Olwen Anderson's Blog

How do you know if you really need that calcium supplement?

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Are you one of the many women who are taking a calcium supplement 'because you should'? How can you tell whether you really need to take extra calcium in a tablet, or whether its just travelling through your body; or worse, actively interfering with your magnesium absorption?

Its true that osteoporosis is a silent disease, only revealing itself when you fall and break a major limb. The subsequent xrays then uncover that your bones have been becoming more brittle for years. It makes sense for older people to check their bone density, particularly if they don't do much exercise, or smoke, or take certain medications.

But if you haven't been diagnosed with osteoporosis, and you haven't had an x-ray bone density assessment, how can you tell whether you really need to take a calcium supplement?

A SIMPLE URINE TEST CAN HELP YOU DECIDE

There is a functional pathology test available now that measures the amount of cross-linked N-telopeptide type 1 bone collagen in your urine. Our bones are constantly remodelling themselves, removing old bone cells and building new bone; but in osteoporosis there's more bone removal than rebuilding, hence the levels of bone collagen in your urine may rise.

Your naturopath can arrange this testing for you. (Or if you're in the Murwillumbah area, make an appointment with me for a consultation.)

THE DOWNSIDE OF TAKING CALCIUM WHEN YOU DON'T NEED TO

Watch out for the competition: Many minerals compete for absorption in your digestion. Calcium competes with magnesium, the relaxation mineral. Some people develop muscle cramps at night a few months after starting a calcium supplement. This can indicate that you're elbowing the magnesium you need out of the way by taking in too much calcium.

And are you absorbing that calcium anyway? To absorb calcium, your gastric pH must be within a narrow range of acidity. Many older people are deficient in the digestive enzymes that enable calcium absorption. So it just goes in one end (your mouth) and out the other. Pretty pointless, eh?

So if you're taking calcium 'just in case', why not arrange a urine test for your levels of bone collagen, and find out for sure whetheryou really need it. Oh, and while you're in your practitioner's office, find out whether the calcium supplement you're taking is actually absorbable. You could save yourself a lot of money and effort in the long term!

Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0) | Permalink |

Subscribe to RSS Feeds

| Subscribe to Email Updates

Get more from your iron and zinc supplements

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Have you been prescribed an iron supplement for anaemia? Or perhaps you're taking a zinc supplement. If you're taking both iron AND zinc supplements, you need to know how to take them to get the greatest benefit.

Iron and Zinc compete for absorption. This means that if you're taking an iron and a zinc supplement at the same time each day, they're battling with each other to get across your bowel wall and into your bloodstream. Make their job easier! Take your iron and zinc supplements at opposite ends of the day, so each of them gets a free run.

If you're taking an iron supplement plus a multivitamin, make sure you take the multivitamin at the beginning of the day and the iron supplement at the end of the day, so the iron won't knock the zinc in your multivitamin out of the way. (Why the multivitamin in the morning, and not the other way around? Because your energy levels through the day will benefit from the B vitamin boost in your multivitamin).

By the way, if you've been taking an iron supplement for a while, call into your local naturopath and arrange for your zinc status to be checked (its a simple taste test). Symptoms of low zinc status include slow wound healing, 'toad skin' on the backs of your upper arms, and recurring cold sores or herpes breakouts.

Needless to say, if you've been taking a high dose zinc supplement for a while, check your iron status. Your doctor or naturopath can arrange a blood test for you.

Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0) | Permalink |

Subscribe to RSS Feeds

| Subscribe to Email Updates

Have you been drinking the tap water in Queensland?

Friday, May 15, 2009

Quick blog post today in response to a news item I just read:

If you live in Queensland you might have heard about the over-fluoridation of the tap water there. Here's a link to the ABC story: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/05/15/2571031.htm

and here's a link to the Queensland Health service report http://www.health.qld.gov.au/fluoride/incident.asp

Fluoridation of the water in that state is a new move, and somehow it has been dispensed at 20 times the acceptable rate, in one instance. Its enough to make you rush out to buy a water filter, if you haven't already.

How does this affect you? Fluoride competes with iodine for absorption, so if you drink unfiltered water and you're concerned about the effect excessive fluoride could be having on your metabolic rate, you may want to get your iodine status tested. This can be done through a simple urine test which your naturopath can organise (or if you're in the area call me at the clinic here 02 6672 6255).

I've written about the interaction between fluoride and iodine in an earlier blog post, here http://www.olwenanderson.com.au/BlogRetrieve.aspx?PostID=33560&A=SearchResult&SearchID=622752&ObjectID=33560&ObjectType=55

Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0) | Permalink |

Subscribe to RSS Feeds

| Subscribe to Email Updates

How Do You Know Your Supplements Are Working?

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

As you leave the shop, clutching a bundle of expensive but apparently necessary supplements (according to the advertisement), you wonder: "Do I really need all these, and how can I tell if they're working?" It's a common reaction. If you purchased your supplements without professional guidance you're likely to feel a little niggling doubt about whether your purchase is working. Fortunately there are several ways to find out.

HAVE YOUR SYMPTOMS EASED?

Many people take nutritional supplements to fix a problem; perhaps aching joints, or dry skin, irritable bowel, or just low energy. Your first test is to assess whether you're actually feeling better. Ideally you would have written a list of your symptoms and their intensity before you put that first tablet in your mouth; but most of us don't, and we tend to have a poor memory for the intensity of our symptoms. It's not uncommon for a client to return to their nutritionist and announce 'nothing's changed"; but upon reviewing the list of their original symptoms they find that many have disappeared or retreated.

HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE?

Some supplements, like minerals, act slowly, so it could be several months before you feel results; others, particularly water soluble vitamins like the B and C group, act within days. Supplements that affect your skin are likely to make a difference within weeks.

WHAT'S EVERYONE ELSE SAYING?

Here's a sure-fire way to tell that those nutritional supplements are having a positive impact on your health: If friends and family are saying "gee you look well – what have you been doing?", you can be sure they're making a difference.

TRY THE STOP-START METHOD

If you've been taking something like a multivitamin for many months or years, here's a way to find out whether it's making a difference. Write in your diary how you feel today, including how much energy you have rated out of 10 (where 10 is the most energetic you could feel and 1 the most lethargic). Now stop taking the multivitamins for two weeks. Record again how you're feeling and compare it with your original reading. If you're feeling a lot worse, there's a good chance something in those multivitamins was helping.

ENLIST THE HELP OF SCIENCE

You can now use a simple urine test to measure which nutritional supplements you need. Scientists have developed functional pathology tests that measure organic acids in your urine to uncover precisely which vitamins and minerals you need, in what quantities. Your nutritionist can arrange this testing for you.

WHY GUESS?

Now that we have so much valuable information at our fingertips through the internet, it can seem easier and cheaper to research and choose your own supplement regime. However it can also be confusing, as so many nutritional supplements seem to be essential to your good health. If you would like to be sure that what you're spending your hard earned dollars on is what you actually need, please call me to book your in-clinic consultation. It could save you so much money in the long term!

Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0) | Permalink |

Subscribe to RSS Feeds

| Subscribe to Email Updates

How to extract more iron from your diet

Monday, February 16, 2009

We all need iron in our diets – it helps form haemoglobin, to transport oxygen in blood cells; and plays an important role in converting food into energy. Women are particularly susceptible to iron deficiency, as are young children, and athletes. Some simple changes to your diet might be all you need to start improving your iron status.

Your body can store extra iron in your liver, bone marrow, spleen and muscles, ready for use on the days when extra is required. A blood test of your serum ferretin levels provides an indication of your iron storage status.

FOODS TO EAT FOR MORE IRON

Some of the best sources of iron are liver, oysters, shellfish, kidney, and lean red meat (particularly kangaroo). Egg yolk, legumes, dried fruit, green leafy vegetables, molasses, whole grains and wine are also good sources.

Iron absorption from food occurs in the upper part of your small intestines, the duodenum, where the acidity is just right. Antacids interfere with this process, as they create a pH in your small intestines that will actively block the uptake of iron. There are other factors that affect your iron absorption too:

- Iron and zinc compete for absorption, so avoid taking a zinc supplement at the same time as your high-iron meal.

- Vitamin C boosts iron absorption, so a glass of vitamin C-enriched orange juice with your iron-rich meal will help.

- Tannins in tea effectively block the uptake of iron, so enjoy your cuppa well away from any iron supplement or iron containing meal.

- Meat proteins enhance iron absorption; that's why animal meat is the most effective source of dietary iron.

- Phytates in some vegetables will block iron absorption. This is usually only a concern for vegans or vegetarians who eat large amounts of phytate-containing foods combined with a low intake of iron rich foods.

- Some iron-fortified foods contain forms of iron that aren't easily absorbed.

HOW YOU CAN TELL IF YOU MIGHT BE LOW ON IRON

If you find that you are continually tired, and don't make it through your fitness workout as well as most, a blood test of your iron levels will show you whether you need to boost your iron intake. It's important to test rather than self prescribe, as many people have silent but dangerous haemochromatosis, a genetic disorder that causes them to relentlessly store iron. Untreated haemochromatosis can lead to long term liver damage.

It takes many months to rebuild your iron stores, even with supplementation. However the boost you'll get in your energy levels is well worth the trouble!

Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0) | Permalink |

Subscribe to RSS Feeds

| Subscribe to Email Updates

Drinking fluoridated tap water? You might want to check your iodine status

Wednesday, December 31, 2008

As nutritionists, we know that an excessive intake of one mineral can affect the absorption of another. For example, magnesium and calcium compete for absorption, as does iron and zinc; so when considering supplement dosages we need to consider the right balance. Many people are not aware that fluoride and iodine intakes affect each other too; so if you’re drinking fluoridated tap water, please read on and discover what you need to check.

Iodine is an important mineral that helps your thyroid gland function, and helps determine how fast your metabolism runs. It also helps build hormones. In food, iodine is available in seafood, seaweed (kelp), and in Celtic (‘grey’ or ‘macrobiotic’) salt. In some countries iodine is added to table salt in an attempt to address widespread iodine deficiencies in the population. I’ve written separately in this blog about Celtic salt, look under the 'minerals' tag.

Iodine deficiency y is particularly common in areas of Australia where the water is fluoridated, although the subject of fluoridated water is particularly controversial, with strong feelings on both sides of the argument. I don’t intend to wade into the argument, but I’d like to give you information so you can decide what action to take.

If you’ve been drinking fluoridated water for a while, it would be beneficial to check your iodine status. You can arrange this simple and inexpensive urine test with your local naturopath. As your body holds on to only 5% of the iodine you take in, the test results will tell you whether you’re deficient in iodine, and to what degree.

Don’t just start taking kelp or iodine supplements ‘just in case’, as this may be dangerous. Potentially wasteful too if you’re not deficient in iodine after all. Find out the scientific way and act on the evidence.

Another alternative is to install a ceramic or multi-stage filter on your drinking water. That will filter out the added fluoride, leaving you with just pure water. Problem solved.

Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0) | Permalink |

Subscribe to RSS Feeds

| Subscribe to Email Updates

Your Daily Trace Mineral Supplement: Celtic Salt

Saturday, November 15, 2008

Trace minerals are vital for the health of your body’s cells. You could take the minerals as a supplement – but there’s an easier way to include them in your diet every day - and you won’t even have to convince the kids that it’s ‘good for them’.

All you have to do is use a different kind of salt.

White salt that flows easily out of the shaker has been refined in its journey from the sea to your table. Most of the trace minerals are extracted, and minerals or chemicals added (usually aluminium) to make the salt flow freely. Iodine is sometimes added too, as iodine deficiency is common. The end product that you shake onto your food is almost exclusively sodium and chloride.

Unrefined natural sea salt (also known as ‘Celtic’, ‘grey’ or ‘macrobiotic’ salt), on the other hand, is pure evaporated sea water. All the trace minerals available in the ocean remain in the salt – like calcium, magnesium, iodine and iron, and lots more.

Sea water is collected and evaporated in large ponds. The resulting salt crystals are ground then packaged for sale. Straight from the ocean to you. You can buy crystals coarsely ground (good for cooking) or finely ground, ready for use on the table.

Naturally evaporated sea salt appears grey because it hasn’t been processed. Its important though to check that the salt has been assessed for the presence of pollutants. If the salt is certified organic, it has been collected in clean waters, and checked to ensure no pollutants are present.

Minerals in sea water are dissolved, in ionic form, which means that the molecules are arranged to be more easily absorbed by the cells of your body. This is the best possible way for your body to utilise whatever minerals are present in the food you eat.

Unrefined sea salt from different parts of the world will have slightly different colours, and slightly different tastes.

If the idea of using grey salt doesn’t appeal to you, try including some kelp in your diet, wrapped around sushi or added to a seafood stew, as a way to obtain extra minerals from the sea.

Next time you’re buying salt, why not buy the ‘grey’ variety instead, and give your body an extra dose of trace minerals. You can easily find it in the health food store, or in the organic / health foods section of the supermarket.

Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0) | Permalink |

Subscribe to RSS Feeds

| Subscribe to Email Updates

Calcium: Should I Take A Supplement?

Wednesday, November 05, 2008

Should you take a calcium supplement or not? A research report published recently (2008) in the British Medical Journal suggested that if you are a woman well past menopause, and taking high quantities of calcium supplements, you may actually increase your risk of experiencing a heart attack or stroke.

The researchers proposed that it was the sudden increase in blood calcium levels from high doses of calcium that promoted atherosclerosis and increased risk of ‘vascular events’ like heart attack or stroke. The participants in the study took a large dose of calcium (1g) in a highly absorbable form (calcium citrate is one of the easiest forms of calcium for your body to absorb).

The research has sparked some heated debate in the scientific community. This kind of debate is normal when contentious findings are published, but it may leave elderly women wondering whether they should continue to take their calcium supplement. And if they don’t, will their bones crumble?

Remember that bone structure is influenced by the amount of estrogen in your system, the amount of weight bearing exercise you undertake, your vitamin D status, your stress levels, and your calcium intake.

Bone tissue is constantly being re-modelled in a healthy body; Special cells labour constantly to remove old bone tissue and replace it with new bone tissue. In osteoporosis the cells assigned to remove bone (osteoclasts) vastly outnumber the cells assigned to build bone (osteoblasts), resulting in a gradual decline in the total amount of bone tissue available to support your skeleton.

If you are presently taking a calcium supplement, and not sure if you should continue, here are some questions to ask yourself:

- Have you actually been diagnosed with osteoporosis? A bone density scan (x-ray) to view the structure of your bones, or a urine test to measure the level of bone collagen being excreted is an essential first step before considering whether you really need a calcium supplement. Osteoporosis is certainly a pervasive disease in elderly women, but its also important to know whether you are really at risk, or not.

- If you have been diagnosed with osteoporosis, you should undergo testing at regular intervals to make sure your chosen therapy is working.

- Are you taking a calcium supplement just because it seems like a good idea after menopause? If you ingest too much calcium you can upset your magnesium status. Magnesium is an important mineral for relaxing muscles and reducing blood pressure. Taking mineral supplements can sometimes harm your health if they throw your absorption of other minerals out of balance.

If you are a woman past menopause and concerned about the possibility of developing osteoporosis, it’s a good idea to discuss your calcium status and possible risks of osteoporosis with your health professional before you reach for that bottle of calcium tablets.

Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0) | Permalink |

Subscribe to RSS Feeds

| Subscribe to Email Updates

Olwen Anderson's Blog

How do you know if you really need that calcium supplement?

Comments

Post a Comment

Get more from your iron and zinc supplements

Comments

Post a Comment

Have you been drinking the tap water in Queensland?

Comments

Post a Comment

How Do You Know Your Supplements Are Working?

Comments

Post a Comment

How to extract more iron from your diet

Comments

Post a Comment

Drinking fluoridated tap water? You might want to check your iodine status

Comments

Post a Comment

Your Daily Trace Mineral Supplement: Celtic Salt

Comments

Post a Comment

Calcium: Should I Take A Supplement?

Comments

Post a Comment

Subscribe to RSS Feed

Subscribe to Email Updates

Recent Posts

Tags

Archive