Vitamins for Lupus: What They Don’t Tell You

Vitamins for Lupus: What They Don’t Tell You

 

I’ll save you the time and get straight to the point. This vitamins for Lupus guide will blow your mind.

You’ll know how to find a trustworthy company when it comes to vitamins for Lupus, what synthetic actually means and how it affects your ability to absorb them, MTHFR gene mutation and absorption issues, and how much money you’ll save living a preventative lifestyle with Lupus.

By understanding what’s wrong, you will prevent brain fog, random rashes, GI symptoms, migraines, inflammation, infections and more!

First, vitamins & supplements are NOT created equal and many popular brands are misleading you by not fully disclosing their ingredients, sourcing, and testing; causing you to waste money, add stress, and find no relief.

Companies don’t have to be that honest about the source of ingredients, ingredient percentage, and how they use trending terms to win you over.

However, some are becoming more transparent and we only like those brands!

 

 

Let’s Dive in!

Aren’t you sick of being on the wrong side of statistics?

From a general health perspective, we as a general population understand food either feeds or fights disease. So, if we apply that one step further, ingredients matter when it comes to what we put in and on our bodies. Especially as skin and the GI tract are the biggest absorbers.

As companies use trending words like “natural”, “boost”, “real” and so forth, you become desensitized into thinking you know what is really inside those tiny little pills.

Most companies put fillers, binders, and similar variations of said vitamin.

Through that, they are able to call it “natural” if it’s derived from a natural source at one point. But, after heating treatments during the creation process, all of those beautiful nutrients go right out the door and they put cheap versions of the same vitamin and add binders to make the pill. More on that to come!

These lab-altered ingredients stop your body from absorbing them CORRECTLY and you can lose the ability to even use them at all.

Thus, you don’t feel better, you waste money, and your body suffers more.

When the body doesn’t have the right raw materials to fix the problem, pathogens’ dreams come true and they bombard your immune system, attack, and win!

We keep feeding our body foods, supplements, and vitamins filled with toxins that cause irritations and inflammation and our body continuously reacts through rashes, GI symptoms, and brain fog which is making the cycle of chronic illness continue.

In just a few minutes, you’ll know actual benefits, deficiency causes, what to look out for when shopping for vitamins for lupus, how chemical compounds matter in whether your body absorbs it or not, how it can help decrease lupus symptoms, plus much more.

Vitamins for Lupus are extremely important in helping us decrease common Lupus symptoms like fatigue, bone/joint pain, body-wide inflammation, dry skin, rashes, and supporting our immune system for preventative measures.

As a lupus fighter, our body is working in overdrive just to stay afloat. I’m sure you’re mind and body is tired, to say the least.

Our immune system doesn’t know what to focus on and our current medication routine is probably doing a pretty good job to control it.

However, you still feel like crap and no matter what you try, nothing is good enough.

Have you ever thought that maybe you’re lacking the correct nutrients and vitamins for Lupus?

Improper nutrient absorption, nutrient storage, and use are one of the top reasons most diseases and vague symptoms that you and your friends and family experience.

Common issues we face like anxiety, depression, migraines, digestion issues, cardiovascular health, inflammation, and rashes occur because vitamins for Lupus are not working as some claim. This can be an easy fix though if your bloodwork shows your levels to not be in optimal range.

Or

You could fall into the category of those who try different brands and don’t feel a difference when you take vitamins for Lupus symptoms.

Even the vitamins for Lupus deficiencies that your doctors prescribe are not the versions your body can easily absorb because they are synthetic which means the shape of the molecule is a little different.

It’s not their fault, they only take a few classes total of chemistry and nutrition throughout their 8-10 year study.

In the US, doctors are taught to treat current symptoms through procedures and medications, not discuss detailed information on preventative measures or in-depth blood tests to reveal deficiencies.

So, if your numbers increase after taking vitamin D2 for a few months, it doesn’t mean the parts of your body that needed it received the right dose.  It can also mean your body is now depleted in other vitamins and minerals due to the overwhelming response of this new pill’s competition for absorption. Which is why you still feel symptoms!

What if you could continue your current treatments and add a few healthier lifestyle choices and FEEL BETTER?!

It’s easier if you shift your mindset to wanting to feel well and making the right moves to get better. Having more choices to increase your quality of life just got easier.

When we think of safe and healthy ingredients, we automatically think of the types of foods and drinks we consume.

If we take one step further and add this thought process to vitamins and supplements, we can protect ourselves even more.

When it comes to vitamins for Lupus, make it count!

 

 

Don’t you want to prevent pain, fatigue, mood swings, and swelling rather than sitting on the sidelines waiting for your symptoms to minimize?

Quality of life with Lupus isn’t all that great either. So, why not spice up your Lupus life a bit and create your own happiness, health, and satisfaction?!

To better support our bodies organ processes and functions, we need to make better choices.

So, what you put in your body feeds or fights disease.

 

   

Lupus Vitamin Need To Know’s & Causes of Deficiencies

 

• Health Benefits

There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to vitamins for Lupus and vitamin intake. Especially since your personal needs may vary.

However,  sticking with the “alphabet” vitamins can really help your body function normally again. As you may know, deficiencies and “low normal” ranges can be the source of some of your symptoms. Fatigue, brain fog, joint pain, and muscle fatigue to name a few.

What are the alphabet vitamins? It’s a term I use to describe the common vitamins that are a necessity for proper organ function. Proper organ function indicates you’ll have no Lupus symptoms.

We’ll talk about, vitamin A,B,C,D,E, & K.

 

Vitamin A:

• Essential for normal cell growth, cell differentiation, immune systems ability to function and vision
• Not produced in the body, but provitamin A from fruits and veggies, i.e. beta-carotene is converted into vitamin A (retinal(animal source)) in the liver and small intestinal cells
• A great vitamin for Lupus is Vitamin A, It has become a credible antioxidant for cancer prevention and great for the immune system to fight and prevent infections
• Beta-carotene is a double vitamin A molecule and must be converted to vitamin A in your body
  • It is water-soluble in that, it dissolves in water
  • The body can eliminate what it doesn’t use, making it a less toxic potential than vitamin A, which can build up
• Promotes muscle growth, decreases inflammation, boosts bone health, skin care, and repairs tissues!
• Deficiencies of vitamin A can cause opportunistic infections like pneumonia become deadly
  • negatively affect the skin, immune function, & eyesight

 

You can get it from cod liver oil, egg yolk, cheddar cheese(yum!) and butter products which are rich sources of vitamin A.  Also, yellow or orange-colored fruits and vegetables that contain the pigment carotene are also great sources too.

If you’re on a budget or a special diet that helps tame chronic Lupus symptoms and you’re still not getting enough nutrients, supplementation through trusted companies is your best option!

 

Vitamin B 6 & 12: (There is a great read in a link below by mbg food)

• People with low levels of vitamin B6 tend to have high levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), which is a measure of inflammation within the body, I’m sure you lupies are familiar with this when doctor’s order bloodwork.
• In co-enzyme form, B6 is very versatile and involved in more than 100 enzyme reactions
• Helps keep the body’s blood and nerve cells healthy and helps make the DNA of your cells
• Folate is another B vitamin associated with inflammation. A short study in Italy suggests that even a low-dose, short-term daily folic acid supplement could reduce inflammation in people who are overweight.
• A study showed B complex vitamins played roles in analgesia, even when in single therapy. They also had anti-inflammatory and anti-pruritus action, in addition to improving functionality.
• Optimal Ranges of B12 serum blood test: 500-1000

 

You can get vitamin B from vegetables like mushrooms, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, and bell peppers. Animal sources include turkey, chicken, cod, and tuna.

 

 

Vitamin C:

• Water-soluble found in some foods
• LYPOSPHERIC vitamin C is the ONLY way to go. ( I have no association with LivOn labs, it’s that good, I have to suggest it. It’s the best out there and the most effective)
• Another credible antioxidant in large IV doses to fight against cancer and it protects cells from the damage caused by free radicals.
• Needed to make collagen (great for skin, bone, joints, ligaments), and is required to help wounds heal.
• Helps regenerate other antioxidants like vitamin E and it plays an important role in immune function!
• Needed to product L-carnitine, neurotransmitters (which are chemical reactions that help spread messages to tell cells of tissues to do things basically. If these stop working correctly, your body doesn’t function properly)
• It helps the immune system work properly, reduces inflammation, and helps iron absorption from plant-based foods.
• Absorbed in the intestines and regulated by an active transporter like some facilitated glucose transporters (GLUTs) where it’s then reduced to ascorbic acid and used.
• Vitamin C is utilized more rapidly by smokers, drinks, people with fevers, viral illnesses, heavy metal exposures, those who take aspirin, cortisone and antibiotics. AKA those with chronic conditions like Lupus.

 

Dr. Axe has some great suggestions for best sources of vitamin C: kiwi, bell peppers, pineapple, broccoli, mango, strawberries, oranges,  and grapefruit. Some of these are avoided for specific diets, which is why proper supplementation or IV therapy is the second best source!

 

Vitamin D:

• D3 is made in your skin, D2 is the synthetic form and harder for us to properly use.
• Manages calcium in your blood, bones, gut and helps your body properly communicate.
• As gene expression occurs, it’s done through proteins and enzymes. When you don’t have enough vitamin D3, your cells can’t communicate well and that can be why symptoms of the disease and chronic conditions get worse
• Vitamin K as MK-7 is extremely important with Vitamin D3, it tells D3 where to go and what part of your body needs it
• OPTIMAL RANGE for blood work -“25(OH)D level”: 70-90

 

Besides the sun, beef liver, cheese, egg yolks, sardines, cod liver oil, salmon, soy milk are a great addition to your diet. If you’re not into all of the fishy stuff, supplementation with trusted brands will do the job!

 

Vitamin E:

• The main fat-soluble antioxidant has a critical role in protecting cell membranes against oxidative damage to our skin, organs, and so forth.
• It’s the “scavenger cell” that is the leader against taking down reactive oxygen species(ROS increases during stressful times & nutrient deficiencies which seriously hurts your body!)
• Made of 8 variations separated into 2 categories: tocopherols & tocotrienols
• All 8 are needed at different ratios for your body to properly absorb other vitamins and use within your body. Taking one without the other is pointless.
• Prevents degeneration of the CNS and peripheral nerves, fights skin inflammation and helps heal the skin, balances your endocrine and nervous system naturally.
  • Therefore, can prevent, UTIs, anxiety, fatigue, PMS, weight gain etc

 

Vegetable oils ( aren’t that healthy though), leafy green veggies, avocado, mango, butternut squash, and almonds are a great source.

 

Vitamin K:

• Regulates several biochemical processes like blood coagulation, bone mineralization, and vascular health.
• Absorption depends on the health of your liver and gallbladder function, so it’s very much needed!
• K1 is sourced from greens & K2 is produced by bacteria in the intestine
• K2 as MK7 is the BEST version as your body can recognize it, absorb it easily, and use it correctly. It is delivered to bones, liver and repackaged in the liver
• Potassium is NOT vitamin K

 

Dandelion, beans, turnips, kale, strawberries, eggs, chicken liver, Natto, and fish have tons of vitamin K. I don’t know about you, but to get the best forms of both and have it actually help my body, Natto is the way to go. However, it tastes HORRIBLE

You thought we would just need vitamins for Lupus…Minerals have their place in our lives too!

 

 

Some minerals that I’ll briefly describe are necessary for our body to function correctly; Mg and Folate/Folic Acid. These help our organs in many ways and are another culprit to health problems and poorly functioning organ systems if the wrong forms are used in lupus vitamins and supplements.

Magnesium is essential for managing osteoporosis, heart disease, blood pressure, brain health, stress, inflammation, blood sugar regulation, hormonal imbalances, migraines, restless leg syndrome, and nerves.

 

 

Every organ in the body needs magnesium, but especially the heart and muscles. A poor diet, stress, sweating, digestive issues, and numerous medications (blood pressure, diuretics, laxatives, methotrexate, antibiotics) block absorption or deplete magnesium.

Even a healthy diet may lack adequate minerals due to soil depletion of minerals. It is estimated that four out of five adults fail to meet the daily magnesium RDA (400-420 mg/day for men, 310-320 mg/day for women).

So, supplementation with a little bit of magnesium may cure those migraines, help with constipation, and it won’t hurt!

Folate VS Folic Acid – why are they both starving for attention?! Which do we really need?

Folic acid is the SYNTHETIC version and used in food fortification and dietary supplements.

Researchers have hypothesized that the increase in cancer rates is because of the high consumption of fortified foods.

This is because it’s not easily metabolized within the body and the unmetabolized versions stimulate the growth of neoplasms which can lead to cancer…probably because the body can’t recognize synthetic versions as easily and therefore, synthetic compounds float around and mess up chemical processes.

Folate is the natural form and necessary for rapid cell division & growth. Which is a reason why it’s so important during pregnancy.

Chris goes into great detail about this if you’re interested in reading more.

Found naturally in spinach and liver. Supplements with the natural form are possible to find, but not as common.

 

 

How Vitamins For Lupus Can Decrease Your Symptoms When Used Correctly:

 

Now that you’ve learned WHY Lupus and vitamins are an important duo. We can easily connect HOW vitamins for Lupus are a wonderful addition to prevent doctor visits, ER visits, and decrease the severity of symptoms!

When your body is in a state of chronic inflammation, it can’t work properly to protect you. Messages get misfired, your body is literally tired and running out of nutritious resources, and now you’re more susceptible to infections, disease, and deficiencies.

Which is why it’s so important to keep inflammation down! NSAIDs and other inflammation fighter medications are great for short-term use, but we have a chronic condition… so they don’t work as well after a while and it gives you a have a higher chance of experiencing their side effects.

Medications block the ongoing repair process and it reduces the swelling and pain.

However, this process just creates a vicious cycle of increased inflammation that requires even more immune suppression. In turn, you have more doctor visits, pain, and decreased enjoyment in life.

So, when you ask your doctor to monitor your vitamin levels (you must push for this or they won’t check because it costs the insurance $$)

 

You can:

• Make sure you’re in the optimal range (not the same as the “normal range”)
• Substitute with foods that have clean ingredients like certified organic
• Substitute with supplementation or vitamins, that have bioavailable sources

 

You will feel LESS:

• Inflammation
• Brain fog
• Bone/joint/muscle pain
• Have fewer infections and/or decreased severity of infections

 

Vitamin antioxidants (A , C, E) are the preventative measures you can take to fight free radicals that are in your body to stop sickness & inflammation dead in its’ tracks!

They do this by giving electrons to the free radicals(who are unstable) making them stable and neutralizing them.

 

Vitamin B6 is more complicated as it has 6 forms. Some forms are less bioavailable from fruits, veggies, and grains.

B6 and B12 reduce levels of the amino acid homocysteine in the blood. Homocysteine is associated with inflammation. They are also known to reduce nerve pain associated with diabetes and some chemotherapy.

Water-soluble vitamins like the B’s need to be replenished daily because they are not effectively stored in the body like fat-soluble ones.

 

 

Vitamin B12 requires 2 steps for the body to absorb it. HCL acid in the stomach separates vitamin B12 from the protein that it’s attached to from food. Then it combines with another protein in the stomach called intrinsic factor. This makes it absorbable by the body.

Some medications can interact with this vitamin causing deficiencies like Metformin, Pepcid, Prilosec, and H2 receptor antagonists.

IF YOUR BODY IS inflamed, it has a harder time absorbing. Especially if you suffer from stomach inflammation (which we do quite often as we’re so sensitive to everything!) Details about some great vitamins for Lupus are below:

 

Vitamin D

A fat-soluble vitamin. Fat-soluble vitamins need to dissolve in fat before they can make it into the body. Fat-digesting bile acids come from the liver and live in the small intestine. The bile breaks down the fat and the vitamins move with the fat through the intestinal wall and end up being stored in your fat cells until needed.

 

Vitamin K

Another great vitamin for Lupus. It functions as a coenzyme for vitamin K-dependent carboxylase, which is an enzyme that’s required for protein synthesis when dealing with blood clotting, bone metabolism, and clotting.

It’s responsible for preventing cognitive degenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s. Also, if you boost vitamin K levels from kefir, raw-cultured veggies, it can help protect your digestive system and the immune system.

We all know out gut health determines how well our immune system functions. After all, 70-80% of our immune system is located in our gut.

Don’t forget, these fat-soluble vitamins are processed in our digestive system. There is so much going on down there, making your health depend on the ingredients that are chosen for your foods, supplements, and skin care!

*Always get the “OK” from your doctor first as vitamins may interact with medications or clotting conditions.

 

Causes of Deficiencies

 

We know that Lupus and deficiencies go hand in hand.

Some common deficiencies of vitamins for Lupus are vitamin D, C, E’s, and K. When we focus on autoimmune diseases like Lupus, it’s even more prevalent.

First, deficiencies can be due to health conditions like kidney failure, leaky gut or intestinal absorption problems like celiacs, chrons, and IBS. This doesn’t mean you’ll suffer forever, it just means you need potent versions and a few lifestyle changes!

Not only that, but there are a few factors of why deficiencies are so prevalent.

The standard American diet (SAD) is the main culprit to deficiencies.  According to the USDA, almost 90% of Americans have diets that are poor or need improvement.

Not only that but, poor soil quality and modern processing methods also affect the nutrient quality of today’s food.

Statistics from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) have some interesting information. More than 90% of people with darker skin pigments (Blacks, Hispanic, and Asians) that live in the US suffer from vitamin D deficiency, along with 75 percent of the white population.

If that’s not enough, here’s a few more “fun” facts.

 

According to the CDC and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA):

• 9 out of 10 Americans are deficient in potassium
• 7 out of 10 are deficient in calcium
• 8 out of 10 are deficient in vitamin E
• 50 percent of Americans are deficient in vitamin A, vitamin C, and magnesium
• More 50 percent of the general population is vitamin D deficient, regardless of age
• 90 percent of Americans of color are vitamin D deficient

 

It seems like diet plays a huge role in your health.

 

• Affordability – Preventive Care = Fewer Doctor Visits

 

I don’t know about you, but I’ve reached my deductible ($1350) a couple of months into this year and that’s just because of routine visits, 2 sick visits, and a $150 co-pay for a procedure. The first 2 years, my medical costs were through the roof, learning about this autoimmune disease takes time.

The sooner you take control, the better! Vitamins for Lupus is life. (sarcasm, but really, they are a great addition to help you stay healthy!)

The best way to prevent sick visits, medication experiments, and more sick visits because of those experiments is to budget each month on a well-nourished diet, supplementation, & stress reducers!

Wouldn’t you rather spend less & feel better?! I didn’t think you’d say no to that!

I spend less than 5,500 a year (including insurance costs) by taking advantage of deals and adapting and conquering through preventative care. Preventative care is key to long-lasting health.

 

 

I will break it down for you:

 

Average medical costs for Lupus patients are $20,000 a year.  Again, aren’t you sick of being apart of the wrong side of statistics?

Stress-reducers: costs nothing but a few minutes a day or if you prefer yoga classes it may cost 50-100 a month!

Diet: $2400 ish a year

Personally, with the low carb/IF diet, I spend around $200 a month. For general saving tips refer to the section, “Lupus On A Budget”

Supplements amounts & costs: $432 a year

 

Vitamin D:$30-$50 a year

 

If you get a higher dose, say 10,000 and take it 1-2x a week and decrease as your blood work increases you’ll spend…

One bottle ranges from $30-$50 (ish), 100 capsules taken  2x a week for 2 months = 84 left. Then, 1x a week for 2 months = 76 left. Then, 2x a month remaining means it’s lasted for about a year. I might have gotten too lazy to complete the rest of that math calculation, but I think you got the point.

 

Vitamin K: $25, 60 softgels, 1x a day = $150 a year

 

Vitamin C: $32 for 30 packets of lypospheric vitamin C, 3-4cartons a year =$96-$128 a year

•  LiveOn Labs is expensive, but it’s the best. You don’t need it daily either.

 

Vitamin E: $26 60 softgels, 1x a day = $156 a year

 

Convenience

 

Face it, when you don’t feel well, do you really want to search Pinterest for creative ways to make kale taste good? I don’t. Do you even have the strength to stand over a stove for 30 minutes?

Life takes over. You work and take care of a household of adorable children and your lovely, amazing spouse. Making quick and easy meals is great and the best option, but it can get expensive if you don’t put time into shopping strategies and utilizing coupons.

Time is the only thing we can’t manipulate or cut corners on, which is why you’re probably not couponing all day to save money. Round of applause to those that can and end up getting money back from grocery stores!

 

 

It’s easier & cheaper than food, and you get more than your stomach can handle each meal.

Veggies fill you up quite fast. So, you’re probably not getting the daily requirements as it is. That’s one of the reasons why there are synthetic versions in all of the processed foods.

Supplementation is cheaper than your doctor visits. One visit for 15 minutes is a years worth of vitamin E. That visit didn’t even come to any solid conclusions which is why you’ll have a follow-up visit and probably try a new medication again.

 

 

 

What To Avoid In Your Lupus Vitamins

 

AVOID THESE AT ALL COSTS:

• Cheap synthetics decreases the amount of bio-availability of said vitamin. Vitamins for Lupus can be tricky sometimes as we’re usually on a budget, so those random cheap ones look very appealing.
• Isolated vitamins can’t always be used by the body, and are either stored until you obtain or create the nutrients required to use them effectively or are excreted.
• Synthetic vitamins must use the body’s own mineral reserves which may lead to dangerous mineral deficiencies.
• Many synthetic vitamins lack the transporters and co-factors associated with naturally occurring vitamins because they have been “isolated.”
• Vitamins work synergistically, they don’t do as well by themselves. Which is why diet is best because, for example, an orange holds all the micronutrients for vitamin C to be utilized perfectly. However, a popular brand wouldn’t.

 

Natural Source:

 

Vegetable, animal, or mineral sources.

They contain naturally occurring cofactors that help the absorption and bioavailability of the vitamin. For example, proteins, fats, carbs, and enzymes.

Whole food vitamin companies that use a great source of vitamin C would use amla berries (just one example).

Sounds fine and dandy because it came from something natural. But, if you don’t do the research, that same company could be guilty of processing and refining methods that kill every last bit of nutritional value that your body would use and would have recognized. So, synthetic supplementation can be used or fillers and binders.

There’s always a plot twist is sounds like, but it doesn’t have to be. Keep reading, stay informed and make the best judgment call.

Your body will thank you by giving you more healthy and happy days over constant sickness!

On the flip side, a good company will use the chosen food or plant that has the vitamin. They will harvest it and clean it. Then it’s placed into a vat where it’ll be mixed with water and filtered to create an extract. The post-filtration of the sourced food has the nutrients found in the original whole food. They dry it and it’s ready to go!

 

Synthetic:

 

This is where company labels and production matter.

A quality synthetic is great to take. Of course, a grass-fed, organic diet is the best, but, it’s the next best option!

Anyway, most companies create an identical compound of said vitamin that is the same in your body. Except, they change the shape of the synthetic compound.

Usually, your body doesn’t recognize this different shape or it does, but it can’t process it well so it’ll be stored in your fat cells or excreted or build up as a toxicity.

Plot twist, taking the “wrong” variation of supplement or vitamin for Lupus can cause the mechanisms in your body to communicate wrong or cause other vitamins to win in competition when they shouldn’t. This throws off important cell mechanisms.

What does this do to you?!

Your bloodwork looks the same (bad) or it does help, but you’re still feeling symptoms.

Followed by, doctors saying, “Well, you have lupus, that’s why.” Great, doc! I didn’t know. Can we dig a little deeper?! (sarcasm)

So, making the change starts with you! 

Here are a few examples of what to look out for when shopping.

Vitamin names that end in “ide” or “ate” indicate that the product contains salt forms, which are synthetics.

If there is a “dl” or “d” in front, it’s synthetic.

 

Examples:

• Vitamin A: Acetate and Palmitate
• Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine): Pyridoxine Hydrochloride
• Vitamin B12: Cobalamin, all forms have this. Methyl in front of any B vitamin is the most bioavailable form and the best
• Folic Acid: Pteroylglutamic Acid (we don’t even want folic acid anyway, we want FOLATE!)
• Choline: Choline Chloride, Choline Bitartrate
• Biotin: d-Biotin
• Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid): Ascorbic Acid usually from GMO corn (has pesticides with known carcinogens)
• Vitamin D: Irradiated Ergosteral, Calciferol
• Vitamin E: dl-alpha tocopherol, dl-alpha tocopherol acetate or succinate

 

Sourcing matters.

 

Why not reach out and ask where the vitamins you want are sourced from. Was it from corn, sheep’s wool, soybean, vegetable oils, natural beta-carotene, or fish liver oils?

 

Here’s a great example:

 

A terrible vitamin C synthetic is from GMO corn. Why?!

First, China is heavily used for corn crops from like 90% of companies.

The crops used in China and every non-organic field uses a KNOWN CARCINOGEN called glyphosate.

Corn (if GMO) has no value for our body and is not able to process and properly use that source of vitamin C.

 

Here are a few fun facts on the difference between GMO and non-GMO corn from Natural News report :

• Organic corn has 14 ppm of manganese. GMO corn has only 2 ppm.
•  Real corn has 7 times more manganese!
• Organic corn has 6130 ppm of calcium. GMO is stripped down to 14 ppm.
• Real corn has 437 times more calcium!
• Organic corn has 113 ppm of magnesium. GMO corn is vacant, with only 2 ppm.
• Real corn has 56 times more magnesium.

 

Most people are consuming it through high fructose corn syrup, processed foods, and poorly made vitamins.

So, from those stats, we’ve learned that synthetic ascorbic acid (vitamin C) doesn’t have the same biological properties from GMO corn.

It may also be a factor in your GI symptoms. Glyphosate is linked to irritating the GI tract.

As you know, your body is sensitive to everything and it may be something worth looking into.

 

 

 

Lastly, vitamins and supplements degrade in potency when exposed to excessive heat, oxygen, and humidity. This doesn’t apply to just vitamins for lupus, it’s vitamins in general.

Did you know, the same rule applies to how you cook your food too!

Basically, most foods cooked over 350 F start to lose nutritional value. Such a shame, I hate waiting longer for food to cook, especially when I’m hangry.

If it’s vitamins for Lupus or not, they are processed and treated in labs by doing chemical manipulations.

So, any source they used originally that may have been helpful can be thrown straight out the window IF they use chemical heavy processes.

Interestingly, many strictly synthetic supplements can be made from coal tar to petroleum to acetylene gas.

Chemical manipulations are used to mimic the vitamins chemical structure. Specific formulas for the process aren’t made available to the public though, sorry!

Coal tar is a widely used foundational substance for vitamin B1, yes, a fossil fuel is used. Then, hydrochloric acid is usually added to allow precipitation.

Then fermentation, heating, cooling, and other steps are completed until a final synthetic vitamin is created. It’s then dried and tested for purity before being shipped to distributors.

Stick with me and I’ll show you all the companies you can trust whether we carry them or not! The only reason they wouldn’t be provided is that some only allow doctors to sell their products. (Sad face)

Companies who cut corners will add fillers and binders to their pills or really bad quality of vitamin.

 

Lupus Health Shop will never support a company that does that, so we try our best to make sure that vitamins for Lupus stand up to our very strict values!

 

 

 

 

Absolute Must Haves In Lupus Vitamins

 

• Methylated VS. Non-methylated

 

Some vitamins for Lupus may not be that helpful if you have one of the MTHFR gene mutations.

The most important biological process in the body is methylation. It’s a chemical reaction that occurs in every single cell and tissue.

It can keep your body running optimally using the best supplements and vitamins for Lupus.

Unfortunately, it’s common for people to suffer from various factors that actually stop this biochemical process.

The problems that arise are quite widespread and most don’t even realize how bad they are suffering and how it can be an easy fix!

Methylation is a process that is necessary for all of your body systems. One of the main functions is to help repair DNA daily.

A few other responsibilities that it has is, it controls homocysteine (a bad compound that can damage blood vessels), it helps recycle molecules that are needed for detoxification and helps stabilize your mood, and monitor and keep inflammation in check!

Now, do you understand how much we need this to work properly?!

If you have a breakdown of methylation, it puts you at higher risk for osteoporosis, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cervical, colon, and lung cancer, and depression and dementia.

To avoid these problems and to help your body cells repair and monitor cell functions, you have to maximize methylation!

So, if your B complex vitamin is not methylated, it can be useless.

 

• MTHFR Gene

 

MTHFR (no I’m not too lazy to type a swear word) is an enzyme that converts folic acid in the usable form.

Did you know that 60% of people in the US have the MTHFR gene mutation?! Which means you’re probably not absorbing your vitamins properly and not using it efficiently.

If this enzyme can’t help with detoxification of homocysteine then heart attacks, dementia and tons of other problems can occur that I mentioned previously.

Not only that, but high homocysteine is poorly converted to glutathione which is the chief antioxidant and detoxifier. So, you’ll be more susceptible to stress and toxin buildup. That means a higher risk of cancers and heavy metal toxicity.

If the MTHFR enzyme is impaired in any way, neurotransmitters are affected. That’s why the MTHFR is linked to depression, cancer, autism, birth defects and migraines.

The MTHFR gene controls how well this enzyme works.

If you’d like to know if you have variant copies of this gene, you can get a blood test.

By doing this you’ll be able to better supplement and determine treatment options that will support this important biological process and help decrease symptoms that you’re experiencing.

 

Good Labels:

• NOS – Naturally Occurring Standard. Products that meet this will have this label. It doesn’t have GE (genetically engineered) ingredients, synthetics, and nanoparticles. The con is you need a lot to get the same results as cheap synthetics.
• cGMP facility – Facilities that prove to the FDA they have clean machines, products, and follow strict guidelines for production.
• Certified Organic – this means no GMOs are used, no synthetic pesticides, no herbicides, no growth-promoting antibiotics, no drug residues
• Non-GMO – this is a good label, but it can still have pesticides and herbicides from the crops. So, if something says certified organic, it will cross off every checklist you may have!

 

Bad Labels:

• “All Natural” – only means 10% of the vitamin includes actual natural plant-derived ingredients, the rest can be synthetic. Jokes on us!

Look for “100% natural”, “100% animal based or plant-based”. If the percentage isn’t there, they may be hiding something OR they just can’t afford to label it that way if it’s a small business.

The more vague companies are, the more you assume or don’t bother asking, the more you believe it’s okay.

• Phrases like “helps support immunity” or “Helps protect healthy joints!” – This can be said for literally any product including food. It’s not regulated at all. It’s just marketing.

 

So, never assume.

Once you’ve found a company that says similar phrases as above and proves it through use of good labels and has clean ingredients, then you know you can trust them when it comes to vitamins for Lupus!

Lastly, scientific evidence is an awesome addition when companies freely add it to their products! Doctor’s Best is one of these great companies. They provide so much detail on what a supplement is, what it does and how it helps you. Plus, studies along with it.

Sparkle collagen peptides is another company that puts your health first. Proving over and over again with double-blinded, placebo-controlled studies show their products help increase your skins ability to glow, decrease wrinkles, and can reduce joint inflammation as an added bonus!

 

 

So, IF a company has this easily available, you should take the time to read about how the study was completed and what the results were.

In conclusion, we can’t really assume anything anymore. Our health comes first! I promise, if you make an effort to live healthier, you will actually be healthier with the autoimmune disease you are struggling with.

Vitamins for Lupus can really support your health, decrease your migraines, GI symptoms, brain fog, joint pain, rashes, and so much more. All you have to do is ask questions and rely on us!

You will properly prepare your body to protect you better as it has the right nutrients to work at the optimal level.

This means your symptoms will be less severe, less often, and you will recover faster.

If you need help understanding how to dissect studies when it comes to vitamin potency or if you’d like easy tips on vitamins for Lupus, career options, bloodwork, testing, and more sign up for the email list.

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