Supplements

The world of supplements can be a very confusing and potentially harmful arena. Before you consider taking any type of supplement, it is very important that you check with your physician about any potential harm that it may cause.

I know after yesterday's testimony, many of you have been asking me questions about the supplements I have been selling. So, this is a good opportunity to address a lot of the reacurring questions and concerns I have been asked.

First of all, let's take a look at what the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says about supplements:

"FDA regulates dietary supplements under a different set of regulations than those covering "conventional" foods and drug products (prescription and Over-the-Counter). Under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA), the dietary supplement manufacturer is responsible for ensuring that a dietary supplement is safe before it is marketed. FDA is responsible for taking action against any unsafe dietary supplement product after it reaches the market. Generally, manufacturers do not need to register their products with FDA nor get FDA approval before producing or selling dietary supplements.* Manufacturers must make sure that product label information is truthful and not misleading.
FDA's post-marketing responsibilities include monitoring safety, e.g. voluntary dietary supplement adverse event reporting, and product information, such as labeling, claims, package inserts, and accompanying literature. The Federal Trade Commission regulates dietary supplement advertising." http://www.foodsafety.gov/~dms/supplmnt.html

So, as we see here, the regulation of supplements really occurs after they hit the market. Basically, if someone uses the product and is seriously injured or dies, than they will pull the product from the shelf. This is why it is very important that you speak with your doctor about any supplement use at all (and this includes vitamins).

There are many, many types of supplements. Here is just an example of a few popular types:

Fat burners
Weight Gainers
Vitamins/Minerals
Meal Replacements

"Fat Burners" tend to be a supplement that has a lot of caffeine added to it (usually the equivalent of 2 cups of coffee/serving) to help suppress your appetite and increase your metabolism (by burning more calories due to all the extra caffeine in your body). The major drawback to this is the dependency on caffeine that you will have if you try to get off of this product.

"Weight Gainers" are often used by guys (although I know of some women who have had practical uses for it) to gain extra size. These supplements are often made as milkshakes and used to increase the total amount of calories and protein in your diet to help build muscle.

Vitamins/Minerals are often consumed by most people. A daily multivitamin can often be looked at by many physicians as a way to give your body a little "insurance" to make sure you are giving your body everything it needs in a day. The down side to vitamins as a supplement is that you can overconsume some of these vitamins if you are taking more than you need. Be aware of the fat soluble vitamins: A, D, E and K and make sure you get what your body needs but generally not too much more because if your build up too much of these vitamins, than your body will have a hard time getting rid of it. The water soluble vitamins: C and all of the B's (includes Niacin, Thiamin and Folate) should not be a major concern in overdosing, however it is important to drink plenty of water to make sure you don't dehydrate yourself. If you consume more than the RDA of the water soluble vitamins, your body will more than likely compensate by making your feel thirsty so you drink plenty of fluids to help wash down the higher levels of vitamins.

Meal replacements are designed to hopefully make your life a bit more convenient. It's a good idea to eat small meals more often throughout the day to help keep your body satisfied and keep your energy levels up and increase your metabolism. However, sometimes life just is way too hectic and busy to cook up 4-6 meals containing chicken breast, rice and salad. A meal replacement bar or shake may make sense to a number of folks who lead busy lives and still want to follow a balanced diet. The downside to these are every product is different and you need to read the label carefully to make sure you are giving your body what it needs. Many meal replacements contain unnecessary amounts of sugar and saturated fat and are usually low in fiber and protein.

My main focus is with meal replacements and sometimes a little bit of vitamins. A meal replacement bar or shake tends to make life a bit easier for people. It often makes sense to a lot of people to pick up a meal replacement bar because they tend to lead busy lives. It is a great way to keep your hunger satisfied and if selected correctly can provide you with quality protein.

As for vitamins, there are 2 types that I may consider for the general public (at least for where we live) in addition to a multi-vitamin. The first one is a fish oil supplement. Fish oil contains omega-3 fatty acids that our body uses to help reduce our risk for heart disease. It is also used in helping to develop brain function in children and some studies have shown that cognitive ability increases in adults with fish oil supplementation as well.
The other supplement I would generally recommend here in New Hampshire is taking a little more vitamin D. Vitamin D is usually produced in our bodies through sunlight. During the winter months (and early spring/late fall) many of us don't tend to get the required amounts of vitamin D to help our bodies. 3 days each week for 15 minutes with both our arms and legs exposed (without any sunblock) is what our body needs to produce enough vitamin D to help our body. Vitamin D is necessary in helping to prevent bone degenerating diseases such as osteoporosis and rickets in the younger populations. Also, many recent studies have shown that vitamin D plays critical roles in helping to prevent many types of cancers like both breast and prostate. In addition to this, many scientists also believe that Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is often due to a lack of vitamin D and that's why most of the occurances of this disease are in the upper parts of the northern hemisphere. A little extra vitamin D in these locations (like where we are) is usually helpful (but please make sure to check with your doctor first).

I have been selling supplements through Nutrilite. The creator of this company is actually the founder of the multivitamin and really the birth of the supplement industry. It's the oldest supplement company dating back to the 1920's.
All of their products are organically grown and produced on their own farms, free from pesticides and other harsh chemicals. All of their products are also WADA (World Anti-Doping Association)compliant, which is a rarity among supplement companies. This product line is exclusive so if you are interested in Nutrilite supplements, you need to contact a Nutrilite distributor, it's not sold in stores. If interested, check out their website: http://www.nutrilite.com/
If you are interested in seeing what I have available, please check out my website at: http://jarnold11.qhealthzone.com/
Let me know if you have any questions, you can either respond to this post or email me: jonathanearnold@gmail.com

Thank you

"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." 1 Corinthians 10:31 (New International Version)