From the Mailbag: Olive Oil-Based Supplements and Why You Should Take Zinc With Copper

Dear Living Well Daily Reader,

You’ve got questions…

We’ve got answers!

Today we are going to tell you how to find olive oil-based supplements and discuss the relationship between two vital minerals — zinc and copper.

Let’s dive in…

--Olive Oil-Based Supplements

Hey, Natalie,

I would like to find vitamin softgels that contain olive oil, since it is fat soluble. To date, I’ve only found softgels that use soybean oil. Since most soybean oil is made from GMO crops, I want to avoid it entirely. Do you know where can I find supplements that use olive oil as a base?

Looking forward to your answer,

Carl P.

Thanks for writing in, Carl.

Many vitamins, like vitamins D3 and K2, are better absorbed when they’re taken in oil form. So it’s important to take them in this form to get the maximum health benefits.

And you’re right, most soybean oil is made from GMO ingredients. If you’re avoiding soy or GMO ingredients, then you’re going to want avoid supplements made with soybean oil.

Fortunately, Living Well offers olive oil-based softgels for our D3K2 supplement. Not only is this product made with GMO-free olive oil, but the softgel casing is also GMO-free.

Plus, Living Well demands the highest standards from manufacturers. We partner only with select supplement manufacturers who pass the most strict quality assurance standards to produce our high-quality products. Each manufacturer that we work with has been certified by either NSF or the Natural Products Association to ensure that they meet or exceed the FDA’s current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMPs) for dietary supplements.

But this isn’t just for our oil-based supplements. It’s for all of our supplements.

Click here to check out our line of top-notch supplement.

If we don’t have the supplement you’re looking for, you can look for olive-oil based supplements through online retailers like vitacost.com. Just be sure to check the ingredients for olive oil, and look at the labeling for GMO information before purchasing. If you can’t find the information you’re searching for, reach out to the company.

--Why You Should Take Zinc With Copper

Hi Natalie,

I really liked your article about zinc last week, but it raised a couple questions for me.

 I’ve heard that if you take zinc, you should also take copper with it. Is this true? Do you know why zinc and copper should be taken together?

Thanks,

Bev K.

Great question, Bev. My apologies for not touching on this last week.

As we discussed in last week’s article, zinc is a mineral that can help boost your immune system. In fact, zinc can even help you ward deadly infections like pneumonia. Copper, also a mineral, is vital for heart, brain and bone health.

Zinc and copper have a complicated relationship. When you take one of these minerals, it causes you to have a deficiency of the other. For example, if you’re taking a zinc supplement during cold season, there’s a good chance your copper levels are plummeting, and vice versa. A deficiency of either mineral can put your health in jeopardy.

This means you should be taking these two powerful elements together.

The standard ratio is 15-to-1 zinc to copper. You can take zinc and copper separately or choose a supplement that has already combined them for you. These supplements are available most places that sell supplements and through online retailers. A 100-capsule bottle typically costs about $5.

Do you have any health questions you want answered? Drop me a line nmoore@lfb.org

Live well,

Natalie Moore
Managing editor, Living Well Daily

Ed. Note: Please send your feedback: nmoore@lfb.org – and click here to like us on Facebook.

Natalie Moore

Written By Natalie Moore

Natalie Moore is a dedicated health researcher with a passion for finding healthy, natural, and science-based solutions. After a decade of direct healthcare experience in western and natural medicine, she was involved in public health research before joining Living Well Daily.

View More Free Articles

Olive Oil Compound WOWS Researchers

Olive oil has been getting some well-deserved attention the last few years. So it would be easy to assume that the golden oil’s status as a health food was recently earned. But the truth is, olive oil has been considered a healthy staple in the human diet since it was first developed 600 years ago....

Read This

NEW Medicinal Mushroom Benefit UNCOVERED

I’m a big fan of medicinal mushrooms. Almost everyone has eaten a standard mushroom on a pizza or in a spaghetti sauce, of course. But most folks have yet to experience medical mushrooms’ power to improve our health. Medicinal mushrooms are already used to treat heart, liver, and brain conditions. They can boost the immune...

Read This

[SENIORS] Cellular GLITCH Discovered?!

Aging isn’t for sissies, that’s for sure. But hey, I always remind myself the alternative is FAR worse! Besides, when you sit back and take stock, you’ll realize that a life well lived – like your own – is something to be proud of. But those accomplishments, unfortunately, don’t reduce your risk of suffering the...

Read This

Overlooked Diabetes Risk Drives Up Blood Sugar

If you’re concerned about diabetes, you’ve probably done your research. You likely focused on all the common problem areas to ward off rising blood sugar: the grocery store… the gym… and the bathroom scale. And those ARE all great places to start! Eating better, exercising, and losing weight can go a long way toward bringing your...

Read This

Boredom BUSTING Hack Keeps You Sane AND Healthy

This time of year, I start to feel a little stir-crazy. Cabin fever sets in as I tire of the cold and snow. And I start thinking about the warmer weather that’s right around the corner (but still feels SO far away). You see, I enjoy walking, hiking, and running outside. It’s good for both...

Read This

Loneliness Linked to THIS Startling Side Effect

Before the pandemic, we didn’t talk much about being lonely. But when the virus locked us down in our homes, the issue of isolation could no longer be ignored. Some of us were experiencing that kind of loneliness for the first time. But the truth is social isolation has ALWAYS been a common problem for...

Read This

MAILBAG: Ease Prostate Problems NATURALLY

“Are there any natural solutions for an enlarged prostate?” -Mike from Summerville, South Carolina Hi Mike, There are many things you can do to improve your prostate health. Eating better is the first step. This means loading up on nutritious foods, including plenty of fresh organic vegetables and lean meats. (And yes, that DOES mean...

Read This

Ditch Depression WITHOUT Drugs

You think that when you reach “your golden years,” you won’t have much to worry about anymore. After all, many of life’s major stressors, like work, kids, and relationships, are pretty much settled by the time you hit your sixties. So why the heck are we all so darned depressed then?! According to a recent...

Read This

The Ovarian Cancer Risk You NEVER Saw Coming

Cancer research is nothing new. In fact, we’ve been studying this killer since the 1800s. Yet despite all that investigating, there’s still so much we DON’T know. That’s why each time we reach a new milestone in our understanding of cancer, it should be celebrated. And a recent study has helped us make another large...

Read This

Weird Supermarket Secret BEATS Sunburn

In the winter, we tend to ignore the importance of protecting our skin from the sun’s powerful rays. But where I live, in Colorado, I see many folks come down from the ski areas with “raccoon eyes.” This happens when skiers’ faces burn, but the areas around their eyes remain pale because they wear goggles....

Read This