Is Natural Vitamin E better than Synthetic vitamin E?

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USA WEEKEND's nutrition expert serves up answers about vitamins, caffeine and

more.

 

Is natural vitamin E better than synthetic vitamin E?

Ron Ray, Denton, Texas

 

Yes. Most experts consider more expensive natural vitamin E superior. A recent

Canadian study showed that the body absorbs twice as much natural alpha

tocopherol (the common type of vitamin E in supplements) as synthetic. Check

labels: Natural is listed as d-alpha-tocopherol; synthetic, as

dl-alpha-tocopherol. If it starts with just " alpha, " assume it's the cheaper

synthetic.

 

I've read that a multivitamin pill should dissolve in half a glass of vinegar in

20 minutes. Is that a true test?

Joanne Long, Grantham, N.H.

 

No. It can be a rough indication, if you stir vigorously, of how well a tablet

disintegrates in the body, but it's not a foolproof test, says Stephen Hoag,

Ph.D., of the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy. A true scientific test,

he says, is that endorsed by the U.S. Pharmacopeia, a group that sets industry

standards for dietary supplements and drugs. That test requires tablets to

disintegrate in 98.6-degree water within 30 minutes while being agitated to

simulate stomach conditions. Look for the USP " mark " soon to appear on

supplement labels, guaranteeing disintegration, purity and potency. You also can

ask vitamin makers to supply documentation.

 

I have osteoporosis. What calcium supplement has optimum absorption?

Donna Wright, Bartlesville, Okla.

 

Calcium citrate is absorbed best by older people with low stomach acid. But less

costly calcium carbonate is absorbed equally well if you take it with food,

according to Robert Heaney, M.D., of Creighton University in Omaha, because

digestion spurs production of stomach acid. Recommended supplement: 500 to 800

milligrams daily. The frequently suggested daily intake of 1,200 to 1,500mg

calcium for older people includes food and supplements, not supplements alone.

Adults eat an average of 600mg in food.

 

Do plants in the nightshade family (including potatoes, tomatoes, peppers and

eggplant) produce harmful toxins that exacerbate arthritis and other diseases?

James Stirling Fallbrook, Calif.

 

There is no solid evidence to back that up. A recent Swedish study showed that a

non-dairy, non-meat, gluten-free diet relieved symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis

in 40% of a small group after nine months. Possible reasons: Meat promotes

inflammation, and dairy and gluten trigger inflammatory reactions in certain

individuals. Best dietary relief for rheumatoid arthritis: the anti-inflammatory

omega-3 oils in fatty fish (tuna, salmon) and fish-oil capsules.

 

I have cystic breast disease and was told years ago to avoid caffeine. Still

true?

Florence S. Glinsman Schroon Lake, N.Y.

 

A few studies in the 1980s suggested that caffeine aggravated fibrocystic breast

disease (breast nodules, swelling and pain), which affects about half of all

women. But later research found no evidence that restricting caffeine helps in

preventing or treating the condition, says a recent review by researchers at the

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle.

 

Is it OK to take vitamins with grapefruit juice? I've heard it affects

absorption.

Stephanie McKown, Marshfield, Mo.

 

Although grapefruit juice dramatically boosts absorption of certain prescription

drugs, research has not been done to see if it affects dietary supplements, says

Srini Srinivasan, Ph.D., a chemist with the U.S. Pharmacopeia. Just in case

something in the juice might hype absorption and build up potentially toxic

levels of vitamins, he advises taking supplements with water.

 

Clarification: My January column stated my preference for wild Atlantic salmon.

But as several commercial fishermen have pointed out, Atlantic salmon in markets

is almost sure to be farm-raised. The wild salmon I like is from the West Coast:

Alaska, California, Oregon and Washington.

 

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What vitamins and minerals do you take, and how much?

Deborah Newmark, Tarzana, Calif.

 

I take a high-antioxidant, multi-vitamin-mineral anti-aging formula I developed

myself. It has 29 ingredients (below). The caplets are made in FDA-inspected

labs. The most recent independent analysis using USP methods showed that the

pills disintegrated in 12 minutes and had a high dissolution rate of 100% (USP

standards require 75%). For more information, call 1-800-627-9721 or visit my

Web site, jeancarper.com.

 

What Jean Carper puts in her special supplement

5,000 IU vitamin A, 5,000 IU beta carotene, 1,000mg vitamin C, 400 IU vitamin D,

400 IU natural vitamin E, 25mg each riboflavin and thiamin, 25mg niacin, 50mg

vitamin B6, 800mcg folic acid, 500mcg vitamin B12, 300mcg biotin, 50mg

pantothenic acid, 800mg calcium, 350mg magnesium, 20mg zinc, 2mg copper, 2mg

manganese, 200mcg chromium, 200mcg selenium, 120mg ginkgo biloba, 50mg alpha

lipoic acid, 50mg grape seed extract, 50mg green tea extract, 20mg curcumin,

10mg coenzyme Q10, 10mg lutein, 5mg lycopene and 3mg zeaxanthin.

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SOURCES FOR THIS ARTICLE

Caffeine and fibrocystic breast disease

-- Horner NK, J Am Diet Assoc 2000 Nov; 100(11): 1368-80

 

Vegetarian diet and rheumatoid arthritis

-- Hafstrom I. Rheumatology (Oxford) 2001 Oct; 40(10): 1175-9

-- Muller H. Scand J Rheumatol 2001;30(1)1:10

 

Meat promotes inflammation

-- Grant WB, Br J Nutr 2000 Nov;84(5): 589-95

 

Vitamin E

-- Burton GW, Am J Clin Nutr 1998 Apr;67(4): 669-84

 

 

 

www.jeancarper.com Find out about Jean Carper's supplement

Contributing Editor Jean Carper is an authority on food as medicine.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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