May, 2006

The Myth behind the Required Daily Allowance
 

by Lisa Marie Wark*

“It is really unfortunate when even vitamins and essential minerals are either condemned by the AMA and even the FDA as either placebo pills or in some cases dangerous drugs.  The patient’s options of healthcare are being cruelly limited.” –James Wm. Forsythe, MD, HMD

Most people know that taking vitamins and minerals is good for their health. But did you know that there are more than 20,000 studies in the National Library of Medicine documenting the increased health benefits of vitamins and some essential minerals when taken at higher levels than the U.S. government Recommended Daily Allowances (RDAs)?

To understand why the newer dosage levels of vitamins and essential minerals, called “optimal doses”, are higher than the RDAs, we need to look back in time to see how supplements became part of our diet. “These recommendations (RDAs) by Government Health Departments are largely a myth,” exclaims Dr. James W. Forsythe, a world renowned medical oncologist and homeopathic physician.

Dr. Forsythe explains, “These recommendations by the Government’s Health Department were developed 60 years ago to approximate the minimal amounts of vitamins and minerals necessary to prevent certain deficiency diseases such as Scurvy, Pellagra, Beri-Beri, and Rickets. These values were arrived at using healthy young adult volunteers and have no relationship to chronic disease states, toxic environments, depleted soils, and nutrient poor foods.”

Adding, “To cite an example Vitamin E is recommended at only 40 i.u. per day.  Yet studies on Alzheimer’s patients used up to 1600 i.u. per day (40 times as much).  Linus Pauling, the Nobel Prize winning biochemist, took 19 grams of Vitamin C per day and lived to 94 years old.  The point is this that there are very few adverse reactions to water soluble vitamins.  You should not exceed certain doses of “fat soluble” vitamins (ADEK) especially with a maximum dosage of Vitamin A at 50 -100,000 i.u. per day and with a Vitamin D dosage of 5,000 i.u. per day or less.”

RDAs, also called Daily Values or Reference Daily Intakes, were very useful guidelines that raised our awareness that vitamins and essential minerals could play an important role in our health. Today, there is better information available. New technology, more researchers and advanced computers have dramatically increased the rate and level of research in preventative health since the 1940s. There are now over 20,000 studies available about the beneficial effects of higher doses of vitamins and essential minerals. Below are examples of what researchers have discovered about “optimal doses” for vitamins and essential minerals.

Vitamin C and Better Bone Density
A study in 2001 found that senior women who took between 1,000 and 5,000 milligrams of Vitamin C per day had five percent greater bone density than women who took 500 milligrams or less per day over a three year period.

Vitamin C - Higher Doses Reduced the Duration of Colds
A 1995 study found that although Vitamin C doses of 250 to 500 milligrams per day produced no effect on reduction of cold symptoms, doses from 1,000 to 6,000 milligrams per day decreased cold durations an average of 21 percent.

Vitamin E - Higher Doses Reduce “Bad” Cholesterol Oxidation
A placebo-controlled study also done in 1995, found that Vitamin E, when taken at low doses, )between 60 and 200 international units (IU) -- both higher doses than the RDA of 30 mg) had no effect on reducing the oxidation of LDL cholesterol that precedes cholesterol plaque formation in the arteries. However, as the doses increased to 400 IU, 800 IU and 1,200 IU, there was an proportionately greater effect on reducing the oxidation of LDL cholesterol in the blood stream.

Folic Acid -- For Healthier Babies
Folic acid -- mostly found in green leafy vegetables, certain grains and orange juice -- is critical to the diets of women in early pregnancy to lower the risk of spinal birth defects in their babies. The National Academy of Science recommends that all women who are planning to become pregnant begin taking 400 micrograms of supplemental folic acid daily even before they are pregnant to ensure they have enough folic acid in the most critical early days of their pregnancy. And in line with what we now know about optimal doses, higher doses of folic acid lower the risk even further.

Calcium -- Bone Health
Published medical journal studies show that if you eat the average American diet that provides approximately 600 milligrams of food calcium per day, low supplemental calcium doses, such as 100 milligrams per day -- regardless of the form of calcium -- are not effective for protecting against bone loss. You need more calcium.
In fact, scientific studies demonstrate that a minimum dose of approximately 1,000 milligrams of supplemental calcium per day is required to support bone health and bone maintenance in adults, and even more -- 1,300 to 1,700 milligrams of supplemental calcium -- is required for seniors, 65 years or older.

High Dose Vitamin Therapies and Protection Against Genetic Diseases
Noted nutrient researcher and one of the world’s most respected cell biologists, Bruce Ames, Ph.D., of the University of California at Berkeley, published a study that found higher than RDA doses helps protect against many genetic defects. “High dose vitamin therapies have been efficacious in ameliorating about 50 genetic diseases . . .” said Ames.
“RDAs have not kept pace with the science. Many years of research have shown that the typical RDA dosage is just enough to keep people from experiencing “classic” nutrient deficiency diseases,” said Michael Mooney, cofounder of SuperNutrition, a research-based vitamin company.

A lack of Vitamin B1 can cause beri-beri, a lack of Vitamin B3 can cause pellagra, and a person lacking in Vitamin C runs the risk of getting scurvy. There is growing recognition in the scientific and medical community that the RDA doses for many nutrients are just not high enough to support optimum health or long-term well being in today’s fast paced world. This recognition is based not only on university and medical studies, but also on studies sponsored by the U.S. Government’s Department of Agriculture.”

The research behind these studies has driven the formulation of SuperNutrition multi-vitamins. “Our customers have been experiencing the benefits of optimal potencies for over 25 years,” says Mooney. “Many other vitamin companies are doing similar product development and as a result, the consumer now has far more choices in multi-vitamins for their optimal health. SuperNutrition has designed optimal potency multi-vitamins for women, including prenatal and menopausal women, as well as for men, and children.”

When it comes to supplement dosage, each individual has different needs. Please call the Century Wellness Clinic during regular business hours 775-827-0707 or e-mail us questions by clicking here regarding your specific needs.

Unfortunately, largely due to heavy opposition from the American Medical Association (AMA) which has dominated the medical community, as well as nearly all legislation related to health care, natural healing methods, such as supplements, are not taken seriously. Basically, if medical research does not promote conventional medicine and pharmaceutical drugs in a biased way, the AMA works to discredit such research within hospitals, and to suspend the medical licenses of any doctor who employs them. They have often been able to rely upon state licensing boards and legislatures, and even the US Congress, to pass laws outlawing natural healing methods and the non-MD practitioner (such as midwives, herbalists or acupuncturists). The AMA and co-horts in the drug industry have relied upon their allies in the FDA to aggressively assault the advocates of natural and holistic treatment methods.

Dr. Forsythe reluctantly admits. “It is really unfortunate when even vitamins and essential minerals are either condemned by the AMA and even the FDA as either placebo pills or in some cases dangerous drugs.  The patient’s options of healthcare are being cruelly limited.”

Many new health care discoveries have thereby remained "underground", never being allowed to flower productively in the light of day. Inexpensive, non-toxic and unpatentable natural healing methods have never been seriously or honestly evaluated by the AMA-FDA pharmaceutical-dominated medical establishment. 

Dr. Forsythe knows all too well of the FDA harassment. In 1990, The Century Wellness Clinic (CWC), which administered chelation therapy, homeopathy, and nutritional supplements, was raided twice by FDA and Postal Service inspectors. First, the premises were ransacked and almost all supplies and equipment removed. After no charges were filed against the clinic by the FDA, CWC sued the FDA for return of the seized property. The FDA retaliated with a second raid more extensive than the first, extending to the private homes of the businesses owners and employees. There were no charges filed by the FDA.

Dr. Forsythe joins a long line of other doctors and even vitamin store owners who have been victims of the FDA because of alternative medicine practices. Here is just a sampling of countless cases…

• 1990: Max Gerson's dietary treatments for degenerative diseases were criminalized by the FDA just as he was publishing scientific evidence and clinical reports on their effectiveness in boosting immune system function.

• 1987, Florida: The Life Extension Foundation was raided by armed FDA agents, who seized nutritional supplement supplies, files, and personal belongings. Lawsuits against the FDA are still pending.

• 1990, Oregon: FDA agents raided Highland Laboratories and removed everything except office furniture. No employees were informed of the legal grounds for the raid and were threatened with violence if any of them attempted to enter their workplace. The FDA never charged anyone with a violation, but no property has ever been returned.

• 1990, California: The FDA raided and ransacked the pet food store of Sissy Harrington-McGill. FDA agents stated that her pet store literature claiming that vitamins would keep pets healthy was a violation of the Health Claims Law, which was never passed by Congress. Ms. Harrongton-McGill served 114 days in prison, after being tried and convicted by a judge without a jury trial, in spite of her request for a jury trial. Lawsuits have been filed against the FDA.

• 1991, California: FDA agents raided NutriCology, a nutrition supplement company operated by Stephen Levine, Ph.D., a molecular geneticist from the UC Berkeley. Levine spent $500,000 to defend against three different FDA injunctions, all of which were thrown out of court.

• 1992, Washington state: FDA agents raided and terrorized the medical clinic of Jonathan Wright, M.D. The FDA initiated the raid after a recent batch of contaminated B-vitamins was discovered in another state, yet Wright's clinic had no connection to the company making the contaminated vitamins and does not use their products. In spite of this, the FDA agents removed most of the clinic's contents, meanwhile terrorizing patients and treating them like criminals. As of 1993, no clinic property has been returned, yet no charges against the clinic or any of its employees have been filed by the FDA.

• 1992, California: David Halpern, several of his family members, and the presidents of three European vitamin companies are charged with 198 counts of conspiracy and smuggling for importing banned nutritional supplements that are freely available in Britain and Germany. The indictments carry a potential prison term of 990 years.

• 1992, Texas: The FDA induced the Texas Department of Health and Texas Department of Food and Drug to raid over a dozen major health food stores. Over 250 products were seized from the shelves, including vitamin C, zinc, herbs, aloe vera, and flaxseed oil. Following a massive public outcry, FDA threatened health food store owners, "Don't talk to the press, or we'll come down on you twice as hard." No charges were ever filed by the FDA, and no products were ever returned.

• 1993, USA: Dozens of natural healing clinics, health food stores and natural product manufacturers throughout the U.S. were assaulted by combined forces from the FDA, DEA, IRS, Customs, and US Postal Service in commando-style SWAT raids. Stocks of vitamins and herbs were confiscated as well as bank accounts, automobiles, and computers. Especially of interest as a target of the raids were mailing lists of customers and clients. The Postal Service assisted in the actions by blocking all mail to some of the businesses, effectively preventing them from continuing any business and from conducting effective legal defense.

For more information regarding FDA abuse please visit the following website: http://www.canucklinks.com/fda.htm
The information contained in this Health Report is intended for education purposes only. It is intended to complement—not replace—the advice provided by healthcare providers.
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The following are references to the studies mentioned in this article:

• Morton DJ, et al. Vitamin C supplement use and bone mineral density in postmenopausal women. J Bone Min Res 2001;16(1):135-140.
• Hemila H & associates. Vitamin C and the common cold: a retrospective analysis of Chalmer’s review. Journal of the American College of Nutrition 1995: 14(2): 116-123.
• Jialal I and associates. The effect of alpha-tocopherol supplementation on LDL oxidation. A dose-response study. Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology 1995; 15(2): 190-198
• Brush MG and associates. Pyridoxine in the treatment of premenstrual syndrome: a retrospective survey in 630 patients. British Journal of Clinical Practice 1988; 142(11): 448-4562. (Consult your physician about the use of higher than RDA doses of Vitamin B-6 for PMS.)
• Koo WW and associates. Maternal calcium supplementation and fetal bone mineralization. Obstetrics and Gynecology 1999, Oct; 94(4): 577-582.
• Storm D & associates. Calcium Supplementation prevents seasonal bone loss and changes in biochemical markers of bone turnover in elderly New England women: a randomized placebo-controlled trial. Clinics in Endocrinology and Metabolism, 83(11): 3817-25, 1998.
• Heaney RP. Calcium needs of the elderly to reduce fracture risk. J Am Coll Nutr 2001 Apr;20(2 Suppl):192S-197S.