Health Vitamins

Vitamins are essential for good health and well being. They are defined as any group of substances required in small quantities for healthy growth and development. They cannot be manufactured in the body so they are therefore vital constituents of the diet.

There are two types of vitamins according to whether they are soluble in water or fat. Vitamin A (Retinol) is a fat soluble vitamin and this is not excreted from the body in the urine so excessive intake can have a negative effect on health. Vitamin A is present in animal origin foods eg. liver, milk and egg yolk. It is formed in the body from the pigment Beta-carotene which is present in certain vegetables eg. carrots, cabbage and lettuce.

Vitamin A has a number of roles in the body. It is necessary for normal cell division and growth. It is important for maintenance of mucous membranes of the respiratory, digestive and urinary tracts. Retinol is a pale yellow solid which dissolves easily in oil and fat and it is essential for good eye sight, particularly vision in dim light as well as having an important role in normal development of the embryo. It can be produced synthetically and therefore used to enrich margarines.

The best source of retinal is liver and a small amount 3g meets the body’s daily requirements. 700mcg per day is a sufficient amount per adult which can also be derived from the beta carotene foods eg. 2oz raw carrots.

Deficiency of Vitamin A causes stunted growth, night blindness and drying up of mucous membranes which increases the risk of infection. A continued lack of Vitamin A can lead to worsening of vision.

By: sean sandvik

Labels: health nutrition vitamin, health nutrition vitamins, health vitamin c, health vitamin d, health vitamins, health vitamins herbs, health vitamins supplements, minerals, vitamin health

Vitamin D is a very important vitamin for everyone. Believe it or not, Vitamin D is actually a hormone produced by the body. Cholecalciferol, known as Vitamin D3, is the naturally occurring form of vitamin D. It is made naturally in large quantity in your skin when sunlight, or ultraviolet rays, strikes your bare skin. Naturally our bodies make Vitamin D3 but sunlight is required for this process to occur. Vitamin D3 can also be taken as a supplement form. There are many benefits that come from Vitamin D3 such as a better immune system, lower blood pressure, clearer skin, a healthier brain, protection against illnesses and cancers and more. When it comes to bone and joint health, Vitamin D3 is the most important vitamin. Recent studies are even connecting Vitamin D3 with the protection against the H1N1 virus.

Where does it come from? Sun, food, and supplements! Most people obtain their Vitamin D from sun exposure. The sun is the best way to receive adequate amounts of vitamin D. There are very few naturally occurring foods that contain vitamin D but you can get some levels of Vitamin D from the food you eat. There is not enough Vitamin D present in foods to supply you with the levels you need.

However small amounts are found in fish liver oils, cheese, beef liver and egg yolks. Also, in the U.S. there are foods that are fortified with Vitamin D such as milk, breakfast cereals, some orange juices, yogurts and margarine. The US regulates which products can be fortified with Vitamin D as well as the amounts of Vitamin D that are added to these food products. Then, as a 3rd source of Vitamin D, there are Vitamin D supplements. Make sure when picking a Vitamin D supplement that it is in the form of Vitamin D3 because that is the naturally occurring form. Do not a use a synthetic form of Vitamin D as it is not proven to be as effective.

Vitamin D3 play a role in may things. It is essential for the promotion of calcium absorption. Vitamin D3, along with calcium is important for good bone health, which can prevent thin, brittle and malformed bones. Having sufficient Vitamin D levels prevents children from developing rickets, prevents adults from developing osteomalacia and prevents older adults from developing osteoporosis.

It is thought that Vitamin D is associated with a reduced risk of cancer. There have been many studies done to support this theory. The Canadian Cancer Society made a first every supplement recommendation for vitamin D. This was based on evidence on the link between vitamin D and reducing risk for colorectal, breast and prostate cancer. It’s been shown that having a Vitamin D deficiency may affect the cardiovascular system. It was found by Harvard researchers that men with a Vitamin D deficiency were 142% more likely to suffer from a heart attack than men with sufficient levels of vitamin D. It has also been show to boost the immune system, which protects you against the flu, colds and other respiratory infections.

There has also been research that links Vitamin D deficiencies with type-2 diabetes. A study done in 2004 that was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that raising a person's blood levels of Vitamin D from 25 to 75 could improve insulin sensitivity by 60%. It even may affect your mental function as well as your mood. Some studies have shown that having adequate levels of vitamin D improves your mood, reduces the risk for depression along with it slowing down the age-related losses of mental function.

It has also been shown in 2 different studies that having a low blood level of Vitamin D is associated with increased mortality from all causes and mortality from heart disease. Studies have shown that those with adequate levels of Vitamin D are less susceptible to the H1N1 flu virus. It has been show that Vitamin D increases production of antimicrobail agents in the body. These antimicrobials can fight H1Ni flu and other types of influenza by building one's immunity to the flu virus.

So what is the problem? Many people are deficient in Vitamin D3! This is becoming a worldwide problem. Optimal blood levels of Vitamin D are between 30 and 100 nanograms per milliliter of blood. You are considered Vitamin D insufficient if you levels are between 15ng and 30ng. You are considered Vitamin D deficient if your levels are less that 15ng. In fact, a recent US study showed done on 600 children in the US showed that 70% of them had low levels of Vitamin D. Of those, 61% were insufficient and 9% were deficient.

Kids with low Vitamin D levels are at risk for bone problems, at risk for high blood pressure and at risk for lower HDL cholesterol levels. Why the cause of this widespread deficiency? People spend less time outdoors and people have poor diets. With all of the talk about protecting yourself from the sun and skin cancer, people are avoiding direct exposure to the sun. It is a good practice not to get too much sun, however, a little bit of sun is still important. Without sun exposure, you body cannot produce the Vitamin D3 it needs.

For those with lighter skin, your skin is more sensitive to the sunlight, so less sunlight is needed to produce Vitamin D. If your skin is darker, then more sunlight is needed to produce Vitamin D. Having said this, it is important not to take too much Vitamin D3 because it can be toxic in excess.

It is important to make sure you get the recommended daily amount of Vitamin D. If you get sun exposure you should take an additional 400 IU per day. If you do not receive adequate exposure to the sun you should take 800 IU a day. This can easily be accomplished by the addition of a Vitamin D3 supplement along with your daily multivitamin. It's especially important during the winter months to take a supplement as more people are prone to stay indoors during this time and there are fewer hours during the day. You should not take more than 800 IU a day.

To find out if you are deficient in Vitamin D have your blood levels tested at your next doctor visit or order a saliva test kit to check your hormone levels. Never pay more than $5.95 for 120 tablets of Vitamin D3. This is an inexpensive way to ensure you meet your daily requirements for Vitamin D3 and to ensure good health. As always talk with your doctor about the supplements and vitamins you take.

By: Jack Whitley

Labels: health nutrition vitamin, health nutrition vitamins, health vitamin c, health vitamin d, health vitamins, health vitamins herbs, health vitamins supplements, minerals, vitamin health

• Many essential vitamins cannot be manufactured or stored by the body
• Minerals cannot be manufactured by the body at all
• Multivitamins provide the essential vitamins and minerals needed for good health
• Vitamin-Mineral supplements are a convenient way to fill in the gaps in seniors’ daily nutritional needs

The need for the proper balance of vitamins and minerals has been recognized as essential for all phases of life. Since nearly the beginning of modern medicine, doctors have been recommending that their pregnant patients, young infants and seniors take a multivitamin and mineral supplement. The reasons are simple: there are some essential vitamins and minerals that our bodies do not produce or store, and others that are quickly depleted through normal activity. A poor diet can also deplete the body’s vitamin stores, and fails to provide the nutritional needs required for healthy living.

The world’s seniors population is especially at risk. In 2006, the United States Congress passed The Older American Act Amendments, stating that “While diet is the preferred source of nutrition - evidence suggests that the use of a single daily multivitamin-mineral supplement may be an effective way to address nutritional gaps that exist amongst the elderly population.” Poor eating habits and/or limited access to nutritional foods – especially due to cost – may be contributing factors to the aging population’s need for daily supplementation via a multivitamin.

High-quality multivitamins for seniors can provide the essential nutrients needed for healthy living and daily activity. Fat-soluble vitamins that are stored in the body – such as vitamins A, D, E and K – are replaced as necessary, while water-soluble vitamins – vitamin C and all of the B-vitamins – are added to the body daily, all from one convenient source. And minerals – which our bodies cannot produce at all – are delivered each and every day. One tablet or capsule – one great source for supplementing the needs of seniors.

By: Angelica Vrablic PhD

Labels: health nutrition vitamin, health nutrition vitamins, health vitamin c, health vitamin d, health vitamins, health vitamins herbs, health vitamins supplements, minerals, vitamin health

Vitamin C is one of the most important vitamins for your body. It prevents a lot of diseases, and increases your body's immune system. You can take this vitamin with or without any food, as it can be found in supplement form or in many different juices. Along with being found in supplement and vitamin form, you can find vitamin C in broccoli, peppers, oranges, lemon juice, mustard greens, cauliflower, papaya, and parsley.

Research in the past has shown that there really aren't any advantages to taking excessive amounts of this vitamin. Even though you shouldn't take excessive amounts of vitamin C, you shouldn't have a deficiency in the vitamin either. The most common signs of a deficiency in vitamin C include swollen gums, an unexplained weakness, and nosebleeds. Deficiency is common these days, with the most common reasons being alcoholism and a poor diet.

Tendons and ligaments throughout your body need vitamin C in order to remain healthy and strong. Depending on your current health situation, it may be in your best interest to take vitamin C supplements along with vitamin E. Together, the combination of the two will work side by side, and enhance their overall impact on your body and your health.

Vitamin C is well known as an antioxidant, protecting your skin from the harmful damage of UV rays. If you skin suffers from radiation damage, vitamin C can actually help your skin to recover and reverse some of the harmful effects. If you include vitamin C in your diet and take it every day, you'll notice that your skin will benefit. If you use vitamin E and C together, you'll notice that scars and other harmful defects on your skin will start to heal as well.

You can find vitamin C in many fruits and vegetables, although oranges will give you the most amounts. Orange juice is a great way to get your daily dose of vitamin C, as all you need to do is drink a few glasses of it a day. Even if you drink a glass of orange juice in the morning with your breakfast then eat a few oranges during the day, you'll get more than enough vitamin C.

If you want to get more vitamin C in your diet, you can use vitamin supplements. When you look for supplements at the store, you should read the labels and see how much vitamin C is in the supplement, and how it works. You should avoid time released supplements of vitamin C, as they haven't been proven to work as well yet. As long as you monitor your intake of vitamin C and use it on a daily basis, you'll find that your health and immune system will be better than ever.

By: Jake Saab

Labels: health nutrition vitamin, health nutrition vitamins, health vitamin c, health vitamin d, health vitamins, health vitamins herbs, health vitamins supplements, minerals, vitamin health

It's alarming to note that heart related diseases are one of the leading causes for death in the USA. Research says that men are more prone to the risk of heart diseases when compared to women. Careless habits could lead to lifestyle diseases, which in turn affect the health of the heart. So, it is important to maintain a healthy heart to prevent heart ailments.

Though heart ailments are generally caused due to hypertension or high blood pressure, deficiency of certain vitamins, obesity, and thrombosis could also lead to heart problems. Good food habits, regular exercise regime, and intake of quality heart health supplements can help protect the heart and avoid heart problems.

It's good to go for heart health supplements that are made from natural substances as they have fewer side effects when compared to chemical supplements. It is believed that heart health supplements that contain vitamins are very beneficial, because Vitamins play a major role in maintaining a healthy cardiovascular system. Certain B vitamins like Vitamin B9, Vitamin B6, and Vitamin B12 may help remove homocysteine from blood as increased levels of homocysteine are thought to result in artery damage.

Another important requisite for a healthy heart is DHA, otherwise known as Docosahexaenoic Acid, which is nothing but omega-3, an essential fatty acid. Regular consumption of DHA supplements could help increase its levels in the body. The Super EPA supplement and omega-3 be a good source of DHA supplements.

Another natural heart health supplements that could prove beneficial are fish oil supplements, which could be formulated with omega 3 fatty acids. These heart health supplements may have natural marine lipids that are believed to render many benefits to the heart. These fish oil supplements may help keep blood pressure in control and might also prevent coagulation to a great extent.

By: billmbs

Labels: health nutrition, health nutrition vitamins, health vitamin c, health vitamin d, health vitamins, health vitamins herbs, health vitamins supplements, heart vitamins, minerals, vitamin health

The increase of herbal and natural drugs in the last decade has been quite a revelation for many of us. It truly shouldn't be any surprise that many natural supplements can help with stress and give us some real price to our health if we use them sensibly and frequently. In fact, we all are mindful of our desire for the core vitamins like Vitamin C and for significant nutrients that we get from our foods that our bodies need to keep us robust and healthy. So if there are health foods supplements that we just have not learned about yet, why not explore them to see what price they can be?

We do need to be careful that we understand the fine line between an herbal supplement and a fake medication which has no worth. Not only is there a danger that we could get tricked into spending our money on something that actually is not a profitable supplement for our health at all, if the supplement isn't valid, you have no idea what you are taking. And if you are taking something unhealthy, the end result may be unpredictable. So it is worth our while to both use our medical community to help us understand what's good for us and what isn't and to educate ourselves in ways to tell good supplements from bad ones.

The good about taking a natural supplement is that since you are taking something that is as natural as grains or milk, you can take it anytime and not stress about complications. Plenty of the positive influences that natural supplements contribute to your life have to do with providing a natural stimulation and helping you deal with stress and the busy lives we all lead. So you can take a supplement like this at lunch at work and enjoy those benefits all afternoon with no fear of side effects, a "drop off" when the effects are over or a "hang over" because supplements that you are taking for health do not cause a high.

One reason that natural supplements are so profitable is they stimulate the metabolism in a like way to the way in which the body naturally works. This suggests you enjoy the natural speeding up of your metabolism which makes digestion work better, is healthy for the heart and circulation system helping to reduce stress. Since these positive results can be felt during the working day, you naturally function better and are more productive at work. But it is not as you are taking a "productively drug" of any sort. You are just giving your body natural health agents that inspire your body to handle stress and keep you alert in a natural and healthy way. No wonder that natural dietary supplements became so popular.

By: Daryl Clay

Labels: health nutrition vitamin, health nutrition vitamins, health vitamin c, health vitamin d, health vitamins, health vitamins herbs, health vitamins supplements, minerals, vitamin health

Vitamins are the nutritive substances found in the foods that we consume. These substances are required in the body for healthy growth and development and each vitamin plays a specific role in the healthy building of our body. Just for example Vitamin A improves eye sight, Vitamin B synthesizes protein and energy, Vitamin C helps to heal cuts, and Vitamin D strengthens bones.

Types of Health Vitamins, their Functions and Sources

Vitamins are of two types:

Fat soluble – These vitamins get stored in the adipose or fat tissues of our body and some get stored in the liver. These wait within the fat layers of the body until the body feels the need to use them. While some of these fat soluble vitamins are stored in the body for a handful of days, some of these stay up to 6 months. The vitamins that come under this category are:

Vitamin A

Functions:

* Improves Night Vision
* Improves Color Vision
* Maintains Healthy Skin

Sources:

* Milk
* Green leafy vegetables
* Orange fruits

Vitamin D

Functions:

* Strengthens bones
* Absorbs Calcium

Sources:

* Milk
* Egg Yolk
* Fish

Vitamin E

Functions:

* Maintains body tissues
* Protects lungs
* Forms Red Blood Cells

Sources:

* whole grains
* Green leafy vegetables
* Wheat germ

Vitamin K

Functions:

* Help in Blood Clotting

Sources:

* Dairy products
* Green leafy vegetables
* Soybean Oil
* Broccoli

Water soluble – These vitamins instead of getting stored travel through the bloodstream and the unused portion is released out of the body through urine. These need regular replacement since they don’t stay within the body. The water soluble vitamins are:

Vitamin C

Functions:

* Strengthen body tissues
* Resists infection

Sources:

* Citrus Fruits
* Strawberry

Vitamin B Complex (B1, B2, Niacin, B6, Folic acid, B12, Biotin, and Pantothenic acid)

Functions:

* Help in Metabolism
* Yield Energy
* Synthesize Red Blood Cells

Sources:

* Whole Grains
* Poultry
* Sea food

By: Smithanderson

Labels: health nutrition vitamin, health nutrition vitamins, health vitamin c, health vitamin d, health vitamins, health vitamins herbs, health vitamins supplements, minerals, vitamin health