Geek Out: To Supplement Or Not To Supplement? A Billion Dollar Question?
Extra energy to producing superior sperm, better bones or a terrific thyroid:
I considered putting in links for supplements that supposedly do each of these things but I just couldn’t do it - most of the products have no scientific backing and I just did not want to risk anyone, even for a moment, thinking I was endorsing any of these products. If you want to check I didn’t make any of these up, just google “supplement” + any one of those claims above, I promise you - you’ll get a ton of hits!
Our trust in a prescribed medicine:
Interested in reading more about the clinical trial process that all prescriptions drugs have to go through, click here:
https://www.fda.gov/drugs/information-consumers-and-patients-drugs/fdas-drug-review-process-ensuring-drugs-are-safe-and-effective
RDA/a little extra added:
I don’t usually do this but it seemed appropriate to use the authors own words to show how RDA (recommended dietary allowance values) are calculated. Note the math(s) at the end as well as their final two sentences, rather interesting, I think. I’ve also included at the end, the link to the specific research article for anyone interested in exploring this issue in a little more depth.
Process for Setting the RDA
The process for setting the RDA depends on being able to set an Estimated Average Requirement (EAR). That is, the RDA is derived from the nutrient requirement so if an EAR cannot be set, no RDA will be set. The EAR is the daily intake value of a nutrient that is estimated to meet the nutrient requirement of half the healthy individuals in a life stage and gender group. Before setting the EAR, a specific criterion of adequacy is selected, based on a careful review of the literature. When selecting the criterion, reduction of disease risk is considered along with many other health parameters. The RDA is set at the EAR plus twice the standard deviation (SD) if known (RDA = EAR + 2 SD); if data about variability in requirements are insufficient to calculate an SD, a coefficient of variation for the EAR of 10 percent is ordinarily assumed (RDA = 1.2 x EAR).
The RDA for a nutrient is a value to be used as a goal for dietary intake by healthy individuals. The RDA is not intended to be used to assess the diets of either individuals or groups or to plan diets for groups.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK45182/
Obtaining vitamins A and K and the mineral calcium from your diet rather than a pill:
Here’s a good overview of these findings written in a super digestible way:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/04/190408183720.htm
And if you enjoy that article and want to take a look at the original research paper the above piece was based on, here you go!
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30959527/
Reproductive age:
it would be true to say that both zinc and iron deficiencies are relatively common, but without talking with your health care professional and having blood work done, how do you know if you are deficient in either or both? Women who are menstruating are definitely at increased risk of iron deficiency compared with non-menstruating women and men but if you suspect you might need to increase the level of either of those, talk with your doctor/nurse practitioner etc!!
check out these links if you want to know more about either
who doesn’t have enough iron:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9091669/
who doesn’t have enough zinc:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK493231/
