A Vitamin Regimen for Optimal Health and Longevity

An integral part of making healthy lifestyle choices is to simultaneously adopt a supplement program, with a high quality multi-vitamin formula, that contains certain nutrients — including chromium, pantethine, selenium, vanadium and biotin — which play a role in regulating blood sugar and insulin, as well as in burning fat. Your supplement regimen should also include potent levels of pure antioxidants for maximum life extension benefits.

• Chromium, which deserves a great deal of attention, helps activate the uptake of insulin at its receptor sites. It is best assimilated in the form of chromium polynicotinate. A spate of studies has shown that chromium will build muscle, decrease body fat and lower cholesterol levels

• Pantethine (vitamin B5) is a remarkable nutrient that helps control cholesterol, supports the adrenals and produces “friendly” bacteria in the intestine, making it a valuable tool in preventing yeast overgrowth.

• Selenium is a powerful antioxidant, a trace mineral found in the soil, combines with proteins to function as an antioxidant. Although it is essential to eat plenty of vegetables and fruits to maintain good health, in many parts of the world the soil is depleted of nutrients, including selenium, making supplementation of this nutrient essential. It may also play a beneficial nutritional role in preventing diabetes.

• Vanadium (vanadyl sulfate) is a trace mineral that dramatically aids diabetics, apparently by helping cells absorb blood sugar more effectively and thereby decreasing the need for insulin.

• Biotin is an unsung B vitamin whose nutritional role was emphasized by a study that noted a significant drop in diabetics’ blood-sugar levels after taking the supplement.

• Folic acid is one of the B vitamins, occurs naturally in the form of folate in leafy dark greens such as spinach and kale as well as beans, beets and corn, citrus fruits and most berries—it also occurs in organ meats. But most people do not eat enough of these foods; moreover, cooking destroys most of the folic acid; finally, folic acid needs to be consumed with vitamins B12 and B6 to be efficacious. The best way to ensure adequate intake of this crucial nutrient is as part of a multivitamin.

• Green Tea, long a dietary staple in Japan, has recently become a “hot” nutrient in the Western world—and for good reason. Green tea contains four polyphenols, including epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which are powerful antioxidants known collectively as catechins. Many studies have shown that consuming green tea reduces the risk of developing cancer.  A study published in 2000 revealed that subjects who consumed more than 10 cups of green tea daily cut their risk of all forms of cancer by nearly 50 percent. For those who do not want to consume that much caffeine, this invaluable antioxidant is available as a pure extract.

• trans-Resveratrol (Protykin), The secret to anti-aging lies with this active form of resveratrol polyphenols found in the skins, seeds and stems of red wine grapes. The ultra beneficial form, trans-Resveratrol, has been proven in studies to activate the SIRT1 longevity gene and enhance cellular productivity. Several research studies have shown that trans-Resveratrol significantly modulates biomarkers of bone metabolism, inhibits pro-inflammatory enzymes such as COX-1 and COX-2, and exhibits chemopreventive agents, anticarcinogenic properties, cardioprotective effects, neuroprotective properties, and caloric restrictive behavior.

• Co-Enzyme Q10, This fat-soluble antioxidant is a compound found in the mitochondria, or energy center, of every cell of the body, with the greatest concentration in the heart, which, in part, helps it to pump forcefully. As an antioxidant, Co-Q-10 also scavenges free radicals, and inhibits the formation of clots. More than a third of people with hypertension are deficient in Co-Q-10. Conversely, the antioxidant lowers blood pressure in patients with hypertension.

• Omega-3 EPA + DHA are essential fatty acids that enhance the quality of life and lower the risk of premature death. They are usually lacking in the typical Western diet. There is overwhelming evidence that omega-3 fatty acids, particularly fish oils, have been consistently shown to reduce the risk of strokes and fatal and non-fatal heart attacks in at a number of ways. Fish oils help artery walls flexible, reduce the process of plaque growth, reduce triglyceride levels, prevent blood clotting, reduce blood pressure and stabilize heart rhythm. Well known for their cardiovascular benefits, fish oils are also valuable for reducing the risk of cancer.