Stan Jones could have used a supplement guide like this one. In 1999, Jones, then a Libertarian candidate for a U.S. Senate seat from Montana, began taking colloidal silver. He feared that Y2K would result in a shortage of antibiotics, and he'd apparently heard that colloidal silver has antibacterial and immunity-boosting properties. What he didn't hear was that it also has a possible (and permanent) side effect called argyria. Today, Stan Jones has blue skin.

The lesson: Supplements are serious medicine, and how smart you are about what you swallow will largely determine whether you end up healed or hurt. Or a different hue. But where do you go for that knowledge? To an expert like me. As a professor of pharmacotherapy at Washington State University and the answer man for Men's Health's "Pills of Wisdom" column, I eat, sleep, and breathe supplements (often literally). If it comes in a bottle or a blister pack, a tablet or a tincture, I know what to expect after it enters my esophagus. But I also know that information, like a vitamin, is worthless if it isn't easily digestible, which is why I've created this A-to-Z guide to the supplement aisle.

One more thing: I've saved you the trouble of looking in the Cs for colloidal silver. This stuff is not a bug killer, but as Jones found out, it sure can give a guy the blues.

For the complete list, click here.

Vitamin A
Immunity Enhancer
A is essential for a strong immune system. USDA researchers found that an increased intake of vitamin A boosted germ-killing cells by 8 percent.
Best dosage for men: 5,000 international units (IU) daily, preferably as beta-carotene
Natural sources: Carrots, sweet potatoes, mangoes

B
Boron
Memory Maximizer
Rhymes with moron, but it's actually a brain booster. A USDA study found that boron revs up the memory. Plus, men with the highest boron intakes are 65 percent less likely to develop prostate cancer.
Best dosage for men: 3 mg daily
Natural sources: Nuts, legumes, most dried fruits

C
Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid)
Stress Buster

While vitamin C can't cure a cold, there's evidence it can shorten the sniffles by a day. The C may also stand for "calm"--University of Alabama researchers found that it may help halt the secretion of stress hormones. And scurvy? Clears it right up.
Best dosage for men: 500 mg daily
Natural sources: Citrus fruit, tomatoes, bell peppers

D
Vitamin D
Lifesaver
See "You Need Vitiman D" for the myriad reasons why. (Your body thanks you.)

E
Vitamin E
Tumor Tamer
E is tough on the big C, especially when it's paired with selenium. Research shows that this antioxidant may reduce your risk of prostate cancer by up to 53 percent and bladder cancer by almost half.
Best dosage for men: 200 IU d-alpha-tocopherol daily
Natural sources: Vegetable oils, leafy green vegetables
Interactions: May increase the effects of blood thinners or reverse the effects of statins.

F
Feverfew
Migraine Reliever
Studies evaluating this aspirin alternative are at odds. Still, Canada's version of our FDA allows it to be included in medications. Stateside, it's a supplement. Worth a shot for migraines. Best dosage for men: 50 to 150 mg daily

G
Ginkgo biloba
The findings on this herbal extract have seesawed back and forth for years, with some research showing that it may help with processes like recall and analytical thinking.
Best dosage for men: 40 mg of a standardized extract, like EGb761, three times a day
Interactions: May interfere with blood thinners and some antidepressants.

H
Hawthorn
Pump Primer
Heart medicine doesn't grow on trees--shrubs are another story. In a study review published in American Family Physician, researchers determined that hawthorn-berry extract helps the heart pump more efficiently.
Best dosage for men: Consult your cardiologist.
Interactions: May interfere with some heart medications.

I
Iron
Heart Stopper
It's better to lift this metal than swallow it. There may be a link between high iron levels and heart disease. Eat meat and you're iron-fortified enough.

J
Juniper
Bug Killer
Juniper extract contains an antiviral compound that may fight bugs like flu and herpes simplex. Get your doc's approval--the berry can cause kidney damage.

For the rest of list, click here.

 © 2004 Pro-Bound.com All Rights Reserved.