Homberg Chiropractic Can Advise on Vitamin Usage
As you know, at Homberg Chiropractic and Wellness - your Knoxville chiropractor - we sell vitamin supplements and advise you on the benefits. I firmly believe in the benefits and use many of the vitamins myself, including fish oil and Vitamin D.
Over the weekend, I read about the results of a government-funded study that stated neither fish oil (Omega 3) nor Vitamin D decreased the incidence of cancer or heart disease. Some of the study participants took either 1 gram of fish oil — which contains omega-3 fatty acids — plus 2,000 international units of vitamin D daily. Others consumed the same dose of vitamin D plus a placebo, while others ingested the same dose of fish oil plus a placebo. The last group took two placebos. After more than five years, researchers were unable to find any overall benefit.
However, further along in the article, a physician who led the study admitted that African-Americans, who took fish oil in the study, experienced a 77 percent decrease in risk of heart disease. To me, that shows that fish oil IS beneficial in cutting the risk of heart disease. Other studies, some published in the Journal American Medical Association, in recent years found that fish oil can lower the risk of a major heart attack and is useful for those recovering from heart attacks.
One of the problems I have with this study is that it is “government-funded;” and it’s no secret that large pharmaceutical companies donate millions to members of Congress in order to get what they want. These pharmaceutical companies aren’t making money on making and selling supplements.
Fish oil and Vitamin D are beneficial for your overall health. While it’s best to get fish oil from wild caught fatty fish such as salmon, many people don’t have access to fresh fish on a daily basis. Therefore, they need to get it from a supplement. Fish oil has shown to decrease heart disease, to help with arthritis and to help improve memory and cognitive issues.
Vitamin D has several important functions, including aiding with the absorption of calcium and phosphorous, and facilitating immune system function. It can help fight diseases such as multiple sclerosis and can help with depression symptoms. This recent research used 2,000 IUs of Vitamin D with its study participants, which is a woefully low level. Many Vitamin D experts, recommend adults get at least 8,000 IUs daily. The best way to know what your Vitamin D dosage should be is to have your levels tested at your next physical. Don’t be surprised if your levels are low.
At Homberg Chiropractic, we are always happy to talk to you and counsel on the use of vitamins and other supplements. When you schedule your next appointment make sure you let them know you’d like to include some time to talk about supplements.