#1 A Good Multivitamin

A good multi-vitamin is beneficial for almost everybody. While a great multivitamin will not replace a healthful well-balanced diet, we still need to fill in the nutritional gaps created by a number of things that affect the quality of the foods we eat. In fact, it is almost impossible for us to get the vitamins and minerals our bodies need solely from the foods we eat.

This is due to:

• modern agricultural usage of toxic fertilizers, herbicides, and insecticides
• the storage and transportation of our foods
• genetic alterations of traditional heirloom species (1)

Even with a perfect diet, our bodies are impacted by so many toxins throughout the day that we cannot fully absorb the nutrients we need to run optimally. This is why I always recommend that my patients take a high-quality multivitamin. My favorite is the Tringali Vibrant Health Multivitamin that was custom-formulated by Elizabeth Tringali, PA-C.

Vibrant Multivitamin is available with iron if you are anemic and without iron if not; although, I usually suggest that most young females take a multivitamin with iron. It is a comprehensive, hypo-allergenic, multivitamin, and mineral blend. As a complete multivitamin, this supplement provides high quality nutrients to build a healthy micronutrient reserve.

A wide and complex variety of key nutrients is essential for the body to complete vital daily tasks. Micronutrients play a key role in:

• strengthening immune function
• converting food into energy
• detoxifying chemicals and medications
• manufacturing neurotransmitters, hormones and other key signaling molecules in the body
• maintaining tissue repair and cell regeneration
• Becoming deficient in any one of these essential vitamins or minerals can create a breakdown in metabolic processes that safeguard health. Vibrant Multivitamin provides these essential micronutrients to keep your body running well, so it secures the top spot in my top 5 supplements for Vibrant Health!

Using the best vitamin and mineral ingredients, and formulated using the highest standards, Tringali Vibrant Multivitamin without Iron surpasses all others in providing safe and effective life-long nutritional support.

#2 B Complex

B Complex is number two on my list. It is a group of eight essential nutrients that play roles in many bodily systems. This group of vitamins helps the body’s metabolism by converting food into energy. It creates new blood cells and maintains skin cells, brain cells, and many other bodily tissues.

There are eight types of B vitamins, each with their own function:

• Thiamin (vitamin B-1)
• Riboflavin (vitamin B-2)
• Niacin (vitamin B-3)
• Pantothenic acid (vitamin B-5)
• Vitamin B-6
• Biotin (vitamin B-7)
• Folate (vitamin B-9)
• Vitamin B-12

This group of nutrients make my list because B vitamin deficiency is becoming more and more common. A deficiency in any of the B vitamins can create a breakdown of metabolic processes that protect health. Deficiency can be caused by a number of factors including: the overuse of medications like acetaminophen, aspirin, ibuprofen, oral contraceptives and SSRIs; stress; and a poor diet. Deficiencies of folate, B6, and B12 can specifically impair proper methylation, which can affect many aspects of health

Vibrant B Complex is a balanced and comprehensive B complex supplement that contains eight essential B vitamins, along with choline, inositol, and folate as Quatrefolic™ – 100% 5-MTHF, the biologically active form of folic acid for optimal methylation. B vitamins have historically been taken together for their synergistic role in supporting energy production, immune health, cardiovascular health, and neurological health. Adequate B vitamins are essential for maintaining energy levels and additional intake is often needed by those with high levels of stress. Vibrant B Complex offers high-quality nutrients, which help to build a healthy micronutrient reserve.

Vibrant B Complex is a balanced and comprehensive B complex supplement that contains eight essential B vitamins, along with choline, inositol, and folate as Quatrefolic™ – 100% 5-MTHF, the biologically active form of folic acid for optimal methylation.

#3 Vitamin D3/K2

If you are not taking Vitamin D3 already, today is the day to start. Also called the \”sunshine vitamin,” Vitamin D is an amazing nutrient for your bone and cardiovascular health (especially when combined with vitamin K2). It also provides powerful support for your immune system.

While we can get this important vitamin from the sun and some of the foods that we eat, Vitamin D deficiency is very common. In fact, almost half of the population suffers from a deficiency.

Researchers have discovered that maintaining healthy vitamin D levels provides a myriad of benefits. These effects are primarily attributed to vitamin D’s combination of anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties. One of its most essential functions is to promote the absorption of calcium. Thus, one of the most important benefit of Vitamin D is its link to bone health. When the body does not absorb calcium properly, this important bone-strengthening mineral can end up in our arteries and organs by way of our bloodstream. This is where Vitamin K’s important role comes into the equation.

A group of naturally occurring and structurally similar, fat-soluble vitamins, vitamin K is essential for the proper utilization of calcium. Through its activation of the protein osteocalcin, vitamin K helps to bind newly absorbed calcium to the mineral matrix in bone. In addition, vitamin K has been found to help maintain bone mineral density by decreasing the activity of osteoclasts, a cell that breaks down the bone matrix. Therefore, vitamin K and vitamin D not only share similar qualities, but they also act in synergy within the body.

While there are many Vitamin D supplements with K2, again I choose the Tringali Vibrant Health formulation because of its high-quality formulation. Vibrant D3 with K2 Liquid includes 10 mcg of MenaQ7® PRO, the most widely studied form of vitamin K2 as MK-7, and 1,000 IU of vitamin D3 per serving. The tasteless liquid formula can easily be combined with any beverage.

Liquid Vitamin D3 with K2 includes 10 mcg of vitamin K2 (as MK-7) and 1,000 IU of vitamin D3 per serving. The tasteless liquid formula can easily be combined with any beverage.

#4 CoQMax Omega 

Number four on my top 5 supplements for Vibrant Health is focused on your heart and cell to cell communication. This unique mix of fish oil with CoQ10 is a favorite, as it combines two incredibly important compounds into one supplement.

CoQ10 is a fat-soluble compound that occurs naturally in the body and in many of the foods that we eat. It is utilized on a cellular level to generate energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and protect tissues from the burden of oxidative stress, particularly on the heart.

CoQ10 supports:

• mitochondrial energy production
• antioxidant activity
• cell membrane stabilization
• gene expression and apoptosis
• and neurological and cardiovascular health. [2-4]

While CoQ10 is made in the body, your levels can be affected by many factors. Your CoQ10 levels tend to decline naturally with age, but they are also greatly affected by many over-the-counter medications:

• • • Antacids
    • Acid Blockers
    • Allergy Medications
    • Antibiotics
    • Antidepressants
    • Blood Thinners
    • Beta Blockers
    • and so many more…

With the number of people regularly taking these over-the-counter medications, CoQ10 supplementation is necessary. However, this supplement also includes Omega-3 Fatty Acids, which are highly beneficial for your body and brain.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids:

The two most well-researched omega-3 fatty acids are the biologically activated oils eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). EPA plays a role in supporting healthy cardiac and circulatory systems while DHA is an essential structural component of the central nervous system.

Omega 3-Fatty Acids Support:

• Mental Health [5,6]
• Brain Health [7]
• Heart Health [8]
• Eye Health (DHA, a type of omega-3, is a major structural component of the retina of your eye) [9]
• Metabolic Health (Omega-3 fatty acids can improve insulin resistance, inflammation and heart disease risk factors in people with metabolic syndrome) [10,11]
• Reducing Inflammation [12]
• Autoimmune Disease (Omega-3s have been shown to help treat lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease and psoriasis) [13, 14]

In fact, the list goes on when it comes to the benefits of COQ10. It can help: joint and bone health, age-related mental decline, asthma, skin health, fatty liver disease, sleep, menstrual cramps, and more.

My favorite CoQ10 and Omega 3 supplement is CoQmax™ Omega 100 mg from Xymogen. It includes a proprietary blend of MaxSimil®, a highly absorbable monoglyceride fish oil is International Fish Oil Standards (IFOS) five-star certified, and Kaneka Q10®, a naturally pure form of bioidentical CoQ10 that is well-researched for boosting energy production in the heart and protecting the cardiovascular system from oxidative stress.

#5 A High-Quality Probiotic

My final pick for my top 5 supplements is a high-quality probiotic. We should all know by now the importance of gut health and the complex relationship it has with our brain and other systems in the body. Thus, a good probiotic is essential for Vibrant Health.

The gut microbiome obviously plays a significant role in the digestive health. But it also plays a huge role in the immune system, skin health, and heart health. Gut microbiota also play an important role in the bidirectional communication between the gut and the central nervous system, which means that it has a significant impact on the brain. This important communication seems to suggest that gut health affects mood disorders, too! (Read my article on the Gut and Mood Disorders here).

The type of probiotic you take will depend on the type of gut support that you may need. There are many probiotics on the market to choose from. I recommend taking very high-potency probiotics (look for at least 25 to 50 billion live CFU’s from a variety of strains).

It is always better to start slowly and observe how a probiotic affects your gut. If you notice gas or bloating that persists for more than a few days, you may be suffering from something called Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO).

If SIBO is an issue, a fantastic probiotic to start with is our Vibrant Spore IG Probiotic. This is a probiotic includes serum-derived bovine immunoglobulins that bind to and eliminate microbes and toxins that are common in SIBO. This probiotic is also good for those who are not experiencing SIBO, as it:

• Helps Maintain Normal Gastrointestinal Balance
• Provides Concentrated Immunoglobulins to Enhance Mucosal Immunity
• Supports Digestion and Micronutrient Absorption
• Maintains GI Barrier Health and Integrity

If you suspect you are experiencing gut dysfunction, you may want to consider specialized testing. Working with a Functional Medicine practitioner to effectively test and treat imbalances in your gut is a fantastic (and pivotal) way to optimize your health.

The Bottom Line on My Top Five Supplements

As I said in the beginning, vitamin supplementation can be highly customized for your body\’s specific needs, and I highly suggest specialty testing that can help you to fine tune your wellness. You should also always work with a medical professional before beginning any supplementation regimen.

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns about my top 5 supplements, or if you are interested in specialized testing to find out if you have any nutrient deficiencies, please feel free to email me at wpb@tringali-health.com or call us at 561-283-1166.

Kunal P. Gandhi, MD

Medical Director

References:

1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16979111/ 
2. Pelton R, LaValle JB, Hawkins EB, et al. Drug-Induced Nutrient Depletion Handbook. 2nd ed. Hudson, OH: LexiComp, Inc.; 2001.
3. Berthold HK, Naini A, Di Mauro S, et al. Effect of ezetimibe and/or simvastatin on coenzyme Q10 levels in plasma: a randomised trial. Drug Saf. 2006;29(8):703-12. [PMID: 16872244]
4. Rundek T, Naini A, Sacco R, et al. Atorvastatin decreases the coenzyme Q10 level in the blood of patients at risk for cardiovascular disease and stroke. Arch Neurol. 2004 Jun;61(6):889-92. [PMID: 15210526]
5. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0165178115003844
6. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213422015005387
7. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15812120/
8. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18541598/ 
9. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2136947/
10. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19593941/
11. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21784145/
12. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21784145/
13. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15290734/
14. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21103107/

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