New Science Points to Benefits of High-Dose Supplements

July 23, 2009

Posted by Carey Rossi

Apparently, most of us are not getting enough of our vitamins and minerals — even if we’re supplementing our diets. At least, that’s what members of the American Association for Health Freedom (AAHF) and its European counterpart, the Alliance for Natural Health (ANH) are saying after recent studies demonstrated the benefits of high-dose nutritional supplements.

AAHF and ANH have long argued that the methodology used to determine dosage greatly overestimates the risks — and completely ignores the benefits — of higher dosages. The three studies, all published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, found that the highest doses tested delivered the best results. This research examined the roles of B vitamins in preventing age-related macular degeneration, calcium in cancer prevention and vitamin D in reducing the risk of upper respiratory tract infections.

“Vitamins and supplements, combined with other healthy habits, play an integral role in the prevention of many medical conditions and diseases,” said AAHF Legislative Director Tami Wahl in a prepared statement. “Our concern is that the dosage amounts currently recommended are simply not adequate to yield protective effects.”

Robert Verkerk, PhD, Executive and Scientific Director of ANH, points out in a prepared statement that these studies add to “an increasing body of science that shows high doses of supplements are both safe and effective.

To get some perspective on it, the levels found to be most beneficial in preventing macular degeneration were over 12 times the U.S. Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of folic acid, 25 times the RDA of vitamin B6, and 1,000 times the RDA of vitamin B12.”

The Anti-Aging Bottom Line: This isn’t a license to go hog wild on how much or how many supplements you take. Sometimes more isn’t always better. Instead, speak to your healthcare practitioner about the science — either armed with the actual journal article or the citation.