A recent poll of 4 doctors, 2 female & 2 male, reveal to us what vitamins they take themselves – a surefire model to help us fine tune our own habits.

Here are their daily vitamins:

Females

What Dr. Melina Jampolis – Age: 38 takes:

1. Multivitamin
2. Calcium
3. Vitamin D
4. Omega 3
5. Jampolis, who specializes exclusively in nutrition for weight loss and disease prevention and treatment, says everyone should take a basic multivitamin. “I like to call it an insurance policy,” she says.

What not to take

1. “I’m not convinced that the ‘beautiful skin’ vitamins really help much — it’s much better to get the nutrients from your diet, drink water, and wear sunscreen,” Jampolis says.

What Dr. Christiane Northrup – Age: ‘50 something’ takes:

1. Antioxidant supplement
2. Fish oil. Some studies have found fish oil, which contains omega 3 fatty acids, can help lower triglyceride levels, lower blood pressure, and help depression, among other uses.
3. Calcium, which can help prevent osteoporosis – a problem in particular for older women
4. Magnesium
5. Coenzyme Q10
6. Vitamin D
7. Dr. Northrup says it is important to remember that vitamins are not drugs. They don’t work the same way in the body.
8. “Vitamins are best taken in the correct proportions to each other” says Dr. Northrup. For example, she says if you are taking folic acid, which is a B vitamin, you’ll do better when you also take the other Bs that make up the B complex. Says Dr. Northrup, “That’s how nutrients occur naturally and how the body best utilizes them.”

What not to take

1. Northrup says postmenopausal women almost never need iron, and taking too much might pose a risk for heart health.

Males

What Dr. Walter Willett – Age: 63 takes:

1. Multivitamin
2. Vitamin D
3. Willett thinks the jury is still out on vitamin E and C and heart health. “I don’t think we have the final answer,” says Willett. He points out that in the Women’s Health Study, women receiving vitamin E experienced a statistically significant 24 percent reduction in total cardiovascular disease mortality.

What not to take

1. He agrees with Dr. Weil: men don’t need extra calcium, and high intake might increase the risk of prostate cancer.

What Dr. Andrew Weil – Age: 66 takes:

1. A daily multivitamin/multimineral
2. Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to breast cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer, heart disease, and multiple sclerosis, as well as other conditions. Studies show many of us are vitamin D deficient. Weil says look on the label to make sure you’re getting Vitamin D3, not vitamin D2.
3. Magnesium. Lack of magnesium may lead to irritablity, muscle weakness, and irregular heartbeat.
4. Juvenon (or Omega), a compound believed to enhance cellular health and function. This supplement contains two nutrients, acetyl-L-carnitine and alpha lipoic acid. The company that makes Juvenon says benefits include ‘more energy’, a ’sharper mind’ and ‘more restful sleep’.
5. Co-Q-10, a supplement that boosts coenzyme Q10, which is produced by the human body and is necessary for the basic functioning of cells. Animal studies have found that coenzyme Q10 helps the immune system work better and makes the body better able to resist certain infections and types of cancer.
6. Weil also “believes vitamins E and C are important as part of our antioxidant defenses, even if we have not yet documented specific preventive effects.”

What not to take

1. Weil says men shouldn’t take iron unless they’ve been diagnosed by a physician as having iron deficiency anemia. He also advises against men taking calcium supplements; he’s concerned they could increase the risk of prostate cancer.

Bottom Line

Looking at their answers, we can see that both female doctors included calcium & vitamin D and both male doctors included a multivitamin & vitamin D. The 4 experts agree though that taking vitamins is only part of a larger puzzle. You also need to watch your diet and exercise. Here are three sites the experts suggested we check out, and as usual, consult your personal physician before partaking in any health regiment:

1. Mayo Clinic’s drug and supplement information center
2. National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements Fact Sheet
3. National Library of Medicine’s Vitamin information page