==================
It’s probably safe to say that we require vitamins from the
roots of our hair to the tips of our feet. Vitamins are
extremely important organic compounds that our body needs for
proper metabolism. That is why no nutrition is considered
complete without the vitamins necessary to make our body work.
Is it any wonder that the vitamin supplement industry continues
to expand?
How vitamins affect our health and nutrition
Vitamins play a part in all the important functions that occur
in our bodies including the formation of blood cells, hormones,
chemicals needed in the nervous system and all of our genetic
material.
Vitamins do not affect our bodies directly. Instead, they
function as catalysts and take effect by combining with the
proteins in our bodies to produce active enzymes. These
enzymes are responsible for producing chemical reactions in the
body. These chemical reactions are all linked. When one
commences, it triggers another reaction which triggers another.
When a body is vitamin deficient, this chain may break down and
cause illness, disease or other conditions that affect the body
negatively.
Vitamins also affect our nutrition and can boost the
health-giving properties of foods to maximize their effect.
All the carbohydrates, fats and proteins we take in the form of
food and drinks are enhanced by vitamins.
Two kinds of vitamins
Knowing the two kinds of vitamins will help understand why it’s
essential that they be maintained at the recommended daily
dosage. There are fat-soluble vitamins and water-soluble
vitamins. Fat-soluble vitamins are more easily absorbed by the
body with the help of fat-containing food. These vitamins
include A, D, E and K. Any excess are stored in the liver,
kidneys and body fat.
Water-soluble vitamins are not stored by the body and are
excreted through the urine if there are any excess amounts.
That is why it’s important to replenish the supply on a daily
basis. These vitamins include Vitamin C and the B vitamins
(thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, folic acid, B6 and B12).
Where to find vitamins
Vitamins occur naturally in food and you can take advantage of
this by maintaining good nutrition on a day-to-day basis. If
you are vigilant enough to monitor your daily intake and you’re
young, there’s almost no need for you to take vitamin
supplements.
However, as you grow older and the body changes, other factors
that are disruptive to your nutrition such as lifestyle changes
and unhealthy habit formation makes it necessary to add to your
vitamin source with supplements taken in pill form or as
fortified food, bars and drinks.
The need for vitamin supplements
Food will remain the best source for vitamins. The only
problem is that most of the food we eat and drink today are
adulterated by processing methods. Washing, brushing, heating
and other cooking and preparation methods reduce the amounts of
vitamins contained in the source. That is why even with the
best resources and meals, people are still malnourished.
There are also those individuals who are deficient in vitamins
not only because of their choice but also because of their
lifestyles. Through their choice of nutrition, habits and
physical activities, they deplete their stores of vitamins
without knowing it. To prevent any problems and correct any
deficiency, vitamins are sourced through supplements in the
form of pills, tablets, specially formulated food and fortified
drinks.
About The Author: Mario Churchill is a freelance author and has
written over 200 articles on various subjects. For more
information natural vitamin supplements or nutritional vitamin
supplements checkout http://www.myvitaminguide.com.
Please use the HTML version of this article at:
http://www.isnare.com/html.php?aid=156611
==================