Multiple vitamin and mineral formulas comprise the largest category of dietary supplements in the multi-billion dollar dietary supplement industry. In this large industry there are many companies marketing a wide range of products to cover every price category. Unfortunately the vast majority of “Multiple Vitamin & Mineral” formulas on the market fail to meet the long term nutritional requirements of the majority of the population, in particular the increased nutritional requirements of the ageing population and for those with deficiency diseases.

  • Is the perceived notion that a “Balanced Diet” will provide all the nutrients needed to maintain long-term good health a realistic one in today’s industrialized and urban society?
  • Does the average family living in an urban area of Canada and shopping mostly in a supermarket get all the nutrients from the food they buy, no matter how discriminating they are in their food choices?

The answer to these questions is unfortunately NO. Modern crop growing practices which include mono-cropping where the same crop is grown year after year on the same land which has been gradually depleted of many of the essential minerals necessary for optimum health. Crops grown this way are usually deficient in many nutrients including reduced protein levels and depleted vitamin & mineral content. Storage and shipping of fresh produce from Southern climates such as Mexico and Central America can severely affect the nutrient density of those crops by the time they reach the Canadian consumer.

The reality is that the majority of people living in an urban area of Canada cannot obtain all the nutrients necessary to maintain long term good health from food alone. This deficiency of essential nutrients in the “modern” diet explains the increasing levels of degenerative diseases such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis etc.

This fact supports the idea of taking an adequate dietary supplement to add back to the food those nutrients which are deficient or missing altogether.

At the OLTCA (Ontario Long Term Care Association) Annual Applied Research Education Day on November 28, 2011, Aileen Burford-Mason, PhD gave a presentation titled:

Food For Thought: Do older adults need nutritional supplements?

Essential Nutrients – key points to remember

  • All essential nutrients work in concert
  • Absence of one compromises the effectiveness of others, e.g. vitamin D requires calcium, magnesium, vitamin A, vitamin K, zinc and boron.
  • Its blood level that counts, not dose taken
  • (nutrient) deficiencies are much more common than previously thought and are major determinants of degenerative disease
  • Osteoporosis (deficiencies of calcium, magnesium, vitamin D, vitamin B12, vitamin C, protein)
  • Heart disease and stroke (deficiencies of B-vitamins, vitamin D, magnesium, omega 3 fatty acids)
  • Cancer (deficiencies of vitamin D, antioxidants)

Drug induced changes to micronutrient status

  • Many commonly used medications are known to deplete essential nutrients
  • This in turn creates further health problems
  • Patients might then be given additional medications if the drug-induced interaction is unrecognized

Commonly prescribed drugs that cause nutrient depletions

  • Oral contraceptives and hormone replacement: inhibit all B-vitamins, inc. B12, folic acid, vitamin C; selenium.
  • Anti-diabetic drugs: inhibit B12, folic acid and CoQ10
  • Anti-hypertensive drugs
  • ACE inhibitors: inhibit zinc; sodium
  • Diuretics: inhibit magnesium, potassium,-vitamin B1, B6 and vitamin C
  • NSAIDs (anti-inflammatory): inhibit folic acid; iron; vitamin C
  • Anti-ulcer drugs – H2 receptor antagonists: inhibit folic acid and B12; vitamin D; zinc, iron and calcium; inhibit protein digestion
  • Proton pump inhibitors: inhibit vitamin B12
  • SSRIs (anti-depressant): inhibit sodium; folic acid; melatonin
  • Antibiotics: inhibit calcium; magnesium; potassium; vitamin K; B vitamins

Results: taking a MVM (multi vitamin & mineral) improved:

  • Mood
  • Perceived stress
  • Cognitive performance during intense mental processing
  • Physical vigor

Conclusion

  • Healthy members of the general population may benefit from augmented levels of vitamins/minerals (EFA’s) via direct dietary supplementation (2)
  • MVMs compensate for common nutritional inadequacies in older adults and should be encouraged (3)
  • Prudent for all adults to take multi-vitamin supplements (4)

Summary:

To obtain optimum health over the long term and to help overcome the consequences of long term nutrient deficiencies, direct dietary supplementation is necessary. The ideal supplement will contain ALL of the essential nutrients including vitamins, minerals, enzymes and EFAs at optimum levels. There should be no missing or weak links. The ideal formula should be in divided doses taken two or three times a day with meals. If taken two or three times a day with meals, the daily metabolic requirements for nutrients will be met. These include:

  • Cell growth cycle and replacement
  • DNA repair
  • Antibody synthesis
  • Hormone synthesis and regulation
  • Neurotransmitter synthesis
  • Detoxification (carcinogen metabolism)
  • Apoptosis and cell differentiation
  • Maintenance of connective tissue

1. Nutrition Business Journal Supplement Business Report 2010
2. Kennedy DO et al. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2010 Jul; 211: 55-68
3. Sebastion RS et al. J Am Diet Assoc. 2007; 107(8): 1322-32
4. Fletcher RH, Fairfield KM. JAMA 2002 Jun 19; 287(23): 3127-9

Post by guest columnist Barrie Carlsen, President at Vitex Nutrition Ltd.