The UltraMind Solution (101 page)

Inositol, 25 to 50 mg

Choline, 100 to 200 mg

Iron (as chelate), 8 to 12 mg (only for menstruating women)

Keep in mind that this usually requires the intake of two to six capsules or tablets a day to obtain adequate amounts. Some people may have unique needs for much higher doses that need to be prescribed by a trained nutritionist or Functional Medicine physician.

You may not get exactly these amounts, forms, or ratios of ingredients in your multivitamin. Remember these are optimal guidelines and the exact forms and amounts of nutrients in a vitamin depend on the company that formulates it. So don’t be rigid. These are overall guidelines.

If you have problems swallowing supplements, you can try capsules instead of tablets. Or you can crush them, open them, and sprinkle them in food, or put them in shakes. There are also powdered and liquid forms of nutrients. Some nutrients can even be given as topical creams, such as magnesium or zinc.

There is something for everyone, even infants and children.

In addition to a multivitamin and mineral you will need to consider taking additional calcium and magnesium supplements. The amounts noted are the total daily requirements. What you will need depends on what is in your multivitamin. If your multivitamin contains 500 mg of calcium and 250 mg
of magnesium, then you will need less from your calcium and magnesium supplement.

I recommend the following:

Calcium citrate, 600 to 800 mg

Magnesium amino acid chelate (aspartate, glycinate, ascorbate, taurate, or citrate), 400 to 600 mg

Special Considerations for Calcium and Magnesium

There are risks associated with too much calcium from supplements, so don’t go over the amount recommended. It is optimal to obtain most of your calcium (1,200 to 1,500 mg a day) from your diet (greens, sardines with bones, sesame seed tahini). You should limit your calcium supplements to no more than 600 to 800 mg a day. The amount often quoted by doctors of 1,500 mg a day is the
total
requirement, not that to be taken in supplements.

Some with severe magnesium deficiency may need more. Some may need less. If you are concerned you may be severely deficient, discuss the details with your doctor.

Diarrhea is often a sign that you are getting a little too much magnesium. If this occurs, just back off on the dose. This can also be avoided if you switch to magnesium glycinate.

Avoid magnesium carbonate, sulfate, gluconate, or oxide. They are poorly absorbed (and the cheapest and most common forms found in supplements).

People with kidney disease or severe heart disease should take magnesium only under a doctor’s supervision.

Vitamin D deficiency is epidemic, with up to 80 percent of modern humans being deficient or suboptimal in their intake and blood levels. Therefore, you should consider taking additional vitamin D to what is in your multivitamin.

For maintenance I recommend:

Vitamin D
₃
, 2,000 IU (This is
in addition
to what is in your multivitamin, because so many people are significantly vitamin D–deficient.)