Best Medicinal herbs

Molybdenum is a trace mineral essential for the formation of uric acid, a form of waste that is excreted as urine. If the body has too much molybdenum, it produces too much uric acid; if the body has too little molybdenum, it produces too little uric acid. When levels of uric acid exceed the amount the kidneys can process, it collects in the blood and settles in the joints, where it crystallizes and causes gout. In addition, molybdenum is essential for the utilization of iron, metabolism of carbohydrates, and the detoxification of sulfites.

Good Food Sources: Whole grains, meats, legumes. Note: Actual levels of molybdenum in these foods varies, depending on the mineral content of the soil in the region where the food is produced.

Signs of Deficiency: Molybdenum deficiency is exceedingly rare; possible symptoms include rapid heartbeat and night blindness.

Uses of Molybdenum: Molybdenum is used to treat gout.

Dosage Information: The government has not established an RDA for molybdenum. A safe and adequate range is considered 100 to 500 milligrams per day. Molybdenum is commercially available as sodium molybdate.

Possible Side Effects: Excessive levels of molybdenum (levels of 5,000 to 10,000 milligrams per day) have been known to cause gout.

Possible Interactions: None known.

Manganese is a mineral essential for healthy bone, skin, connective tissue, nerves, and cartilage, and for the activation of the important antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD). SOD helps prevent inflammation and free radical damage to the cells. Manganese is involved in many enzyme reactions, including those responsible for controlling blood sugar levels. It assists in blood clotting, the production of energy from food, and in the synthesis of protein. It is also essential for nervous system function and fat and vitamin metabolism.

Good Food Sources: Nuts, wheat bran, avocados, leafy green vegetables, pineapple, dried fruits, coffee, tea, and seeds.

Signs of Deficiency: Signs of manganese deficiency include cartilage problems, infertility, problems with fat and carbohydrate metabolism, and birth defects. Serious manganese deficiencies are rare. People with osteoporosis usually have low blood levels of manganese and can benefit from supplementation, as can people with diabetes.

Uses of Manganese: Manganese is used to treat diabetes and ear infections.

Dosage Information: While the government has not established an RDA for manganese, the estimated minimum daily requirement for manganese is 2.5 to 5 milligrams. Most people do not consume enough to fall within that range. A multivitamin–mineral supplement that contains manganese is sufficient for most people. If you need a supplement, look for manganese citrate tablets or capsules.

Possible Side Effects: Manganese is very safe at the levels found in supplements. People with cirrhosis of the liver should avoid manganese supplements because they may not be able to properly excrete this mineral.

Possible Interactions: Manganese works with copper and zinc to activate SOD. Both calcium and iron reduce the amount of manganese the body can absorb. Antacids and antiulcer drugs may interfere with the absorption of manganese

Magnesium is involved in a number of crucial bodily functions, from the creation of bone to the beating of the heart and the balance of sugar in the bloodstream. It plays a role in a number of cellular processes, including the formation of bone, proteins, cells, and fatty acids. In addition, magnesium stimulates activity of B vitamins, assists in clotting of blood, relaxes the muscles, aids in metabolism of carbohydrates and minerals, helps the body maintain a regular heart rhythm, and plays a central role in the formation of ATP (adenosine triphosphate), the fuel on which the body runs.

Good Food Sources: Nuts, whole grains, wheat bran, dark green vegetables, brown rice, garlic, apples, bananas, apricots, beans, dairy products, meat, fish, oysters, and scallops.

Signs of Deficiency: Signs of magnesium deficiency include fatigue, muscle weakness, twitching, nervousness, depression, abnormal heart rhythm, and loss of appetite. People who are most likely to be magnesium deficient are those who take laxatives or potassium-depleting drugs, as well as people with diabetes, heart failure, or an alcohol abuse problem.

Uses of Magnesium: Magnesium is used to treat angina , anxiety , chronic fatigue syndrome , constipation , diabetes , fibromyalgia , glaucoma , heart attack and cardiovascular disease , insomnia , migraine headache , Parkinson’s disease , and premenstrual syndrome .

Dosage Information: The adult RDA is 325 milligrams for adults and 450 milligrams for pregnant and breast-feeding women. Because magnesium can compete with other minerals for absorption, it is best to get your magnesium in a multivitamin–mineral supplement and to take it with a calcium supplement. (A 2:1 ratio of calcium to magnesium is recommended by most physicians.) Magnesium sulfate, magnesium gluconate, and a magnesium-protein complex are available for oral use. Dolomite, a magnesium and calcium carbonate complex mined from the ground, is not recommended as a source of magnesium because of the possible risk of lead contamination.


Possible Side Effects: Excessive magnesium, which can mean as little as 350 to 500 milligrams for some people, can cause diarrhea. People who have kidney disease should avoid magnesium supplements.

Possible Interactions: Magnesium works closely with calcium and with vitamins B6 and should be taken with these nutrients to maintain appropriate nutrient balance. Magnesium can also interact with muscle relaxants, diuretics, ulcer medications, and anticoagulant drugs. Do not take magnesium supplements if you suffer from kidney disorders, unless recommended by a physician

Iron is a trace mineral found in the hemoglobin molecule of red blood cells, the part of the blood that carries oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body. It is also found in myoglobin, the form of hemoglobin found in muscle tissue. Iron works with several enzymes required for energy production and protein metabolism.

Iron deficiency, the most common nutrient deficiency in the United States, leaves the body’s tissues lacking in sufficient oxygen, which can result in iron-deficient anemia and fatigue. Most doctors recommend that pregnant women take a supplement containing iron since the increased demand for iron can rarely be met through diet alone during pregnancy. Many women’s vitamin formulas include iron, which can be useful for menstruating women. After menopause, most women do not need extra iron.

Good Food Sources: Dietary sources of iron come in two forms: heme iron, found in animal sources such as chicken, red meat, eggs, liver, and seafood; and nonheme iron, found in whole grains, nuts, dried fruit, dark green vegetables, lentils, legumes, brewer’s yeast, ofu, and fortified cereals. The body absorbs heme iron somewhat more easily than it does nonheme iron; however, if you eat nonheme iron along with heme iron foods or foods containing vitamin C, iron absorption greatly improves.

Signs of Deficiency: Signs of iron deficiency include fatigue, weakness, headaches, anemia, and intolerance of cold.

Uses of Iron: Iron is used to treat anemia.

Dosage Information: Take iron supplements only under a doctor’s care. Iron is best absorbed when taken 30 minutes before a meal. The RDA for iron is 10 milligrams for adult men, 15 milligrams for adult women, 30 milligrams for pregnant women, and 15 milligrams for lactating women.

    Iron deficiency can have many causes. Menstruation is a common cause for adult women. Intake of certain foods and drugs can contribute to iron deficiency, including coffee, tea, soy-based products, tetracycline, and antacids, as well as high doses of calcium, zinc, and manganese supplements. Some people have a greater need for iron, including individuals who have hemorrhoids, bleeding stomach ulcers, Crohn’s disease, or other conditions that cause poor absorption of iron or abnormal blood loss. People who take aspirin routinely, vegetarians, and long-distance runners also often need to supplement with iron. People who fall into any of the above-mentioned categories are potential candidates for iron supplementation.

    Look for a product that contains ferrous fumarate, ferrous peptinate, or iron glycinate, in liquid or tablets. These forms cause constipation and indigestion less often than other forms.

Possible Side Effects: Excessive intake of iron—whether the result of megadosing or from taking iron when you do not have a deficiency—can inhibit function of the immune system, interfere with the absorption of phosphorus, cause headache, constipation, fatigue, dizziness, and vomiting, damage the intestinal tract, and increase the risk of cirrhosis, cancer, and heart attack. Taking too much iron can be a problem for the one out of every 250 Americans who has a genetic condition called hemochromatosis, which causes the body to absorb twice as much iron from food and supplements as other people do.

Possible Interactions: Iron absorption increases when it is taken with vitamin C or vitamin A and is decreased by intake of caffeine, calcium, zinc, and high-fiber foods.

Iodine is a trace element necessary for the normal function of the thyroid gland. Specifically, the thyroid gland uses iodine in the production of the thyroid hormone. Iodine deficiency can result in goiter (a condition in which the thyroid becomes enlarged in an effort to compensate for the body’s lack of iodine), as well as impaired mental and physical development in children. Iodine deficiency during pregnancy can cause miscarriage and increased risk of infant mortality.


Good Food Sources: Iodized salt, seafood, seaweed, fish liver oil.

Signs of Deficiency: Signs of iodine deficiency include thyroid enlargement. Iodine deficiency is rare in industrialized countries because iodine is added to table salt.

Uses of Iodine: Iodine is used to treat iodine deficiency. It is also used topically and as an antiseptic for cuts.

Dosage Information: The RDA is 150 micrograms for adults, 200 micrograms for pregnant and breastfeeding women. The therapeutic dose is 50 to 300 micrograms. Supplemental iodine is not recommended unless a person shows signs of iodine deficiency.

Possible Side Effects: Taking too much iodine (more than 1,500 micrograms per day) may inhibit thyroid hormone secretion. Iodine supplementation may contribute to acne in some cases.

Possible Interactions: People with hypothyroid disorder should avoid high-iodine foods. When taken in large amounts, some raw foods (Brussels sprouts, turnips, beets, cassava, cabbage, kale, peaches, spinach) can block the uptake of iodine into the thyroid.

Folic acid—also known as vitamin B9, folate, and folacin—plays many crucial roles in maintaining health. Folic acid works with vitamin B12 to create red blood cells. In fact, folic acid deficiency can lead to a particular form of anemia called megaloblastic anemia, after the technical name for improperly formed blood cells.

In addition, folic acid works with vitamin B12 to facilitatenormal cell division and synthesize RNA and DNA, the genetic blueprints of every cell in the body. Women who are planning to become or who are pregnant need adequate levels of folic acid because it is instrumental in preventing most neural-tube birth defects as well as congenital abnormalities. Numerous studies have shown the benefit of folic acid supplementation throughout pregnancy to help prevent a birth defect known as spina bifida.

Folic acid also helps prevent heart disease by lowering levels of the amino acid homocysteine. It also has a key role in keeping the skin, nails, nerves, mucous membranes, hair, and blood healthy.

Good Food Sources: Avocados, bran, beets, celery, fortified cereal, legumes, lentils, okra, broccoli, citrus fruits, liver, salmon, green leafy vegetables, nuts, orange juice, seeds, and pecans. Folic acid is also added to enriched breads, flours, corn meals, pastas, rice, and other grain products. (Folic acid is also manufactured by our intestinal bacteria.)

Signs of Deficiency: Signs of folic acid deficiency include impaired cell division, anemia, headache, loss of appetite, diarrhea, fatigue, paleness, insomnia, and an inflamed, red tongue. Folic acid deficiency is most likely to occur among people who have gastrointestinal or malabsorption disorders, women taking oral contraceptives, pregnant women not taking vitamin supplements, alcoholics, and teenagers who have a poor diet.

Uses of Folic Acid: Folic acid is used to treat anemia , arteriosclerosis , cancer , constipation , depression , diarrhea , gingivitis , gout , and heart attack and cardiovascular disease.

Dosage Information: The adult RDA is 400 micrograms for adults; pregnant and breast-feeding women should get 800 micrograms daily. Look for multivitamin–mineral supplements with folic acid, preferably in the form of 5-methyl-tetra-hydrofolate, because this is the most bioactive form.

    The body needs folic acid to properly use vitamin B12. If you are deficient in vitamin B12, intake of 1,000 micrograms folic acid may be needed to treat anemia caused by the B12 deficiency. Consult a health professional who is knowledgeable in vitamin B12 deficiency anemia.

Possible Side Effects: Folic acid is considered safe. High dosages of folic acid may hide the symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency. If you have any reason to suspect a B12 deficiency, consult with a knowledgeable health professional before starting a folic acid supplement program.

Possible Interactions: Antacids can interfere with folic acid absorption. Drug interactions can occur between folic acid and some antibiotics and medications for malaria and seizures. Use of oral contraceptives may increase the need for folic acid.