Doctor Vitamin Recommendation from Dr. Rahl (8 min.)

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What do doctors, who spend the vast majority of their day considering and discussing optimal health, do personally to stay healthy?

We sat down with Riva L. Rahl, MD, Medical Director of Cooper Clinic Platinum direct medicine practice, to find out which vitamins and supplements she takes and what she gives to her family. If you’ve ever wondered what a trusted doctor vitamin recommendation looks like, Dr. Rahl offers a real-world example through her own supplement routine. As an accredited expert in the medical field (board-certified in internal medicine, emergency medicine, and lifestyle medicine), Dr. Rahl offers an insightful look into how she incorporates supplements into her daily routine†.cooper_ad o=”1″]

A doctor vitamin recommendation can simplify the overwhelming number of choices by focusing on what’s clinically supported and personally used by physicians.

Which Vitamins and Supplements Does Dr. Rahl Take?

• Basic One With Iron – This is Cooper Complete’s robust once daily multivitamin with iron. With the hectic pace of day-to-day life, Dr. Rahl finds it easier to take all her vitamins in one dose – at dinner, her largest meal of the day. ” Taking multivitamins with a large meal can help improve the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins†.
• Vitamin D 25 mcg (1,000 IU) – The only way to know for sure how much vitamin D you need is to have your blood level checked, which Dr. Rahl has done annually during her physical exam. Ideally, she would like her vitamin D level to stay between 40-50 ng/mL. Based on these parameters, Dr. Rahl has determined she needs to add to the vitamin D in your daily Cooper Complete multivitamin -50 mcg (2,000 IU), so she adds a 125 mcg (5,000 IU) standalone Cooper Complete Vitamin D softgel to reach the total amount her body needs†.
• Magnesium L-threonate and Magnesium Glycinate. Magnesium supports hundreds of essential processes in the body, with different forms of magnesium responsible for different things. Magnesium L-threonate supports brain health and cognitive function, while magnesium glycinate supports muscles and relaxation†.
• Creatine Monohydrate. While creatine has long been used for muscle performance, recent studies have shown cognitive benefits†.
• Microbiome Fiber.  Dr. Rahl says this is her favorite supplement! This gritless, tasteless supplement goes beyond supporting gut health†. Read more about the health benefits of fiber.
• If she sense the beginning of an upper respiratory infection, she will add Zinc and Quercetin to her supplement list.
• Rahl mentioned she would take Cooper Complete Advanced Omega-3 if it weren’t for the large amount of fatty fish she incorporates into her diet. The American Heart Association recommends eating at least two 3.5 ounce servings of fatty fish, such as salmon, each week. Dr. Rahl greatly exceeds that amount. She eats at least six servings of salmon weekly!

Which Vitamins and Supplements Does She Give to Her Kids?

Dr. Rahl also plays the very important role of “Doctor Mom” to her two young adult sons. To help them stay healthy, she gives them:

• • Methyl Folate This provides folate in the 5-MTHF form, the naturally occurring form found in food, that can directly be used by the body without going through a conversion process. It has been shown to be the only form of folate that crosses the blood-brain barrier for cognitive health†.
  • 125 mcg (5,000 IU) vitamin D

Doctor Vitamin Recommendations for Patients†

Dr. Rahl emphasized that the two most important supplement recommendations for all of her patients are vitamin D and omega-3.

Vitamin D

“There’s no way to get enough vitamin D from diet and sun exposure alone†,” she explained. Especially if you are using sun protection properly (which Dr. Rahl strongly advocates). The amount of vitamin D supplementation needed varies for each individual. She recommends:

• Blood level is less than 20 ng/mL: prescription vitamin D for three months and 50 mcg (2,000 IU) daily
• Blood level 20-30 ng/mL: 50 mcg (2,000 IU) vitamin D daily, with a follow-up to see if the blood level increases
• Blood levels of approximately 30 ng/mL: start or continue taking 50 mcg (2,000 IU) vitamin D

One thing she values is the higher levels of vitamin D found in Cooper Complete multivitamins. All Cooper Complete multivitamins contain 50 mcg (2,000 IU) per daily serving.  While many other multivitamin brands contain vitamin D, most do not have high enough levels.

Omega-3

Omega-3 has been shown to support optimal heart health, brain health, and help maintain a healthy inflammatory response†. Most Americans struggle to naturally incorporate enough omega-3-rich foods into their diets, making supplementation essential†. If a patient eats little to no fish, Dr. Rahl recommends 2-3 Cooper Complete Advanced Omega-3 softgels per day. She warned that DHA-fortified foods such as milk and eggs have insufficient DHA levels in them. As omega-3 supplements often similarly have low levels, be sure to read the label to make sure the EPA/DHA levels are high enough to make a difference. Cooper Complete Advanced Omega-3 has 1,200 mg EPA/DHA in two softgels.

What Does She Recommend For Women?

In addition to vitamin D and omega-3, Dr. Rahl stresses the importance of women getting proper amounts of iron and calcium.

If patient bloodwork shows low iron levels, Dr. Rahl recommends supplementing, especially for women who have a menstrual cycle or who regularly donate blood†. Cooper Complete multivitamins are available in a “With Iron” formula containing 18 mg of supplemental iron per serving.

Women also need 1,000 to 1,200 mg of calcium daily from their diet. Calcium-rich foods include milk, kale, yogurt, and broccoli. If patients find the suggested amount difficult to achieve through diet alone, Dr. Rahl instructs them to take a calcium supplement†.

Other Doctor Vitamin Recommendations

• Rahl recommends taking 400-500 mg of turmeric twice a day to help support a healthy inflammatory response†. She especially advises her patients with arthritis to take turmeric†.

• For patients who struggle with sleep issues and insomnia, she suggests 1 mg of low-dose melatonin†. Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone that supports the body’s wake-sleep cycle†. She occasionally takes this supplement when traveling across time zones.

• For patients who are on statin medications to control high cholesterol, Dr. Rahl advises 50 to 100mg of CoQ10. Some research suggests statins may lower CoQ10 levels†, so replenishing this important enzyme may help support muscle comfort in people taking statins†. Dr. Rahl instructs her patients to start with 50 mg and, if they don’t notice a difference, increase the level from there.

With so many vitamins and supplements available and an endless barrage of advertising, it can be hard for consumers to know which products are scientifically backed and worth the investment. A doctor vitamin recommendation can help make selecting the right supplements for you more straightforward. The physicians and staff at Cooper Clinic provide a personalized, in-depth picture of one’s health and can offer individualized guidance. Access this link to learn more about the Cooper Clinic preventive exam.

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About the Author: Dr. Riva Rahl, Dr. Rahl is board certified in Internal, Emergency and Lifestyle Medicine and serves as Medical Director of Cooper Clinic Platinum concierge practice.

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Cooper Complete December 22, 2016