Israel study shows that "indiscriminate" supplementation can lead to a shorter life.

It’s time to go back in time.  Think back to when you were in your high school health class.  At some point during the semester, I’m sure you learned about vitamins and how all of them fall into one of two classes:  Fat soluble or water soluble.  Water soluble vitamins—like vitamin B complex, and vitamin C—dissolve easily but empty out of the body easily as well.  In other words, you need to be eating them every day to have a sufficient amount for your cells to work with.

In contrast, fat soluble vitamins—vitamins A, D, E and K—require fat for the body to absorb them.  And because the body stores fat, the body absorbs fat soluble vitamins readily.  In other words, you don’t need copious amounts of these vitamins to be healthy.  In fact, if you have too much of them, they can cause serious problems.  A recent study demonstrates what I mean.

According to researchers from Tel Aviv University in Israel, people who supplemented “indiscriminately” with vitamin E supplements had a worse quality of life than those who didn’t take vitamin E supplements.

They assessed “quality of life” through a unique measurement called quality adjusted life years, or QALY.  As the lead doctor explains it, imagine someone who has minimal health problems over a 10-year period, but then suffers a stroke.  If that person lives, those next 10 years are typically lived under conditions where he or she must rely on others to care for them.  This person has a low QALY.

So when researchers applied this measuring stick to over 300,000 subjects, they found an interesting correlation among people who supplemented with vitamin E for an extended period of time.  For those that supplemented with vitamin E, they actually lived about four months fewer than those that didn’t supplement with vitamin E.

The findings were convincing enough for the researchers that they went so far as to conclude that “going to the grocery store to buy vitamin E supplements won’t do you good.”

I’m not willing to go that far.

What I am willing to say is that fat soluble vitamins should not be taken indiscriminately.  In other words, don’t supplement with fat soluble vitamins if you’re already getting plenty of vitamin D from the sun, vitamin E from leafy greens and nuts, vitamin A from carrots and yams, and vitamin K from cabbage and broccoli.

Here’s the recommended range for each vitamin.

For men and women:

Vitamin A   Between 900-3,000 mcg

Vitamin D   Between 10-50 mcg

Vitamin E  Between 33-1,500 mcg

Vitamin K  At least 75 mcg (No known toxicity symptoms for vitamin K)

For information on what foods are richest in A, D, E and K, click the highlighted letters.

Sources:
supplementquality.com
sciencedaily.com

Just about every store in the world these days has a website from which consumers can purchase products online. The Vitamin Shoppe is no exception. I literally spend thousands of dollars at the Vitamin Shoppe every year – both online and in-store – for they sell great products that I use regularly. But I came upon something the other day while perusing their website that rubbed me the wrong way.

I think it’s reasonable to expect that a store’s in-store prices will be the same as the products they offer for online purchase. If not, that information is usually made available. So you can imagine my irritation when some of the products I buy regularly in-store at Vitamin Shoppe would have cost me less had I bought them online.

For example, a 16.9 ounce bottle of Carlson’s Liquid Fish Oil. In store: $39.95. Online: $22.89! That’s a 43 percent difference in price!

I’ll give you another: 120 capsules worth of Cholestene (one of the best supplements on the market to help naturally lower cholesterol). In store: $19.95. Online: $13.82. Again, that’s a sizeable difference in price – 31 percent!

And trust me, those aren’t the only two.

When I approached one of the salespeople from The Vitamin Shoppe for some explanation as to the huge disparities in price, all I got back was, “Sorry, but that’s corporate policy.”

Well, like I said to the salesperson, Vitamin Shoppe’s “corporate policy” is a corporate rip off! The least they could do is advertise in newspapers or on the products themselves as to whether or not a product is cheaper online as opposed to in store. I don’t think that’s asking much. Good grief!

I don’t want this to come off as a scathing indictment of the Vitamin Shoppe. As I said, I spend thousands of dollars in one year alone; what they offer is generally very good at pretty reasonable prices. But in today’s economy, where people are literally living paycheck to paycheck yet want to maintain their supplementation and healthy living lifestyle, every little bit counts when it comes to stretching the average dollar.

To avoid spending more than you need to, you can always check online before checking out the store. But consumers shouldn’t have to go to do this. The onus ought to be put on the business itself, and that onus is driven by consumers’ demands. So get in touch with the Vitamin Shoppe and their website and respectfully ask them to make consumers aware of products that are less expensive online as opposed to in-store. They’ll be crazy not to implement some kind of informative policy because, ultimately, it’s a win-win scenario: consumers’ get what they need at a less expensive price, while Vitamin Shoppe turns a profit one way or another. Failure to do will hurt them more than anyone else, as consumers – yours truly included – can always seek out alternatives stores whose policies are more consumer friendly.

Contact Details for Vitamin Shoppe

http://www.vitaminshoppe.com/content/en/support/feedback.jsp

The Vitamin Shoppe
Customer Care Department
2101 91st Street
North Bergen, NJ 07047

Domestic Callers: (866)-293-3367
International Callers: (201)-868-5959

Update: Over the weekend, a representative of my company had a chance to speak with one of the District Managers at Vitamin Shoppe regarding this issue. She informed me that the District Manager was very cooperative and will honor our request for matching the in-stores prices with the online prices, even without bringing in the printout of the online prices. This means I will continue to purchase supplements at the Vitamin Shoppe. I encourage you to check with your store to make sure they do the same for you.

I am aware that a “brick and mortar” store incurs more expenses than an “online” store, which may contribute to higher prices. However, I feel that consumers should be informed of the higher priced in-store items. That’s why I published this alert. A consumer should be aware of all the facts to make an informed decision. In this case, that decision could mean a big difference for some.

Below I have listed the exact supplements and vitamins I purchased from my last trip to the Vitamin Shoppe. These are great essentials to keep in mind and use as a constant base, no matter what other types of supplements you are interested in testing out.

First, the supplement which absolutely must be purchased is QH-Absorb by Jarrow Formulas. This is a mandatory bottle of supplement pills as it is a reduced form of an active antioxidant. These gel capsules are far more effective than the chewable tablets as clinical tests have shown that your Co-Q10 levels increase more than 400% when taking the gel capsules in comparison to the chewable.

QH-Absorb are the latest offering in Co-Q10 supplements which utilizes a reduced form of ubiquinol. This allows you to deliver antioxidants in its native form right to the cells of your body which need it most. Ubiquinol is a naturally occurring nutrient which plays an important role in the production of energy through every cell of the body, particularly concentrated areas like the heart, kidneys, etc. This oil based formula is absolutely essential for maximum absorption.

Next on my supplement shopping list is the powerful organic supplement of Kyolic Formula 104. This is aged garlic extract, which is used to promote healthy cholesterol levels as well as common nerve functions. It literally quenches free radicals which may oxidize LDL and damage your cholesterol and heart tissues. This particular supplement formula contains choline and lecithin as they are both main building blocks for the cell membrane. There have been many studies which showed choline and lecithin both have the ability to help maintain already healthy cholesterol levels. The 300mg of aged garlic supplement in each capsule has been proven not only to help cholesterol levels but to maintain blood pressure and support healthy circulation.

Kyolic Formula 104 offers many great benefits and natural ingredients that have the ability to keep you strong and healthy for many years without experiencing some of the problems high cholesterol, high blood pressure and bad circulation can bring on. All it takes is 2 capsules twice daily and you are taking an active roll in maintaining your cholesterol and blood pressure which are both large factors in many of the diseases and illnesses of today.

The third supplement on my shopping list is a powder form supplement, Perfect Food. If you are looking for a supplement which can provide outstanding nutritional value, this is the supplement for you. Perfect Food is offered in a powder form which allows you to mix in this supplement in any food or drink to enhance the nutritional value of literally anything you eat. One serving of Perfect Food is equivalent to 140g of fresh grass juice. It is an excellent source of vitamin A as well as vitamin C. Many of the ingredients in this powder are created through a Poten-Zyme fermentation process, which makes the ingredients more available to the body when digested.

The benefits and advantages of taking Perfect Food do not stop at the outstanding nutritional value but continue on to supporting healthy carbohydrate metabolism, supports a healthy immune system and supports your digestive health as well. These are great benefits which coincide perfectly with the outstanding nutrition this simple powder can provide for you. There have been many studies which prove that 5-9 servings of fruits and vegetables a day are the required servings for Americans today and reports are showing that less than 9% of the population are actually consuming these nutritional servings. This is where Perfect Food powder comes in and helps you compensate for your diet and still get the nutrition you need to stay healthy and strong.

Lastly, I purchased a bottle of Bragg Organic Apple Cider Vinegar. This is a great supplement which can be used on salads, vegetables, fruits and more for some extra flavor. Some of the internal benefits which can be received from enjoying this delicious vinegar include supporting a healthy immune system, helps control your weight, it is rich in enzymes and potassium as well as it helps maintain healthy skin. There are so many unique benefits to this organic vinegar that many people are using it first for the great taste and later for the health benefits which can be found within the compound. You can be sure to find this product at any natural health food store as it is very popular and does add a zesty flavor to any meal!

Now that you have seen the supplements on the list of yours truly, you need to take the time to research the supplements you have been thinking about and make sure they are high-quality formulas. Remember folks, your health is priceless. It is a wise decision to consult a naturopathic professional before purchasing any supplements, especially if you’re taking prescription medicine(s).

I hope my shopping list from above has been a helpful guide to you. Use it to help to you gain or maintain an optimal state of health.