Vitamin/ Mineral

Common Uses

Usual Dose

Contraindications and Precautions

Drug Interactions

Vitamin A

• Essential in maintaining normal growth of epithelial cells

• Helps in night vision

• Maintains healthy nervous system

• Vitamin A deficiency may increase your susceptibility to infections

• Adult RDA: 5000iu / day

• Zinc helps in absorption of Vit A

• Found in cod liver oil capsules and emulsions

• Avoid excessive doses during pregnancy.

• None known

• When taken in large amounts, vit A will enhance action of warfarin.

• Mineral oil, Orlistat, Cholestyramine may reduce vit A absorption.

Vitamin C

• Helps body resist infections

• Helps in wound healing

• Helps in absorption of iron and calcium

• Maintains healthy skin, tissues and blood vessels

• Protects against  cataract

• The need for vit C increases when the body is subjected to trauma, infections, strenuous exercise or if the person is a smoker.

• RDA: 60mg /day

• Studies show up to 3000mg may be beneficial; excess amount passes into urine, does not store in the body

• Available in chewable tablets, effervescent tablets, sustained release formulations, Ester C, and acid free formulations ( for those with gastric problems)

• Mega doses should be avoided in those with history of renal stones

• Antacids, alcohol, cholestyramine, antidepressants, birth control pills may deplete vit C.

• Reduce effect of cholestyramine and warfarin.

Vitamin E

• Antioxidant

• Maintains healthy skin and hair

•200 - 400iu / day

• None known

• None known

• When taken in large amounts, vit E mayl enhance action of warfarin.

• Will impair iron absorption (best not be taken at the same time) .

• Mineral oil, Orlistat, Cholestyramine should not be taken with vitamin E as they reduce vitamin E absorption.

Zinc

• Boosts immunity

• Required for cell division and cell growth

• Aids wound healing

• Maintains normal sense of taste and smell

• 15-30mg / day

• toxic in high dose (induce copper deficiency)

• Soya, milk, iron supplements, whole wheat bread and bran can interfere with zinc absorption

• Avoid taking with calcium ( reduces zinc absorption by 50%)

Selenium

• Antioxidant

• Males appear to have a greater need for selenium. Almost half their body's supply concentrate in the testicles and is lost in  semen.

• 50- 200mcg / day

• None known

• Multiple side effect in large dose.

• None known

Folic Acid

• Helps to strengthen immune system

• Prevent neural tube defect

• RDA : 400mcg / day

• Can mask vit B12 deficiency

• Folic acid slightly reduces the body's ability to absorb and retain zinc

Herb

Common Uses

Usual Dose

Interactions/
contraindications

Drug Interactions

Colostrum

• Supplementation of immune factors, antibodies, and other proteins.

• 10g/day.

• Avoid in pregnancy and breastfeeding.

• None reported.

Echinacea

• Prevention and treatment of the common cold.

• Prevention and treatment of damage by UV/UVB radiation.

• Wound healing.

• 6-9ml/day of the root or

• 900mg/day of the leaf.

• NB: Course of 7-14 days. Do not take for > 8 consecutive weeks

• Allergy to Echinacea or alcohol (as tinctures may contain alcohol).

• Avoid in pregnancy and breastfeeding.

• Patients with severe illnesses.

• None reported.

• Not to be taken with steroid, methotrexate, amidarone, ketoconazole as may induce liver toxicity.

• Antagonise effect of immuno-suppresants.

Garlic

• Antimicrobial.

• Thins blood.

• Prevention and treatment of high cholesterol.

• 4g/day of freshly minced garlic bulb, or

• 600-900mg/day of dried garlic powder.

• Allergy to garlic.

• Avoid in pregnancy.

• May worsen stomach ulcers or acid reflux problems.

• May increase risk of bleeding if used with drugs that thin the blood e.g. warfarin, aspirin.

Ginseng

• Enhances immune function.

• Anti-fatigue.

• Anti-stress.

• Antioxidant.

• Prevention of high cholesterol.

• 100-300mg/day.

• Depends on where the plant grew and extraction techniques.

• Allergy to ginseng.

• May decrease blood glucose in diabetics.

• May decrease warfarin activity.

• May interfere with digoxin activity.

Green Tea

• Antimicrobial.

• Anti-mutagenic.

• Antioxidant.

• Prevention of high cholesterol.

• Cancer, dental caries.

• 3 to 6 cups daily.

• Allergy to green tea.

• Green tea contains caffeine. Avoid in pregnant women.

• May cause asthma attacks in some susceptible asthmatics.

• Increase effect anticancer drug, Doxorubicin.

• Milk may inhibit antioxidant effect of green tea.

• May increase effect of warfarin.