Discussion Forums > Diet, Nutrition and Supplements
SUPPLEMENTS FOR CHILDREN
Andy Battaglia:
One thing about this ongoing topic of nutrients is that the understanding of them is advancing and many of the prior notions were wrong. For example, we were always warned about taking too much of fat soluble vitamins like A, D and E. Now we know that vitamin D can be taken in huge amounts without any negative result, vitamin E can be taken in doses up to 1000 IU daily without concerns and only vitamin A is one that should be kept in lower doses.
Another note about vitamin K and bones, is that there is a possibility that it is really vitamin D that causes the bone gain. Vitamin K may be a factor but it is vitamin D that makes it work.
And on the subject of vitamin D, it is really something of a natural hormone and is a receptor in the body and it is needed for many other nutrients to be used by the body. Without sufficient D receptors, many nutrients cannot be absorbed in quantities necessary for bodily functions. It isn't only plants that need sunshine to survive. Our bodies are made to run with plenty of sunshine-provided vitamin D and it is needed for a multitude of bodily functions.
Dori:
Hi, I meant that each human should try to eat a bit of salad (green leaf?) daily with a bit of oil to help the body to absorb vit K better. Do not use vinegar ecause that makes it more difficult for your body. This is told to me by a very intelligent ladies whose source were scientics article and books about hemochromatose.Ach,there is so much left to learn. I still have the plan to order some books about this medical field. I'm glad to be here in because our future looks pretty bright :) wed I will attend the Dutch Day of Rare Diseases, and most of those other attendees have progressive diseases. It breaks your heart.
Sharmin:
Andy,
I purchased selenium for lil A - and gave him his first pill today. (Natural Factors, Selenium 50mcg).
Recommended Use: selenium is a factor in the maintenance of healthy body cells and tissues and acts as an antioxidant for the maintenance of good health.
Caution: consult a heatlh care practitioner prior to use if you have a history of non-melanoma skin cancer. For adult use only. Keep out of reach of children.
Should this be a concern for thal patients, in terms of abnormal cell growth etc? This is not something I really understand.
Sharmin
Andy Battaglia:
This would not appear to have any particular relevance to thalassemics and the warning is strictly aimed at those who have a pre-existing history of non-melanoma skin cancers. However, a review of the study this is based on shows that this warning is a knee jerk reaction to findings that there was a marginal increase of repeat skin cancer in those in the study who took selenium. Even though this marginal finding was not statistically relevant, the news media and apparently, the over-reactive Canadian Health Authority took off with this NOT significant result and tried to scare people away from selenium use. A cynic might conclude that this is intentional as many studies have actually shown that selenium reduces the cancer rate in those who have a high dietary intake of selenium. These findings were not marginal and showed selenium to be of value in preventing MOST types of cancer. Furthermore, recent studies using mice, suggest that selenium may reduce incidence of melanomas. In addition, the researcher who ended a long term study of selenium in 1996 that showed its value in preventing cancer, disagreed with some of the techniques used in the later study and suggests that environmental sources of selenium and other metals (ie. industrial pollution) may have more to do with the observed rates of skin cancer recurrence in the subjects in the latter study. This warning is not found on selenium supplements in the US.
I would also like to point out that many studies are doomed to failure because of their poor design. I would like to point to a much publicized study showing that selenium and vitamin E did not prevent prostate cancer. One look at the study tells me it was intentionally designed to fail, as the vitamin E chosen for the study was dl-alpha tocopherol, the synthetic version of vitamin E which has little if any value. D-alpha tocohperol is the natural form and many studies have steered clear of using this and instead used the dl version which is actually a by-product of the film industry (good for Kodak at one time, but of extremely questionable value to the health).
Selenium is one of the trace elements recommended by Dr Vichinsky for thals and its value is not in doubt. Doses of 50-200 mcg daily are recommended.
Sharmin:
Thanks a lot Andy,
I am glad that I have started giving lil A selenium.
Sharmin
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