
 |
|
May 22, 2013
John Thorne:
They launched the 'Arab Spring' but now yearn for the good old days of a strongman
May 20, 2013
Richard A. Serrano: Is Meir Kahane's assassin now a changed man?
Melissa Healy: Genetic copies of living people from embryos no longer science fiction
Jewz in the Newz by Nate Bloom : Jews Inducted into Rock Hall of Fame; Anton Yelchin co-stars in New "Trek" film; Kutcher (but not Kunis) visits Israel; Jewish TV Star Praises Jewish Rap Star
The Kosher Gourmet by Cathy Pollak: WARNING: This WALNUT CAKE WITH PRALINE FROSTING, perfect for afternoon coffee, is addicting
May 13, 2013
Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo: Why the giving of the document that would permanently change the world could only be done in desolation
David G. Savage: Church-state, literally? Supreme Court weighing public school graduation in a church
May 10, 2013
Rabbi Berel Wein: Be all that you should be
May 8, 2013
Peter Ford: Why China is welcoming both Israel's Netanyahu and Palestinians' Abbas
Warren Richey: Obama administration quietly backs out of appeal over new contraceptive mandate
Fred Weir: At Kerry-Putin meeting, US-Russia relations thaw --- a tad
The Kosher Gourmet by Leela Cyd Ross : Almost too pretty to eat, this colorful salad with Sicilian inspiration will tickle the taste buds and delight your visual sensibility
May 6, 2013
May 3, 2013
Kids, kittens the Same? With employee perks at struggling Internet pioneer Yahoo! it's hard to tell
Sandy Kleffman: Artificial kidney offers hope to patients tethered to a dialysis machine
April 29, 2013
Roy Gutman: Poland's new Jewish museum celebrates life, doesn't revisit Holocaust
Mark Clayton: Terrorism in America: Is US missing a chance to learn from failed plots?
Kim Murphy: Boston Bomber's 'Svengali' Revealed
Pete Spotts: Tiny satellites + cellphones = cheaper 'eyes in the sky' for NASA
April 26, 2013
Clifford D. May: Defense in the Age of Jihadist Terrorism
Sharon Palmer, R.D.: How to feel your best -- with plenty of energy, a healthy weight and optimal mental and physical function -- without driving yourself batty
April 24, 2013
|
| |
Jewish World Review
On Nutrition: Confusion about Vitamin A and Calcium
By
Barbara Quinn
http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
Christine P. writes:
"Dear Barbara Quinn,
My question concerns A-vitamin. I am taking a multivitamin for women over 50 that contains a large amount of vitamin A beta carotene. I am concerned that this might be too much. I am 70 years old and in excellent health.
I also take a calcium supplement plus vitamin D and other medications to lower my cholesterol and blood pressure. I am considering to drop the calcium supplement, I heard a new study does question the absorption of calcium into the bones. I would like to have your opinion on the vitamin A and calcium."
Dear Christine, my opinion is this: As much as we try to simplify nutrition recommendations, they are really quite complex. Hence the following:
Vitamin A is actually a group of related compounds that are essential for good vision, immune function and reproduction. In food, vitamin A is in two major forms: "Pre-formed" (retinol or retinal ester) is found in fish oils, liver, and dairy foods. "Pro-vitamin A" (alpha- and beta-carotene) is found in orange, yellow and leafy green vegetables, tomatoes and fruit) and is converted to active vitamin A in the body.
Dietary supplements may contain both forms of vitamin A and the label should tell you that. This is important because excess "preformed" vitamin A (retinol) can be toxic and has also been associated with an increase in bone fractures. On the other hand, beta carotene is rarely toxic except in the case of smokers or asbestos workers who take it in high doses.
What is confusing is that nutrition labels often list vitamin A in IU's (international units) while nutrition experts consider RAE's (retinol activity equivalents). And RAE's are different based on the source of the nutrient. (Confusing, yes?)
In general, if your dietary supplement contains more than 10,000 IU's of "preformed" vitamin A (often listed as retinol or palmitate), that's too much. Many supplement labels will also list what portion of the vitamin A content is in the safer form of beta carotene.
Regarding calcium, you may be referring to the recent draft (not set in stone) document by the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) that specifically addresses the use of calcium and vitamin D supplements to prevent bone fractures from osteoporosis in woman past the age of menopause.
This task force concludes "with moderate certainty" that a daily supplement less than 400 IU of vitamin D-3 and 1000 mg of calcium carbonate does not appear to prevent a first-time fracture from osteoporosis in older women. And there is not enough evidence to support taking more than these amounts either.
However … this draft report says there is good evidence that vitamin D supplements can help prevent falls (that can lead to fractures) in people over the age of 65.
Adequately confused? It's a good reminder to look closely at who and what is being studied. Better yet, get the advice of a nutrition professional who can personalize your dietary needs according to your unique health and medical concerns.
Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in the media and Washington consider "must-reading". Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here.
Comment by clicking here. Barbara Quinn is a registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator at the Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula.
Previously:
• Learning moderation
• Energy from B-vitamins?
• The optimal diet for a new baby
• Hay is for horses
• Questions about nitrites and nitrates
• Confusing concepts
• Nutrition nursery rhymes
• Understanding sweeteners
• Ups and downs of birthdays
• Genetically modified foods
• Fun with potatoes
• Sugar questions
• Yeast infection diet
• Questions from readers
• Beware of the hCG diet
• Diets that work
• Pregnancy advice from mom
• Terminology review
• Thoughts for the New Year
• Reasons to have a cup of tea
• What's new for 2012
• Applications for healthy living
• Clarifying organic terminology
• Facts about type 1 diabetes
• Myths and facts about diabetes
• Food Still Better Than Supplements
• Celiac questions
© 2011, The Monterey County Herald Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services
|
|

Arnold Ahlert
Mitch Albom
Jay Ambrose
Michael Barone
Barrywood
Lori Borgman
Stratfor Briefing
Mona Charen
Linda Chavez
Richard Z. Chesnoff
Ann Coulter
Greg Crosby
Larry Elder
Suzanne Fields
Christine Flowers
Frank J. Gaffney
Bernie Goldberg
Jonah Goldberg
Julia Gorin
Jonathan Gurwitz
Paul Greenberg
Argus Hamilton
Victor Davis Hanson
Betsy Hart
Ron Hart
Nat Hentoff
A. Barton Hinkle
Jeff Jacoby
Paul Johnson
Jack Kelly
Ch. Krauthammer
David Limbaugh
Kathryn Lopez
Rich Lowry
Michelle Malkin
Jackie Mason
Ann McFeatters
Dale McFeatters
Dana Milbank
Jeanne Moos
Dick Morris
Jim Mullen
Deroy Murdock
Judge A. Napolitano
Bill O'Reilly
Clarence Page
Kathleen Parker
Star Parker
Dennis Prager
Wesley Pruden
Tom Purcell
Sharon Randall
Robert Robb
Cokie & Steve Roberts
Heather Robinson
Debra J. Saunders
Martin Schram
Greg Schwem
Culture Shlock
David Shribman
Roger Simon
Lenore Skenazy
Michael Smerconish
Thomas Sowell
Ben Stein
Mark Steyn
John Stossel
Cal Thomas
Dan Thomasson
Bob Tyrrell
Diana West
Dave Weinbaum
George Will
Walter Williams
Byron York
ZeitGeist
Mort Zuckerman

Robert Arial
Chuck Asay
Baloo
Lisa Benson
Chip Bok
Dry Bones
John Branch
John Cole
J. D. Crowe
Matt Davies
John Deering
Brian Duffy
Everything's Relative
Mallard Fillmore
Glenn Foden
Jake Fuller
Bob Gorrel
Walt Handelsman
Joe Heller
David Hitch
Jerry Holbert
David Horsey
Lee Judge
Steve Kelley
Jeff Koterba
Dick Locher
Chan Lowe
Jimmy Margulies
Jack Ohman
Michael Ramirez
Rob Rogers
Drew Sheneman
Kevin Siers
Jeff Stahler
Scott Stantis
Danna Summers
Gary Varvel
Kirk Walters
Dan Wasserman

Tech Q&A
Mr. Know-It-All
Ask Doctor K
Richard Lederer
Frugal Living
On Nutrition
Bookmark These
Bruce Williams
|