Encyclopedia of Nutritional Supplements: The Essential Guide for Improving Your Health Naturally [Paperback]

I found this book online after purchasing the author's excellent book on Hypoglycemia. After having low blood pressure all my life, I was suddenly diagnosed with severe hypertension (165/105) and before I knew it I was leaving the doctor's office with a prescription in hand and dire warnings about strokes and heart attacks (at 29 years old). The pharmacist was very worried about someone so young taking the medicine and kept telling me that it would cause a potassium deficiency and suggested a supplement. The next day I took the prescribed medicine (Hydrochlorothiazide) at breakfast. Within an hour I had the most blinding headache of my life (I have migraines, and this was worst than a migraine, which I had not thought possible), my eyes would not focus, I was dizzy, light headed and nauseated. I spent the next several hours being violently ill until my stomach was quite empty. Finally, at 5 o'clock in the afternoon, I went to bed completely exhausted. The next day, I pulled out this book and read about hypertension/high blood pressure. I had most (though not all) of the recommended supplements on hand. I called the doctor's office to let them know I was unable to take the medication, and scheduled the next earliest appointment - 6 days in the future. I then began the recommended supplement program (what I had of it already), with the rest on order. I also began walking 20 minutes a day. I altered and supplemented my diet as suggested as well. Upon my return to the doctor 6 days later my blood pressure was 138/90. She took it 5 times over the next hour (both arms, and with several different pressure cuffs) to make sure it was not a fluke of some sort. I explained to her what I had been doing, and she could find no fault in the advice, given the results. Instead of another medication, she told me to keep doing what I am doing and come back in a month for another reading. Though my initial reading had been severe hypertension, the improvement was so great that it is mild and I have high hopes that it will be even better in a month. Now I have several more of Dr. Murray's (and his colleague Dr. Pizzorno's) books and every one is worth it at 10 times the price. The advice is clear and well written, neither assuming you have a medical degree (as some books seem to) or that you are an idiot (which sums up most of the rest). When I acquired "Dr. Murray's Natural Alternatives to Over the Counter and Prescription Drugs", I looked up Hydrochlorothiazide. Even though the fact sheet with the prescription had not mentioned nausea, vomiting, headache, or blurred vision as potential side effects, this book did. Every symptom was there - as well as an explanation of why Hydrochlorothiazide actually increased the possibility of stroke and heart attack. I will never take another prescription medication again without consulting these two books first. Highly recommended for all readers.

This book is a mixed bag. Some of the information is good, some is incorrect and wrong and some is quite outdated.

Examples of good bits:

* good information is given on carnitine, manganese, betaine HCl, vitamin B1 and the different B12 types

Examples of incorrect bits:

* A diet should never be made up of more than 30% fat by calories
* 500 mcg is the maximum dose for iodine
* Fluoride in water is discussed as beneficial (!)
* Warnings are given about the 'dangers' of saturated fat

Examples of outdated bits:

* 400 IU is listed as a high dose of vitamin D
* A high carb diet is recommended for hypoglycaemia
* Some vitamin dosages given are very low, eg. 5 mg of vitamin B2 daily and 500 mg of vitamin C daily fro pregnant women
* Despite coconut oil being very high in MCTs it is stated that there are no significant food sources of MCTs

Because some of the information in this book is so problematic, this book cannot be recommended, even though some parts of it are quite good. This was probably an okay book in 1996 when it was first published but far better choices today are books by Abram Hoffer MD, Nora Gedgaudes, Dr Sherry Rogers and others.

Jodi Bassett, The Hummingbirds' Foundation for M.E. (HFME)

(See my review on the PDR for Nutritional Supplements.) This has much of the same information as "The New Encyclopedia of Vitamins, Minerals, Supplements, and Herbs" by Nicola Reavley (1998 - a newer book). I used these books to look up a list of herbal remedies for a weight loss program, and sadly could not find at least one third of these drugs. The reading is easy and to the point, and well-referenced to articles from medical journals. The first 13 pages consist of an introduction to nutritional supplements. Pages 15 - 413 list drugs under their separate categories with discussion on symptoms of deficiencies, recommended dosages, risks and benefits. Pages 413-489 briefly discuss medical conditions and recommendations for treatment, and then come References (56 pages) and the index (20 pages). I am still looking for a more updated and comprehensive source of information to use in my clinic.