In the final episode of our micronutrient series, Greg and Lyndsey discuss which micronutrients are most worth monitoring and good food sources for the micronutrients you may be under-consuming. Then, we talk more broadly about why you shouldn’t allow a focus on micronutrients specifically to detract from the pursuit of a generally healthy diet.
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Getting into the content; discussing the difference between insufficient intake and deficient intake/status. (13:40)
Episode 1 in the Micronutrient series
Episode 2 in the Micronutrients series
Landing page for micronutrient articles
Content discussed in this episode:
Which Micronutrients Are Worth Monitoring?
Micronutrients Are Important, But They Aren’t Everything
Landing page for micronutrient content in the KB
Nutrients that are often overconsumed (21:52)
Chart summarizing content in this section
Added sugar
USDA: Get the Facts: Added Sugars | Nutrition | CDC
NHS: Sugar: the facts - NHS
AHA: Dietary sugars intake and cardiovascular health: a scientific statement from the American Heart Association
Saturated fat
Intake in the US: Saturated Fat and Food Intakes of Adults - FSRG Dietary Data Briefs - NCBI Bookshelf
Intake in the EU: Saturated fat intake across the EU, Norway and the United Kingdom | Knowledge for policy
Higher intakes associated with more CVD: Saturated fat and trans-fat intakes and their replacement with other macronutrients: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective observational studies
Saturated fat increases LDL cholesterol: Effects of saturated fatty acids on serum lipids and lipoproteins: a systematic review and regression analysis
Reducing LDL reduces CVD with a strong dose-response relationship, suggesting causation: Association Between Lowering LDL-C and Cardiovascular Risk Reduction Among Different Therapeutic Interventions: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis | Cardiology | JAMA
Sodium
Sodium intake and stroke: Association of sodium intake and major cardiovascular outcomes: a dose-response meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies
Update on research related to other diseases: The impact of excessive salt intake on human health
Excluded: Omega-6
Inflammation: Omega-6 fatty acids and inflammation
Human health outcomes: Omega‐6 fats for the primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease - Hooper, L - 2018 | Cochrane Library
Nutrivore article: A Comprehensive Rebuttal to Seed Oil Sophistry
Excluded: Trans Fats
Trans Fats | MacroFactor
Nutrients that are frequently under-consumed (44:14)
Most of the data related to under-consumed nutrients came from these sources:
Micronutrient Inadequacies in the US Population: an Overview | Linus Pauling Institute | Oregon State University
Projected prevalence of inadequate nutrient intakes in Europe
Omega-3 Fatty Acids - Health Professional Fact Sheet
Should I be eating more fiber? - Harvard Health
Choline - Health Professional Fact Sheet
More on individual nutrients
Fiber: Dietary Fat | MacroFactor
Omega 3s: Omega-3 EPA | MacroFactor, Omega-3 DHA | MacroFactor
Vitamin A: Vitamin A (Retinol) | MacroFactor
Vitamin B6: Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) | MacroFactor
Folate: Folate (Vitamin B9) | MacroFactor
Vitamin C: Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) | MacroFactor
Vitamin D: Vitamin D (Calciferol) | MacroFactor
Vitamin E: Vitamin E (Tocopherol) | MacroFactor
EFSA publication on Vitamin E: Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for vitamin E as α-tocopherol
Vitamin K: Vitamin K (Phylloquinone and Menaquinone)
Choline: Choline | MacroFactor
Magnesium: Magnesium | MacroFactor
Potassium: Potassium | MacroFactor
Zinc: Zinc | MacroFactor
Nutrients vegans may want to pay more attention to (1:08:46)
Omega 3s: Omega-3 EPA | MacroFactor, Omega-3 DHA | MacroFactor
Individual Amino Acids (primarily lysine, methionine, and tryptophan):
Lysine | MacroFactor
Methionine | MacroFactor
Tryptophan | MacroFactor
B12: Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin) | MacroFactor
Calcium, Iron, Zinc, and Selenium:
Iron Status of Vegetarian Adults: A Review of Literature - PMC
Intake and adequacy of the vegan diet. A systematic review of the evidence
Calcium | MacroFactor
Iron | MacroFactor
Zinc | MacroFactor
Selenium | MacroFactor
Be sure to avoid “micronutrient reductionism” (1:21:58)
Polyphenols: The Role of Polyphenols in Human Health and Food Systems: A Mini-Review - PMC
Isothiocyanates: Isothiocyanates | Linus Pauling Institute
Q&A (1:37:49)
Are multivitamins overrated? (1:38:37)
2013 meta: Multivitamin-multimineral supplementation and mortality: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Subsequent metas: Vitamin and Mineral Supplements for the Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease and Cancer: Updated Evidence Report and Systematic Review for the US Preventive Services Task Force | Cardiology | JAMA, Association of Multivitamin and Mineral Supplementation and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease | Circulation
2020 BMJ narrative review: Health effects of vitamin and mineral supplements | The BMJ
Calcium + vitamin D for fractures: Calcium plus vitamin D supplementation and risk of fractures: an updated meta-analysis from the National Osteoporosis Foundation
Is low blood vitamin D often the result of some other underlying problem? (1:57:33)
Barbell medicine episode: Episode #152: Vitamin D with Dr. Austin Baraki
Relevant research/perspective papers:
Real‐world evidence for the effectiveness of vitamin D supplementation in reduction of total and cause‐specific mortality
Low vitamin D is a marker for poor health and increased risk for disease: But causality is still unclear in most cases | JIM
Vitamin D: health panacea or false prophet?
Vitamin D deficiency 2.0: an update on the current status worldwide - PMC
Vitamin D: a negative acute phase reactant | Journal of Clinical Pathology
Vitamin D and Cancer | IARC
Skeletal and Extraskeletal Actions of Vitamin D: Current Evidence and Outstanding Questions
Optimal vitamin D status: a critical analysis on the basis of evidence-based medicine
Are there any good proxy measurements to know if you’re meeting micronutrient targets without needing to track micronutrients? (2:09:19)
Folic acid supplementation when trying to get pregnant (2:12:38)
2011 review: Folic Acid Food Fortification—Its History, Effect, Concerns, and Future Directions - PMC
2022 paper arguing for global folate fortification: Preventing birth defects, saving lives, and promoting health equity: an urgent call to action for universal mandatory food fortification with folic acid
Letter to the editor calling for caution against universal fortification: Mandatory food fortification with folic acid - The Lancet Global Health
General info on neural tube defects: Neural tube defects: a review of global prevalence, causes, and primary prevention
Evidence of vitamin K along with vitamin D and Boron supplementation (2:21:04)
Vitamin K
Optimistic epidemiological research: Vitamin K Intake and Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease in the Danish Diet Cancer and Health Study
Less clarity from interventions currently: Vitamin K Supplementation for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease: Where Is the Evidence? A Systematic Review of Controlled Trials
Boron
NIH factsheet: Boron - Health Professional Fact Sheet
2015 cheerleading review: Nothing Boring About Boron | IMCJ
Examine.com page: Boron health benefits, dosage, safety, side effects, and supporting evidence. | Supplements | Examine
Important note: at one point when answering the question related to boron, I referenced dosages of 2g and 500mg. I meant 2mg and 500mcg. Do not take 2g (or even 500mg) of boron.