Developing my approach to boosting nutrition was literally an organic personal journey.
Editor’s Note: MAF supplements, formulated by Dr. Phil Maffetone, are now available WORLDWIDE. Click here for more information.
I’ve taken dietary supplements for more than 50 years, experimenting with different types, doses, timing and combining. While I focus on getting as much nutrition out of healthy organic foods, it was also evident early on that modern diets can’t provide everything we need. As I studied the science of food ingredients and helped companies create products, I began to conceptualize my own supplements using the best of the best organic ingredients.
Among the first supplements I recall taking were fish oil and acerola powder. Fish sources of fatty acids were important to control chronic inflammation, and acerola contained naturally-occurring vitamin C with powerful phytonutrients (a term not used back then). I still take fish oil, and organic acerola is an important food source of vitamin C in MAF C. This product also contains freeze-dried broccoli sprouts and other raw foods, making it a powerful immune and aging support product. I take one or two capsules each day depending on my travel schedule and other stress, and the seasonality of fresh foods.
The B complex was a more difficult challenge as it was not realized for some time that B vitamin supplements contained inactive forms compared to vitamins found in foods. Finally, during my R&D in the 1990s it was possible to find all the natural active forms of each B vitamin. That’s why I take the MAF B-Complex each day, with dosing based on my level of daily stress.
From the beginning, I used vitamin D in practice as so many patients required it. Back then, D supplements were not popular because it was assumed most people had adequate levels. Of course, the sun scare and a growing overfat population contributed to poor vitamin D metabolism and even more vitamin D-deficient people. To remedy this, the food sources in MAF D+K has active D3, two forms of vitamin K, and other nutrients like zinc and magnesium that help D get metabolized. I take one a day even when I’m well-tanned (indicative of good D levels) because humans require both forms—from the sun and food. Most importantly, I test my vitamin D levels to make sure it’s high and adjust my dosage accordingly.
There have been many other hard-to-find food-source supplements I’ve used over the years. The vitamin E complex is a key one most people don’t consume. Vitamin E is a complex of four tocopherols (not just alpha), plus four tocotrienols. (It’s. Important to avoid dangerously high doses of alpha tocopherol, such as 400 IU). Along with B and C, the E complex is contained in the MAF Multi, plus a wide variety of phytonutrients that help the body make its most powerful antioxidant, glutathione. I take two to three a day, depending on seasonal foods, travel and other stress, and exercise levels.
