Clinically Proven Dietary Supplement Facts & Myths

When it comes to dietary supplement, clinically proven has little or no meaning since supplement makers are not required by law to prove efficacy before they can sell their products. With the exception of vitamin and mineral supplements, a supplement’s mental and physical benefits are largely due to the placebo effect.

In this video:

• Why food should be your medicine. 00:32
• What are dietary supplements? 1:43
• The unregulated dietary supplement industry. 2:55
• Company funded versus independent research. 3:49
• Clinically proven and peer reviewed! 4:54
• Marketing supplements most people do not need. 6:23
• Common dietary supplement myths. 8:01

The Placebo Effect

In clinical trails a placebo, it can be a sugar pill, is used as a control to evaluate the positive and negative effects of a new drug, diet, or treatment. The placebo effect can affect both mental and physical health. In many cases the positive health benefits dietary supplement makers claim are due largely to the placebo effect.

In this video:

• What is a placebo? 00:43
• What is the placebo effect? 1:10
• Is the placebo effect real or imaginary? 1:48
• The placebo effect and diet. 3:57
• The nocebo effect. 6:41

High Copper, Zinc and Selenium Foods

Sample of common foods high in the essential trace minerals, copper, zinc, and selenium.

In this video:

• What are trace minerals? 00:39
• Copper’s functions, RDA and foods. 1:40
• Selenium’s functions, RDA and foods. 4:10
• Zinc’s functions, RDA and foods. 6:11

Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Poor diets are contributing not only to weight gain and obesity, but to an increase in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD). NAFLD can damage the livers ability to regenerate increasing the risk of cirrohis.

In this video:

• What is nonalcoholic fatty liver disease? 00:38
• What causes NAFLD? 1:60
• Symptoms of NAFLD. 2:47
• Preventing NAFLD. 3:54

Does Salt Increase Blood Pressure?

Sodium is an essential mineral. The main source of sodium for most people is salt (sodium chloride). Sodium is found naturally in foods and added to prepared foods. While the recommended amount of daily added sodium is 2.300 mg, most people diets high in prepared foods consume significantly more. Salt is an inexpensive flavor enhancer.

While high sodium diets can increase the risk of high blood pressure in some people, people with healthy kidneys and eating high potassium diets can consume more sodium without developing high blood pressure.

Instead of guessing if your blood sodium levels are too low or high, the Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP) blood test measures your levels of sodium, potassium, and chloride. In some U.S. states, you  do not need a doctors order for a CMP test. CMP also includes blood protein and calcium levels.

In this video:

• What is salt? 00:43
• Salt versus sodium. 1:13
• Sodium and blood pressure. 3:02
• Added salt and blood pressure. 3:53
• Prepared foods and sodium. 5:56
• DASH diet, sodium and blood pressure. 6:39

15 High Phosphorous Foods

Phosphorous is an essential mineral. Chemical phosphates are added to foods from cereals to sodas.  They prevent discoloration, emulsify, and are food for yeast. But, too much phosphorous can erode tooth enamel and cause kidney damage. People with kidney disease should limit dietary phosphorous.

As with most vitamin and minerals, the risk of adverse side affects and toxicity is low when phosphorous comes from a diet of minimally processed foods. The risk increase with diets high in processed foods.

In this video:

• What is phosphorus? 00:41
• Natural versus added phosphorus. 00:58
• Phosphorus’ functions. 1:20
• Phosphorus deficiency. 1:45
• Phosphorus RDA and toxicity. 2:14
• 15 high phosphorus foods. 3:25

Diet And Direct Access Tests (DAT)

Some US states allow some direct access lab tests (DAT) that used to require a doctor’s order. These test can check for anemia, diabetes, A1-c, and some nutrient deficiencies like potassium, iron, and calcium. Although most insurance does not cover DAT, the cost is is usually about the same or slightly higher than insurance covered tests.

If available in your state, you can use direct access laboratory tests to help monitor your health and diet. DATs do not replace a doctor’s care. Discuss all abnormal results with a healthcare provider.

In this video:

• What are essential nutrients? 00:48
• What is direct access testing? 1:06
• Which states allow direst access tests? 2:20
• Why use direst access tests? 2:42
• Common DAT tests. 3:44
• Direct testing advantages & disadvantages. 6:50

15 High Manganese Foods

Manganese is an essential trace mineral that must come from your diet. It is required for enzyme production and maintaining a healthy immune system. This video highlights 15 foods high in manganese.

In this video:

• What is manganese? 00:39
• Manganese functions. 1:08
• Manganese deficiency. 1:31
• Manganese RDA and toxicity. 2:08
• 15 high manganese foods. 3:40

Nitrate And High Nitrate Foods

Nitrates used to preserve cured meats have been linked to an increased risk of some cancers. Some foods, like beet root, are high in naturally occurring nitrate that can help maintain a healthy blood pressure and increase blood oxygen levels.

Dietary supplement makers use the healthy benefits of natural nitrate to justify taking nitrate supplements. What they fail to explain is the fact that nutrients from dietary supplements rarely produce the healths benefits derived from foods.

In this video:

• What is natural food nitrate? 00:38
• Natural nitrate versus added sodium nitrate. 00:59
• Nitrate health benefits. 1:36
• Nitrate contraindications. 3:43
• Nitrate RDA. 5:02
• High nitrate foods. 5:41

15 High Vitamin E Foods

Vitamin E is an essential nutrient and antioxidant. This video features 15 sample foods high in vitamin E.

In this video:

• What is vitamin E? 00:39
• Vitamin E functions. 1:08
• Vitamin E deficiency. 1:38
• Vitamin E RDA and contraindications. 2:16
• 15 high vitamin E foods. 3:59

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