion.

Carnitine: An amino acid that enhances male performance, reduces heart conditions and for some bodies helps reduce fat and enhance muscle mass.

Get it: Red meat, dairy, fish, asparagus, avocados, peanut butter