Unfortunately, this is long email – probably the longest we have ever done, but after the critical report regarding vitamins and minerals from the Food Standards Agency that was printed in The Times, the newspaper has been doing a debate on the issue, as they were inundated with letters.
From our own point of view, a letter that was sent in by a Doctor really puts things into perspective and felt a need to share this and other points with you..
“As the senior partner in an NHS general practise, I am very disturbed at the recent publicising of information purporting to show the dangers of nutritional supplements.
I would like to point out that nutritional supplements are generally a great deal safer than prescribed drugs. Their dangers have been grossly and, I fear, wilfully exaggerated for commercial reasons.
There is overwhelming evidence that our current Western diet does not give us adequate nutrition and that we need to take active steps to protect ourselves from the damaging effects of environmental toxins.
Both of these major health problems can be significantly reduced by appropriate use of nutritional supplements, including minerals, vitamins and antioxidants.”
Dr Stephen Brooke, Swindon, Wiltshire
Well, we definitely agree with that, and let’s face it, there were so many flaws with the report, that if like us, you read into things, we are sure you will agree that there does seem to be a hidden agenda for the large pharmaceuticals. But, if we are taking care of our own health, surely it would be better for the NHS?? Yet of course, they wouldn’t earn as much in the drugs being prescribed – we know!
However, we thought you may like to see just a few (yes! Only some) research points and quotes on different nutrients that we have come across.
Evidence is constantly being provided by ongoing research, that Antioxidants may have an important role in the prevention of some of the most degenerative diseases in the world today, for example, arthritis, heart disease and cancer.
References: A Good Health Guide “The Antioxidants”, R A Passwater, PhD, 1985. A Good Health Guide “The New Superantioxidant – Plus”, R A Passwater, PhD, 1992. Getting To The Heart Of It, Bill Davison, G W P Davison Pty Ltd, Australia, 1987. Heart Disease, Stroke, Oral and Intravenous Chelation Therapy, Dr K W Donsbach, 1993.
“patients with Angina and those at risk of heart disease, should be given supplementary vitamin E at a level, far higher than what we get from our dietary intake.”
Professor Morris Brown, Cambridge University, England
“we now have substantial evidence implicating Beta Carotene with low rates of breast and lung cancer as well as heart disease.”
Dr Meyskens, Clinical Cancer Centre, University of California. Annual Conference of the Nutritional Society of Australia.
A clinical trial was conducted on men aged between 20-30 who smoked at least one pack of cigarettes per day. They were either given a placebo, or a vitamin c supplement in the form of ascorbic acid. After only one week there was a decrease of 81% in the blood-lead levels for those taking the nutritional supplement.
“in order to obtain identical results as supplements, one would have to consume up to 1.2kg of carrots per day. The reason for this, is that Beta Carotene is not always efficiently or consistently absorbed from food.”
Dr Phillip Gaffney, Research conducted by Brisbane Hospital, Australia.
“In the future, we will not be able to rely any more on our premise that the consumption of a varied balanced diet will provide all the essential trace elements, because such a diet will be very difficult to obtain for millions of people.”
As told to Congress in 1977 by Dr W Mertz, US Department of Agriculture.
“It is bad news to learn from our leading authorities that 99 percent of the American people are deficient in minerals, and that a marked deficiency in any one of the more important minerals actually results in disease. Any upset of the balance, any considerable lack of one or another element, no matter how microscopic the body requirement may be, and we sicken, suffer, and shorten our lives.”
Sentate Document No.264 of the United States Congress, 2nd session, 1936.
An examination of data (from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey by J Simon and E Hudes) which enrolled 4,213 children aged 6-16 and 15,365 adults aged 17 and over from 1988 to 1994, found a correlation between low serum vitamin C levels and elevated blood lead levels. These authors concluded that high vitamin C intake may reduce blood lead levels.
“Also the fact that many diseases can be cured by mineral intake, in itself demonstrates that mineral deficiency is a reality in a nutritious conscious world where disease is escalating out of control. The only “good diet” in reality, is one that “includes food supplements.”
R R Barefoot & C J Reich, M.D., Authors of The Calcium Factor.
Breakthrough Antioxidant Research
“Vitamin E reduces heart attack risk by up to 75%.”
Adelaide Sunday Mail, p144, 31 March 1996
“We know that vitamins are complex chemical substances which are indespensable to nutrition, and that each of them is of importance for the normal function of some special structure of the body. Disorder and disease result from any vitamin deficiency.
It is not commonly realised, however, that vitamins control the body’s appropriation of minerals, and in the absence of minerals they have no function to perform. Lacking vitamins, the system can make some use of minerals; but lacking minerals, vitamins are useless.”
Senate Document, No.264, 1936
“Vitamin E offers protection against diabetes”.
A new study published recently found that Vitamin E might protect against the development of type II diabetes.
“As an anti-inflammatory compound for arthritis, curcumin rivals cortisone. Long-term treatment of synthetic cortisone can be dangerous, with some of the side effects being: puffy face, fat redistribution from the limbs of the body, weight gain and insomnia.”
Indian Journal of Medical Research, 1972, vol.60.
According to Duane Weed Vitamin E helps to increase the fluidity of the blood and is necessary for structural and functional maintenance of the skeletal, cardiac and smooth muscle membranes. It also helps maintain Vitamin A and increase its storage in the body, and does the same for the mineral iron.
Vitamin B6, also known as Pyridoxine, is necessary for protein metabolism. If you have an increased dietary intake of protein, then you require an increased intake of Vitamin B6.
Gillian Martlew ND
Exposure to chromium as a pollutant in the air and cigarette smoke appears to be more toxic than ingestion from food or supplements.
Shelly Silver, Biological sciences learning laboratory, NYC.
Anyway, enough of these. But you can no doubt understand why we are so against the proposed legislation’s and would never be without our own exceptional supplements that have changed our family’s lives.
Diagnosed With High Grade Breast Cancer
Well, we did say it was a long email, and sorry, but felt this had to be done, and please, please do pass this on to anyone you know and care about.
After all, whether it is someone suffering now, or maybe in the future, everyone should still have the right to choose for their future and that of their future generations. The nutrient situation is never going to get any better, only worse, as the soils get even more depleted over the years and we end up plagued by more and more chemicals – need we say any more?
Take care.
Martin and Barbra
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