Dr Oz’s Supplement Superstars of 2011: Multivitamin & DHA Omega 3

Dr Oz did a segment called Dr Oz’s Supplement Superstars of 2011, which includes the five vitamins and supplements we must take this year: Baby Aspirin, Vitamin D, a Multi-Vitamin, Calcium and DHA Omega 3’s.  Doctor Oz said that everyone’s New Years Resolution should be to take these vitamins / supplements every day to help improve energy and to fight off diseases.  Supplements have been used for thousands of years to improve health and to treat disease.  114 million adults in America take some form of vitamin, mineral or herbal supplement, and by doing so they can reduce their blood pressure, cholesterol and even increase their mobility.  Some supplements work as well as conventional medicine, but others can actually cause harm or do nothing at all.  So, what advice should we follow?  Which supplements should we take?

Dr Oz’s Supplement Superstar Checklist:

1. Dr Oz: Baby Aspirin Prevents Cancer & Heart Attacks

Dr Oz is always recommending baby aspirin to prevent heart attacks, but recently it was found that baby aspirin can reduce your risk of dying from cancer by 25%.  Think about how amazing that number is!  Of course, baby aspirin is not technically a supplement, but because of its many benefits, Dr Oz included it on his Supplement Superstars of 2011 list.  As a tip, make sure to take baby aspirin with a big glass of water to prevent tummy problems.  Here is another Dr Oz Show Recap where he talks about the benefits of baby aspirin: Dr Oz: 50’s Prevention Guide.

2. Dr Oz: Vitamin D Prevents Cancer

Dr Oz said that Vitamin D is valuable for many reasons including that it helps to prevent Colon Cancer, Uterine Cancer and Breast Cancer.  Dr Oz’s helper from the audience seems to only get 12 IU of Vitamin D every day through her food.  The Institute of Medicine said that we need at least 600 IU of Vitamin D each day.  You can get Vitamin D from natural food sources, but most Americans are not getting enough of it naturally.  So, Dr Oz highly recommends that everyone takes 1000 IU of Vitamin D every day, and he said that there are no bad effects at this dose.  Here is another Dr Oz Show Recap where he talks about the benefits of Vitamin D: Dr Oz: Vitamin D Fights Colon Cancer, Breast Cancer & Uterine Cancer

3. Dr Oz: Multi-Vitamins

Dr Oz said that multi-vitamins help to boost immunity, improve energy levels and prevent memory loss.  Some studies have found that if you take too much of certain nutrients, they can actually cause liver and kidney problem, so its important to get the dosage right.  I wish that Dr Oz had given us a list of which nutrients we must be careful to not take too much of!  He did say to make sure that your multivitamin contains Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Vitamin B, Vitamin E and Zinc.  Look on the ingredients list on the package to make sure it contains 100% of the necessary daily dose for each of these 5 nutrients and take one every morning.  Here is another Dr Oz Show Recap where he talks about the benefits of Multi-Vitamins: Supplements for Women Over 50.

4. Dr Oz: Calcium, Magnesium & Vitamin D

Dr Oz said that calcium adds a lot of value to your bones.  Your bones can start to look like swiss cheese with big holes if they do not have enough calcium, and that makes it easier for your bones to break.  However, if you take calcium alone, it can lead to an increased risk for heart attacks.  This is why Dr Oz always suggests taking calcium along with magnesium (which relaxes your muscles and prevents constipation from calcium) and vitamin D (which deposits the calcium in your bones rather than in your heart).  Here is another Dr Oz Show Recap where he talks about the benefits of Multi-Vitamins: Supplements for Women Over 50.

5. Dr Oz: DHA Omega 3 Fats

Dr Oz said that Omega 3 Fats help to reduce inflammation in your body, and thus reduce your risk of having a heart attack or a stroke.  It is great to get Omega 3 Fats in your food, but people tend to not get enough naturally.  There are actually three types of Omega 3’s: EPA, DHA and ALA.  Here are the differences:

Dr Oz: DHA vs EPA vs ALA Omega 3’s

Dr Oz said that DHA is the most important for your brain.  EPA helps to relax your joints and your body can convert EPA into DHA.  ALA is good for you, but there is no way for your body to convert it to DHA.  So, Dr Oz said that you should focus on DHA Omega 3’s found in fish oils and you should take 600 mg of DHA Omega 3’s every day.  Here is another Dr Oz Show Recap where he talks about the benefits of baby aspirin: Dr Oz: 50’s Prevention Guide.