How to Find a Good Vitamin Supplement

Some people wonder if vitamins are really good for us. This speculation stems from false information from the main stream media and other sources. Yes, vitamins are good for us. Every system in our body thrives on vitamins in order to function better, even at the cellular level. However, how a vitamin change its effectiveness and original intent. High dose vitamins should be used with caution because they are medicines that do a great deal of good, however when the body has too much of a particular vitamin it can have the opposite effect.

Whole Food Vitamins

Whole food vitamins are very good for you because these vitamins are made from food. We should get the majority of our vitamins and minerals from food. However, it is very difficult to get everything we need from food unless we eat piles of fruits and vegetables each day. Taking a whole food vitamin and mineral supplement is one way that we can get the extra nutrition that our body needs.

Be sure to read the label to ensure that you are buying a food based vitamin supplement. It is impossible to overdose on whole food vitamins because of how these vitamins are made. Nature designed food to be perfectly balanced so that the right ratios of vitamins and minerals are found.

Synthetic Vitamins

Synthetic vitamins can be good and bad. These vitamins are man made in a lab. The body does use these vitamins in the same way as whole food vitamins when the proper dosages are taken. However, there is a potential to overdose with these vitamins. For instance, vitamin A in the retinol form can be toxic when a person takes more than 30,000 IU. Beta carotene is another form of vitamin A that is safe to take in high doses though.

Some homeopathic doctors prescribe high doses of synthetic vitamins for very ill patients because their bodies are severely malnourished. However, a healthy person who does eat whole food doesn't need to take excessive doses of man made vitamins. It is safe to take water soluble vitamins such as vitamin C in high doses during cold and flu season. Even 3000 mg per day is not harmful.

Labels

Read your labels carefully. Some vitamins contain fillers, and ingredients like gelatin. Gelatin it typically derived from animals like cows or horses. If you are a vegetarian you want to avoid this ingredient. Sometimes labels will be more specific and say beef gelatin, but in most cases they are not specific. When buying a multivitamin, look for a good balance of several vitamins and minerals. See if there is a quality guarantee.

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