Supplements

 This section references education materials regarding dietary or nutritional supplements and herbal, medicinal and nutriceutical supplements.

 

Purchasing Supplements

When purchasing supplements reviewed on this web site and discussed with Dr. Ehlenberger, a discount on usual commercial pricing can be obtained by purchasing from Accurate Clinic’s online Supplement Store after acquiring the discount code from Accurate Clinic:

Accurate Clinic’s Supplement Store

or call Toll-Free: 877-846-7122 (Option 1)

 

 

See also:

 

Supplement Categories

 

Key to Links:

  • Grey text – handout
  • Red text – another page on this website
  • Blue text – Journal publication or off-site website

 

Individual Supplements

Adaptogens:

 

Antioxidants:

 

Immunoadjuvants

 

NRF2 Activators:

 

COMT Inhibitors

 

Mitochondrial Agents

 

Vitamins & Minerals

 

also:

 

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Nutritional Supplements – An Overview

 The term nutritional supplement, or dietary supplement, is rather loosely defined but may be considered a product that contains one or more ingredients (such as vitamins or amino acids) that are intended to supplement one’s diet usually on the basis of improving an imperfect diet.

Medical Foods – A Specific Category of Nutritional Supplement

Medical foods are defined by the FDA as “a food which is formulated to be consumed or administered under the supervision of a physician and which is intended for the specific dietary management of a disease or condition for which distinctive nutritional requirements, based on recognized scientific principles, are established by medical evaluation.”

 

Medical foods must be prescribed by a physician after a diagnosis has been made, yet they are not regulated as drugs, and are not subject to the regulatory requirements that apply to drugs. They are also exempt from food labeling requirements pertaining to health claims under the Nutritional Labeling Act. Medical foods are also distinct from nutritional supplements, although their regulations are similar.

 

Medical foods present minimal concerns for drug interactions or risk of long-term complications. In addition, because medical foods have unique mechanisms of action (ie, amino acids that are essential for the synthesis of neurotransmitters responsible for transmitting pain signals and influencing their perception), medical foods may also be used in combination with traditional medications, enhancing their benefit and potentially allowing a reduction in their dose.

 

Growing concerns about prescription analgesics and their complications has resulted in greater interest and research in the role of nutrition and food in the management of pain. The use of foods as medicine provides a an approach that is “generally regarded as safe” (GRAS) as a supplemental or alternative to treating pain.

How to Select Supplement to Insure Safety and Effectiveness

When selecting therapeutic supplements, it is important to take several considerations into account prior to purchasing a commercial product. First, not all labels are accurate as to content.

 

To help assure that a product is one of high quality and effectiveness, look for the following labels:

• USP seal of approval

• GMP seal of approval

• NSF seal of approval

• “Clinically Tested”

 

Not all supplements are well aborbed either from the gut into the bloodstream, from the blood stream into a tissue and then into the target cell or cross the “blood brain barrier” that restricts many substances from entering the brain and nervous system. The term that reflects how well a substance that is taken orally then reaches the intended target tissue or cellular component is “bioavailability.” The extent to which a supplement is bioavailable is a major factor contributing to it’s effectiveness. To read more on recent advances in improving the bioavailability of many nutritional or therapeutic substances, see “Nanoformulations” below.

 

For more information on evaluating supplements, please see: Evaluating Supplements

 

     Resources: Dietary Supplement Testing and Safety:

  1. NSF International
  2. USP – Quality Supplements
  3. Consumer Lab

 

Bioavailability

Because vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other nutrients are present naturally in many vegetables and fruits, when we eat these foods we reap the benefits.

 

But do we?

The truth is sometimes yes, sometimes no. When we cook plant foods, many antioxidants are destroyed, sometimes as much as 97%. Unfortunately, even when eaten raw the antioxidants in food are often poorly absorbed through the stomach or intestines. Even when they get absorbed into the blood, they may have poor penetration into cells, especially into the brain and nervous system. In many cases the antioxidants we ingest simply do not get to where they can do the most benefit: within the cells. In other words, nutrients in our food are sometimes not very bioavailable (not available to the cells that need them).

 

Nanoformulations

Over the last few years, science has developed new techniques to overcome the problem of bioavailability, including use of nanoformulations. Nanoformulations reduce the size of the nutrient particles down to tiny micron levels and sometimes attach the nutrient to a second component that allows for the particle to be much better absorbed. Studies have demonstrated that nanoforumulations such as “phytosomal curcumin” have improved absorption as much as 29 times more effective.

 

Microsizing and nanoformulations are revolutionizing the pharmaceutical industry by providing the means to allow medications and nutrients that are poorly absorbed to become effectively absorbable and bioavailable. Currently, many medications and nutrients have been nanoformulated include curcumin, quercitin, grape seed extract and green tea extract.

 

For more information and references on nanoformulations, see publications below:

 

Resources:

 

Purchasing Supplements

To purchase supplements reviewed on this web site or discussed with Dr. Ehlenberger, a discount can be applied to usual commercial pricing by purchasing from Accurate Clinic’s online Supplement Store after acquiring the discount code from Accurate Clinic:

 

Accurate Clinic’s Supplement Store

or, call Toll-Free:  877-846-7122 (Option 2)

 

Online Resources for Nutritional Information

 

 www.NutritionData.com
This is my favorite online resource for nutritional information. It provides excellent breakdowns of the nutrional value of natural foods, raw and cooked, as well as commercial food products. It offers a web-based app that allows you to track and analyze your diet and monitor your exercise. It has a wealth of educational information on topics from food additives, glycemic index, food processing, individual nutrients and pretty much anything of interest to the person motivated to learn more about diet and nutrition. There are even recipes!

 

www.Nutrition.gov
Nutrition.gov provides easy access to vetted food and nutrition information from across the federal government. It serves as a gateway to reliable information on nutrition, healthy eating, physical activity, and food safety for consumers. Since dietary needs change throughout the lifespan, specialized nutrition information is provided about infants, children, teens, adult women and men, and seniors. Users can find practical information on healthy eating, dietary supplements, fitness and how to keep food safe. The site is kept fresh with the latest news and features links to interesting sites.

 

 National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance
Founded in 1969, the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance (NAAFA) is a non-profit, all volunteer, civil rights organization dedicated to protecting the rights and improving the quality of life for fat people. NAAFA works to eliminate discrimination based on body size and provide fat people with the tools for self-empowerment through advocacy, public education, and support.

 

Books

“Dopamine for Dinner”

by Joan Borsten, 2014
Available on Amazon.com: Kindle subscriber: free;  Kindle book: $9.95  Paperback: $149.00

 

“Dopamine for Dinner,” is the first Malibu Beach Recovery Diet Cookbook, based on their famous low-glycemic diet. The recipes developed by four accomplished chefs are both pleasant eating as well as healthy. Based on the use of low glycemic index foods, the recipes emphasize nutritious eating in a manner that promotes maintaining high brain levels of dopamine and serotonin as a means of supporting healthy brain chemistry.

 

Educational Resources:

  1. Medline Plus 
  2. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
  3. NIH – Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS)
  4. Office of Dietary Supplements
  5. Office of Dietary Supplements Vitamin and Mineral Supplement Fact Sheets
  6. Resources for Weight Loss Help

 

Information on Herbal and Dietary Supplements:

  1. NaturalMedicines.com
  2. Herbalgram.com
  3. NCCIH – Herbs at a Glance

 

 

References:

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Nutritional Supplements – Overview:

  1.    Evaluating Supplements
  2.    Multi-Nutrient Supplements

 

Nanoformulations

Nanoformulations –  Overview

  1. Blood–brain barrier – a real obstacle for therapeutics – 2012
  2. Natural product-based nanomedicine – recent advances and issues – 2015
  3. Particle size reduction to the nanometer range – a promising approach to improve buccal absorption of poorly water-soluble drugs – 2011

Nanoformulations – Phytosomes

  1. A Review on Phytosome Technology as a Novel Approach to Improve The Bioavailability of Nutraceuticals – 2012
  2. Bioavailability and activity of phytosome complexes from botanical polyphenols – the silymarin, curcumin, green tea, and grape seed extracts – 2009
  3. Phytosomes – A New Herbal Drug Delivery System – 2012
  4. Phytosome – A Novel Revolution in Herbal Drugs – 2012
  5. Phytosome – Phytolipid Drug Delivery System for Improving Bioavailability of Herbal Drugs – 2013

 

Amino Acids

  1.    L-Glutamine

Antioxidants & NRF2 Activators

  1. Antioxidant Capacity of Selected Foods – 2007
  2. NRF2 Activators

 

Antioxidant & NRF2 Activators – Individual & Commercial Products

  1.    Acetyl-L-Carnitine
  2.    Alpha-Lipoic Acid
  3.    CoQ10
  4.    Curcumin (Meriva)
  5.    Glutathione
  6.    Green Tea (Phytosome)
  7.    Meriva (Curcumin)
  8.    Milk Thistle (Siliphos – Silybin Phytosome)
  9.    PolyResveratrol SR
  10.    Quercetin
  11.    Siliphos (Milk Thistle – Silybin Phytosome)

COMT Inhibitors

  1.    Quercetin
  2.    Green Tea (Phytosome)

 

Minerals

  1.    Calcium
  2.    Magnesium

 

Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA)

Phytosterols

Probiotics

SAMe

Vitamins

 

Genetics and Nutrition

  1.    Genovive – Sample Nutrition & Fitness Report

Emphasis on Education

 

Accurate Clinic promotes patient education as the foundation of it’s medical care. In Dr. Ehlenberger’s integrative approach to patient care, including conventional and complementary and alternative medical (CAM) treatments, he may encourage or provide advice about the use of supplements. However, the specifics of choice of supplement, dosing and duration of treatment should be individualized through discussion with Dr. Ehlenberger. The following information and reference articles are presented to provide the reader with some of the latest research to facilitate evidence-based, informed decisions regarding the use of conventional as well as CAM treatments.

 

For medical-legal reasons, access to these links is limited to patients enrolled in an Accurate Clinic medical program.

 

Should you wish more information regarding any of the subjects listed – or not listed –  here, please contact Dr. Ehlenberger. He has literally thousands of published articles to share on hundreds of topics associated with pain management, weight loss, nutrition, addiction recovery and emergency medicine. It would take years for you to read them, as it did him.

 

For more information, please contact Accurate Clinic.

 

Supplements recommended by Dr. Ehlenberger may be purchased commercially online or at Accurate Clinic.

Please read about our statement regarding the sale of products recommended by Dr. Ehlenberger.

Accurate Supplement Prices

 

 

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