Vitamins are an important part of a health diet. Unlike carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, vitamins do not directly provide building blocks or energy for your body; vitamins function as assistants to your body in creating and breakdown down building blocks and storing and releasing energy.
Vitamins come in two basic types: water-soluble and fat-soluble (see the table on the website below)
quick-guide to vitamins by shoppe.md online pharmacy
If your diet generally follows the USDA Food Guide Pyramid, you will get the recommended daily allowances of vitamins (the amount people generally need). But there are many reasons why these guidelines might not get us the vitamins we need.
* Day-to-day living: In the rush of daily life, it may be hard to eat a consistently balanced diet. Sometimes we skip meals or buy them from sources (like fast-food restaurants) where we do not have easy access to information about nutritional value.
* Pregnancy: If you are pregnant (or breastfeeding), you may need to significantly change your vitamin intake. Folic acid is crucial to the brain and nervous system development of, but at the same time an excess of other vitamins (including vitamin A) can cause serious fetal injury.
* Seniority: Seniors often have difficulties eating or digesting certain foods, including those that can provide vitamins
* Diets: Being on low-calorie diets or diets that restrict certain types of food can significantly impact getting enough of all kinds of vitamins.
So for many of us, vitamin supplements will be helpful in getting and staying healthy. But like anything else we do for our health, it's as important to know the risks as the benefits.
* The "Too Much of a Good Thing" Trap: Vitamins in the proper doses are good for you. But many vitamins are toxic in large quantities, so taking more than enough may be a bad idea. Excess vitamin A can lead to nausea, vomiting, and peeling skin, and over the long-term can lead to significant damage to bones, brain and nerves. It can also be very dangerous for a developing fetus. Vitamin E can cause a rise in LDL ("bad") cholesterol, and like all fat-soluble vitamins, is stored in the liver, so if you take a little bit extra every day, the impact can show up over time. Even vitamin D, the bone-building vitamin, can actually encourage bone loss if taken in excess.
* Vitamins are not food: Vitamins are sometimes called "micronutrients." Small doses can keep us healthy. However, they are not a substitute for the food that your body needs to make energy and rebuild damaged tissue. Diets that severely restrict or eliminate proteins, fats, or carbohydrates can impair functioning, and vitamins cannot make up for that.
* Fetuses and children are not grown-ups: Children have special vitamins for a reason - their bodies need different things than adults do. Treat children's supplements like any other medication; they may taste like candy, but letting your child take more than the recommended dose can have significant consequences. To keep a fetus growing steadily and correctly, a vitamin discussion should be part of your regular prenatal care.
Dietary Guidelines for Americans, www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines
U.S.D.A. " Food Guide Pyramid," www.usda.gov/cnpp/pyramid2.htm
"Getting enough vitamins. Do you need to supplement a healthy diet?" Mayo Clinic Womens Healthsource. Volume 3, Issue March 7, p 4-5, 2003
Kmietowicz , Z. "Food watchdog warns against high doses of vitamins and minerals," British Medical Journal Volume 326, Issue1001, 2003
Oakley, GP and Mandel JS, "Folic acid fortification remains an urgent health priority," British Medical Journal, Volume 329, Issue 7479, p1375-1376, 2004
Copyright (C) Shoppe.MD and Ian Mason, 2004-2005
Ian Mason, owner of Shoppe.MD, your source for quick-guide to vitamins by shoppe.md online pharmacy, drug information and support forums.
Ian is a fat-to-fit student of health, weight loss, exercise, and several martial arts; maintaining several websites in an effort to help provide up-to-date and helpful information for other who share his interests in health of body and mind.
same day cleaning service Des Plaines ..Carboloading of a different variety.Saturday in Tucson before the 1982... Read More
Vitamin B6 is the hardest working nutrient in the human... Read More
PART ONEThe word Glyconutrients, is not a Brand, or Company... Read More
It's unfortunate but many people have digestive systems that find... Read More
Xango is a brand new health and dietary supplement. It... Read More
Fitness Supplement ? what is it?The term "fitness supplement" is... Read More
Are the new Argireline Wrinkle Relaxing Creams as effective as... Read More
Vitamin supplement - why is it important?Vitamin supplement or supplements... Read More
Discount Supplement ? what is it?Discount supplement is a term... Read More
Hyaluronic acid, a key component of human tissue, aiding the... Read More
Protein Supplement ? whey protein.Why is protein supplement important? Protein... Read More
Over recent years, mens herbal health care has become big... Read More
You probably know that ladies who are planning on having... Read More
Use of herbs and herbal therapies has been an integral... Read More
We all know that vitamin C is one of the... Read More
Proper nutrition is fundamental to optimizing your health. By eating... Read More
When I began to study nutrition, I too believed that... Read More
Vitamin E is an absolutely vital nutrient in your body,... Read More
We have all heard that it is important to eat... Read More
What Is Nitric Oxide (NO)?Nitric oxide (NO) is produced by... Read More
This article will reveal one easy change you can make... Read More
It's never too late to change your habits, and if... Read More
Coenzyme Q10 has exploded onto the health scene. This powerful... Read More
HGH is an exciting new phenomenon, which aspires to help... Read More
HMB stands for beta-hydroxy beta-methylbutyrate. It is a metabolite of... Read More
home cleaning services Mundelein ..Our system uses a free-form gas called Nitric Oxide as... Read More
With dietary supplements making their way in our daily life,... Read More
The real facts about Vitamin C may surprise you. First... Read More
Body Building Supplement ? what is it?The term "body building... Read More
Extensive research studies show that taking vitamin and mineral supplements... Read More
Bodybuilding supplements generally fall under the classification of dietary supplements,... Read More
Ideally, humans would eat wholly nutritious diets rich in protein,... Read More
Although creatine offers an array of benefits, most people think... Read More
Over the past few years, Coral Calcium has received a... Read More
We all know that vitamin C is one of the... Read More
Americans are buzzing about the FDA's recent decision to reverse... Read More
Vitamins are organic compounds that the human body cannot produce... Read More
Vitamins and mineral supplements are a good way to supply... Read More
It seems today that for every mood swing, inconvenient behavior,... Read More
Liquid vitaminsHardly does a day pass without the liquid vitamins... Read More
A ranch house, a zip lock bag and some ordinary... Read More
Fetuses and infants simply must get enough omega-3 oils for... Read More
Health Supplement ? what is it?So what is a health... Read More
Simply stated, the Greek word glyco refers to "sweet." Hence,... Read More
Every day, it seems like we are living in an... Read More
You read about a supplement that allegedly "Boosts your mood... Read More
Fat Loss Supplement ? what is it?What is a fat... Read More
This complex mixture of nutrient-rich growth factors, immunoglobulins, glycoconjugates and... Read More
Herbal supplements have become hugely popular over the years, and... Read More
Herbal Supplement ? what is it?So what is an herbal... Read More
Nutritional Supplements |