Are you currently on one or more pharmaceutical drugs? Perhaps you are not aware, but every pharmaceutical drug depletes the body of various nutrients, depriving your cells of the essential raw materials which drive normal, natural cell function. The data on our industrialized food supply already suggestes that each of us is not getting enough nutrition from diet alone. If you're taking one or more pharmaceutical drugs, your situtation is likely to be even worse.

In the Drug-Induced Nutrient Depletion Handbook the following information is listed.

"HMG CoA Reductase Inhibitors delete the body of Coenzyme Q10, an important nutrient, and that result of this depletion could lead to mitochondrial dysfunction, decreased body function, and decreased cardiac output."

How could that be affecting your life if you are currently on one of those drugs? Perhaps you should consider a high-quality supplement that contains Qoenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) so make up for your depletion.

If you found our your were iron deficient (anemic), you'd probably take an iron supplement, right?

Other items listed in the Drug-Induced Nutrient Depletion Handbook.

"Many anticonvulsants cause a depletion of Vitamin D, folic acid, and calcium. Depleting these nutrients has the potential to cause problems such as osteoporosis, muscle weakness, blood pressure irregularities, and heart disease."

In this case, perhaps you should consider a high-quality multivitamin supplement to simply replace the nutrients your body needs.

"Almost every antibiotic causes a disruption of normal bowel flora and a reduction in the production of important vitamins, leading to diarrhea and other gastrointestinal side effects."

I have a personal experience where my life was saved through antibiotics, but I certainly experienced these side effects. Fortunately there are quality bowel flora supplements which help provide the body with normal levels of intestinal bacteria. This is critical in the metabolization of many vitamins, such as the Vitamin B family.

Here's what the Drug-Induced Nutrient Depletion Handbook has to say about Estrogen Replacement Therapy.

"Taking Estrogen Replacement Therapy can cause a depletion of important B vitamins, leadingto anxiety, depression, cardiovascular disease, and depression."

Again perhaps you should choose a high-quality multivitamin supplement and also provide the nutrients that support normal endocrine function.

The Drug-Induced Nutrient Depletion Handbook provides a drug index, which alphabetically lists drugs by both brand and generic name, with cross-references and the scientific basis, studies and abstracts for the research which determined which nutrients are depleted by the particular drug. It also lists nutrient information with concise descriptions of the effects of depletion. What medications are you taking that are depriving your body of essential nutrients?

Dave Saunders is a certified nutritional educator, wellness coach, member of the American International Association of Nutritional Education (AIANE) and author. He is also the host of a weekly, nation-wide telephone lecture on health and nutrition. For additional information, please visit www.glycoboy.com or www.glycowellness.com or email Dave at dave@glycoboy.com