Author: Joan Haynes, NMD

What is a “Leaky Gut”?

By - Digestion

By Dr. Joan Haynes, NMD

“Leaky gut” is also known as “increased intestinal permeability”.  Our intestinal tract is a semipermeable membrane, allowing very small molecules through in order to absorb nutrients.  Inflammation causes more permeability in the lining of the gastrointestinal tract and incompletely digested food particles, toxins, and waste get through into the blood stream.  The immune system then has the task of dealing with those invaders and can result in a variety of symptoms.

leaky gut

Causes of Leaky Gut:

  1. Stress and age
  2. Infection or imbalance of the microorganisms in the gastrointestinal tract
  3. Irritation from chronic constipation
  4. Overuse of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like asprin and ibuprophen (Advil)
  5. Food intolerances, particularly gluten
  6. Pro-inflammatory foods such as alcohol, sugar, and highly processed foods

Symptoms of Leaky Gut:

  1. Digestive issues that might be labeled as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) such as gas, bloating, discomfort, diarrhea.
  2. Seasonal allergies, chronic sinus congestion, asthma
  3. Autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, lupus, etc
  4. Chronic fatigue syndrome
  5. Chronic achiness, arthritis, fibromyalgia
  6. Chronic headaches
  7. Mood issues such as depression, anxiety, ADD, ADHD, mental fogginess
  8. Skin issues such as acne, rosacea, eczema, psoriasis
  9. Food sensitivities and intolerances
  10. Difficulty losing weight

Possible Testing for Leaky Gut:

There is no definitive testing, so often we are using clinic symptoms and history to help diagnosis. Sometimes though we need more information and one or more of these labs can be useful:

  1. Food sensitivity testing can be useful – if more than a couple of foods show up positive on an IgG blood test, leaky gut is strongly suspected.
  2. Stool testing for gastrointestinal infections.
  3. Lactulose and mannitol test. The patient drinks a premeasured amount of these non-metabolized sugars and the degree of permeability is reflected in the levels of the sugars recovered in a urine sample collected over the next 6 hours.

How to Heal a Leaky Gut:

  1. Diet – sometimes a general anti-inflammatory diet is enough, but other times people need to identify and remove specific food intolerances using a formal elimination-rechallenge program or food sensitivity testing through a blood test. See Are Foods Causing Your Symptoms.
  2. Sometimes using digestive enzymes or hydrochloric acid (to be used cautiously) can help breakdown foods into smaller particles.
  3. The amino acid L-glutamine is useful to heal the gut which is often given with other herbs and nutrients. At BNH we often use a Metagenics product called is UltraInflammX, a medical food shake high in glutamine, easy to assimilate protein, carbs and healthy fat, along with nutrients and anti-inflammatory herbs such as turmeric, ginger and rosemary.
  4. Bone broths and green vegetable drinks are useful for easy nutrient assimilation.
  5. Probiotics and fermented foods.
  6. Stress reduction if needed. See What is Adrenal Fatigue.

Recommended Thyroid Book by Wentz

By - Women's Health and Hormones

by Joan Haynes, NMD

Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis: Lifestyle Interventions for Finding and Treating the Root Cause

by Izabella Wentz, PharmD, FASCP

Hypothyroidism is one of the most common health conditions we see at Boise Natural Health.  In 20 years of treating this condition, I’ve attended my share of classes and read numerous books and professional articles about thyroid function.  This book was great reading which confirmed that I’ve been on the right track in my practice, and also provided me with a wealth of new insight that my patients are already benefiting from.

Pharmacist Izabella Wentz gives a great overview of current theories about thyroid function and autoimmune disease in general.  Whether you are a newly diagnosed thyroid patient or one who has been on medication for years, it will behoove you to keep up with the latest medical advancements and treatment options.

If you like scientific detail like me, this book goes into specifics about how the thyroid works and what happens when it stops working well.  Wentz describes how “the body becomes stuck in a vicious cycle of immune system overload, adrenal insufficiency, gut dysbiosis, impaired digestion, inflammation, and thyroid hormone release abnormalities.”  Wentz discusses how to remove triggers and repair the body.  You learn how to maximize your thyroid function as well as your overall health.

One chapter I particularly appreciated was “Iodine Controversy” in which Wentz discusses the cautious use of iodine, which she describes as a “Goldilocks” supplement.  If there is too little, thyroid levels will be low.  Take too much, however, and the thyroid can become overactive.  I’ve seen this a number of times with new patients coming in with a wildly overactive thyroid induced by toxic doses of self-administered iodine.

Because Wentz’s book adheres to the naturopathic principle of treating the whole person to restore balance, it is an easy book to recommend to those wanting to learn more about optimal thyroid health.

Useful Cancer Information Resources

By - Cancer

Cancer Treatment Centers of America: CTCA integrates Naturopathic Physicians and Medical Oncologists in their hospitals. This page illustrates supportive ways naturopathic medicine can fit into conventional oncology.

Oncology Association of Naturopathic Physicians: This resource explains naturopathic medicine and oncology and how it can help fight against cancer. Dr. Haynes is a member of OncANP and regularly attends continuing education seminars sponsored by the association.

The Cancer Connection Idaho: Completely free organization that provides support for people with cancer.

MD Anderson Cancer Center has an incredible data base to look up information about cancer. You can access the Natural Medicines comprehensive data base there. Just type in any therapy you are wondering about.

Livestrong at the YMCA is a free exercise program for cancer patients. You can do classes or work with a trained specialist individually.

My Passion for Patients with Cancer: Naturopathic Oncology

By - Cancer

Joan Haynes, NMD

In addition to my busy family practice for the last 18 years, I’ve been studying cancer and treating patients with cancer for almost 14 years.  The world of integrative cancer care is taking off.  With so much research being done, educating my patients about new evidence-based therapies is exciting.  I just returned from a cancer conference at the National College of Natural Medicine where I graduated in 1997.  This month I am attending the Oncology Association of Naturopathic Physicians Annual conference, of which I am a member.

Studies show that the vast majority of people with cancer choose to also include complementary and alternative medicine in their fight against cancer.  Often with little support from their oncologist, patients are trying to read the latest book, sort out reliable web sites, field recommendations from friends and family, and pick from an overwhelming variety of natural products.  Naturopathic physicians who specialize in cancer can help guide people through this maze of overwhelming choices.

Naturopathic physicians are trained in accredited naturopathic medical schools in modern scientific nature cure. We are trained in both modern science and natural medicine. We emerge from our training well versed in the use of botanical medicine, homeopathy, diet, cleansing, nutritional supplementation, orthomolecular medicine, psycho-immunology and other complementary and alternative medical techniques.  We serve as capable guides for patients interested in exploring alternative medicine.

Trying to do it on your own can be not just overwhelming but unwise.  While some natural supplements taken along with chemotherapy, surgery or radiation can make those treatments more effective, other supplements can interfere negatively and inhibit a conventional therapy from working.  My job is to understanding the standard treatments employed by medical oncologists and to help my patients understand their choices in collaborative model of cancer co-treatment.

The role of diet and exercise cannot be understated.  New research shows that people with cancer have better outcomes if they exercise and eat a whole foods diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables.  At Boise Natural Health our practitioners are trained in nutrition and can meet with patients to help them transition to healthy eating see our nutritional services page for more information.

Naturopathic Medicine can be useful at every stage of cancer care: before, during and after conventional treatments.  My goals with my patients with cancer are:

  1. Education about potential drug/nutrient/botanical interactions.
  2. Limit and/or prevent side effects and long-term toxicities related to treatment.
  3. Recommend nutrients, botanicals and natural therapies that have evidence-based anti-cancer effects, without interfering with the efficacy of conventional therapies.
  4. Ensure health of physiologic systems to eliminate, minimize and/or treat factors that contributed to cancer development.

When people are considering my services, I prefer they schedule a free 10 minute phone consultation to see if we are a good fit.  If not, I can make referrals to more appropriate providers.  I look forward to working with you on your journey to healing.

Read information about fees.

Medical Research – A Disturbing Corruption

By - Miscellaneous

Doctoring Data: How to sort out medical advice from medical nonsense

by Dr. Malcolm Kendrick

Book Review by Dr. Haynes

Almost all of the medical research is funded, conducted, and reported by the corporations with vested interests.  Dr. Kendrick has been studying the problems in medical research for over 30 years.  After reading his book, I will never look at health news or published research in the same way again.  It turns out we simply can’t believe what we are being told.

Dr. Kendrick’s book was compelling and his witty, irreverent writing makes it a fun, if disturbing, read.   He explains the basics of understanding a study and then shows us how to question data we’ve previously taken as fact.  He tackles cancer, heart disease, blood pressure, hormone replacement therapy and more.  He shares that the popularly accepted “cholesterol hypothesis” has been disproven for many years but continues to thrive due to profits made from statin medications.

As a naturopathic physician, people often expect me to be skeptical about Big Pharma medicine.  But questioning the current medical system is not limited to those practicing alternative medicine.  Both the New England Journal of Medicine and the Lancet are the most well respected, peer-reviewed medical journals in the world.  Here’s what their own editors have to say about the state of medical science today:

 “It is simply no longer possible to believe much of the clinical research that is published, or to rely on the judgment of trusted physicians or authoritative medical guidelines.  I take no pleasure in this conclusion which I reached slowly and reluctantly over my two decades as an editor of the New England Journal of Medicine.” Dr. Marcia Angell, editor of the New England Journal of Medicine

“The case against science is straightforward: much of the scientific literature, perhaps half, may simply be untrue. Afflicted by studies with small sample sizes, tiny effects, invalid exploratory analysis, and flagrant conflicts of interest, together with an obsession for pursuing fashionable trends of dubious importance, science has taken a turn towards darkness.” Dr. Richard Horton, the current editor-in-chief of the Lancet

With all this doubt about truth in medical research, what is a patient to do?  I strongly believe in the tenants of Naturopathic Medicine and use them as guiding principles with all of my patients (see a more detailed description):

  1. First Do No Harm – primum non nocere
  2. The Healing Power of Nature – vis medicatrix naturae
  3. Discover and Treat the Cause, Not Just the Effect – tolle causam
  4. Treat the Whole Person – tolle totum
  5. The Physician is a Teacher – docere
  6. Prevention is the best “cure” – praevenire

I encourage all patients and practitioners interested in being savvy consumers of medicine and advocates of their own health to read Dr. Hendrick’s book.  It is one of the most informative books I’ve come across and is enjoyable to boot!

Testing for Toxic Chemicals In Your System

By - Environment/Detoxification

by Joan Haynes, NMD

Could your chronic illness or allergic reactions be related to ongoing exposure to toxic chemicals? A newly available and finally affordable lab test (only $219) screens for the presence of 168 different toxic chemicals all from a single urine sample. Exposure to these compounds has been linked to allergic reactions, cancer, obesity, infertility, fibromyalgia, heart disease, diabetes, ADHD, autism, autoimmune disorders and more. 

We all know that our modern world is full of pollutants. But did you know that chemicals do not have to be proven safe prior to being introduced into use? The new documentary The Human Experiment, narrated by Sean Penn, is available on Netflix and I strongly recommend you watch it. It demonstrates how thousands of untested chemicals are ubiquitous in our everyday products, our homes, our food, and in us. 

Here’s just one example: 

2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid (2, 4-D)  A very common herbicide most commonly used in agriculture on genetically modified foods, and as a weed killer for lawns.  Exposure to 2, 4-D via skin or oral ingestion is associated with neuritis, weakness, nausea, abdominal pain, headache, dizziness, peripheral neuropathy, stupor, seizures, brain damage, and impaired reflexes. 2, 4-D is a known endocrine disruptor, and can block hormone distribution and cause glandular breakdowns. 

The Categories of Environmental Pollutants Tested by GPL-TOX lab test (168 compounds tested in total)

  • Phthalates
  • Vinyl Chloride
  • Benzene
  • Pyrethrins
  • Xylenes
  • Styrene
  • Otganophosphates
  • MTBE and ETBE
  • 2,4 Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid (2,4-D)

Recommendations for Detoxifications of Chemicals

First and foremost, we must identify and reduce our exposure to these toxic compounds in our homes and workplaces.   Secondly, working with an expert can be helpful. Naturopathic physicians are trained in accredited medical schools how to biochemically detoxify patients. Customized programs include specific nutritional and herbal supplements to promote the removal of toxins. In addition, we always focus on the whole person, including the gastrointestinal health, nutritional habits, and the mental/emotional factors and lifestyle activities of each individual patient. 

Read more about these toxins, the lab test, and when it is recommended at The Great Plains Laboratory, Inc. To have the test ordered, and for a follow up plan of action, contact Boise Natural Health to schedule an appointment.  

Health Savings Account

By - Miscellaneous

Joan Haynes, NMD

A Health Savings Account (HAS) makes a lot of sense for people who would  rather spend their money on alternative medicine instead of paying for insurance premiums for health care they don’t use.

In Idaho, Naturopathic Medicine and/or massage is covered by some, but not all insurance companies. Instead of paying high insurance premiums, many patients are opting for a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) along with a Health Savings Account (HSA). An HAS makes a lot of sense for people who rather spend their money on the kind of health care they want instead of paying for insurance premiums.

A HDHP, also referred to as a Catastrophic Health Insurance has deductibles ranging from $1000 to $5000 or more. HDHP are offered by many employers and can be purchased by individuals as well. There are many insurance companies that offer these programs.

Like a Flexible Spending Account (FSA), the HSA allows you to contribute tax-deductible dollars into the account and spend them tax-free on medical costs. However money in a FSA is lost if not used within a grace period. In a HSA funds roll over and accumulate year to year if not spent. HSAs are owned by the individual and most accounts accrue interest. HSA funds are used to pay for qualified medical expenses at any time without federal tax liability. However, beginning in early 2011, OTC (over the counter) medications cannot be paid with HAS dollars without a doctor’s prescription. BNH doctors can provide patients with a prescription.

Utilizing an HAS will help you get the kind of medical care you want. If you are going to pay for alternative medical care out of your own pocket, you might as well pay less.

Medicinal Smoothie

By - Recipes

by Joan Haynes, NMD

Basic Recipe

In a blender add:

  • 1 scoop of green powder
  • 20 grams whey protein powder
  • 1Tbsp up to ¼ cup ground flax seeds
  • ¼ teaspoon probiotic powder
  • 1 teaspoon fractionated pectin powder
  • Liquid
  • Ice makes it more like a milkshake

Flavor

  • Stevia to sweeten.  Flavored liquids add variety.
  • Fresh or frozen fruit – an apple, blueberries, strawberries, peaches, mango
  • Natural Extracts such as vanilla, almond, coconut

 

Dr. Joan’s Cancer Fighting Chocolate Chai Spice Mix

  • Full of cancer fighting properties and darn tasty:
  • ½ tsp or more of any or all of the following:
  • powdered cinnamon, powdered or fresh ginger, powdered cardamom, powdered or fresh turmeric, powdered raw cacao (chocolate)

Benefits of your Daily Smoothie

  • GREENS: Concentrated green powders contain numerous phytochemicals to support optimal nutrition. For example, one of these many phytochemicals, proanthocyanidins, are found in grape skins and seeds, and fruits and vegetables which kill cancer cells in studies.   Nano Greens or Greens First are good brands.  Look for low heat processed and mixed variety of nutrients.  You can add fresh greens such as kale, spinach or parsley in the blender as well.
  • PROTEIN: Whey induces phase II of your liver’s detoxification pathway to help clear toxins from your body.  It increases the body’s major antioxidant – glutathione.  It also provides protein for energy and cellular repair.  Whey Cool and Terra’s Whey are good brands.  Look for low heat processed from organic milk.  Many people who are sensitive to whole dairy find they do fine with whey.  Hemp, rice and pea proteins are also available.
  • FIBER:  The lignans in ground whole flaxseeds have been shown in several animal studies to reduce tumor growth and help prevent metastasis.  Also the fiber in ground flax binds toxins in the gut and impedes reabsorption. The more the better but your bowels may need to work up to the higher dose of this fiber.  Buy whole and grind in a coffee grinder.
  • PROBIOTICS:  Supplemental intestinal bacteria keep your bowel ecology healthy.  Bacteria metabolize nutrients needed for immune function and detoxification.  They are also associated with direct anti-carcinogenic effects.  HMF Powder is a good brand.
  • FRACTIONATED PECTIN POWDER:  Also called modified citrus pectin, this fiber works to inhibit the spread of cancer and prevents the body’s immune system from becoming overwhelmed by an increasing cancer cell load.  MCP molecules bind to receptors on cancerous cells, thereby preventing these cells from penetrating into nearby healthy tissues.  Once this has occurred, the cancer cells circulate in the blood stream until they die or are eliminated.  Look for the form used in the studies
  • LIQUID:  Water is fine.  You may want a creamier shake with rice, almond, hemp, almond, or coconut milk.  Avoid fruit juice due to sugar content. 

 

When you are shopping for quality products, consider what we carry at Boise Natural Health.  We guarantee what we sell and can help you customize your purchases. 

Managing Childhood Behavioral Disorders

By - Pediatrics

Joan Haynes, NMD

View this slide presentation on childhood_behavior_disorders.

In recent years, diagnoses such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depression, bipolar disorder, and autistic spectrum disorders in children have skyrocketed. Labeling children with diagnoses such as these tends to overlook the real issue – what is the underlying cause(s)?

Naturopathic physicians address the underlying cause by diagnosing not just the behavior disorder itself but also the biochemical processes that contribute it. Many of these children with behavioral and emotional problems are treated with psychiatric medications and their families are given few other options. An effective approach needs to involve relational, nutritional and environmental factors. The result? A happier, healthier child, and a more peaceful family and school experience.

If your child suffers from one of these labels:

  1. Ask for help. Parents are overwhelmed and tired, often struggling with similar symptoms themselves. We just can’t do this alone and do not need to reinvent the wheel. It often takes more than one professional expert and a team approach. Involve the school counselor, take parenting classes, find medical providers who welcome your questions and have new ideas. Find credible reading material. Create a plan for action.
  2. Get an accurate diagnosis not a label. If you want to avoid prescription medication, you’ll need to become proactive. Testing is available for food allergies, heavy metals, nutritional deficiencies, hypoglycemia, hidden infections, lack of integrity in the
    digestive system, and toxic overload.
  3. Focus on the things you can change. Daily multivitamin,omega-3 oils and other specific supplements. Treat hypoglycemia with regular protein based snacks. Avoid or desensitize them to food and environmental allergens. Make positive lifestyle changes for you and your family. Consider homeopathy.

Resources:

Please Don’t Label My Child: Break the Doctor-Diagnosis-Drug Cycle and Discover Safe, Effective  Choices for Your Child’s Emotional Health by Scott M. Shannon and Emily Heckman

Ritalin-Free Kids: Safe and Effective Homeopathic Medicine for ADHD and Other Behavioral and Learning Problems by Judyth Reichenberg-Ullman and Robert Ullman

Healing the New Childhood Epidemics: Autism, ADHD, Asthma, and Allergies: The Groundbreaking Program for the 4-A Disorders by Kenneth Bock and Cameron Stauth

Choosing a Good Multiple Vitamin and Mineral Supplement

By - Food and Nutrition

Joan Haynes, NMD

This article is not intended to tell you which vitamins to buy specifically, but rather how to make an informed decision. You are making a financial choice in your vitamin purchase; choosing the highest quality vitamin makes your purchase worthwhile.

Why do I need to take a multiple vitamin and mineral (MVM) supplement?

In theory, we should be able to receive all the nutrition we need from diet alone. But the fact is that most of us do not.

  • Few of us eat the recommended 5 – 8 servings of fresh fruits and vegetables a day.
  • Our food is often picked before it is ripe and transported long distances.
  • The soil in which our food is grown has become depleted of nutrients.
  • We rely on quick, processed foods with our busy lifestyle.
  • We live in a highly toxic world.
  • We have individual health needs and challenges.

A multiple vitamin and mineral (MVM) supplement does not replace a good diet. There are compounds in food that just can’t be replaced in a pill. Evidence shows that a good diet is still your best tool for staying healthy. However, a good MVM supplement is important insurance for optimal health.

How will I know its working?

You may experience higher energy levels, improved brain function, fewer colds or infections, reduced symptoms and other health benefits, or you may feel nothing.

Just because you may not feel anything doesn’t mean that the higher nutrient levels you are ingesting are not being used by your body. One study has shown that children taking a MVM supplement increased non-verbal intelligence (1). Another has shown that the elderly had significantly fewer infections compared to a placebo group (2). Use of a MVM supplement has also been associated with decreased mortality rates due to cardiovascular disease (3). The evidence for taking a MVM supplement is becoming overwhelming.

How much do I really need to take?

You will notice on supplement bottles the amount of each nutrient followed by the % DV. This number is the percent of the total daily amount recommended by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA). (There are nutrients for which a %DV has not been established.) %DV on labels can be misleading because it is an average amount needed for most healthy people and does not reflect age, gender or health status.

A quality MVM supplement will show a %DV that may exceed or go below 100%. This is because there is a difference between the amount of nutrients needed to ward off illness and the amount needed for “optimum” nutrition. The amounts of nutrients that are recommended by different experts will differ if their goal is to simply avoid signs of nutrient deficiency or if their goal is to allow a person to function at the highest degree possible. The %DV also does not take into account the form of the nutrients and its bioavailability.

What does a good multiple vitamin and mineral supplement look like?

Choose Capsules, not Tablets

Capsules: A capsule is usually made of animal or vegetable derived gelatin. Capsules are free of binding agents, glaze, and coloring allowing the nutrients to be more easily available and absorbable.

Tablets: Tablets are made by combining all the ingredients and compressing them together. Sometimes these tablets are then coated with pharmaceutical glaze. To obtain the nutrients, the body has to digest this highly compressed tablet. If you have digestive weaknesses, you may or may not digest the entire vitamin.

An easy test to determine if you are digesting your MVM supplement is to check if your urine turns bright yellow. If your urine is not bright yellow after taking the vitamin, either you are not absorbing the vitamin, or there are not enough B vitamins in the product to spill over into the kidneys.

Number of Capsules

A one-a-day pill cannot give you all the nutrients you need, making it a poor value. The dose of a high-quality encapsulated MVM supplement is usually 6-8 capsules a day.

Age and Gender Specific

Your age and gender, along with your health status will determine the amount of nutrients you specifically require. This is best determined in conjunction with your health care provider. You can also do your own research. We recommend the book Prescription for Natural Cures, by James F. Balch, M.D. and Mark Stengler, NMD

Bioavailable Forms

There are better forms of individual nutrients than others. You get what you pay for. Many lower cost products will use cheaper forms of vitamins and minerals. Unfortunately, many times cheaper forms also mean nutrients which are poorly absorbed or not usable by the body. Below are a few examples of nutrient choices.

  • Vitamin D: Cholecalciferol, D3, is the active form of Vitamin D and is the preferable form.
  • Vitamin E
    • The best form of Vitamin E is d-alpha tocopherol with mixed tocopherols (dalpha, gamma, beta, and delta).
    • The synthetic form of Vitamin E is dl-alpha tocopherol. Note that the difference in labeling is “d” vs. “dl” before the alpha. “dl” is not a healthy choice.
  • Vitamin B12: The best form of Vitamin B12 is methylcobalamin. Cyanocobalamin is the form in most vitamins and is usually fine for most people. If someone has chronic disease however, a methylcobalamin form is recommended.
  • Vitamin B6: The active form of B6 is pyridoxine 5-phosphate. This is usually designated at P-5-P.
  • Minerals: There are many forms of minerals which are bonded to compounds; the physical form of a mineral is usually designated by the last word of the name. Example: magnesium citrate or magnesium oxide. Each form has different amounts of the basic elemental mineral as compared to the size of the whole compound and will determine how absorbable the mineral is.
    • For example: calcium carbonate (this includes coral calcium) is a large molecule with a lot of elemental calcium. The large size of this molecule means that it is not easily absorbed. Calcium carbonate also tends to be constipating for some people. Calcium citrate, by contrast, is a smaller form of elemental calcium, and is much more easily absorbed than the carbonate form. (An interesting note is that certain antacid medications contain calcium carbonate and are marketed as a source of calcium. However, because the purpose of an antacid is to inhibit stomach acid, and stomach acid is necessary for making minerals available for absorption, the body has a harder time actually utilizing the calcium!)
    • Similarly, magnesium oxide is poorly absorbed and causes water to stay in the intestines, thus causing a looser stool. Thus, magnesium oxide can be useful to treat occasional constipation. Alternatively, magnesium citrate is a better choice because it is more easily absorbed. (Caution, however, the citrate form may also cause loose stools for some people.)
    • There are other forms of mineral compound chelates including gluconate, aspartate, asparotate, and lactate. The gluconate form is not recommended.

Hypoallergenic

A good multivitamin will be hypoallergenic, meaning it does not contain wheat, dairy, corn, soy, or artificial dyes or colorings.

Other Ingredients

Before you read what the active ingredients are, read the label for “other ingredients.” Many supplements contain extra ingredients that may cause side effects or impair absorption. If you have lots of unnecessary “other ingredients”, it does not matter how much active ingredients you have, the MVM supplement is already a poor choice. We recommend researching any ingredient that is unfamiliar to you.

The following is not a comprehensive list. Some “other ingredients” to avoid:

  • Glucose, fructose, dextrose, maltodextrose, corn syrup, sucrose, lactose. These are sugars and unless these are added for flavor in children’s chewable vitamins, they are not needed. As soon as possible, wean your child from a chewable to a capsule to minimize their dependence on sugar and risk to their teeth.
  • Sorbitol. This is a sugar alcohol, and although is not purely sugar, it is not beneficial in a vitamin. For diabetics this is an absolute must for avoidance! Sorbitol can also cause diarrhea.
  • NutraSweet, Equal, Aspartame, Sucralose, Splenda. These are artificial sweeteners and are NOT beneficial to the body.
  • Polyethylene glycol. Although non-toxic, this chemical, when used in large dosages, is a treatment for constipation. It is unnecessary for use in highly absorbable vitamins.
  • Mineral Oil. Mineral oil is derived from petroleum and prevents absorption of nutrients. Given these two facts, taking a vitamin with mineral oil does not seem a good choice.
  • Canuba Wax. Canuba wax may inhibit the digestion of the ingredients and make it less absorbable. This is especially true if digestive weaknesses are already present.
  • Dextrin. This is a binding product, making the nutrients less available for digestion.
  • Di-calcium phosphate. Di-calcium phosphate is an excipient (an inactive ingredient) and is not available to the body as calcium. A vitamin labeling both calcium and phosphorus may be counting the di-calicum phosphate as calcium, but it really doesn’t add much to the calcium content nutritionally.
  • Any coloring
  • Any pharmaceutical glaze
  • Magnesium stearate, calcium stearate, stearic acid. These are not nutritional ingredients but rather fats that act as lubricants, they allow the manufacturing process to run faster and prevent the capsulation/tabulating machines from clogging up. Many times, these lubricants are animal based. Each particle of your vitamin can be coated by the lubricant, which then needs to be dissolved before you can access the vitamin. If you have digestive problems such as irritable bowel, a missing gallbladder, or acid reflux, it may be difficult for you to get benefit from your MVM supplement if these lubricants are present.

I always forget to take my multi. How can I remember?

Find a visual trigger and make it a habit:

  • Buy a little shot glass or small candle holder, fill it with your vitamins and set by your usual meal place (we have a basket of free ones at our office)
  • Medication holders – found at drug stores
  • Small baggies – create a week’s worth on Sunday night
  • Involve your family – set out everyone’s supplements at once
  • For a month, create a checklist to record each time you take your supplements

When should I take my MVM supplement?

The best time to take a MVM supplement is when you are eating. This is when your gastrointestinal system is optimally prepared to absorb the nutrients. Many people think they cannot tolerate a MVM supplement but it is simply because they’ve only tried taking it on an empty stomach. Divide your daily dose in half and take it with breakfast and lunch or dinner.

In Conclusion

While good supplements are available at reputable stores, it can be overwhelming even for the most knowledgeable consumer to know what to choose. Choosing a MVM supplement may seem as easy as grabbing one off the supermarket shelves, but with a little knowledge, the one you choose can be the right one for you. Read the labels carefully and make an informed decision. Your health is valuable and making informed choices can help your health and your pocketbook.

The supplements available at Boise Natural Health are professional grade and are manufactured by very reputable companies. We strive to bring you supplements that are thoroughly researched and provide the best available ingredients. Please note, we sell only to current patients. You can look at the following links to see some information provided by some of our manufacturers:

  • Thorne Research http://www.thorne.com/media/supp_facts_2003.pdf
  • Pure Encapsulations http://www.purecaps.com/QualityControl.asp
  • Wise Women Herbs http://www.wisewomanherbals.com/about_our-products.html

References

1 Benton D and Roberts G: “Effect of vitamin and mineral supplementation on intelligence of a sample of school children.” The Lancet 1:140-3, 1988
2 Chandra RK: “Effects of vitamin and trace-element supplementation on immune responses and infection in elderly 
subjects.: The Lancet 340:1124-7, 1992
3 Watkins ML, Erickson JD, Thun MJ, et al. Multivitamin use and mortality in a large prospective study. Am J Epidemiol 152:149–62, 2000