With thousands of supplements out there, I was curious to see which ones that Dr. Ivker felt were the most beneficial core supplements. This is an interview with Dr. Ivker.
Everyone has unique needs, which may necessitate specific supplementation. For example, if you live in the Northwest, it’s almost a given that you need to take more Vitamin D3, the sun vitamin (at least 2,000 IU’s a day). If you take a beta blocker, you need to take Vitamin D3 and vitamin K because the beta blocker is known to deplete the body of those nutrients. But is there a “core” that everyone should take?
Dr. Ivker’s Core Supplements for Good Sinus Health
Dr. Ivker, what advice would you give a patient on what they should be taking daily for just their core supplementation, if any? “I’m asked that question a lot. To start, a good multivitamin is a must because both our diets don’t usually give us the nutrients we need in a day, even if we try, and foods don’t contain the nutrients they once did because of over-farming, GMOs, etc.”
Q: You said a good multivitamin, what do you mean by that?
A: Not all vitamins are created equal. Many that you find at the grocery store are made with lower quality ingredients, binders, fillers, and contents that many sinus patients may be allergic to. Also, a cheap multivitamin won’t have a high enough level of B-vitamins and core minerals. They usually leave out some of the more expensive nutrients that you’d have to buy separately, actually costing you more in the long run.
Q: Can you give us some examples of what most vitamins leave out?
A: I mentioned the B vitamins, this is usually the first place that many multivitamins don’t provide a high enough dosage. The B vitamins help convert food into energy B-9 or Folate or Folic Acid provides DNA synthesis and repair to produce and maintain new cells and protect against cancer. Most multivitamins only have 50% of RDA. Biotin for healthy skin, hair, and nails. Selenium for good cognitive function, a healthy immune system and fertility, which this trace mineral is only in seafood, brazil nuts, and organ meats, so almost no one gets the right amount of selenium because it’s just not in their diet.
Q: What multivitamin do you recommend?
A: Many of the brands you can get from a doctor are great, and I know people can get those also through Village Green like Metagenics, Xymogen, etc. Also, your Pathway Multi-two is an excellent multi that I would put in the practitioner category. Just look at the ingredient list of your current multivitamin and compare to one of these like Pathway and you’ll immediately see the difference.
Q: Great. And tell me about the other Vitamins that you recommend.
A: Vitamin C is important to sinus sufferers, even in addition to your multivitamin. Vitamin C builds your immunity and also minimizes allergy responses. Take 3,000mg. Vitamin E, flaxseed, and fish oil are also in what I would call the Core 5 must-take supplements. Vitamin E is a powerhouse antioxidant that can reduce free radical damage to protect against health issues like heart disease, but it’s especially important for the sinus sufferer because it fights inflammation in the body and the sinuses. Flaxseeds have may beneficial nutrients, is another antioxidant, is loaded with Omega-3 essential fatty acids, and has beneficial fiber.
I would also recommend a high-quality probiotic, which is why I searched to find one of the best probiotics with over 20 billion live cultures, which we added to the Sinus Survival program as Sinus Survival probiotic.
Q: I agree with your advice and similarly recommend these nutrients to my clients as a good base core to take on a daily basis. Thank you for your time and advice Dr. Ivker.
A: You’re welcome and thanks for your time.
Dr. Ivker’s Core 5 Daily Supplement List
- Practitioner Brand Quality Multivitamin
- Vitamin C (3,000mg daily split between 3 meals)
- Vitamin E (400 I.U.)
- Flaxseed (add a tablespoon to a smoothie or to cereal in the a.m.)
- Fish Oil
Additional: A daily probiotic for good gut health.