Most people today depend on vitamins to give their body all the
necessary elements to keep the body working at its optimum. The
dependency on vitamins is mainly due to the fact that there is often
no time for a person to stop and have a well balanced meal and a lot
of food choices today are definitely do not make up the complete
vitamin body needs. Get all the info you need here.
Vitamin Vitality
Ultimate reference to vital nutrients for our body
The Role Of Vitamins For Body Nutrition
Synopsis
The vitamins are essential nutrients, which are part of a necessary
process that helps to release energy from foods within its makeup and
from those consumed to keep the skin, nerves and red blood cells in
constant rejuvenating mode.
The Basics
The two types of vitamin groups would be categorized as fat
soluble vitamins and water soluble vitamins. The fat soluble
vitamins are vitamins A, D, E, and K and they are all usually found
in the fat content in foods. Sources of these may also be found in
food items such as vegetable oils, nut, egg yolk, fish oil, whole
grains and deep green leafy vegetables.
As for the water soluble vitamins these come in the form of vitamin
B, C, and B complex. Containing elements such as thiamin,
riboflavin, niacin, folate, biotin and Pantothenic acid which are all
what the body needs to carry out specific functions to ensure
optimum working if all the body systems.
All these vital ingredients that the body needs and cannot get from
the daily diet can be gotten by taking the appropriated
combinations and amounts of multivitamins and mineral
supplements.
However caution should be exercised when taking
these vitamins and minerals as some of the don’t work well
together and for some body systems it may end up being stored
and may eventually cause toxic conditions. This is especially so it
other medications are being consumed at the same time.
The Risk Of Vitamin Deficiencies
Synopsis
Vitamin consumption has not yet reached the ideal where anyone and
everyone is able to get the body’s daily needs on a regular basis. Some
of the reasons include the high cost of supplements and minerals, the
inappropriate diet plans, the lack of nutritional food intake, the lack
of availability of fresh food produce such as fresh vegetables and
fruits and of course the ever-prevalent consumption choice of
unhealthy food items.
The Risks
Vitamin deficiencies can contribute to a host of diseases and also the
lack of total optimum body functions. These may be clearly shown in
the person’s inability to function daily with mental alertness and
physical execution of functions accurately and precisely, and the
presence of frequent tired spells.
The high risk groups that would more likely suffer from vitamin
deficiencies would be the elderly, adolescents, young or pregnant and
lactating women, alcoholics, cigarette smokers, vegetarians, people
fasting or on dietary interventions, laxative abusers, users of
contraceptives and analgesics and other medication for chronic
diseases and people with specific disorders of the gastrointestinal
tract.
Besides this people who live hectic lifestyles or those who have very
little physical activity in their daily schedules will also be another
group that would most likely suffer from vitamin deficiencies.
Some of the more pronounced deficiencies such as lack of vitamin A is
known as the leading cause preventable blindness, diseases and
severe infections occurring in children. Lack of vitamin D in the diet
could lead to brittle bones as this vitamin is essential for strong bone
formation and growth.
The vitamin E supplement will play a role in supporting brain growth,
cardiovascular and respiratory system functions. Lack of vitamin B is
also detrimental to the overall health condition of the body system as
it is the main element in the manufacturing of the red blood cells that
keeps the nervous system working efficiently.
Types Of Vitamins
Synopsis
Getting all the body’s nutrient requirements can be done so through
the consumption of vitamins on a daily or regulated basis. There are
two basic categories of vitamins which are water-soluble and fatsoluble.
The water soluble vitamins would be vitamins B and C, while the fat
soluble one would be Vitamins A, D, E, and K. the water soluble
vitamins would be flushed out of the body system on a regular basis,
thus, the need to consume daily doses of this type of group.
The fat-soluble vitamins are usually stored in the body’s fatty tissues,
thus, the need to use these to prevent unnecessary retention that
would and could cause negative medical complications.
Types
The following is a list of some of the more prominently featured
vitamins that are commonly recommended and consumed:
Vitamin A – this plays a role in improving eyesight and maintaining
healthy skin conditions. It can be sourced form eggs, milk, apricots,
spinach and sweet potatoes.
Vitamin B – this particular vitamin has other breakdown sections
which includeB1, B2, B6, B12, niacin, folic acid, biotin and
Pantothenic acid.
These generate energy that the body needs for daily functions and it
also actively participates in making red blood cell that carries the
oxygen throughout the body system. These can be sourced from wheat, oats, fish, seafood, leafy greens,
milk, yogurt, beans and peas.
Vitamin C – this vitamin helps to strengthen the gum and muscles,
while also helping to heal wounds and overcome infections. The main
source of which is from tomatoes, cabbages, broccoli and
strawberries.
Vitamin D – strengthens the bones and teeth and also aids in the
absorption of calcium. It can be found in fish, egg yolk, milk, and
some other dairy products.
Vitamin E – takes care of the lung functions and also helps in the
formation of red blood cells. It can be found in nuts, leafy greens,
oats, wheat and milk.
Source Of Vitamins From Food
Synopsis
Although natural foods are rich in a variety of vitamins, it should be
noted that a lot of these vitamins are lost due to storage, cooking and
handling.
Therefore it is important to take careful care of the natural food items
so that the integrity of the item is kept intact. Some vitamins should
not be taken with other medications and some combinations of
vitamins are also not suitable.
For the best results a medical professional should be consulted so that
a suitable combination can be designed to suit the individual’s needs
and lacks.
Sources
The following is a general outline of the various food sources of the
more common vitamins:
Vitamin A – beef liver, fatty fish, milk, egg yolks and cheese.
Vitamin C – oranges, Brussels sprouts, strawberries, broccoli,
collard greens.
Vitamin D – canned sardines, mackerel, herring, shrimp, fortifies
milk.
Beta carotene – peaches, sweet potatoes, carrots, spinach, acorn
squash.
Vitamin E – wheat germ oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, spinach,
wheat germ, better, eggs and oats.
Vitamin K – turnip green, broccoli, cabbage, spinach and beef
liver.
Vitamin B1 (thiamine) – wheat germ, ham, beef liver, peanuts,
green peas, pork, and brown rice.
Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) – beef liver, milk, yoghurt, avocados,
collard greens and yeast.
Vitamin B3 (niacin) – chicken, salmon, beef, peanut butter,
potatoes, sunflower seeds and prunes.
Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid) – beef liver, eggs, avocados,
mushrooms, milk, nuts and green vegetables.
Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) – bananas, avocados, beef, chicken, fish,
seeds and cabbage.
Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) – beef liver, clams, tuna, yoghurt, milk,
cheese and eggs.
Folic acid (vitamin BC) – beef liver, spinach, orange juice, romaine
lettuce, beets, carrots, egg yolk, avocados and apricots.
Biotin – beef liver, almonds, peanut butter, eggs, oat bran,
unpolished rice, meat and dairy products.
Choosing The Right Vitamins
Synopsis
Even the most comprehensive diet plan often fall short of meeting all
the daily needs of nutrition intake for anyone from children to adults.
Some of the reasons for these imbalances are such as improper diets
plans, too much fast and convenient food consumption, not enough
fruits and vegetables being featured prominently in the daily diet.
Here is where the nutritional support of the vitamins can come in
handy. However, it would be a folly to simply assume and all vitamins
are suitable for everyone alike.
Some considerations should be made such as lifestyles, availability of
natural food products, individual health concerns and may other
factor that plays a dominant role in deciding the suitable vitamin
choice to be consumed.
Selecting
Almost all medical experts still believe the best source of vitamins is
still from natural foods but due to a variety of reasons it is not always
possible to get the daily requirement through this one source, thus
the need to create a balance with the addition of vitamins into the
daily nutrition regiment.
Most experts advocate the consumption of a daily dose of
multivitamins, which is usually enough to adequately address any
lack, if the individual is already on a fairly healthy diet plan.
However if the individual is already on other medication for treating
other medical conditions this may not be a suitable option to
consider.
Some vitamins do not react well to certain medications and
this should be carefully considered to avoid any adverse effects to the
body system while taking both without a doctor’s consultation.
Lactating women and pregnant women require a whole range of other
vitamins to help balance any lack due to the conditions they are in.
Similarly, those who are in the older age group, may also required
higher doses of vitamins or a different variety when compared to the
younger group, as older people tend to eat less and their daily diets
usually do not contain all the necessary vitamins that the body needs.
Vitamins For Infants
Synopsis
It has long been an established fact, that most infants who feed on
breast milk really do have a complete and wholesome nutritional
balanced diet and the parents do not have to worry about any lack.
However in recent years, research has shown that a lot of pregnant
and lactating women do not follow a complete and healthy diet plan
for themselves and this in turn affects the infant overall health.
In some cases, there may be need to supplement an infant diet plan
with specifically identified vitamins. Under no circumstances should
an infant be fed with over-the-counter vitamins without the approval
of an experienced medical practitioner.
For Baby
Some infants may need the vitamin D supplements if the daily
consumption of milk is less than 32 ounces of formula or breast milk,
although it may be a little harder to gauge the amount of milk being
consumed if it is not expressed into a bottle..
Premature babies and babies who are born with medical problems
may need the assistance of vitamin supplements to help in their fight
to stay healthy and grow accordingly.
This is also applicable to mother who have had previous medical
problems thus may not be able to provide all the complete and
necessary vitamins to the foetus when carrying the child to term.
Some mothers who follow a vegetarian diet while pregnant may also
need to consider some sort of vitamin supplement for the infant at
some point after the initial first 6 months of the infant’s life.
Some popular recommendations that doctors may suggest for infants
would include an iron supplement, vitamin D, vitamin B12 and DHA
which is an important omega 3 supplements.
However none of these should be incorporated into the infants diet
without the specific recommendation of a doctor and even then it
should be done only after a thorough medical examination has been
conducted.
Vitamins For Adults
Synopsis
Most adults today are not able to get the complete nutritional needs
from their daily diet plan due to a variety of reasons. Even if the most
healthy choices of foods are prepared and consumed daily, it does not
necessarily mean that the optimum nutritional intake if achieved.
This may be due to the fact that some farming and preserving
methods and even cooking or preparation methods contribute to the
negative effects on the integrity of the natural food product itself,
therefore by the time it is ready for consumption some of most of the
original content value has been lost.
Lifestyles also affect the nutritional body’s needs, thus only after
taking into account all these various factors should the ideal
supplement choice be made.
For Grownups
Ideally the daily diet should contain all the food groups such as fruits
groups, vegetable groups, nut and grain sources, meat and protein
sources and legume groups. However for some reason or another, it is
almost always impossible to create a balanced diet with all these
groups included daily.
Deciding to take doses of vitamins as a substitute for proper food
intake is also not something to consider as this is definitely not
adequate for the body’s daily needs.
All adults should have all the following vitamins included in their
daily diet plans:
Vitamin A – for daily cell reproductions and optimum immunity
conditions to fight diseases. This is also needed for formation of some
hormones, helps in vision and bone growth, maintaining healthy skin,
hair and mucous membrane conditions.
Vitamin B – this is for production and maintaining of energy levels,
conversion of carbs into energy sources, optimum functioning of
heart muscle and nervous systems.
Vitamin B2 – important for body growth and reproduction
capabilities, along with red cell growth and also releasing energy from
carbohydrates.
Vitamins For Seniors
Synopsis
For the senior person creating and sticking to an ideal diet plan for
that age group can be quite a challenge. This is because there are
many connective factors that dictate the well being of those in this age
group.
These contributing factors may include the use of medication for
certain ailments, the lack of energy or interest to prepare nutritional
meals especially if it for only one person’s consumption, no access to
shopping for fresh produce and financial constraints.
None the less serious consideration should be given to ensuring the
senior age group make an attempt to keep to a diet plan that is both
balanced and nutritious. This can be done with the assistance of
vitamins to supplement any lack found in the diet plan or in the
person’s medical makeup.
For Elders
The following are some of the vitamins that ideally should be
considered for the consumption of this particular age group:
Vitamin D – this vitamin will help the body absorb the calcium since
this age group is more prone to contracting osteoporosis. This
vitamin also helps in the fight against most heart diseases which
again, is something this age group is susceptible to.
All the various vitamin Bs – the senior group often has trouble with
creating its own stomach acid which is essential in being able to assist
in converting certain foods into elements that the body can use.
Besides assisting in this area, it also helps with keeping the brain in
prime condition so that memory loss and other brain debilitating
diseases are kept at bay.
Vitamin K – this is especially useful to combat any onset of
Alzheimer’s disease. It also helps the blood to clot more effecietnly as
most aged people will attest to having significant problems when it
comes to controlling bleeding. In some cases, this vitamin has also
been noted to be able to help in improving osteoporosis conditions.
Avoid Vitamins Overdose
Synopsis
There are a lot of reasons people tend to overdose on vitamins, and in
some cases they are not even aware of this condition until it shows up
in some medical test which is brought on by an illness. Overdosing
could be due to a number of reasons and most are simply due to the
individual being careless or ill informed.
Too Much
Taking vitamin supplements without proper medical supervision is
also not advised as some vitamins don’t react well to other
medications that the individual may be taking for certain medical
conditions.
Taking these vitamin supplements may cause the other medications
to mutate or at the very least become non effective in treating the
ailment is was prescribed to treat.
This of course could result in a very dangerous situation for the
individual. Then there are also some vitamins that have been known
to take away the effects of other vitamins when taken together.
Following the dosage prescribed on the container is also very
important for any deviation could result in an overdose especially
when taking extra just to make up for the skipped sessions.
Another way to ensure the individual is not likely to overdose on the
vitamins taken, is to have periodic blood tests done, as any negative
elements will show up clearly in the reports drawn up from the rests.
Wrapping Up
Taking vitamin supplements simply because it is the thing to do is not
enough a reason to start on this regiment. Also taking vitamins
without considering the overall lifestyle of the individual is also not a
good idea.
For some taking vitamin supplements is done so, in place of proper
food intake, and this too is not wise. All these scenarios can and
usually leads to either the body not being able to absorb the vitamin
fast enough thus retaining them to possible negative medical
complications, or having them wasted, as it simply flushes out of the
body system unused…
I hope that now you are on your way to a better understanding about vitamins.