Dr. Weil's recommendations for Vit. C and other antioxidants

[Guest guest]

Here are Dr. Weil's suggestions (taken from his newsletter).

Many of you have heard that I've reduced my recommended dosage of vitamin C

from 2,000 to 6,000 mg divided into three doses a day to only 200 to 500 mg

divided into two doses. I made the change after I examined two recent

studies that show lower levels of ascorbic acid more than saturate the

body's tissues, and thus are enough to protect against cancer, heart disease

and other chronic illnesses.

A review of clinical trials published in the April 21st issue of the Journal

of the American Medical Association concluded that 200 mg a day is the

maximum human cells can absorb, making anything above that level a waste.

The second study came from the Linus ing Institute (ing himself took

18,000 mg of C per day), published in the June issue of the American Journal

of Clinical Nutrition. It identified a similar dose, 120 to 200 mg, as the

optimal amount for reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer,

cataracts and other chronic conditions. I wouldn't worry if you've been

taking the higher dosages I've recommended in the past as vitamin C is water

soluble and anything not used by the body quickly passes out. In fact, I

still recommend higher dosages to those not getting at least five servings

of fruits and vegetables as part of their daily diet.

The rest of my antioxidant cocktail remains as follows:

Vitamin E: 400 to 800 IUs a day. People under 40 should take 400 IUs a day;

people over 40, 800 IUs. Since vitamin E is fat soluble, it must be taken

with food to be absorbed. Also, choose natural vitamin E (d-alpha tocopherol

with mixed tocopherols) instead of the synthetic form (dl-alpha-tocopherol).

I take vitamin E at lunch or dinner.

Selenium: 200 micrograms a day. Selenium is a trace mineral with antioxidant

and anticancer properties. Selenium and vitamin E facilitate each other's

absorption, so take them together. Vitamin C may interfere with the

absorption of inorganic forms of selenium (sodium selenite), so take the

yeast-bound form instead. Doses above 400 micrograms a day may not be

healthy.

Mixed carotenes: 25,000 IUs a day. I recommend a natural form, which is

easily found in health food stores. Read the label to make sure it gives you

lycopene, the red pigment in tomatoes that helps prevent prostate cancer,

and lutein, which protects against cataracts and macular degeneration. I

take mine at breakfast.