Balancing Our Supplements
from Data Source:
“What We Eat In America”
www.ars.usda.gov/SP2UserFiles/Place/12355000/pdf/usualintakestables2001-02.pdf
A. Moshfegh, J. D. Goldman and L. E. Cleveland. What We Eat in America, NHANES 2001-2002: Usual Nutrient Intakes from Food Compared to Dietary Reference Intakes. 2005.
% of U.S. people in each age/gender group that are not getting enough magnesium from foods:
% of group getting, each day, less Mg than required for health | % of group getting, each day, less Mg than required for health | |
Age group | Males | Females |
9 – 13 yrs | 14% | 44% |
14 – 18 yrs | 78% | 91% |
19 – 30 yrs | 55% | 64% |
31 – 50 yrs | 61% | 65% |
51 – 70 yrs | 70% | 64% |
71+ yrs | 81% | 82% |
All 19+ yrs | 64% | 67% |
In 2001-2002, the Agricultural Research Service of USDA did us a great service by finding out what Americans eat and how the nutrients they consume with food compare with the nutritional requirements for healthy people.
Although these numbers cannot replace a personal assessment, and the Study did not include all essential nutrients (see below)*, the report points us to areas many of us on a modern, processed-food diet could do well to improve with healthier food selection and/or supplements.
Improving your diet with foods helps insure a healthy balance of nutrients. If you decide that supplements are warranted, balancing nutrient intakes is advised.
This page will provide information to help in nutrient balancing when supplements are warranted. It lists specific nutrients that are missing in the diets of many in the U.S.A., a population largely consuming a processed food diet.
In general, Americans’ (U.S.A.) food selections:
I. Do not supply enough of the following to over half (>50%) of the USA population:
Magnesium (See chart above)
Vitamin E
Fiber (most probably)
Vitamin C (smokers only)
Vitamin A (men age 14+; women age 14 - 30).
II. Do not give one-quarter to one-half (25% to 49%) of the USA population enough:
Vitamin C – nonsmokers
Vitamin A – (women over age 30).
III. May not be giving us enough:
Calcium [Study used AI rather than EAR for Calcium: See footnote (1) & (2) below for explanation]
IV. Most definitely give us too much Sodium and quite probably not enough Potassium [See footnotes (2) & (3) below]
See Below For Nutrients being missed by specific Age/Gender Groups From the Foods They Eat, but remember:
*“What We Eat In America”
Did Not Assess
these vitamins: biotin pantothenic acid
these minerals: boron chromium cobalt manganese molybdenum nickel vanadium
Click here for specific nutrient information for adult women, non-pregnant, non-lactating:
Click here for specific nutrient information for Teen-aged girls, age 9 – 18 yrs:
Click here for specific nutrient information for Teen-aged Boys aged 9 – 18 yrs:
Click here for specific nutrient information for Adult men, aged 19 – 50:
Click here for specific nutrient information for older men, aged 51 +
Click here for specific nutrient information for small children, aged 1 - 4 yrs
Almost all get too much sodium [See footnote (3)]. And our low potassium [See footnote (2)]and magnesium [See chart above] intakes make these high intakes of sodium especially unhealthy. Sodium needs potassium to be in balance, and potassium needs enough magnesium for it to properly function at the cellular level. Too much sodium coupled with too little potassium and too little magnesium is an unhealthy nutritional mix. With adequate magnesium and potassium, the body can handle sodium and “salting to taste” can be just fine. See: McCarron, D. A. (1997). "Role of adequate dietary calcium intake in the prevention and management of salt-sensitive hypertension." Am J Clin Nutr 65(2 Suppl): 712S-716S. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Citation&list_uids=9022571
But be careful!!! So many people try to limit sodium in their diets, some successfully so -- only to find out that a low blood sodium can mean illness and even death. It would be much better for those wanting to limit their sodium to rather be sure their magnesium and potassium are adequate. That way, the body can handle the amounts of sodium that our culture so loves at this time.
How much is too much?
“What We Eat In America”
Used the UL (“Upper Tolerable Intake Level”) for the following nutrients:
% of People in USA population who are getting above UL from foods for each of the following nutrients:
Vitamin A less than 3% (except ages 1 – 3)
Folate less than 3% (except ages 1 – 8)
Vitamin B6 less than 3%
Vitamin C less than 3%
Calcium less than 3%
Phosphorus less than 3%
Iron less than 3%
Zinc less than 3% (except ages 1 - 8)
Copper less than 3% (except ages 1 - 3)
Selenium less than 3% (except ages 1 - 3)
Sodium most 56 – 97+%
Footnotes
(1) “What We Eat In America”
Used EAR* (Estimated Average Requirements) for these nutrients:
Vitamins Minerals
Vitamin A Selenium
Vitamin E Carbohydrate
Thiamin Protein
Riboflavin Phosphorus
Niacin Magnesium
Vitamin B6 Iron
Folate Zinc
Vitamin B12 Copper
Vitamin C
*EAR allows statistical calculation of the % of individuals who are getting less than adequate intake of that nutrient.
(2) “What We Eat In America”
Used *AI (Adequate Intakes) for these nutrients:
vitamins/other minerals
Vitamin K Calcium
Dietary Fiber Potassium
Linoleic Acid (omega-6) Sodium
Linolenic Acid (omega-3)
*AI does not statistically allow assumptions about prevalence of inadequacy as does EAR
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
(3) While over 97% get their AI for sodium, less than 3% get their AI for potassium from foods.
From: A. Moshfegh, J. D. Goldman and L. E. Cleveland. What We Eat in America, NHANES 2001-2002: Usual Nutrient Intakes from Food Compared to Dietary Reference Intakes. 2005. www.ars.usda.gov/SP2UserFiles/Place/12355000/pdf/usualintakestables2001-02.pdf
| ©2008 Center for Magnesium Education & Research |