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An Introduction to Vitamins
An Introduction to Minerals
An Introduction to Dietary supplements
An Introduction to Herbal Supplements
An Introduction to Other Nutrients
Contents of Nutritional Supplements
Chelated mineral
Sustained-release supplements
Antioxidants & Excess Free Radicals
Swallowing Capsules and Tablets
When To Take Your Dietary Supplements
Nutrient Interaction
Drug Interactions
Recommended Daily Amount (RDA)/Optimum Intake/Safe Upper Levels
Over-dosing and toxicity
Nutritional Needs & a Healthy Diet

The information contained within this web site does not replace the advice and diagnosis provided by a qualified practitioner, such as a doctor, pharmacist or nutritionist. If you are taking prescribed medicines or are concerned about specific health symptoms, Purely Health Direct recommends you consult an appropriate healthcare professional before commencing a nutritional supplement programme.

An Introduction to Vitamins
Our understanding of vitamins is a fairly recent discovery as it was only in the last century that scientists successfully isolated vitamins from foods and identified their structure. Vitamins are micronutrients that are essential to good health. They work by regulating the body’s metabolism, assisting in the biochemical processes. At its initial discovery, each vitamin was given a letter, such as A or E, and once its chemical structure was defined, it was also given a scientific name. For example, Vitamin A is known as retinol, and Vitamin E as tocopherol. Confusingly, Vitamin B is not a single vitamin but the collective name for a group, most of which have their own individual number but some, like biotin, are known just by their name.

There are two categories of vitamins, water-soluble and fat-soluble. This is a very important difference for anyone who wants to supplement their diet with nutritional supplements. Water-soluble vitamins are needed by the body on a regular basis as they dissolve in water and are quickly lost from the body via the urine. Vitamin C and the B-vitamins are all classified as water-soluble. The remaining vitamins - vitamins A, D, E, and K - are all fat-soluble, and as such, they are stored in the body's fat stores for a prolonged period.

At its worse level, a deficiency of vitamins may cause disease, and Recommended Daily Amounts (RDA) define the minimum levels required to prevent deficiency only. Generally, maintaining optimum health requires dietary intakes greater than the RDA. However, it is important not to exceed the Safe Upper Levels, where identified. Large intakes of certain vitamins can also be dangerous, so it is important not to consume too much of a particular vitamin either through the diet or by taking too many supplements.

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An Introduction to Minerals
Minerals are naturally-occurring inorganic substances found in the earth. Over time, erosion breaks down the stone, rock and ore that contains these minerals and they form the basis of soil. Plants take up these minerals, which becomes part of our food chain when either we eat these plants directly or animals that become part of our diet eat them.

Like vitamins, minerals are micronutrients as they are needed in relatively small quantities; although without them the body cannot function properly. There are 22 minerals that are essential to health, for example, zinc for a healthy immune system, and calcium for strong and healthy teeth and bones.
Minerals are divided into two main groups:

1. Major minerals, such as calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium and sulphur
2. Trace minerals, such as copper, chromium, iodine and selenium, required by the body in smaller quantities.

A deficiency of minerals may cause disease, and Recommended Daily Amount (RDA) define the minimum levels required to prevent deficiency only. Generally, maintaining optimum health requires dietary intakes greater than the RDA. However, it is important not to exceed the Safe Upper Levels, where identified. Large intakes of certain minerals can also be dangerous, so it is important not to consume too much of a particular mineral either through the diet or by taking too many supplements.

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An Introduction to Dietary supplements
Eating a healthy, balanced and varied diet containing plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables should supply all the vitamins and minerals most of us need to maintain health and prevent the development of deficiency diseases. However, a recent Government survey revealed that the vast majority of the adult population are not consuming the recommended 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day. In addition , there are some groups of people who may require extra help in getting adequate amounts of these essential substances at certain times in their lives:

1. Anyone who frequently plays sport or exercises regularly
2. Someone on a special or restricted diet, especially if it excludes certain food groups such as meat or carbohydrate
3. Anyone with a busy lifestyle who may rely on ready-meals or even skip meals
4. Women who are pregnant or planning a pregnancy
5. Older people as our ability to absorb nutrients effectively decreases we age, at a time when our appetite often wanes
6. People who drink and smoke may also have requirements above those normally needed for their sex and age.
7. Anyone who wants to ensure that their dietary intake is safeguarded in providing them with the optimum balance of nutrients to maintain good health and protect against the diseases that can be caused by the harmful effects of excess free radicals.

Vitamins and minerals may also have therapeutic properties, helping people to recover more quickly from ill health, and some with antioxidant properties may play a role in helping to prevent diseases such as cancers and heart disease.

Finally, modern farming methods and food production techniques may mean that our diet alone is not provide the same level of vitamins and minerals as it used to. For example, the amount of the essential trace mineral selenium found in our natural diet has decreased significantly in recent years.
In all these cases, a dietary supplement may be appropriate.

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An Introduction to Herbal Supplements
For many millennia, herbs have been used in the treatment and prevention of diseases. Herbs can contain active ingredients made up of pharmacological chemicals. For example, in Ginkgo Biloba the active substances are ginkgoflavonglycosides and terpenlactones.

Traditionally, Herbalists prescribed a range of remedies such as teas or infusions, tinctures, and decoctions to treat their patients. However, modern science has now made it possible to isolate and standardise extracts so that they can be produced as tablets and capsules. These standardised extracts provide a much more stable and consistent level of active ingredient then can be obtained in the traditional way.

It is a frequent misconception that because herbs are natural substances, that they are all completely safe to take and can be used by everyone for any purpose. In reality, the active ingredients found in many herbs can have profound effects on the body's chemistry and some even have side effects. If you are taking prescribed medicines, it is important to seek the advice of a pharmacist before taking herbal supplements. It is also important to buy any herbal supplements from a reputable company who clearly identifies any potential contra-indications associated with a herbal product, so that you can seek appropriate health advice.

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An Introduction to Other Nutrients
As modern science progresses, there is a growing group of nutrients that do not fall into the traditional categories of vitamin, mineral or herb. These can loosely be described as "other nutrients", but can range from marine-sourced chondroitin to the oil found in the seeds of the starflower plant. This group of supplements may be helpful in preventing and, in some cases, helping to alleviate the symptoms of a disease.

Although scientists have for some time frequently been aware of the potential beneficial properties of these nutrients, to the layman many of these supplements are relatively new or unheard of. In some cases, such as lutein, results from clinical research suggest that they can have a real benefit to certain groups of people.

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Contents of Nutritional Supplements
Most often, dietary supplements come in three formats, they can be a tablet, or a capsule, or in liquid form such as an oil or tincture. Whatever the format, in addition to the nutrient formulation, the product may also contain other substances known as "excipients". These are materials used in the manufacturing process and can be grouped as follows:

Disintegrants
These are used to help tablets dissolve in the body's digestive tract, thereby making it easier for the active ingredients to be absorbed efficiently.

Fillers
As identified above, vitamins and minerals are often micro-nutrients, and only a tiny quantity of it may be required, often too small an amount to make into a tablet by itself. As a result, fillers are used to increase the volume of material in a tablet or capsule, into a manageable quantity and help the even distribution of active ingredients, ensuring that each tablet/capsule consistent content in terms of potency.

Binders
Without binders, tablets would crumble and fall apart. Binders bind the tablet together!

Lubricants
Lubricants assist the manufacturing process by aiding the removal of pressed tablets from machinery.

Flavourings & Sweetners
Some products come in a chewable format or in liquid form, and flavourings and/or sweetners are added to disguise the unpleasant taste of the key ingredients.

Colourings
Colourings are added for two main reasons. Firstly, there can be natural variation in the colour of some herbs and nutrients, and colourings are added to avoid unnecessary concern over those colour variations. Secondly, for anyone who takes more than one nutritional supplement, it can be helpful for their different supplements to be different colours.

Preservatives
Without presevatives, some dietary supplements would have very short shelf lives.
If you are concerned about common allergies, it is important to purchase your supplements from a reputable company who will tell you whether their product is free from yeast, lactose, gluten and nuts, and whether it is suitable for diabetics or vegetarians. Look at the Dietary Symbols information provided by Purely Health Direct.

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Chelated mineral
Minerals in supplements are often provided in a “chelated” form in order to either improve absorption and/or minimise digestive side-effects. A chelated mineral means that it is bound to another substance. Minerals can be bound to either another inorganic substance such as carbonates, phosphates or sulphates, or to an organic substance, such as amino acids, ascorbates or citrates.

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Sustained-release supplements
In An Introduction the Vitamins, it was highlighted that some vitamins are water-soluble and are quickly lost from the body via the urine. Modern manufacturing processes have provided an answer to this by developing sustained release formulations. The binding ingredient dissolves slowly over a period of 6-12 hours, allowing a steady release of active rather than being released all at once.

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Antioxidants & Excess Free Radicals
Anti-oxidants are essential to maintain a healthy body. This is due to their impact upon excess free radicals. Free radicals are highly reactive chemicals that are unstable. They steal charged particles or electrons from other molecules, changing them into more free radicals and setting off a destructive chain reaction. They are formed by heat, ultraviolet light including sun-light, x-rays and pollution within the environment, but are mostly produced within the body during normal metabolic process.

The body has a complex defence system to control free radicals without which the body would deteriorate quickly. This is called the anti-oxidant system. A number of nutrients found in food are useful anti-oxidents and their function is effectively to 'soak up’ excess free radicals, preventing the damaging chain reaction.

The damage caused by excess free radicals has been associated with many of the most damaging and feared diseases such as cancer, as well as far-less serious concerns, such as the cosmetically ageing effects of the sun.

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Swallowing Capsules and Tablets
Some people who have difficulty in swallowing larger tablets or capsules but still want to take a product in a certain strength. There are a number of options here:

1. If the formulation you want to take comes in two strengths, it may be possible to take two of the lower strength formulation rather than one of the higher strength.Be careful to ensure that you do not exceed the daily dose recommendations on the lower strength product.
2. Larger tablets can often be broken into two, for ease of swallowing. However, if even this proves difficult, tablets can be ground down and mixed into water, juices, or yogurts.
3. The contents of capsules, too, can be mixed into foods such as yogurt. However, if the capsule contains an oil, it is important to bring it to room temperature first to ensure that oil is viscous enough to be squeezed from the capsule.

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When To Take Your Dietary Supplements
Many people wonder what is the best time to take their supplements. To answer this question there are a number of things to consider.

1. What is the dosage instructions? Often, the dosage instruction will give advice, such as take with food, that will influence when you can take your supplements.
2. Do you have a regular routine? Make sure that your supplements are part of any routine that you follow on a daily basis, as this will help ensure that you take your supplements regularly.
3. Do supplements make you nauseous? Take the supplements before a meal.
4. Do you take several supplements? Put your day's supplements together in a container. Be aware of the impact different vitamins and minerals can have on each other by referring to our guide on nutrient interaction.

Nutrient Interaction
The absorption of vitamins and minerals in the body can be affected by many factors, some of which enhance absorption and some which can actually inhibit the process.
Some vitamins and minerals can have a positively synergistic effect on absorption. For example, Vitamin C can increase the absorption of Iron if taken at the same time. A similar effect can be found with Vitamin D and calcium. It is also widely held that taking the B vitamins as a complete group appears to enhance the absorption of each B vitamin. With the trace mineral selenium, the Vitamins A, C, and E appear to help its absorption in the digestive tract. Bear these beneficial factors in mind, when choosing the right supplement programme for yourself.

With both Vitamin A and Beta-carotene, the body finds it easier to absorb these when they are eaten together with a little oil or fat. Zinc absorption can be improved if protein is included as part of the same meal.

On the other hand, instead of a synergistic effect, some nutrients can actually hinder the absorption of another. For example, Potassium can impair the absorption of other minerals, like Magnesium. In this case, if you need to take a potassium supplement, you may also want to increase your dietary intake of Magnesium to contra this effect. In addition, the foods that we eat and popular drinks can also impact nutrient absorption. The phosphorus additives found in most colas may affect calcium levels in the body. Coffee may deplete levels of vitamin B1 and the tannin in tea binds to iron, making it unavailable for the body to absorb and use. Substances called phytates found in wholegrain cereal, can bind to a mineral such as Zinc and pass it out of the body in the stools without being absorbed. Similarly, "oxalates" in spinach and rhubarb can bind to calcium, rendering this mineral unavailable for use by the body.

As with most things in life, it is all a matter of balance, avoid consuming too much of one nutrient, which may unbalance the absorption of another. This is why choosing to supplement your diet with a multi-nutrient, developed with your specific concerns in mind, can be invaluable in providing peace-of-mind. A reputable manufacturer will have formulated their dosage taking into account these positive and negative impacts upon absorption. However, the following table provides further details on the most common interactions.

This list details certain nutrients with (i) nutrients that in adequate dietary intakes increase protection against deficiency, or (ii) substances that increase the risk of deficiency via excessive dietary intakes:

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Drug Interactions
Some prescription medicines can adversely affect the absorption of nutrients and some nutrients can also adversely affect some prescription medicines. For this reason, it is essential that you seek professional medical advice if you are taking both prescription medicines and dietary supplements. Your Pharmacist is often the best person to give this advice, as they are experts in drug interaction. It may help if you take with you any dietary supplements you want to take, as they should have a full list of ingredients and specific warning advice on the label.

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Recommended Daily Amount (RDA)/Optimum Intake/Safe Upper Levels
The EU has defined the Recommended Daily Amounts (RDAs) for a range of nutrients at amounts that are considered to be sufficient to prevent deficiency in most adult individuals in the population. The EU has not set RDAs for some nutrients. The RDA amount for a nutrient must, under European Union law, appear on the labels of all supplements and this is often expressed as a percentage of the RDA. For example, a product supplying 60mg of vitamin C supplies 100 per cent of the RDA for this nutrient.

Optimum Intake
It is important not to confuse a nutrient’s RDA with its optimum intake. The RDA does not necessarily represent the amount of a nutrient needed to maintain good health, merely the amount needed to prevent the onset of deficiency problems. In the scientific community, many believe that in order to achieve optimal health, the quantities of nutrients consumed should not be set at levels that merely prevent deficiency disease. Instead, they argue that intakes should be set at higher levels, which promote and maintain health at its optimum state. There have been many clinical trails undertaken to identify these optimal levels and these often enjoy widespread media coverage.

Safe upper limits
As is the case with many things in a life, a little can do you good, whilst a lot can do you harm! As over 4 out of 10 people in the UK regularly supplement their diets with nutritional supplements, the British government, through its Foods Standards Agency, has provided guidance on Safe Upper Limits for regular intakes of vitamins and minerals. These are over and above the RDA levels, and should not be exceeded unless under the specific recommendation of a qualified medical practitioner.

All Purely Health Direct products conform to the advice given by the Food Standards Agency on doses suitable for long term supplementation. Also, to help customers who take a number of our products, we have developed a Calculator Tool. This allows you to specify which Purely Health Direct products you take and compare to the advice given by the Food Standards Agency.

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Over-dosing and toxicity
Always follow the dosage guidance given on the label of your supplements. It is worthwhile checking that your supplements supplier conforms to the guidance provided by the Food Standards Agency on Safe Upper Levels, as not all manufacturers choose to comply with this guidance. It is never wise to exceed the recommended doses stated on the packet of a supplement. All Purely Health Direct products conform to the advice given by the Food Standards Agency on doses suitable for long term supplementation. Also, to help customers who take a number of our products, we have developed a Calculator Tool. This allows you to specify which Purely Health Direct products you take and compare to the advice given by the Food Standards Agency.

While a small additional amount of a vitamin or mineral can be quite beneficial, too much of any one supplement can cause health problems. This is no different to any other food. For example, if you ate a meal that contained a small quantity of onion, you would probably have no side effects. However, if you ate a meal containing 20 onions, you may well find that you were suffering from the effects of indigestion! However, excessive intakes of some vitamins, minerals and herbal supplements can be toxic.

When combining supplements, be aware that you will need to add up the total intake of the nutrients they contain. You may unwittingly take too much vitamin D, for example, by consuming cod liver oil, a calcium and vitamin D supplement designed to improve bone condition, and a multivitamin and mineral supplement. To help customers who take a number of our products, we have developed a Calculator Tool. This allows you to specify which Purely Health Direct products you take and compare to the advice given by the Food Standards Agency. Alternatively, seek the advice of a pharmacist who will be able to make sure that you stay within safe limits.

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Nutritional Needs & a Healthy Diet
The nutritional needs of men and women differ and also change with age. Paying attention to different requirements and eating well throughout adult life can help protect against and treat common conditions such as heart disease and arthritis.

It is an accepted fact that the chances of a long and healthy life can be improved through an appropriate diet. Important foods are oily fish, fruit and vegetables, and soy-based foods such as tofu. However, a recent government survey found that over 4 out of 5 adults in the UK were not eating 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day.

Adult Men
Heart disease, fertility, prostate problems, and stress all appear to be affected by diet. Ensure that the diet includes:

1. Garlic which may help to lower blood cholesterol
2. Mackerel, salmon, kippers, and other oily fish, two - three times a week
3. Brazil nuts, a source of selenium
4. Small quantities of lean meat and poultry
5. Low-fat dairy foods.

High fat foods should be avoided, as should excessive consumption of red meats. If desired, alcohol can be enjoyed within moderation but smoking should be avoided. There are numerous health benefits associated with regular moderate exercise.

Supplements such as saw palmetto and garlic also may be particularly useful for adult men, as may the mineral selenium.

Pregnant women
Pregnancy makes particular nutritional demands on a woman's body. Prior to pregnancy it is advisable to take a 400mcg supplement of folic acid (folate) daily to reduce the risk of neaural tube defects in an infant. A diet rich in essential fats helps the development of a baby's brain during pregnancy, and ensures a supply is maintained through breast milk after birth. Ensure that the diet includes:

1. Brussels sprouts and beetroot which are folate-rich foods.
2. Eat lean meat, poultry, and low-fat dairy foods and keep saturated animal fats to a minimum.
3. Oily fish like salmon, mackerel, and sardines for essential fats, two - three times a week
4. Red meat (in moderation), leafy vegetables, nuts, seeds, and pulses to provide iron.
5. High fat foods, alcohol and smoking should be avoided.

Supplements formulated specifically for women who are pregnant or planning a pregnancy may be beneficial. Take care if taking any other dietary supplements as some may not be suitable for use during pregnancy. A reputable manufacturer will state this on the label.

Post-menopausal women
The menopause can place particular stresses on a woman’s body and the maintenance of good health post-menopause can be helped enormously by diet. Incorporating quality plant oestrogens and antioxidant vitamins and minerals into the diet may help to slow the ageing process both internally and externally. Foods that can help maitain bone density become particularly relevant at this life-stage. Ensure that the diet includes:

1. Low-fat dairy products rich in calcium but if you are choosing to avoid the potentially harmeful effects of the sun, you may need to boost your intake of Vitamin D as well
2. Soy-based foods such as tofu, soy milks and yoghurts, and soy beans, which provide plant oestrogens
3. A wide range of fruits and vegetables, especially berries and citrus fruits, which are rich in the antii-oxidant nutrients that may help to reduce visible signs of ageing of the skin while also protecting the eyes and maintaining good vision.

High fat foods should be avoided, as should excessive consumption of red meats. If desired, alcohol can be enjoyed within moderation but smoking should be avoided. There are numerous health benefits associated with regular moderate exercise, particularly weight-bearing exercise which can help maintain bone density.

Adults aged 50 and over
It is a double blow that as we age our ability to absorb nutrients from our food decreases at a time when many people find that their natural appetite decreases. If you have followed a healthy, balanced, low-fate diet, then continue to do so. If a busy life until this point has prevented this then it is never too late to start. Ensure that the diet includes:

1. Red meat (in moderation) and canned oily fish complete with bones for particularly good sources of well-digested and absorbed iron and calcium.
2. Bananas and fruit juices for increased potassium to maintain mental clarity and antioxidants to fight cataracts, glaucoma, arthritis, and mental degeneration.
3. Oil fish rich in EPA/DHA’s to help maintain supple and flexible joints.

High fat foods should be avoided. If desired, alcohol can be enjoyed within moderation but smoking should be avoided. There are numerous health benefits associated with regular moderate exercise, particularly weight-bearing exercise which can help maintain bone density, although this should be done following appropriate medical advice.

However, mobility, short-term memory, maintaining eyesight and overcoming the drain on nutrients caused by some drugs may make supplements a valuable part of a mature person's diet. Multivitamin and mineral, garlic, gingko, and fish oil supplements may be particularly appropriate.

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