RDA & DRI

What vitamins do you recommend that will give me a boost of energy during working hours? If you want energy and to stay awake, eat more meat, fish or poultry than carbohydrates at breakfast and lunch. If you want to fall asleep, eat more carbohydrates at dinner. Also, don't eat too much food at one...

What type of calcium pills should a woman be taking? You know how a lot of women are taking calcium pills? The best-absorbed form of calcium from a pill is a calcium salt like carbonate or citrate. Calcium gluconate and calcium lactate are absorbed well by pregnant women. Seniors absorb calcium lactate, gluconate and citrate...

I'm wondering whether my kids are getting enough calcium. How much do they need and about how much milk, cheese, yogurt, etc. is that? I have a girl, 6 years, another girl, 3 years and a boy, 1-year. Thanks for your help! Your 6-year-old child needs 800 milligrams of calcium per day. Your 3-year-old needs 500...

My question concerns the use of zinc and vitamin C to enhance a man's fertility. My husband and I are currently trying to have a baby and he was advised to supplement his diet with vitamin C and zinc. Is there any scientific merit to this advice and if so, how much of each...

Does baking a custard affect the calcium in milk? Cooking does not alter the calcium in milk. Calcium from milk in baked custard stays in the same form as calcium in fluid milk. Minerals are usually pretty stable to most cooking methods. The absorption of calcium can be decreased by oxylates in green leafy vegetables or...

I am an exercise physiologist and weight management, consultant. I enjoy your website and your comments, but I wanted to get your take on why the industry standard for dietitians is to not recommend vitamin/mineral supplements except for those who are not getting "The RDA". I don't really know how you feel, but I fundamentally...

Is it advisable for non-pregnant adults (female and male) to take pre-natal vitamin pills? Pre-natal vitamins contain nutrients at levels recommended for pregnant women. Increased amounts of folacin (folic acid), iron, calcium and vitamin C (improves iron and calcium absorption) can be present. Folic acid has been found to reduce neural tube defects (spina bifida)...

What nutrients form our bones? Your bones contain mostly calcium and phosphorus which are minerals that give bone its rigidity. Your bones have the breaking strength of cast iron. In other words, as much pressure as it would take to break a cast iron pan, it would take that much force to break a bone...

Thanks for the advice. Yes, I meant 50 grams a day and it seemed too much to me, especially since I was pregnant at the time and was not about to take anything experimental. My dad got his medical feelings hurt over the whole issue and is still mad at me. But this is...

What is your opinion of colloidal minerals? Thanks for your help! Colloidal minerals are molecules of minerals suspended in a liquid. The particles are not dissolved and may carry an electrical charge which enables them to combine with another particle to make a compound and precipitate out as a solid. These electrically charged particles are...