Your Questions, Our Answers

Should I take magnesium?
Should I take iodine?
What about iodine and selenium? Am I to take these together?
How much vitamin D should I take?
Should I take vitamin K?
What about black seed oil?

Q: Should I take magnesium?
A: Everyone should consider taking 250 mg per day of magnesium, but not all magnesium supplements are the same.

YES: magnesium glycinate.
OK: magnesium citrate.
NO: magnesium oxide.

You cannot rely on bloodwork for magnesium levels, as the blood is the least sensitive way of measuring your magnesium. The blood is considered the reservoir that your tissues can draw upon at a time of need. It’s the last thing to reflect changes in the body. You would notice changes in your muscles way before you would see changes in your blood. Example: restless legs syndrome and muscle cramps are early signs of magnesium deficiency or a potassium deficiency.

Q: Should I take iodine?
A: 250 mg per day of iodine is good for most everyone. Iodine is the most protective thing in your diet against radiation.

Q: What about iodine and selenium? Am I to take them together?
A: Everyone should take 100 to 200 mpg. of selenium a day. The exception would be people who eat Brazil nuts, seafood or shellfish four times a week or more. We know selenium is really good for the thyroid as many people have thyroid problems due to selenium deficiency, not a lack of iodine. You also want to take selenium if you are doing any aggressive treatment for your thyroid. If you’re going to take the iodine to try to replenish your thyroid, then you should take selenium with it.

selenomethionine- 100- 200 mpg. per day.

Q: How much vitamin D should I take?
A: The best way to produce vitamin D is by being outside for one hour with your face, arms and legs exposed. By the time we hit the summer solstice in June, we can probably get by with 30 to 40 minutes per day. The goal is to get vitamin D every day either from sun exposure or supplements.

Always take vitamin D3 and never D2.
5,000 IU’s is good from a supplement, but if you’re getting outside a lot and not using sunscreen, you could be getting 15,000 to 20,000 IU’s from sunshine alone.
10,000 IU’s is fine in the winter.
In blood work, we would like to see vitamin D around 50—80 if you have cancer.

Q: Should I take vitamin K?
A: Yes, in the morning. 150 mpg is a good daily amount. Buy a source that comes from Japan.

Q: What about black seed oil?
A: This is one of the best supplements you can take. It is not a vitamin or a mineral. It is commonly referred to as black cumin. Most of it comes from Turkey and the Middle East. There have been over 1000 papers published on black seed oil with respect to cancer, sleep and immune function. You only need one teaspoon a day, or maybe a tablespoon if you have cancer or serious insomnia. Take it at night, just before bed.