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Last month's newsletter discussed the shortcomings of some recent anti-vitamin studies that were widely publicized. One of these studies claimed that multivitamin use may be associated with reduced lifespan in women. I explained why I felt this was a poor study. I also pointed out the "anti-vitamin" bias of the media and conventional medicine.
However, it's important to put things in perspective and present the other side of the story.
A wise man named Paracelsus wrote some 500 years ago:
"What is there that is not poison? All things are poison and nothing (is) without poison. Solely the dose determines that a thing is not a poison."
Vitamins, minerals, amino acids, fatty acids, and other naturally occurring substances have a much better safety profile than medications but they are not harmless. No supplement is safe at every dose, for every person, in every situation.
The safety of these different natural substances varies quite a bit. Minerals tend to carry the greater potential for toxicity. Whereas an individual can take vitamins at hundreds of times the recommended dietary intake without ill effect, the same is not true of minerals.
There are a number of cases each year whereby toddlers get access to a jar of iron supplements, eat a bunch of the pills and die. This is a serious safety issue.
Now, adults won't gobble down a whole jar of iron, so immediate death from iron supplements is not a concern for adults. However, chronic low-grade "iron poisoning" does have negative effects on health. Iron is a pro-oxidant when in excess and can damage various body organs. You have to be careful with iron supplements. If you need more iron, it's great to take a supplement. Iron is critical for many functions including energy production and detoxification. If your body has enough iron, taking a supplement is not so great. If your body has too much iron, taking a supplement can be life-threatening. Genetic over-accumulation of iron is common. About 1 in 300 people have a genetic condition called hemochromatosis, which causes the body to absorb too much iron from food (and supplements).
Hemochromatosis, which is under-diagnosed, can cause joint pain, fatigue, diabetes, liver cirrhosis, heart problems, and endocrine dysfunction, including testicular failure..
I test all my patients for iron status. If I find their iron levels are low, I investigate why. Is it due to inadequate dietary intake? Is it from poor digestion such as produced by gluten intolerance or by inadequate hydrochloric acid production (which commonly is induced by taking acid-suppressing medication)? Is the iron deficiency from blood loss from heavy menstrual periods? Is it the result of blood loss from an intestinal parasite, an ulcer, or a tumor?
If my patient has normal or elevated iron status, I don't want them taking iron supplements.
If your multivitamin has iron, think twice. Do you need that extra iron or is it doing you harm? You need blood tests to find out.
Copper and manganese are two other minerals to be careful with. After performing comprehensive blood tests I commonly conclude my patient has no need for additional copper. Then there are people who need several times the recommended dietary intake to achieve adequate levels. Nutritional needs are highly individual. "One man's food is another man's poison." If an individual gets too much copper or manganese adverse effects result. Wilson's disease is a genetic copper-overload condition that can damage the liver and brain. There is a small therapeutic window with copper and manganese.
Hopefully you're getting the point that you need to be careful with mineral supplementation. You really need to be tested to see if you are not meeting your needs, are just right, or have too much.
The safety profile for some nutrients is much better than for minerals. I think for anyone to die from taking coenzyme Q10, for example, they would have to take enough pills to make their stomach explode! I believe it is that safe.
There are a number of other nutrients that can produce some ill effects when overdone or not in proper balance. Let's take arguably the most popular nutritional supplement, fish oil. Now, supplemental fish oil has a multitude of benefits and has been associated with increased life expectancy. But too much of a good thing is not a good thing.
What is the harm in taking too much fish oil? One concern is that the immune system could be suppressed. The desirable anti-inflammatory action of fish oil if carried to the extreme could impair ability to battle infection.
Excess fish oil may cause imbalance in other equally important fatty acids. Fish oil is high in eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). These are in the omega-3 fatty acid family. Very high levels of fish oil may suppress levels of omega-6 fatty acids, including gamma linolenic acid (GLA), dihomogamma linolenic acid (DGLA), and arachidonic acid (ARA). EPA, DGLA, and ARA are all precursors to hormone-like substances called eicosanoids. The three different eicosanoids produced by these three fatty acids have different effects in the body and need to be in balancce for good health. The average American has too much ARA and not enough EPA. However, it is possible to get too much EPA. That happened with a patient of mine.
Bob came to see me with complaints of anxiety and fatigue. He had heard of the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids and was overdoing it. He was eating a lot of fish and taking omega-3 fatty acid supplements in the form of fish oil and krill oil. I did an Individualized Optimal Nutrition (ION) profile on Bob. This test includes a fatty acid profile. His results (shown below) revealed major imbalances. Some of his omega-3 fatty acids were so high that they were beyond the lab's ability to accurately measure. This excess of omega-3s was suppressing his omega 6 fatty acids. What's more, the ION profile also found elevated levels of lipid peroxides- free radical-damaged fats...not a good thing. The omega-3 fats are highly unsaturated, which makes them prone to oxidation or free radical damage. Additionally, Bob's ION profile picked up elevated levels of mercury- apparently from all the fish he was eating. Bob's personalized nutritional program involved removing fish from his diet and stopping the fish and krill oil supplements. We added in sources of omeage-6 fatty acids, including beef and borage seed oil supplements.
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Don't guess about your nutritional needs. Get tested and follow a personalized program. The best multivitamin is the one made for you.
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