What Vitamins Should I Take?
With so many various vitamins and different vitamins brands, how does one know
what vitamins to take? If you eat a healthy diet, do you need to take vitamins?
Not long ago, the answer from most experts would have been a resounding "no".
Today, though, there's good evidence that taking a daily multivitamin makes
sense for most adults.
What's changed? Not only have scientists determined why we need pyridoxine (vitamin
B6), but they are also accumulating evidence that this vitamin and others do
much more than ward off the so-called diseases of deficiency, things like scurvy
and rickets. Intake of several vitamins above the minimum daily requirement
may prevent heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis, and other chromic diseases.
Without vitamins the human body would not survive. We all need vitamins in order
to live a long and healthy life. A varied diet is essential if we are to obtain
the nutrients we need. However, this is not always easy: fruit and vegetables
age (an apple in a bowl loses vitamins hour by hour) and deep frozen products
may often contain more vitamins than vegetables stored for a long time at room
temperature. Therefore, it is especially important to eat a wide variety of
fresh foods.
Also, researchers are finding that some important vitamins (D and E particularly)
and minerals are protective against disease in amounts that may be difficult
to obtain through diet alone, no matter how conscientious you are.
Most vitamin supplements have been extracted from natural foods. For instance,
vitamin A comes from fish-liver oil. Vitamin B comes from yeast or liver. Vitamin
C is often extracted from small berries in roses, and vitamin E is extracted
from soy beans or maize. Vitamins may also be synthetically manufactured, but
synthetic vitamins are not always as effective as their naturally-derived equivalent.
People should take vitamins tailored to their needs. Women should take vitamins
formulated for women along with additional calcium and everyone should make
sure that they take vitamins are easily absorbed into the body. In addition
to vitamins, people like should take fatty acids like fish oil or for vegetarians,
flaxseed oil. Click on the following links to learn more about specific vitamins
related to men, women and children. Additionally, we have vitamins and supplements
formulated for specific health interests.
The Bottom Line? A standard multivitamin supplement doesn't come close to making
up for an unhealthy diet. It provides a dozen or so of the vitamins known to
maintain health, a mere shadow of what's available from eating plenty of fruits,
vegetables, and whole grains. Instead, a daily multivitamin provides a sort
of nutritional safety net.
While most people get enough vitamins to avoid the classic deficiency diseases,
relatively few get enough of five key vitamins that may be important in preventing
several chronic diseases. These include:
• Folic acid
• Vitamin B6
• Vitamin B12
• Vitamin D
• Vitamin E
Like all vitamins and supplements, these only help if used in conjunction with
a well-balanced diet and exercise. As always, please consult a physician before
beginning any diet or exercise program.