Did you Know?

Taking a daily multivitamin for 3 years is associated with a 60% slowing of cognitive aging, with the effects especially pronounced in patients with cardiovascular (CVD) disease, new research suggests.  The findings “may have important public health implications, particularly for brain health, given the accessibility of multivitamins and minerals, and their low cost and safety,” said study investigator Laura D. Baker, PhD, professor, Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina.  The findings were presented at the 14th Clinical Trials on Alzheimer’s Disease (CTAD) conference.

“We see a positive effect of multivitamins for the active group relative to placebo, peaking at 2 years and then remaining stable over time,” said Baker.

(Multivitamins, but Not Cocoa, Tied to Slowed Brain Aging – Medscape – Nov 11, 2021.)

Multivitamins are Foundational

Proper balance and adequate levels of essential nutrients are important for a range of complex processes in our body.  Vitamins and minerals are interdependent upon one another.  One assists the absorption of another.   Several, like Calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus bind together to create bone.  All B vitamins are interdependent:  taking an excess of one may lead to a greater need for the others.

I spend quite a bit of time reviewing nutritional supplements and daily food diary logs with my patients.  One thing I find myself asking nearly daily when sorting through the bag of vitamins my patients bring in with them, is, “where is your multivitamin?”  Some of my patients are taking upwards of 10 different individual nutrients in the hopes of curbing pain, inflammation, muscle stiffness, fatigue, brain fog, or even weight gain, but consistently they overlook the importance of a multivitamin.

A multivitamin is a broad-spectrum nutritional supplement that contains low doses of a large variety of essential (foundational) nutrients.  A multivitamin simply covers a lot of ground, and it’s the best place to start when deciding to introduce supplements to your daily diet.

Vitamin Roulette Is Not Recommended

People get muscle cramps for a variety of reasons.  Here in Florida, it gets hot!  Excessive sweating can lead to a nutrient imbalance and may cause muscle cramps.  But then which element is the deficient one?

Is it potassium?  Take too much potassium alone and it can cause heart arrhythmia.

Is it calcium?  Too much of one type of calcium (calcium carbonate) can cause kidney stones, especially if it is not taken with the proper type and amount of magnesium.

Perhaps what’s lacking is salt?  But too much salt may lead to water retention and swelling.  Perhaps it’s a lack of magnesium?  But if it’s not and you supplement too much with magnesium you can cause loose stools and other nutrient imbalances.

Are you following me?

My Approach

If I don’t have a lot of information (lab tests) to go on, my first go-to to help a person who has muscle cramps, tight muscles, low energy, foggy brain, or poor muscle recovery is to start with a really good multivitamin.  It contains all the foundational nutrients that could be missing in a person’s diet.

While none of the doses of the nutrients are therapeutic doses, it just might be the amount you need to tweak the system and improve absorption and utilization.  In fact, I’ve heard it a million times, “That multi you gave me really made a difference!”.

If the problem at hand persists, then we can take a close look to see if additional doses of specific nutrients are needed, and of course assess daily food intake to see which nutritional gaps may exist.

Dr. Hoch uses a variety of professional, high-quality herbs, homeopathic remedies, and nutritional supplements to help her patients reset their hormones, decrease inflammation, improve joint motion, reduce pain, correct digestive issues, and encourage weight loss.  We currently have a number of great products available through  Fullscript, our online store.   Fullscript is where you can get high-quality, physician-recommended brands of natural products.  

How to create an account and navigate within Fullscript.

 

 

Dr. Hoch (pronounced Hoke), is a 1988 Graduate of Peotone High School and a 1990 Graduate of Joliet Junior College. She received both her B.S. in Human Biology (1991) and her Doctorate of Chiropractic (D.C.) (1993) from The National College of Chiropractic in Lombard, IL. She also received her graduate and post-graduate certifications in Acupuncture from NCC