RDA & DRI

My friend has decided to take large doses of potassium for some reason or another. Now, she has a terrible case of constipation. What are the side effects of too much potassium? Thank you. Your kidneys regulate potassium and depending on the levels in her blood and inside her cells, she is probably excreting the...

I'm concerned about getting enough calcium and am only 34 years old. The other day, I was watching a popular television program and they were discussing osteoporosis in women after menopause. Osteoporosis is characterized by a loss of calcium from bone, especially the spine and deterioration of bone tissue to the point it looks like...

I'd like to know what multivitamin contains the highest content of vitamin A, D, E, K. I would like to know where I could find this multivitamin. I cannot recommend one specific brand. In the US, multivitamins usually contain only 100% of the Recommended Dietary Allowances. Usually, only 17 nutrients (protein, vitamin A, D,...

Which foods are high in vitamin K? Leafy green vegetables (kale, collards, spinach, turnip greens, beet greens, mustard greens, dandelion greens green leaf lettuce), Brussels sprouts, broccoli, green onions, parsley, asparagus, and sauerkraut contain more than the RDA of vitamin K for men or women. These foods are not allowed for persons with a history...

What is riboflavin and how important is it to a vegetarian diet? Riboflavin is vitamin B2 and is important to energy metabolism (processing nutrients like protein, fat, carbohydrate and alcohol that have calories to a form of energy that the body can use - ATP), normal eyesight and healthy skin. Foods high in riboflavin are...

What does Ginseng do to one's metabolism? Are there long-term risks associated with taking Ginseng tea daily? Ginseng does not change your metabolism. The only long-term risk I've seen associated with taking ginseng in any form is that excessive use can increase blood pressure. I would suggest you check out The Herbalist or Chinese Medicine and...

What B vitamin helps against mosquito bites? One B vitamin called thiamin does in large doses seem to change a person's body odor. But there seem to be inconsistent results as to its effectiveness at repelling mosquitoes. The reason it seems to change body odor is that some excess thiamin is excreted through the skin....

I am a 24-year old masters swimmer. I have been getting cramps - calf and toe- a lot recently. On the advice of the coach and teammates, I am taking a potassium supplement and eating a lot of bananas. However, this hasn't really solved my problem. I think now that it may be a...

My husband recently had a valve replacement. He will be taking Coumadin for the rest of his life. I read your helpful info on vitamin K, but have one more question - are all lettuces equally high in vitamin K? He has been told he can eat some foods as long as it is...

While looking at my weight, age and the certainty of increasing medical problems, I've been working on a database that I can use for myself that will allow me to track things like track high blood pressure, blood sugars, medications, exercise, meals and the specific foods. While looking at the food section of the database,...