Multi-vitamin and mineral nutritional supplements

Abstract

The invention provides a nutritional supplement which includes micronutrients to facilitate reduction of cholesterol, and/or reduction of homocystein and/or reduction of low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) oxidation in humans. In one embodiment the supplement is a multi-vitamin, a mineral supplement which includes at least one component known to reduce cholesterol. The invention further provides a method for tableting one fourth to one half of the daily effective dosage of a phytosterol containing nutritional supplement in a practical sized tablet and a method for reducing blood cholesterol in humans.

1 . A nutritional supplement tablet for humans comprising, at least about 400 mg phytosterol in free form wherein the phytosterol is at least partially coated with silicon dioxide, at least about 3.5 mg Zinc, 12 mcg Vitamin K, at least about 15 IU Vitamin E, at least about 150 IU Vitamin D, at least about 30 mg Vitamin C, at least about 2 mg Vitamin B 6 , at least about 0.8 mg Riboflavin, at least about 90 mcg Vitamin B 12 , at least about 1600 IU Vitamin A (and Vitamin A precursors), at least about 4.5 mcg Vanadium, at least about 4.5 mcg Tin, at least about 0.7 mg Thiamin, at least about 0.9 mg Silicon, at least about 10 mcg Selenium, at least about 30 mg Potassium, at least about 35 mg Phosphorous, at least about 5 mg Pantothenic Acid, at least about 10 mg Niacin, at least about 35 mcg Molybdenum, at least about 1 mg Manganese, at least about 20 mg Magnesium, at least about 70 mcg Iodine, at least about 200 mcg Folic Acid, at least about 0.35 mg Copper, at least about 60 mcg Chromium, at least about 25 mg Chloride, at least about 50 mg Calcium, at least about 15 mcg Boron, and at least about 15 mcg biotin per tablet. 
     
     
         2 . The nutritional supplement of  claim 1 , wherein a daily dosage comprises two tablets. 
     
     
         3 . A nutritional supplement for humans comprising multivitamins and/or multi-minerals and a cholesterol reducing agent comprising a phytosterol in free form in an amount of at least about 800 mg per daily dosage wherein the phytosterol is mixed with absorbent to at least partially coat the phytosterol prior to combination with at least one additional nutrient selected from the group consisting of vitamins, minerals and combinations thereof and wherein upon combination, the supplement is compressed into tablets disintegratable in user's gastrointestinal track. 
     
     
         4 . A nutritional supplement tablet or caplet comprising multi-vitamins, multi-minerals, an absorbent and a cholesterol reducing agent of at least 400 mg, said cholesterol reducing agent comprising phytosterols which comprise beta-sitosterol and campesterol in free form, wherein said supplement has an oval shape and disintegrates in the gastrointestinal tract, and wherein the phytosterol is at least partially coated with the absorbent. 
     
     
         5 . A nutritional supplement of a solid dosage form comprising multi-vitamins, multi-minerals, an absorbent and a cholesterol reducing agent of at least 800 mg per daily dosage, said cholesterol reducing agent comprising phytosterols which comprise beta-sitosterol and campesterol in free form, wherein the phytosterol is at least partially coated with the absorbent. 
     
     
         6 . The nutritional supplement of  claim 5 , wherein the daily dosage of the nutritional supplement comprises two tablets and wherein each of the two tablets has a volume less than about 2 cubic centimeters. 
     
     
         7 . The nutritional supplement of  claim 5 , wherein the daily dosage of the nutritional supplement comprises up to four tablets and wherein each tablet has a volume less than about 1.5 cubic centimeters. 
     
     
         8 . An immediate release nutritional supplement for administration to humans comprising:
 an effective amount of phytosterol, wherein the phytosterol is at least partially coated with an absorbent.   
     
     
         9 . The immediate release nutritional supplement of  claim 8 , wherein the absorbent is silicon dioxide, calcium silicate, talc, titanium dioxide, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The immediate release nutritional supplement of  claim 9 , wherein the silicon dioxide is precipitated silicon dioxide. 
     
     
         11 . The immediate release nutritional supplement of  claim 8  wherein the nutritional supplement is in a tablet dosage form. 
     
     
         12 . The nutritional supplement of  claim 11 , wherein the tablet is coated with a film coating comprising polyvinyl alcohol. 
     
     
         14 . A method of a nutritional supplementation for a human which facilitates reduction of serum cholesterol comprising providing a human an effective amount of the nutritional supplement of  claim 8 . 
     
     
         15 . A method of tableting an immediate release phytosterol containing nutritional supplement, said method comprising: providing at least one phytosterol, coating said phytosterol with an absorbent; granulating the coated phytosterol under high shear granulation conditions to form a granulation; milling the granulation. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the tableted immediate release phytosterol further comprises a diluent, wherein at least a portion of the diluent is selected from a calcium compound and a magnesium compound or a mixture thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the absorbent is selected from the group consisting of silicon dioxide, calcium silicate, talc, titanium dioxide, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , said method further comprising film coating the tablet. 
     
     
         19 . An aqueous suspension composition comprising an immediate release phytosterol, wherein said phytosterol is at least partially coated with an absorbent. 
     
     
         20 . A method of nutritional supplementation for a human which facilitates the lowering of serum cholesterol comprising administering the composition of  claim 19 .