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The evidence is that modern factors demand that we need not just
to eat a better diet but to supplement that diet.
About 40% of adults in the UK and 50% in the USA now do take
a vitamin and mineral supplement. But most have been seduced into
thinking that taking an A-Z type supplement, incorporating the
Recommended Daily Allowances (RDAs), of a range of nutrients will
do.
It won't.
When it originally drew up the RDAs, the National Academy of
Sciences never claimed these represented nutrient intakes designed
to achieve optimal health. They were never more than a safety
net, with the specific purpose of preventing deficiency diseases.
The RDA concept suffers from three major weaknesses:
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They are average values and do not take into account the
needs of the individual, which may be much higher in many
circumstances - for example as we get older, live more stressful
lives, drink or take the Pill.
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The dose sufficient to prevent depletion states is not
high enough to guarantee sustained optimal health.
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Some absolutely vital nutrients have not yet had an RDA
established for them.
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