vitamin k2

The Problem With Folic Acid Supplements (And Why You Should Avoid “Fortified” Foods)

by Jamie on February 23, 2012

A few years ago, folic acid was in the news for potentially increasing your risk of breast cancer as well as a variety of others cancers.  And most recently, multivitamins were linked to an increase in mortality from all causes.  While correlation doesn’t equal causation, these findings do present some concerns over vitamin supplementation.  My goal in this post is not to present you with a doctoral dissertation about the usage of vitamin supplements, but rather to give you a brief explanation about how folic acid (and any mutlivitamins or fortified foods containing it) can raise your risk of developing some serious health problems.

I want to cut right to the chase here and tell you that your body has no requirement for folic acid, nor does it even recognize what to do with it.  This is because folic acid is a synthetic compound that was first isolated in 1943; its use in food fortification and vitamin supplementation began in 1998.  Folate, on the other hand, is an essential B vitamin found in moderate amounts in dark green leafy vegetables, liver, dairy products, eggs, and orange juice.  Deficiencies in folate can cause high levels of homocysteine, which is associated with heart disease.  During pregnancy, a lack of adequate amounts of folate in the diet can lead to neural tube defects and cleft palate in the developing fetus.

Because folic acid (the synthetic compound pteroylmonoglutamic acid) is cheap in comparison to actual folate (tetrahydrofolate) derived from food sources, nearly all supplement and food manufacturers use synthetic folic acid in their products instead of the natural foods-based folate.  This is a problem because the human body often fails to metabolize synthetic folic acid, causing a buildup of folic acid in the circulatory system, even at dosages less than 400 mcg (100% of the RDA).  This is a huge science experiment because we don’t quite know what all the repercussions of this include, but we are fairly certain that a buildup of unmetabolized folic acid does promote the growth of cancers.

Since you definitely do need adequate amounts of folate in your diet to prevent problems such as birth defects, cognitive decline, periodontal disease, heart disease, depression, sleep disorders, and cancer, it would be a great idea to include folate-rich foods in your diet on a daily basis.  You can obtain the RDA of folate by consuming 7 cups of romaine lettuce, 2 cups of cooked spinach, 4 ounces of calf’s liver, just over a cup of lentils, ten medium-sized oranges, or about 3.5 cups of beets each day.  Unless you are regularly juicing abundant amounts of leafy greens, beets, and/or oranges each day, or consuming either a cup of lentils or 4 ounces of liver on non-juicing days, you’re probably running low on folate.

Because of a mild to moderate folate deficiency, you might have elevated homocysteine (which doesn’t produce any symptoms but can raise your risk of developing heart disease), low energy levels, a failing memory, or an increased susceptibility to cancer.  These are things that can largely go unnoticed for months or even years, until you’re suddenly diagnoses with a disease.  For this reason, supplementation with natural folate might be a smart idea.  By supplementing with the natural form of folate found in food, you can avoid the problems that can occur when you supplement with synthetic folic acid.

There are only a few companies that use natural foods-based folate in their formularies, mainly because synthetic folic acid is cheaper and partly because few consumers really know the difference between folic acid (synthetic) and folate (natural).  One foods-based multivitamin that I really like and find to be a safe, effective, high quality formulation is the Designs for Health Multi with Copper (see below).  Besides the fact that the nutrients in this supplement are foods based, rather than synthetic, the company also includes both vitamin K1 and vitamin K2 in this multi, which is rare to find.  (I have written about the benefits of vitamin K2 in the past, and how it serves a different purpose in the body than vitamin K1.  Namely, it prevents calcification of the arteries and joints, while halting loss of calcium from bones.)  Scroll down to the bottom of this post for more information on the Designs For Health Multi.

Another good supplement that provides a variety of B vitamins, including folate, is a grass-fed whey protein powder called PaleoMeal.  It comes in several flavors that taste really good, and I like to use PaleoMeal when I can’t always obtain raw milk for breakfast.  I just mix it with ice, frozen berries, a raw egg, sea salt, and about a tablespoon of coconut oil, and then make it into a smoothie using a cheap blender from Target.

Click Here to Purchase Yours Today!

DFH Complete Multi with Copper 180 vcaps
Dietary Supplement
Supplement Facts
Serving Size: 6 Capsules
Servings per Container: 30
Amount per Serving
Vitamin A (as mixed carotenoids from palm tree fruit) 7142 IU
Alpha Carotene 24 mg
Beta Carotene 70 mg
Vitamin C (as ascorbic acid) 600 mg
Vitamin D (as cholecalciferol) 1000 IU
Vitamin E (total natural tocopherols) 300 mg
as d-gamma 205 mg
as d-delta 60 mg
as d-alpha 25 mg/37.5 IU
as d-beta 10 mg
Vitamin K 550 mcg
(as vitamin K1-phytonadione 500 mcg; vitamin k2-menaquinone-7 50 mcg)
Thiamin (Vitamin B-1)(as thiamine HCl) 75 mg
Riboflavin (Vitamin B-2) 75 mg
Niacin (Vitamin B-3)(as niacinamide) 75 mg
Vitamin B-6 (as pyridoxine HCl) 50 mg
Folate (NatureFolate blend) 400 mcg
Vitamin B-12 (as methylcobalamin) 500 mcg
Biotin (as d-biotin) 500 mcg
Pantothenic Acid (as d-calcium pantothenate) 250 mg
Calcium (TRAACS calcium glycinate chelate) 100 mg
Iodine (as potassium iodide) 200 mcg
Magnesium 200 mg
(TRAACS magnesium glycinate chelate buffered)
Zinc 25 mg
(TRAACS zinc glycinate chelate)
Selenium (as selenium glycinate complex) 250 mcg
Copper (as TRAACS copper glycinate chelate) 2 mg
Manganese 1 mg
(as TRAACS manganese glycinate chelate)
Chromium 200 mcg
(as TRAACS chromium nicotinate glycinate chelate)
Molybdenum 100 mcg
(as TRAACS molybenum glycinate complex)
Potassium 100 mg
(as potassium glycinate complex)
Trimethylglycine 200 mg
Choline (as citrate) 100 mg
Inositol 100 mg
Quercetin DiHydrate 25 mg
Rutin 25 mg
Alpha Lipoic Acid 10 mg
Hesperidin 10 mg
Boron (as boroganic glycine) 2 mg
Vanadium 100 mcg
(as TRAACS vanadium nicotinate glycinate chelate)
Other Ingredients: Vegetable stearate, microcrystalline cellulose, silicon dioxide.
Recommended Use: As a dietary supplement, take six capsules daily, two with each meal, or as directed by your healthcare practitioner.

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Fish Oil Vs. Cod Liver Oil

by Jamie on February 7, 2012

There have been a lot of questions on Facebook as well as through the contact form on the difference between fish oil and cod liver oil.  The main difference is that cod liver oil comes from the liver of the codfish, and therefore contains a healthy amount of fat-soluble vitamins not present in plant foods — namely, vitamins A, D3, and K2.  “Wait!” some people say.  “Isn’t vitamin A in carrots and vitamin K in leafy greens?”  The answer is that carrots are rich in beta-carotene, which might be converted in small amounts to vitamin A by your body, but some people are less efficient at producing vitamin A from carotenes and we don’t really have a good way of knowing if you’re a good converter or a poor converter.  My guess is that if you ate plenty of carrots as a child, like I did, and you still developed severe nearsightedness, you can’t make your own vitamin A from beta carotene very efficiently.  Vitamin K1 is present in green leafy vegetables, and it helps your blood to clot properly.  Vitamin K2 is a different vitamin, and it is only present in a few rare foods, such as cod liver oil, grass-fed butter, nattokinase, and hard aged cheeses.  Vitamin K2 prevents calcium from leeching from your bones and ending up in your arteries and joints, thereby preventing heart disease, arthritis, and osteoporosis.

Recent blog updates you might have missed…
Why I don’t use a vitamin D supplement

Recommended products for you this week…
Astra 8 for energy and strengthening your immune system
PaleoMeal for making tasty smoothies that support lean muscle mass and liver detoxification
PaleoGreens and PaleoRedsfor anti-aging, antioxidants, and optimal nutrition
Looking for something healthy to make for lunch?  Check out one of my FAVORITE foods in the world to make for lunch.  Click here for my not-so-secret recipe.

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The “Missing Link” to VIBRANT health that virtually all MODERN humans are deficient in!

by Jamie on April 11, 2011

This “missing link” to optimal health is quite possibly even more important for your health than vitamin D. More specifically, your body requires it for building strong bones and teeth and for preventing their breakdown over time. It helps to keep calcium from accumulating in your arteries and joints, and instead sends calcium to your bones in the areas where you need it. This nutrient also protects against oxidative damage, promotes healthy and youthful skin, enhances memory and balances mood, and supports healthy blood sugar levels.

Epidemiological research as well as recent double-blind studies also strongly suggest that this “missing link” nutrient plays a role in the prevention of prostate cancer and liver cancer, in addition to being protective against cardiovascular disease, diabetes, nervous system disorders, dental caries, and osteoporosis.

Nicknamed the “forgotten vitamin,” it is virtually missing from the diets of even the most health-conscious individuals! Why? The only dietary sources of this nutrient are the strong-tasting fermented Japanese soy food called nattokinase and fermented animal fats from grass-fed animals.  Because most animals that are grown commercially for food are fed corn-based diets, and most people have been led to believe that animal fats are unhealthy, modern diets are typically lacking in this vitamin.  (Plus, one would have to eat a LOT of fermented animal fat and/or nattokinase on a daily basis to get a protective dosage of this vitamin.)

Can you guess what it is? Written about by by Weston Price in 1945 in his famous text Nutrition and Physical Degeneration, Vitamin K2 (the “missing link” to optimal health) works with Vitamin D3 to get calcium out of your joints, arteries, and soft tissues, and into your bones and bone marrow.  Price actually called this nutrient “Activator X,” though it is now known as Vitamin K2 (not to be confused with Vitamin K1, which is abundant in leafy green plants and microalgae).

Unfortunately, few people know about the importance of Vitamin K2.  While research shows that the human body requires at least 50 mcg of Vitamin K2 each day, most people get absolutely none at all!  Perhaps this is the reason why just about everyone eventually develops arthritis, osteoporosis, calcified arteries, and dental caries, or worse!  And even more sadly, the vitamin supplement companies are cashing in on people’s ignorance by producing synthetic vitamin K supplements which are neither K1 nor K2, but rather, K3!

We have searched out some of the best Vitamin K2 supplements available so we can offer them to you here at Holistic Chinese Herbs.  Our products have all been tested by a third party to verify potency, accurate labeling of ingredients, and absence of artificial ingredients, dyes, and fillers.  Our K2 supplements are all from natural sources, and we never promote products containing synthetic vitamins.

Vitamin K2 30 vcaps
$29.99 Buy Here

Dietary Supplement

Supplement Facts
Serving Size: 1 capsule
Servings Per Container: 30

Amount Per Serving:

MenaQ7™ Vitamin K2 (as menaquinone-7) 100 mcg

Other Ingredients: vegetable cellulose, rice flour, vegetable stearate

Directions: One vegetable capsule daily with a meal, or more, as directed by a doctor.

Sold only for dispensing by a licensed health care professional.

TAMPER EVIDENT BAND AROUND CAP AND SEAL ON BOTTLE
DO NOT USE IF EITHER SEAL IS BROKEN OR MISSING
KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN

Do not use this product if you are taking warfarin/coumarin without consulting a physician.

Vitamin K2 Plus (Menaquinone-7) 60 caps
$22.99 Buy Here

A Dietary Supplement

Supplement Facts
Serving Size: 1 capsule
Servings Per Container: 60

Amount Per Serving:

Vitamin D3 (Cholecalciferol) 200 IU
Vitamin K2 (VitamK7™ brand Menaquinone-7) 50 mcg
Inulin 750 mg

Other Ingredients: vegetable cellulose, vegetable stearate

Suggested Use: As a dietary supplement, take 1 capsule, once or twice daily with food, or as directed by your health care practitioner.

Warning: Do not take this product if you are taking anticoagulant/anti-platelet drugs such as Warfarin/Coumadin. If you are pregnant or nursing, consult your health care practitioner before taking this product.

Keep out of reach of children.
Store in a cool, dry place.

This product is free of citrus, corn, egg, gluten, milk, rice, sodium, soy, wheat, yeast, added sugars, starches, synthetic dyes, artificial flavorings and preservatives.

Color of this product may vary due to color variations of the natural ingredients.

A Dietary Supplement to Support Healthy Bone Structure and Function*

We pledge total truth in labeling. Our family of products contain only the purest and most potent ingredients. Guaranteed.

Vitamin K2 plus is a blend of Menaquinone-7, Vitamin D3 and Inulin. Inulin supports intestinal absorption or calcium (from foods), which is important for maintenance of proper bone density. * This formula supports bone health and function as well as optimal utilization of Vitamin K2 in the intestinal tract. *

*This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Vitamin K2 Menaquinone-7 60 vcaps
$24.99 Buy Here

Dietary Supplement

- Soy Free

Supplement Facts
Serving Size: 1 vegetarian capsule
Servings per Container: 60

Amount per Serving
Vitamin K2 90 mcg
(as menaquinone-7)

Other Ingredients: Cellulose, vegetable stearate, calcium citrate and silica

Suggested Usage: As a dietary supplement, adults take 1 capsule daily or as directed by your healthcare professional.

Warning: This product contains vitamin K, which interferes with the prescription drugs Coumadin and Warfarin. Do not take this if taking either of these drugs.

This product contains NO yeast, wheat gluten, soy protein, milk/dairy, sodium, sugar, starch, artificial coloring, preservatives or flavoring.

For optimal storage conditions, store in a cool, dry place. (59°-77°F/15°-25°C) (35-65% relative humidity) Tamper resistant package, do not use if outer seal is missing.

KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN.

Arterial Therapy 30 tabs
$29.99 Buy Here

Dietary Supplement

Supplement Facts
Serving Size: 1 enteric-coated tablet
Servings per Container: 30

Amount per Enteric-Coated Tablet:
Vitamin B6 (as pyridoxine HCI) 20 mg
Folic Acid 800 mcg
Vitamin B12 (as cyanocobalamin) 400 mcg
Garlitrin 4000® Garlic Blend
Garlic (Allium sativum) Bulb Extract standardized to contain 3.8% alliin and organic garlic powder 320 mg
Pomegranate (Punica granatum) Fruit Extract 50 mg
Vitamin K2 (menaquinone-7) from Natto (fermented soybean extract)† 45 mcg

Other Ingredients: cellulose, rice maltodextrin, modified cellulose gum, modified cellulose, silicon dioxide, titanium dioxide color, magnesium stearate, sodium caseinate (milk), fractionated coconut oil, sodium alginate, vegetable glycerin, and stearic acid.

Recommendations: Take 1 tablet daily with food. Do not chew or crush.

Warning: If you are taking Coumadin®†† (warfarin) or other prescription drugs, or if pregnant or nursing, consult your healthcare practitioner before using this product. ††Trademark of its respective company.

Contains no sugar, salt, yeast, wheat, gluten, corn, artificial flavoring or preservatives. All colors used are from natural sources.

Triple-action artery support*
With Vitamin K2 and Pomegranate

Promotes healthy arteries and blood flow*

Arterial Therapy™ triple-action artery support combines a potent extract of fresh garlic with B Vitamins, pomegranate, and Vitamin K2 (MenaQ7™ brand) which promotes calcium transfer from blood to bones to help maintain healthy arteries and support strong bones.*

These ingredients work together to provide comprehensive support for:
• Healthy arteries and natural, unrestricted blood flow*
• Reduction of blood homocysteine levels*
• Maintenance of healthy cholesterol levels*†††

††† Already within normal limits

This product has a tamper-evident blister sheet. Do not use if foil or plastic is punctured.

*This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Cardio K/D liquid 1 oz
$34.99 Buy Here

Dietary Supplement

Supplemental Facts
Serving Size: 1 ml (0.03 fl oz)
Servings per Container: 30

Amount per Serving:
Vitamin D3 1,000 i.u.
Vitamin K2 (MK-7) (derived naturally from natto) 50 mcg

Other Ingredients: sunflower oil, natural vanilla flavor, mixed tocopherols

Contains milk, soy

Recommendations:
As a dietary supplement, take 1 ml daily, with a meal.

Warning:
If pregnant, consult your physician before taking this or any other product. Consult physician if taking Coumadin

This product contains no hidden coatings, excipients, binders, fillers, shellacs, artificial colors or fragrance. Contains no, wheat, yeast, gluten, sugar or hydrogenated oils

Tamper Resistant:
Use only if safety seal is intact

Keep out of the reach of children

STORE SEALED IN A COOL DRY AREA

Cardio Protect 90 vcaps
$54.99 Buy Here

Dietary Supplement

Supplement Facts
Serving Size: 3 capsules
Servings per Container: 30

Amount per Serving:
Vitamin C (ascorbate, ascorbyl palmitate) 175 mg
Vitamin E (mixed tocopherols, succinate) 60 IU
Vitamin K2 (menaquinone-7) 25 mcg
Thiamin (hydrochloride) 15 mg
Riboflavin (riboflavin 5′ phosphate) 15 mg
Niacin (inositol hexaniacinate) 225 mg
Vitamin B6 (pyridoxal 5′-phosphate, pyridoxine HCl) 25 mg
Folate (calcium folinate) 400 mcg
Vitamin B12 (methylcobalamin) 150 mcg
Magnesium (aspartate) 70 mg
Selenium (L-selenomethionine) 150 mcg
Potassium (aspartate) 70 mg
Pomegranate fruit extract (Punica granatum, punicalagins 40%) 150 mg
N-acetyl L-cysteine 100 mg
Trimethylglycine 100 mg
Cocoa bean extract (Theobroma cacao, 45%) 90 mg
Acetyl L-carnitine (HCl) 80 mg
L-carnitine 80 mg
L-lysine (HCl) 80 mg
L-proline 80 mg
L-taurine 80 mg
Resveratrol (trans-resveratrol, Polygonum cuspidatum) 80 mg
Inositol (inositol hexaniacinate) 75 mg
Coenzyme Q10 50 mg
Hawthorn leaf extract (Crataegus oxycantha, 2%) 50 mg
Alpha R-lipoic acid 15 mg

Other Ingredients: Cellulose, stearic acid, silica.

Suggested Use: As a dietary supplement, take 1 capsule three times per day or as directed by your healthcare professional

If pregnant or breast-feeding, contact your healthcare professional before use.

Keep tightly capped and store in a cool, dry place.

KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN

Disc-Flex 120 vcaps
$49.99 Buy Here

Hypo-Allergenic Dietary Supplement

Supplement Facts
Serving Size: 2 capsules
Servings Per Container: 60

Amount Per Serving:

vitamin C (as ascorbyl palmitate) 20 mg
vitamin D3 400 i.u.
vitamin K2 (as menaquinone-7) 10 mcg
hydrolyzed type II collagen complex† (chicken sternal cartilage) 500 mg
providing:
hydrolyzed type II collagen 60% 300 mg
chondroitin sulfate 20% 100 mg
hyaluronic acid 10% 50 mg
glucosamine HCl (crab, shrimp) 500 mg
l-carnosine (beta-alanyl-l- histidine) 75 mg
alpha lipoic acid (thioctic acid) 50 mg
devil’s claw (Harpagophytum procumbens) extract (root) 150 mg
(standardized to contain 5% harpagosides)
boswellia serrata extract (gum resin) 100 mg
(standardized to contain 70% boswellic acids)
grape (Vitis vinifera) seed extract 50 mg
(standardized to contain 92% oligomeric proanthocyanidins)

Contains milk, soy

Other Ingredients: vegetable capsule

Recommendations: Adults take 2-4 capsules per day, in divided doses, with meals.

Warning: If pregnant, consult your physician before taking this or any other product.

STORE SEALED IN A COOL DRY AREA
Keep out of the reach of children.
Tamper resistant: Use only if safety seal is intact

This encapsulated product contains no hidden coatings, excipients, binders, fillers, shellacs, artificial colors or fragrance. Contains no wheat, yeast, gluten, sugar, preservatives or hydrogenated oils.

Cardiokinase 90 veg gels
$89.99 Buy Here

Dietary Supplement

Supplement Facts
Serving Size: 3 VegiGels
Servings per Container: 30

Each VegiGel Contains:
Cardiokinase (Nattokinase Strain N) 25 IU
- Extract from organically (non-GMO) grown soybeans in the United States

Other Ingredients: Soybean Oil (GMO free), modified corn starch, seagel (kappa2 carrageenan), Glycerin (vegetable), sorbitol, water (USP, purified & deionized), palm stearin-organic, lecithin (GMO free), Silica.

Allergen Statement: This product contains soy and corn. No gluten, milk derivatives, or artificial colors or flavors.

Suggested Use: As a dietary supplement, take three VegiGels daily, 6 hours apart. For best results, take an additional VegiGel at bedtime.

Read First: If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or taking prescription medications, consult with your healthcare professional before using this product.

Cardiokinase features “Strain N” Nattokinase, an enzyme that is extracted from the traditional Japanese soy food called “natto.” Nattokinase was first discovered by Dr. Hiroyuki Sumi, Ph.D. Natto has been used traditonally to help support cardiovascular health. Modern research has revealed that Nattokinase works by breaking down fibrin, a protein involved in clotting of blood*

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Vegan friendly

Circutol™ 60 vcaps
$44.99 Buy Here

Dietary Supplement

Supplement Facts
Serving Size: 2 Capsules
Servings per Container: 30

Amount per Serving
Circutol Medicinal Mushroom & Herb Proprietary Blend 1 g
Cordyceps (Cordyceps sinensis), Hawthorn Berry (Crataegus pinnatifida.), Chinese Salvia root (Salvia miltiorrhiza), Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum)
L-Carnitine 100 mg
Nattokinase 1,000 FU (NSK-SD™) 50 mg

Other Ingredients: Vegetable capsule (Natural vegetable cellulose, water), microcrystalline cellulose, magnesium stearate, stearic acid, silicon dioxide.

Suggested Use:
As a dietary supplement, take 1-2 capsules, 1-2 times daily on an empty stomach. Loading dose: 2 capsules, twice daily, for 2-8 weeks, or as recommended by your health care professional

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