Purpose of AMC
AMC was formulated to provide therapeutically meaningful amounts of micronutrients which could only otherwise be obtained from an "excellent" diet.   Few Americans eat such an excellent diet (1).  One that's high in a wide variety of fresh fruits, vegetables and organically raised animal products.  The macronutrients; proteins, carbohydrates and fats, mainly provide our bodies with fuel and cellular building blocks, but the micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) are necessary to digest and metabolize the macronutrients.  AMC not only provides scientifically appropriate amounts of well studied micronutrients, but it was also designed to ensure intakes of trace micronutrients.  Trace micronutrients are those which are known to have some biological action, but have no established RDA.  The rich complexity of micronutrient combinations in foods may someday be elucidated, but until that time the next best approach to a complete micronutrient supplement is one which contains whole food concentrates and botanicals (whole plants).

Principles of AMC formula
o Many micronutrients work better in combination, just like they are found in     nature, therefore AMC was scientifically designed to contain       appropriate
    syngeristic amounts of micronutrients.
o The unusual addition of plant extracts and whole food concentrates to AMC
    ensures that AMC is rich in powerful antioxidants and contains "trace"  nutrients which are found in nature, but not yet fully studied.
o AMC contains the reported levels of micronutrients which have been scientifically investigated to have medicinal effects.
o AMC contains the forms of micronutrients which are known to have the greatest bioavailability.
o AMC is specially formulated to try and optimize health for living in a society high in free radical exposure (please see AntiOX 18             monograph  for in depth discussion of free radicals) and other toxin exposure.
o The amounts chosen for individual micronutrients within the AMC formula
     have been used to reflect data from scientific studies and not RDA values.
    RDAs are often completely inappropriate for a specific individual with
    a specific condition (2).

Possible application of AMC formula
o Thanks to modern agriculture and food processing methods our foods and     soils are more depleted of micronutrients than ever before (3).   This  means that a very complete multivitamin-multimineral enhanced formula,     like AMC may be useful simply to help maintain health and help prevent chronic degenerative diseases.  Especially where the patient's diet is less  than optimum.
o AMC can be excellent to use to help fortify people during times when they
    are experiencing an especially stressful time.
o AMC may be beneficial to improve overall nutrition quickly during a time when patients are making dietary changes to a more healthful diet.
o A multiple like AMC may be most important to use in patients who have some sort of general debility (which usually is associated with a poor diet). These patients may include those with chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, elderly,    multiple chemical sensitivities, occupational toxicities, or recovering from surgery or from major physical trauma.
o Patients with multi-system health problems who often eat poorly may benefit from AMC supplementation.


INDIVIDUAL INGREDIENTS

VITAMINS
General
  Vitamins are micronutrients which cannot be produced by the human  body and therefore must be obtained from the diet.  The micronutrients well- established as human vitamins are four fat soluble vitamins (A, E, K, D) and nine water soluble vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12, biotin, folic acid, C).   The fat soluble vitamins have many varied functions, while the water soluble  vitamins mainly function as cofactors for enzymes necessary for metabolism.
Most enzymes which control the rate of metabolic pathways (including those involved in energy production and synthesizing important bodily compounds) have a requirement for one or more small molecules (i.e. cofactors) in order to  be active. There is a tremendous body of scientific literature supporting the  health benefits of supplemental doses of individual vitamins.  A few of these studies will be referenced throughout this monogram.  The area of  micronutrient nutrition which is poorly studied is how the interaction