Food and herbs were the first medicine, used to treat a number of conditions. It has always been clear that food has a medicinal effect, and that a varied diet, rich in natural ingredients, is a prerequisite for good health. From the earliest times, diet became a fundamental part of many therapies, and an integral element of most.

By the middle of the 20th Century scientists had put together a profile of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats, as well as vitamins and minerals, that were essential to health. More than 40 nutrients were uncovered, including 13 vitamins. It was discovered that minerals were needed for body functions, and understanding the body and its biochemistry grew.

From that time, the field spread from being mainly physician-led dietary therapy, also called clinical nutrition, into a more profound theory of health based on treating the patient as a whole (holistic health) and looking for deficiencies that may be causing illness, which are specific to each individual.

Maximum health and life span require metabolic harmony. It is commonly thought that American’s intake of more than 40 essential micronutrients (vitamins, minerals, and other biochemicals that humans require) is adequate. Classic deficiency diseases such as scurvy, beriberi, pernicious anemia, and rickets are rare, but the evidence suggests that metabolic damage occurs at intake levels between the level causing micronutrient deficiency diseases and the recommended dietary allowances (RDA).

When one input in the metabolic network is inadequate, repercussions are felt on a large number of systems and can lead to degenerative disease. This may, for example, result in an increase in DNA damage (and possibly cancer), neuron decay (possible cognitive dysfunction), or mitochondrial decay (and possible accelerated aging and degenerative diseases.) The optimum amount of folate or zinc that is truly “required” is the amount that minimizes DNA damage and maximizes a healthy life span, which is higher than the amount to prevent acute disease.

Optimal amounts of vitamins and micronutrients vary widely from individual to individual and iVitamin Science addresses this issue head on. With our proprietary determinant of vitamin and mineral health metric survey we gather data that impacts the precise formula of nutrients needed to maximize your health future. This sophisticated tool collates over 50 demographic metrics including geographic and seasonal variations, medical and pharmaceutical status, determinates of health, and takes your activity level and lifestyle demands into account as it calculates your vitamin and mineral needs.