Reader offers advice on supplements

November 11, 2010 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: It is definitely better for some vitamins and minerals to be taken with food at mealtimes, but other food supplements must be taken on an empty stomach. You can also take smaller amounts of some vitamins and minerals between meals, with water, and get a bigger punch from them. For me, it’s better to take mineral capsules, tablets or powders with lunch or supper than it is for breakfast, when my stomach enzymes aren’t strong enough to digest them well. The minerals give me a stomachache. Also, never take a multi-B vitamin before bedtime or you won’t get to sleep. See, it all depends!

DEAR READER: You certainly appear to have done your homework. I could not find confirmation for some of your claims, such as multi-B at bedtime causing insomnia; however, each of us responds differently to medication, even over-the-counters. [Read more...]

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More Research Needed On Vitamin D Requirements

April 15, 2009 By

DEAR DR. GOTT:
I am a 70-year-old retired female nurse and an avid reader of your column. My health is good and I take minimal medications — Xanax as needed, an antidepressant in the winter and daily vitamin and mineral supplements to include 5000 international units of vitamin D. This added vitamin D keeps my blood level at 54 which my doctor told me is good. When I was only getting 400 IU daily, it was below 30 so my doctor prescribed 10,000 IU daily for several months (until it was 50), at which point my dose was lowered.

I have enclosed some article from different sources on the importance of vitamin D and hope that you will re-evaluate your position on the necessary amount of the essential vitamin. [Read more...]

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Vitamins May Help Dry Macular Degeneration

March 4, 2009 By

DEAR DR. GOTT:
Two months ago you wrote about dry macular degeneration and I have to disagree with your comment that there is no treatment.

Eight years ago I was told by the leading retina expert in my area that I was going blind due to the condition. I immediately moved my office to my home, figuring I would not be able to drive.

A close friend of mine who is an optometrist suggested I try a multi-vitamin specifically designed for the eyes. He read of a discovery that was producing good results. Well, the results were astounding. Although I still have the condition, my right eye tests 20/30 and my left tests 20/40. I lead a normal life.

The multi-vitamin only helps the dry form of the condition. Unfortunately, the eye industry does not accept this multi-vitamin, probably because they can’t make any money with the treatment. [Read more...]

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Several Causes For Brassy Hair

December 19, 2008 By

DEAR DR. GOTT:
I have an unusual problem for which I cannot find any help.
I stopped coloring my brunette hair over 15 years ago. As a 76-year-old female, I have a nice head of grey hair that still has some darker roots on the back of my head. I have given up perms for a year and am growing my hair longer, hoping for easier care.

Now my hair is turning a brassy yellow color on the top layer. I worked outside all summer in my garden as I am a farmer, but I wore a hat. I’ve tested our well water at the state office and find no problem there, except for a higher than normal arsenic count, common here near the Snake River in Idaho.

I am not on any new medications, but am at my wit’s end about the brassy color my hair has taken on. I’ve spoken with three beauticians but didn’t get any help there. Can you advise me? [Read more...]

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October 2, 2008 By

DEAR DR. GOTT:
I am an 82-year-old lady who wants to praise the vitamin B6 that I take daily. A year ago the fingers of my right hand were numb and I had a terrible time picking up small objects. My son said a friend had a wrist problem and after taking B6 it went away. I tried it and my fingers are just fine. I’ve been clear for over a year now.

DEAR READER:
Vitamin B6 is an extremely important water soluble vitamin required for more than 100 enzymes associated with protein metabolism. Our nervous and immune systems require the vitamin to function properly, it helps make hemoglobin and is needed for the conversion of an amino acid known as tryptophan to niacin within the body. It helps maintain blood sugars and convert stored carbohydrates and other nutrients to sugar when inadequate calories are consumed. [Read more...]

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October 1, 2008 By

DEAR DR. GOTT:
Someone told me that prenatal vitamins are beneficial for women with hair loss. I found it odd, but maybe there’s something in the ingredients that would promote hair growth. Have you, or perhaps your readers, heard of this?

DEAR READER:
While no formal studies have been conducted, there are reports of pregnant women who have taken prenatal vitamins and have noticed an increase in hair thickness and growth.

Prenatal vitamins differ from regular multi-vitamins in that they contain elevated amounts of calcium, iron and folic acid. An increase in calcium is required because a woman needs stronger bones to be able to carry the additional weight of a baby to full-term. Additional iron is necessary because it helps the body make new blood to carry oxygen and nutrients to the fetus. Folic acid has been proven to prevent spina bifida, a neural tube defect. [Read more...]

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September 16, 2008 By

DEAR DR. GOTT:
A friend of mine who is a diabetic passed a simple suggestion on to me. Her ophthalmologist suggested she to take one tablet of chromium picolinate each morning.

DEAR READER:
Chromium picolinate is a combination of chromium and picolinic acid. Chromium is a naturally occurring mineral with minimal amounts found in meat, poultry, whole-grain breads and fish. The addition of the picolinic acid assists the body with the absorption of chromium and is popular on the market today.

Depending on the source of your information, it is purported to burn calories, control appetite, increase muscle tone, increase energy and lifespan, prevent acne, and more. On the reverse side, some scientific evidence states this supplement is ineffective. It is found in many herbal weight-loss remedies, [Read more...]

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August 9, 2008 By

DEAR DR. GOTT:
I am a faithful reader of your column and hope that you can give me some advice regarding information provided by several individuals.

You have repeatedly recommended niacin instead of statins for lowering cholesterol. I will be going to my doctor soon for my routine physical and plan on asking if this is an appropriate option for me as I realize every case and body is different.

My concern, however, is that many people have told me that some vitamins and supplements can cause anal leakage. I would like to know what you think of this and, if it is true, to what vitamins it applies.

DEAR READER:
To the best of my knowledge, vitamins and supplements do not cause anal leakage (also known as bowel or fecal incontinence). This is not to say that there is no possibility for problems from the medication, [Read more...]

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July 12, 2008 By

DEAR DR. GOTT:
How much vitamin B can a person take each day? My doctor can’t even answer this question. I’m taking Centrum Silver each day and recently bought a vegetarian product at a health store that contains 10 mg or 333% DV of vitamin B.

DEAR READER:
B vitamins are essential to help release energy from carbohydrates, fat and protein. I can understand why your physician cannot give an explicit answer to your question because the human body stores several years worth of B12, so a deficiency is quite rare unless a condition such as pernicious anemia or a strict vegetarian or vegan diet leads to a deficient state. B12 is also harmless in larger quantities (up to 1000+ mcgs) and is given as an energy boost to some individuals, (working more as a placebo). B6 is obtained from diet or through supplements. The recommended daily allowance is 1.5 mg per day. [Read more...]

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July 6, 2008 By

DEAR DR. GOTT:
I have had a loss of taste since March 1970. I saw many write-ups about a particular physician finding a cure for the problem. My understanding was that he used zinc. However, I wrote to him and his answer was to have my doctor contact him. My personal physician did so, with no response. Is there anything at this late date that can be done?

DEAR READER:
There are several known causes for a loss of smell or taste, including sinus infection, allergies, epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, and stroke. Some medications such as antidepressants, antihistamines, anti-inflammatories, muscle relaxants, and chemotherapy have been linked to a loss of smell. Then, there’s zinc, an essential nutrient in the body. A zinc deficiency is marked by a loss of smell and taste, poor appetite, abnormal weakness, slowed growth, slow wound healing, and a greater risk of infection. [Read more...]

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