What Vitamins Should I Take?

Posted March 28th, 2012 in Uncategorized by Ben

What are vitamins?

Vitamins are organic elements that are needed for us to be healthy and strong. All vitamins can be acquired from a healthy and varied balanced diet. Generally vitamins are divided into fat soluble ones and water soluble ones. Fat soluble vitamins can be found in fatty foods such as dairy products, vegetable oils and animal fats. Our body needs this kind of vitamin everyday but you do not have to eat the aforementioned food daily since fat soluble vitamins are absorbed in our intestines with fat and then stored in our liver. Vitamins A, D, E and K are fat soluble.

Water soluble vitamins as the name suggests dissolve easily in water. You have to take water soluble vitamins everday because the body does not store them even when you eat them in excess. They are excreted in urine. It is important to note that they are also lost when we boil our vegetables or expose them to extreme heat. Water soluble vitamins are the 8 vitamins under vitamin B and vitamin C.

What vitamins should I take?

It depends on your purpose of taking vitamins. The following are our recommended list of vitamins after thorough research and investigation. They receive the greatest feedback from users and medical experts.

General Health:

Specific purposes:

What are the functions of vitamins?

Vitamins in the body interact with enzymes and nutrients to keep us healthy and strong. It is recommended that we should eat a varied and balanced diet so as to obtain all the vitamins and nutrients needed for development. Deficiency of vitamins may lead to nutritional diseases like rickets, beriberi and other diseases. You can supplement vitamins by taking pills or mixed drinks but my sure have done your research about the best vitamins to take and read about several myths regarding vitamin supplements

When we can not get all the vitamins required from our diet it is recommended that we take vitamin supplements. For instance, pregnant women and women planning to have a baby should take folic acid supplements to prevent neural tube defects. Children between the age of 6 months and 5 years are usually fussy eaters and even if they eat well they may not get enough vitamins from their food. It is therefore recommended that they are supplemented with water soluble vitamins C and D. Vitamin D is important for bone formation and is synthesized in our body, however for people with darker skin, people who are not exposed to sunlight because of being indoors should be supplemented with vitamin D. Vitamin A plays an important role in maintaining proper vision.

You should note however that it is better to get your vitamins from your food in the form of a balanced diet. This is because vitamin supplementation may lead to vitamin poisoning. Furthermore the benefits of supplementing some vitamins are still controversial. Some research has shown that for example supplementing some vitamins is not only useless but also can be harmful.

So What Vitamin Should I Take?

If someone asks you the question, what vitamin should I take, let them know that they need to have a balanced diet that will provide the body with all required nutrients. However as we noted some people may need more of a specific vitamin than others.

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5 Quick Vitamin Tips:

1. Get a good MultiVitamin:
Multivitamins are the best way to supplement an already healthy diet. They are inexpensive and provide a quick and easy way to make up for any dietary deficiencies. Go for a complete multivitamin that provides a little bit of everything.
2. Drink enough Water:
Aside from keeping you hydrated, water plays a vital part in overall health. Water can protect your organs, lubricate your joints. It aids in the transport of nutrients and oxygen to the cells. Try to aim for about 8 cups of water per day, and always stay hydrated when you're working out.

3. Eat a Healthy and Balanced Diet:
What you eat is still the most important aspect of your health. A multivitamin is not a meal replacement and should only be used to make up for deficiencies in your diet. Aim for a diet high in whole grain natural foods with lots of fruits and vegetables. Stay away from saturated fats and processed foods.

4. Avoid the 'Mega' or 'Ultra' supplements:
These supplements are often a waste of money, as they provide you with way more than your recommended daily allowance (RDA). More is not always better.

5. Vitamin D is your friend:
Vitamin D is vital for healthy bones but has recently been shown to prevent certain types of cancer as well. it is of particular importance if you spend a lot of time out of the sun, at high altitudes or have darker skin.