Vitamins

Normally, it is quite difficult to consume all the vitamins that our body needs on a daily basis only through food. This is why nutritionists advise taking multivitamin dietary supplements.

Everyone knows that vitamins are fundamental to stay healthy, however, most of us are unaware of the specific role that each vitamin plays in the organism.

In this article, we provide detailed information about the most important nutrients and vitamins and their sources. After reading this, you will notice the effects that vitamins, minerals and essential trace elements on your physical state, appearance and wellness.

Vitamins: the best health insurance

The most recent research has shown that a vitamin deficiency entails serious consequences for the organism, even worse than what was previously thought.

That is why most nutritionists advise taking a multivitamin/mineral tablet as the best “health insurance” to prevent any nutritional deficiency.

Do not leave your health to chance. The additional intake of vitamin and mineral supplements ensures that your body has all the nutrients it needs. That is why millions of people take them daily.

How long does it take to notice the effects of a multivitamin complex?

The time it takes to notice the effects of dietary vitamin supplements depends on the degree of their deficiency in the body. If you have a serious vitamin deficiency, it means that your body will have an increased demand and it will take longer to notice the effects.

Is it better to take individual supplements of each vitamin or a multivitamin complex?

The most advisable approach is to take a multivitamin complex since it will provide all the nutrients and vital substances that our body needs on a daily basis.

Moreover, depending on the individual needs, we may also take a specific vitamin apart from the multivitamin complex. If you are a smoker, for example, you should take an extra dose of vitamin C.

If you happen to have high cholesterol, you can add an Omega 3 capsule. If you want to keep your skin young and smooth for longer, taking OPC or amino acid capsules would be ideal.

However, you should always take a basic multivitamin and mineral complex to obtain the essential nutrients.

Classification of vitamins

We can classify vitamins as water-soluble and fat-soluble. The fact that they are soluble either in water or fats and oils will determine their absorption, storage in the body and excretion.

Water-soluble Vitamins (group B and C), Characteristics:

Fat-soluble Vitamins (A, D, E, and K), Characteristics:

Vitamin A, essential for our sight

Vitamin A is fat-soluble. Apart from its beneficial properties for the sight, vitamin A is also crucial for:

Natural sources of vitamin A, foods that contain vitamin A:

Vitamin A can be found in the following foods: liver, red and orange fruits and vegetables, like carrots (beta-carotene), spinach, cheese, salmon, apricot (such as beta-carotene), papaya (beta-carotene), kale (beta-carotene) and egg yolk. Check which foods are rich in vitamins

Vitamin B1, the energy vitamin

The group B vitamins are water soluble. Vitamin B1 is essential for:

Natural sources of vitamin B1, foods that contain vitamin B1:

Wheat germ, brewer's yeast, spirulina, whole grains, sunflower seeds, nuts, egg yolk, liver and buckwheat.

Vitamin B2, the spark of cells

Vitamin B2 is important for:

Natural sources of vitamin B2, foods that contain vitamin B2:

Spirulina, almond, salmon, liver, egg yolk, cheese, milk, whole grains, and green leaf vegetables

Vitamin B3 (niacin) to have nerves of steel

Vitamin B3 or niacin is important for:

Natural sources of vitamin B3, foods that contain vitamin B3:

Brewer’s yeast, peanuts, spirulina, salmon, tuna, chicken, and lamb.

Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid), helps to prevent grey hairs

Vitamin B5 is important for:

Natural sources of vitamin B5, foods that contain vitamin B5:

Kidney, yeast, mushrooms, egg, avocado, salmon, broccoli and mung beans.

Vitamin B6, the vitamin for athletes

Vitamin B6 is important for:

Natural sources of vitamin B6, foods that contain vitamin B6:

Liver, salmon, sardines, bananas, avocados, dates, figs, walnuts, and soybeans.

Vitamin B12, essential for muscle power

Vitamin B12 is important for:

Natural sources of vitamin B12, foods that contain vitamin B12:

Oysters, spirulina, herring, yolk of egg, dairy products, cabbage, meat and fish.

Folic acid, the vitamin of well-being

Folic acid is important for:

Natural sources of folic acid, foods that contain folic acid:

Liver, wheat germ, brewer’s yeast, egg yolk, nuts, beets, asparagus, and vegetables.

Biotin, the beauty vitamin

Biotin is important for:

Natural sources of biotin, foods that contain biotin:

Liver, spirulina, soybean, egg yolk, nuts, whole grains, brewer’s yeast, salmon, and brown rice.

Vitamin C, the best cell protection

Vitamin C is water soluble and it is important for:

Natural sources of vitamin C, foods that contain vitamin C

Fruits such as cherry, kiwi, lemons, oranges, grapefruit, raspberries. Also spinach, cabbage and peppers.

Vitamin D, the sunshine vitamin

Vitamin D is fat-soluble and it is important for:

Discover how Vitamin D Affects the Sport Performance.

Natural sources of vitamin D, foods that contain vitamin D

Liver, cod liver oil, egg yolk, milk, dairy products, butter, yeast, vegetables, tuna, herring, sardines, and margarine. This vitamin is not found in fruits nor vegetables.

Vitamin E, the vitamin that gives energy to the cells

Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin and it is important for:

Natural sources of vitamin E, foods that contain vitamin E

Wheat germ oil, sunflower seeds, soy, almonds, spirulina, dried fruit, pepper, salmon, and flax seeds.

Scheme of the vitamins

The term vitamin was coined by doctor Funk, and it means “amines of life”; even though they do not have an amine function, there is no life without vitamins. The main characteristic that separates vitamins from minerals is their organic nature when compared to the inorganic nature of the minerals. The function of vitamins consists on regulating many of the chemical processes that take place in the organism, which means that each vitamin performs a specific task. The organism cannot produce most of the vitamins, which is why it is so important to follow a balanced diet so that we do not trigger any deficiency, even though the needs of vitamins are minimal, a lack can have catastrophical consequences for the body.

Vitamins are mainly divided in to groups:

• Water soluble 
• Fat soluble

Water-soluble Vitamins

Fat-soluble Vitamins

Excess of Vitamins

We are used to hear how bad a lack of vitamins can be for our health. Nobody would dare to deny the importance of these nutrients for the proper functioning of the organism. In fact, vitamins are catalysts in all our physiological processes, and their deficit – clinically known as avitaminosis or hypovitaminosis – can increase the chances of suffering a disease. Due to this, many people use vitamin complexes without any medical prescription, ignoring that an excessive accumulation of a vitamin – or hypervitaminosis – can be as harmful as its lack. An excess of certain nutrients in our system is capable of triggering an organic intoxication with different consequences for our health.

Excess of vitamin A

While consuming vitamin A in reasonable amounts is fundamental for the proper functioning of the sight and tissues, an excess increases the risk of suffering osteoporosis, blurry sight, loss of weight, and lack of appetite. The symptoms of an intoxication due to an excess of this nutrient can be:

Vitamin A is naturally found in many foods, both in those of vegetable origin (like carrots, kale, sweet potato, spinach, broccoli, cabbage, pumpkin) as well as foods of animal origin (like eggs or milk). It is advisable to increase the consumption of these foods if there is a lack of this vitamin, even though it is quite hard to do so just through foods.

Excess of vitamin D

While vitamin D is involved in the absorption of calcium, an excess produces just the same effects of an excess of calcium:

Before using supplements to treat a lack of vitamin D you can try and consume products that are rich in this nutrient. A boiled egg, cow liver, sun-dried mushrooms, or some fish oils have good quantities of vitamin D. There are many products that are also enhanced with vitamin D like dairy products, cereals, or bread. Regardless, the best source of vitamin D is the Sun. Sunbathing for around 30 minutes daily is enough for our body to produce this vitamin.

Adjust the consumption of vitamins

Most of the time, the treatment for this type of disorders just involves giving up the nutrient that is producing the imbalance. It is necessary to point out that developing a hypervitaminosis solely from consuming foods is extremely hard.

Normally, it happens as a result of an excessive consumption of synthetic supplements without professional supervision. In this sense, information is essential to prevent this. A varied diet that includes at least five portions of fruit and vegetables daily should be enough to meet the nutritional requirements of most people. So, the use of vitamin supplements is reserved to those who, for some reason, cannot fix the deficiency through a proper diet.

However, you should consult your doctor if you suspect that your organism lacks vitamins even if you follow a healthy diet. Only a professional is capable of determining when certain nutrient values are lower than they should. In this case, they will advise supplements according to the personal circumstances of the patients, their state of health, and the nutritional needs to guarantee a proper physiological functioning.