Monday, February 15, 2010

When Eating Vegetables is not Enough

Vitamins and vitamin supplements supply specific nutrients to the human body and are vital for excellent health. Vitamin supplements are intended to offer nutritional or dietary value to those individuals who consume them, either filling in nutritional gaps or providing extra nutrients to produce a particular effect or cure a certain ailment. Therefore, supplements are usually taken to complement the daily intake of food to provide additional vitamins that the body will be able to use. Taking vitamin supplements provides an opportunity for individuals to optimize their health, especially if their diet is lacking in one or more substances.

What Are Vitamins?

Vitamins can be defined as nutrients or organic substances that the body needs to maintain normal metabolic functioning. These substances are required for appropriate functionality and ongoing health. With only a few exceptions, vitamins are not produced actively by the body; but must be ingested either through an extremely well-balanced natural diet or through supplementation. In some cases, alternative means exist for obtaining certain quantities of vitamins that can be absorbed by the body. For example, the body absorbs vitamin D from sunlight. Another example of obtaining vitamins from a source other than food is the ingestion of vitamin supplements.

What Types of Vitamins Are There?

Two different types of vitamins exist – water-soluble and fat-soluble vitamins. Typically, water-soluble and fat-soluble vitamins are found in different types of foods. This is the main reason why it is important to eat a varied diet.

Fat-soluble vitamins can be obtained by eating fatty foods. They are found in liver, butter, dairy products, and certain types of fish. The body stores these fat-soluble substances within the liver until such time as it needs them. The four fat-soluble vitamins include vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, and vitamin K.

Water-soluble vitamins can be obtained by ingesting a variety of vegetables and fruits. Since they are not stored in the body but are used immediately, it is necessary to ingest these vitamins on a regular basis. Typically, any excess water-soluble vitamins are eliminated by the body after it absorbs what it requires. The list of water-soluble vitamins includes vitamin B6, vitamin B12, vitamin C, Biotin, Folic Acid, Niacin, Pantothenic Acid, Riboflavin or vitamin B2, and Thiamin or vitamin B1. Since water-soluble vitamins are easy to eliminate through bodily waste, individuals are less likely to overdose on them.

Vitamin Supplements

Avoiding a nutritional deficiency is almost impossible. The sad reality is that the majority of individuals do not consume sufficient varieties of unprocessed foods to ensure adequate nutrition. Vitamin supplements may be used to complement the daily diet in an effort to provide the body with essential nutrients. From healthy skin to strong teeth and bones, vitamins offer the body an opportunity to maintain health and well being. High premium quality vitamin supplements are readily absorbed by the body and provide an added advantage as well. They can be purchased in particular quantities designed to treat a particular condition and restore specific areas of a person’s health; and are often used to counter medical imbalances and disorders.

Read the UltraFitnessDynamics review for Bionx Multivitamin/Mineral Complex

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