Vitamins and Supplements

Vitamins are Organic Compounds that Human body uses in small amount, for a variety of metabolic processes. Not eating certain types of foods deprives the body of vitamins, which are essential for better health. Most of the time, vitamins can be found in sufficient amounts, by the foods we eat. Some people vitamins are a necessity for better health, provide an added source of energy, a supplement for better nutrition, prevent some health problems or not necessary, if proper nutrition is sustained. Each Vitamin has it owns unique beneficial attributes. However, over using any Vitamin can cause a serious health problem.

Vitamins are divided into two groups by the solubility in water (The fluid is a solvent. Substance dissolved in the water is a solvent. Together forms a solution. A solution that can't hold any more solute has become saturated). Include Water Soluble Vitamins, and Fat Soluble Vitamins. Water Soluble Vitamins are consumed regularly in an average diet, stored efficiently in the body, and the foundation of biochemical reactions in the body. They are found in raw foods, but are destroyed when cooking. These vitamins found in vegetable sources, and have a low toxicity potential. These include: Ascorbicacid (Vitamin C), Thiamin (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Niacin (Vitamin B3, nicotine acid or Vitamin P), Panthothenic acid (Vitamin B6), Cobalamin (Vitamin B12), Biotin (Vitamin H), and Folic acid (Vitamin M). B Vitamins convert carbohydrates to glucose, which results in energy production, break down fat, and protein in the body. Common usage is Vitamin B12, increases Red Blood Cells that increase energy level. Also Vitamin B, required for a healthy nervous system function, healthily skin, hair, eyes, and liver function Foods that contain Vitamin B include: oats, barely, wheat bran, avocado, salmon, and Brazil nuts. Deficiency of Vitamin B can be caused by eating less refined sugars, stop drinking coffee (drink organic decaffeinated coffee or organic green tea), reduce stress, and increase regular exercise (meditation). Vitamin C is essential for variety of functions, including having healthy adrenal gland function, thyroid function, stable cholesterol level, and keeping immune system healthy. Vitamin C is found high concentration of fresh fruit and vegetables that are uncooked. Cooking these foods, will reduce the potency of Vitamin C. The vitamin is absorbed from the intestines. Vitamin C deficiency caused by stress, smoking, fever, viral illness, alcohol use, antibiotics, cortisone, aspirin, environmental toxins, petroleum products, and heavy metal use. Those lacking Vitamin C could cause Scurvy (spots on the liver, spongy gums, and bleeding from almost all mucous membranes. Know to happen to sailors that are away long enough from eating fruits, and vegetables).

Fat - Soluble Vitamins have higher potential of toxicity, because they stored in the body.
These include: Retinol (Vitamin A), Calciferol (Vitamin D), Tocopherol (Vitamin E), and Naphthoquinone (Vitamin K). Vitamin A helps the eyes adjust to light, bone growth, tooth development, reproduction, cell division, gene expressio, provide mucous membranes of the mouth, nose, throat and lungs. The Vitamin can be found in dairy products, fish, and liver.

Certain foods like carrots, pumpkin, winter squash, dark green leafy vegetables, and apricots contain beta-carotene antioxidant that the body converts to Vitamin A. The beta-carotene helps protect against skin cancer, and treatment of eczema, and psoriasis. Deficiency in Vitamin A may include night blindness, dry rough skin, decrease resistance to infections, bad tooth development, diarrhea, and slow bone growth. Vitamin D is essential for the body's calcium, and phosphorus supply. Calcium absorbed from the small intestines, and maintains strong bones. Vitamin helps during childhood development. Vitamin D found in milk, oily fish, cod oil, and supplied through sunlight onto the skin. Recommended for children five to ten minutes a day in sunlight, and proper diet of Vitamin D foods. Excessive accumulation Vitamin D, found in the liver could be signs of poisoning. Toxicity signs include slow mental and physical growth, decrease in appetite, nausea and vomiting. Vitamin E is an antioxidant, which protects Vitamins A and C, red blood cells, and fatty acids, from destruction. Studies have shown that eating antioxidant foods, such as fruits, and vegetables, create a lower risk for developing heart disease, cancer, prevent prostate cancer (small studies have shown thirty to sixty percent cut the risk of developing prostate cancer, and taking selenium mineral), and other diseases. About sixty percent of Vitamin E comes from vegetable oil or related foods. These include grains, nuts, Seeds, and enriched cereals containing Vitamin E. Patients taking Blood Thinning Medications should avoid Vitamin E. Vitamin K naturally produced by the bacteria in the intestines, and essential for normal blood clotting, promotes good bone growth, and longevity. Sources of Vitamin K: Turnip greens, spinach, green tea, cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli, liver, and various types of vegetable oils. Deficiency of Vitamin K could result in hemorrhaging (unable to stop bleeding). Those taking antibiotics for a length of time, may lack Vitamin K. Toxicity of Vitamin K, normally happens by an over dose of the supplement, but rarely by diet. Symptoms include flushing, sweating, Jaundice, and anemia.

Available in stores and on the Internet are dietary supplements, for a variety of Vitamins.

Organic Produce contains higher level of vitamins than supermarket products. Vitamins should be taken with food to enhance their absorption. However, analyzing these substitutes by the Food and Drug Administration determined that many, do not contain the amount of ingredients that would be expected to provide a benefit. Vitamin Supplements can't replace a healthy diet. Estimated that 40 percent of the United States population takes Vitamin Supplements. Most common users of Vitamin supplements are pregnant women, those who consume excessive amount of alcohol, drug users and elderly, since there bodies are deficient for certain vitamins.