Weak Multivitamins and the Bulletproof Guide to Supplements

The modern diet, especially in the US, has shifted from high-nutrient foods to nutritionally void grains and processed foods. This shift has caused a lot of micronutrient deficiencies. These deficiencies lead to DNA damage and have been linked to almost every common disease.

One-per-day multivitamins are some of the worst supplements on the market. A lot of them can cause more harm than good because they have imbalanced nutrients. You get way too much of some and not enough of others. In addition, not everyone needs the same amounts of each based on our genetics and the state of our gut microbiomes. These multivitamins provide low-quality forms of vitamins. For example, we need folate but the cheap version folic acid is typically used in multivitamins. Folic acid is linked to cancer and 1/3 of people cannot process it.

Ideally, you should get blood work to identify any deficiencies and create a supplement stack based on your circumstances. The recommendations below generally work for most people. Sometimes the recommended doses are higher than the recommended daily allowance (RDA). The purpose of the RDA is to prevent disease not optimize performance.

Top 10 List of Bulletproof Supplements

1. Vitamin D - If you only test one vitamin, you should test for this one. You want about 1,000 IU per 25 lbs of body weight and take in the morning. I wrote all about vitamin D in a previous newsletter.

2. Magnesium - Take 600 - 800 mg of any magnesium that ends in -ate. Since Vitamin D peaks around noon, the suggestion is to take 1/2 dose of magnesium in the morning and 1/2 dose in the evening. I wrote all about magnesium in a previous newsletter.

3. Vitamin K - This helps the calcium in your body stay where it’s supposed to be. If you just take Vitamin D without Vitamin K, your chances of getting calcification in your arteries or organs go up. Vitamin D drives calcium into your cells. There are two types of Vitamin K: K1 and K2. K1 is found in leafy vegetables like kale. K1 is not as biologically useful as K2. K2 has two subsets: MK4 and MK7. MK4 produces the most benefits but MK7 is also important. The recommendation is 2,000 micrograms with 100 micrograms MK7 and the rest MK4. Vitamin D and Vitamin K2 should always be taken together.

4. Vitamin C - Vitamin C is important for many functions including playing a crucial role in how the body makes glutathione. Glutathione is an antioxidant and is the body’s primary detoxifier found in the brain and the liver. Vitamin C also helps build collagen. Most people should take 1-2 grams of Vitamin C (time-release even better) and do not take it right after exercise. The reason you don’t take it after a workout is isolated antioxidants like vitamin C and vitamin E can negate the insulin sensitivity you get from exercising.

5. Iodine - You need iodine for your thyroid and for metabolism. It enhances immune function and prevents some type of brain damage. You want to get a milligram per day from potassium iodide capsules or from kelp powder.

6. EPA and DHA - The best source is fish egg oil followed by krill oil then a high-quality fish oil supplement if the others are not available. Most fish oils sold in stores are contaminated or oxidized and smell really fishy. Damaged DHA and EPA by heat, air, or light is bad for you. Fish egg oil and krill oil are better than fish oil because they are more stable. Fish egg oil and krill oil are phosphorylated, which means they can enter the brain much more easily. Adult brains like EPA better and child and teenage brains like DHA better. Krill oil also has the antioxidant astaxanthin built-in. EPA reduces inflammation and DHA makes cell membranes stronger. The ideal omega-6 to omega-3 ratio is no more than four to one. Most Americans have a ratio of forty to one because they get very little omega-3 and huge amounts of omega-6 oil due to all the seed oils used in food processing. The recommendation is 350 to 1,000 mg per day.

7. Vitamin A - If you’re not eating a lot of organ meats, you are probably not getting enough vitamin A. Vitamin A is an important co-factor for metabolic reactions and bodily functions. Plants do not contain vitamin A. They have beta carotene, which your body barely converts to vitamin A. Vitamin A should be paired with vitamin D.

8. Selenium - Selenium is a heavier metal but not a toxic heavy metal. It boosts immune function, helps reduce cancer risk, helps reduce neurodegenerative disease risk, protects against lowered thyroid function. If you have too much selenium it could be bad for you (eating too many Brazil nuts). It is best to get a blood test to measure your selenium level and supplement accordingly. You can take 200 micrograms of methyl selenocysteine or selenomethionine per day. These forms tend to stay in the body the longest.

9. Copper - Copper is needed for vascular and heart function and for proper iron metabolism. Getting less than one milligram per day can cause heart attacks. A blood test can determine your copper level.

10. Vitamin B12 and Folate - Most people are deficient in B12, which protects you against dementia, increases immune function, maintains nerves, and regenerates cells. You need B12 and folate for mental function. If you are deficient in one you are probably deficient in the other because both of them are necessary for a process called transmethylation, which is how the body makes neurotransmitters. Vitamin B12 and folate should be taken together. The recommendation is five milligrams of methylcobalamin or hydroxocobalamin (B12) and 800 micrograms of folate in the form of five MTHF or folinic acid NOT folic acid.