vitamin rda...interesting read

[colie]

Vitamins the truth behind RDA's

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Thought you would all like this information on vitamins taken from Optimum Nutrition Bible by Patrick Holford.

Attached is a table of the most common vitamins, minerals and nutrients
In the second column is RDA (recommended daily allowance). The RDA is set by government scientists and is the amount of that micronutrient required to prevent deficiency disease. The RDA is also based on an average persons body weight (69kg)!!
In column three is the average Joe's diet, and in column four is a good diet packed with fruit, veg, seeds and nuts.
In column five is the ODA (Optimal Daily Amount). This is the amount of the given micronutrient required for 'Optimal Health', that being necessary to grow muscle if nothing else!

As you can see from the table above there are several important issues raised.

The RDA is often not met by an average diet filled with processed and refined food.

The RDA is often exceeded by a good diet.

The RDA is vastly lower than the ODA.

Even a good diet is nowhere near the ODA.

The ODA is vastly lower than the given nutrients toxicity levels!

The difference between your diet and the ODA, is your supplementation level.

The ODA increases with body mass, disease, drug use and poor food quality as your body seeks to rid itself of toxins, free radicals and disease. As such, as bodybuilders, the ODA could potentially be even higher, especially in the anti-oxidants A,C & E.

To meet even the minimum ODA is almost impossible with food alone, partly responsible for that is the quality of our food! Supplementation is the answer.

The minimum a bodybuilder should be taking is

2x Multivitamin (one morning, one late afternoon). Take with meals.
2x Anti-oxidant complex (A,C,E +Co-enzyme Q10, Green tea Etc)
2x 1000mg Vit c (preferably slow release, preferably with Bioflavinoids) Take away from meals.

Remember the RDA is based on a 69kg sedentary person, aiming for just enough micronutrients to stave of a deficiency disease. How many people reading this fit that category?

If the bodybuilder is supplementing with AAS, in particular 17AA, then additional Antioxidant support would be needed in the form of extra A, C & E, and extra Niacin to lower cholesterol, as well as usual Liver protectorants. As such the bodybuilders supplements would look lke this:

3x Multivitamin (one morning, one lunchtime, one early evening) take with meals.
2x Antioxidant Complex one AM, one before workout.
3-10 x Vit C 1000mg (10x 1000mg is being used in medicine for lowering cholesterol!! start at 3 and work up, if you get loose stools then cut back) Spread out the dose.
1 x Garlic (lowers cholesterol)
6 x Omega Capsules
Liver protectorants (mik thistle etc)
1-2 x Niacin (B3) 500mg (No flush variety only. Lowers cholesterol).

If due to AAS the bodybuilder has acne then increase vitamin E by 400mg and add Niacin (B3) 100mg for thirty days.

Vitamins help every component of our bodies function, but they also clean and detox you and balance your hormones. With so many factors leaching vitamins from your body, it would be counter productive not to over supplement, especially considering toxicity from vitamins is very dificult to achieve and that toxicity in most cases means mostly as little as an upset stomach.

I can hear a few of you reading this and saying to yourselves 'is he crazy?? I am gonna poison myself!!' Vitamin toxicity is very rare and difficult to achieve, look at the toxicity levels. The only remotely dangerous vitamin is Vit D. B6 can cause neuropathy, Vit A is toxic in large doses to pregnant women. In all cases, symptoms are reversible on discontinued use, so if you get a reaction that is unpleasant then back off the dose. Try it, you may just get an overwhelming sense of well being as you re-feed your body its depleted micronutrients, or you may find that the cold you had cleared up, or that the headache goes, perhaps never to come back. Try the programme for a month and see for yourself, its cheaper and healthier than most supplements and comes with science fact to back it up not science fiction.