Vitamins and Minerals

398 Pages·2011·2.25 MB·english

by  Zina Kroner

Vitamins and Minerals
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Vitamins and Minerals
Zina Kroner, DO
Copyright 2011 by ABC-CLIO, LLC
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system,
or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording,
or otherwise, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review, without prior permission
in writing from the publisher.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Kroner, Zina.
Vitamins and minerals / Zina Kroner.
p. cm.
Summary: “This insightful, objective, and evidence-based overview of the most commonly used supplements
dispels misinformation and provides facts from a qualified physician’s point of view”— Provided by publisher.
Includes index.
ISBN 978-0-313-38224-6 (hardback) — ISBN 978-0-313-38225-3 (ebook)
1. Vitamins—Popular works. 2. Dietary supplements—Popular works. 3. Minerals in nutrition—Popular
works. I. Title.
TX553.V5K76 2011
613.2’86—dc22 2010051947
ISBN: 978-0-313-38224-6
EISBN: 978-0-313-38225-3
15 14 13 12 11 1 2 3 4 5
This book is also available on the World Wide Web as an eBook.
Visit www.abc-clio.com for details.
Greenwood
An Imprint of ABC-CLIO, LLC
ABC-CLIO, LLC
130 Cremona Drive, P.O. Box 1911
Santa Barbara, California 93116-1911
This book is printed on acid-free paper
Manufactured in the United States of America
This book discusses treatments (including types of medication and mental health therapies), diagnostic tests
for various symptoms and mental health disorders, and organizations. The authors have made every effort to
present accurate and up-to-date information. However, the entries in this book are not intended to recommend
or endorse particular treatments or organizations, or substitute for the care of a qualified health professional.
Specific situations may require specific therapeutic approaches not included in this book. For those reasons, we
recommend that readers follow the advice of qualified health care professionals directly involved in their care.
To my wonderful family...
thank you for everything.
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Contents
Introduction ix
1. 5-Hydroxy-Tryptophan (5-HTP) 1
2. Alpha Lipoic Acid 9
3. Beta-Sitosterol 17
4. Biotin 27
5. Calcium 37
6. Chromium 49
7. Coenzyme Q (CoQ ) 55
10 10
8. Copper 65
9. Creatine 77
10. D-Ribose 85
11. Folic Acid 95
12. Glucosamine 109
13. Glutathione (GSH) 117
14. L-Carnitine 125
15. L-Arginine 133
16. Vitamin C 141
17. Iodine 149
18. Iron 157
viii Contents
19. L-Glutamine 169
20. L-Lysine 181
21. L-Tyrosine 191
22. Melatonin 203
23. MSM 211
24. N-Acetylcysteine 219
25. Niacin (Vitamin B3) 227
26. Omega-3 Fatty Acids 235
27. Saccharomyces Boulardii 247
28. S-Adenosylmethionine (SAMe) 255
29. Selenium 265
30. Vitamin A 277
31. Vitamin B12 289
32. Vitamin D 297
33. Vitamin E 313
34. Vitamin K 323
35. Zinc 333
36. Magnesium 339
37. Vanadyl Sulfate 349
38. Probiotics 357
39. Strontium Ranelate 369
Index 377
Introduction
PROACTIVE VERSUS REACTIVE MEDICINE: PUTTING YOURSELF
IN THE DRIVER’S SEAT
Half of all insured Americans are on prescription medications, according to a study
done in 2007 by Medco Solutions Inc., a company that manages prescription medi-
cations for about one in five Americans. Specifically, approximately, two-thirds
of women 20 years old and older, one-quarter of kids up to the age of 18, about
one-half of adult men, and three-fourth of seniors are on at least one prescription
medication. Among the seniors, 28 percent of women and nearly 22 percent of men
take five or more medicines regularly. Do these statistics reflect worsening health
of the American population, more aggressive prescription writing by physicians,
lack of a systematic approach to get to the foundation of a problem, greater push by
pharmaceutical companies to “get the word out” about certain drugs, or a potpourri
of reasons?
Whatever the cause, this is a phenomenal statistic that needs to be actively and
seriously addressed on multiple fronts. This statistic reflects a trend in American
medicine that embraces a reactive rather than proactive approach to medicine. We
are taught as physicians to focus on the presenting complaint and react to it once
it has already peaked. We react to it by doing the appropriate tests, referring to
specialists, and of course by prescribing medications. With this medical approach,
the patient feels comforted that his or her medical care is in the hands of a well-
wishing medical system. She or he tends to not question cause, rationale, or evi-
dence supporting a particular plan of action and may unfortunately wind up taking
a passive approach to the medical condition thereby relying solely on the medica-
tions given. This scenario is common but is not the rule.
I want to encourage serious discussions between you and your doctor on a num-
ber of fronts. First, there should be dialogue about the root cause(s) of your medi-
cal issue. You should not be satisfied with simply accepting a medical label, such