What you should know about vitamins

With the rising cost of health care, there seems to be new focus on preventative care.This new focus has extended to taking vitamins.However, for the everyday consumer choosing a vitamin can really be confusing. Today's pharmacy, discount and grocery stores, often have aisle after aisle, devoted to vitamins, and supplements.This can leave you feeling overwhelmed, when you are just trying to do something really good for yourself. In order to help, here is a guide that can clear up some of the confusion, and give you an idea of what you should know about vitamins.

The first step is to understand what vitamins really are. The definition is pretty simple. Vitamins are classified as organic compounds, that are essential for health (in this sense, organic means they contain at least one carbon atom). Minerals are classified as inorganic elements that are also essential for health.It should also be noted that both vitamins, and minerals, function as coenzymes, and cofactors that initiate, and promote virtually all biochemical processes in the body.In addition, recent research shows that many vitamins also influence the behavior of genes. The bottom line is that everyone needs vitamins, and minerals to grow, produce energy, fight disease, repair injured tissue, and maintain normal health. Although the bacteria in your body, can make trace amounts of some vitamins, most have to come from the diet, as do minerals.

Researchers have determined that there are 13 essential vitamins.These vitamins are divided into two groups.These groups are: water-soluble vitamins that need to be replenished daily (vitamin C and the B vitamins), and fat-soluble vitamins you may need less frequently, because the body can store them (vitamins A, D, E, and K). The essential minerals include:

• Calcium


• Copper


• Iodine


• Iron,


• Magnesium


• Manganese


• Molybdenum


• Phosphorus


• Selenium


• Zinc

It should also be noted, that many feel that in the coming years, it is possible that the National Academy of Sciences, (the nonprofit group that sets the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs)), may officially recognize the mineral Vanadium, and the Carotenoid lutein (related to beta-carotene), as essential nutrients.

There are still many people who wonder why they should bother taking a multi-vitamin. This is especially true of vegetarians, who often enjoy better health (in some aspects) then heavy meat eaters. Some studies have shown that vegetarians were far less likely, than meat eaters, to die from heart disease, stroke, and cancer. Research has shown that there are probably two reasons for this. The first reason is that fruits, and vegetables, provide large amounts of protective antioxidants (such as vitamin C and carotenoids). The other reason is that Vegetarians tend to avoid junk foods that are loaded with fats, and sugars, which increase vitamin requirements.

However, everyone (including vegetarians) may be lacking in some nutrients, such as calcium, iron, and vitamin. A multi-vitamin can functions as an insurance policy, against gaps in your diet. The reality is that without analyzing the foods you eat, you can not be sure they contain reasonable amounts of vitamins and minerals. You should understand that growing, preparation, and cooking techniques, can all affect nutrient levels.

Everyone should realize that eating something, does not guarantee that you are absorbing its nutrients. You should understand that some people's genes, biochemistry, and digestion, work more efficiently than other people and each of these factors then influences nutrient absorption, and use. In addition, stress, and your diet, also affects how vitamins, and minerals, act in your body. For example, because fat-soluble vitamins will require some dietary fat for absorption, if you are eating a very low-fat diet, you risk depriving yourself of some vitamins, and essential fatty acids. By taking a multi-vitamin you can simply level the playing field, and provide yourself with the opportunity for better health and well-being.