Archive for the 'Vitamins' Category

Vitamins are organic compounds that help in the body’s metabolism and maintenance. Vitamins can be absorbed from numerous food sources, but are especially abundant in fruits and vegetables. However, there may still be nutrients that your body will not be able to absorb, or that you may not be getting enough of from your diet. This is why vitamin supplements are important.

There are 12 essential vitamins that our body needs to function effectively. These include Vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12, C, D, E, K and folate. These vitamins have been shown to protect the body from certain illnesses, including heart disease and cancer. Lack of vitamins in the body can result in various diseases, including blindness, anemia, birth defects, bleeding disorders and bone deformities, among others. Vitamin supplements provide your body with the recommended daily amounts of essential vitamins, and help prevent the development of these diseases.

Nowadays, numerous vitamin supplements exist, available in different forms. Vitamin supplements are available in all health stores and can also be ordered online. These vitamin supplements can generally be divided into two categories: natural and synthetic. At present, there is a continuing debate regarding which kind of supplement is more beneficial to the body.

Natural vitamin supplements are vitamins extracted from natural food products and processed to create a food supplement. Meanwhile, synthetic vitamin supplements are man-made vitamins chemically processed in a laboratory.

Research has been leaning more towards natural vitamin supplements as the more beneficial product between the two categories. Studies on synthetic vitamin supplements have resulted in mixed results. Some scientists believe that taking synthetic vitamin supplements could result in numerous side effects, especially when the vitamins are taken in large amounts. This is because synthetic vitamin supplements contain numerous chemicals, which could react adversely with your body. Just as lack of vitamins results in various diseases, excessive intake of vitamins have also been known to cause a myriad of toxicities, including hypersensitivity reactions, diarrhea and bone damage, to name a few.

Recent studies have also shown that natural vitamins are better absorbed and processed by the body than their synthetic counterparts. This allows you to get the most out of your supplements, ensuring that you have adequate vitamin levels in your body.

Since natural vitamin supplements appear to be the better choice, it is best for you to find a natural supplement that can provide all these benefits.

When choosing a natural vitamin supplement, make sure that the supplement contains all 12 essential vitamins. Also, check that the supplement is really natural. Some synthetic products manipulate their advertising to make it appear that the product is natural, when in fact, it isn’t. Look closely into the ingredients used in the product, and research on them. Take advantage of some websites that allows you to check up on these supplements and their contents. Finally, before taking any natural vitamin supplements, it is best to consult a qualified nutritionist or your physician first.

Don’t forget that no vitamin supplement can replace a healthy, balanced diet. It is recommended that you eat a vitamin-rich diet, which can be achieved by increasing your intake of vegetables and fruits. A healthy diet, complemented by a high-quality natural vitamin supplement, can ultimately give you a stronger body and help you live a longer life.

ABSTRACT: Vitamin supplements are necessary to keep your body healthy. Natural vitamin supplements can provide you with adequate amounts of vitamins needed in your diet, without the side effects associated with its synthetic counterpart.

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Vitamins are known as organic compound which is used as a nutrient in small amounts in many organisms. The word vitmain emerged from two words that is ‘vital’ and ‘mineral’ . In the same way a compound is called vitamin when the synthesiezed process is done insufficiently in organisms and as a result it is obtained from one’s diet.  So the usage of vitamins depend on both circumstances and on the specific organism like ascorbic acid acts as vitamin C in few animals but are not applicable in certain animals.  In the same way vitamin d and k shows their prescence in human diet depend on the circumstances.  One should understand that the word vitamin doesn’t mean it has everything required by a body but it contains few of them such as  dietary minerals, essential fatty acids, and essential amino acids etc.  One should have information that vitamins are used on the basis of one’s biological and chemical activity and not on one’s structure. Certain vitamins are inter-converted in the body in certain cases.
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rnVitamins  plays an important role in the functioning of human body because of its diverse nature of biochemical functions such as hormones, antioxidants, mediators in cell signalling, helping in regulating the cells of the body, and tissue growth and differentiation etc. Most of the vitamins works as precursors for many enzymes cofactor bio-molicules which acts as catalysts and substrates in metabolism processing in the body. When playing as the role of catalyst vitamins are strained to be like enzymes and termed as prosthetic groups.  It also act as coenzymes for forwarding chemical groups among enzymes.  
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rnIn war times vitamins are given indirectly to soldiers in the form of white rice, meat,fish,barley, and beans. So now should readmore about vitamins to take more advantages of it. In older times disease which used to effect soldiers during war they were used to serve unpolished rice and chicken to prevent from dying as it was highly rich in proteins and vitamins. Now lots of people take vitamins in various forms such as liquid , solid and powder as per one’s need and usages.

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Taking vitamins has long been considered as a prerequisite to good health. In fact, health experts are in agreement, that these organic molecules are needed to be taken by the human body in minute quantities, to ensure proper health. According to these experts, a person deprived of a particular vitamin would eventually exhibit disease symptoms particular to the said vitamin.

The importance of vitamins for good health is a fact well known to everybody. Even children at the primary school level are well aware of this because they are being educated on the importance of vitamins for their body. But while everybody knows how important vitamins are, not everybody knows where to get them. In fact, many believe that the only source of vitamins is the medicine bottle.

Vitamins, however, are not limited to those that are sold on drug stores as food supplements. In fact, vitamins do exist naturally. To give more light on this topic, it may be better if we give you first a background on the basic types of vitamins available today.

The Basic Types of Vitamins Available in the Market

There are three general types of vitamins being sold in the market today. These three types are the natural vitamins, crystalline vitamins, and synthetic vitamins.

• Natural Vitamins

Natural vitamins are those vitamins that can readily be found in natural foods. If processed into a commercial food supplement, the vitamin must have all of its components intact, including its enzymes, co-enzymes, minerals, mineral activators, and co-vitamin helpers.

• Crystalline Vitamins

Crystalline vitamins are those vitamins that are extracted from natural food sources but were already treated with various high-powered chemicals, solvents, heat and distillations to separate the specific vitamin from all other synergistic components attached to it. As such, these vitamins have a very simple structure compared to the complex structure of natural vitamins.

• Synthetic Vitamins

Synthetic vitamins are those vitamins that were chemically formed in laboratories by scientists. While they are not derived from any natural source, the structure of these vitamins would usually resemble that of their crystalline counterparts.

As you can see, vitamins are not limited to those found on drug stores and medicine bottles. In this article, we’ll concentrate on those vitamins that can be found on natural food sources—the natural vitamin supplements.

Natural Vitamin Supplements

According to studies, our body needs 13 vitamins for proper bodily functions. These vitamins are composed of the vitamins A, C, D, E, K and the B vitamins. The B vitamins, on the other hand, are composed of thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, biotin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12 and folate.

Now, all these vitamins are available in drug stores in various concentrations. However, all of these 13 vitamins can also be found on natural food sources. In fact, a person having a variety of foods in his diet must already be taking minute amounts of these vitamins everyday. And as have previously been said, only a minute amount of all these vitamins are needed by the body to function properly.

So if you are interested on keeping your health at its prime, then you can bank on the natural vitamins that nature has to offer. Here is a list of the food sources from which you can extract natural vitamin supplements:

1. Vitamin A

Vitamin A can be found from meat sources and dairy products like milk, cheese, cream, liver, kidney, and cod liver. But since all of these are high cholesterol products, you may want to try getting vitamin A from its precursor, beta-carotene. Common sources of beta carotene are raw carrots, sweet potatoes, winter squash, cantaloupe, spinach, mango, broccoli and other red- or yellow-skinned fruits and vegetables.

2. Vitamin B1 (thiamine)

Common sources of thiamine are fortified breads, cereals, pasta, whole grains, lean meats, fish, peas and dried beans. Some dairy products, fruits and vegetables are also rich in vitamin B1.

3. Vitamin B2 (riboflavin)

Dairy products like milk and yogurt are the primary sources of riboflavin. Other sources are chicken meat, green and leafy vegetables, fruits and almonds.

4. Vitamin B3 (niacin)

Food products that are rich in niacin include dairy products, poultry, fish, lean meats, nuts and eggs. Some legumes and cereals also contain traces of niacin.

5. Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)

Vitamin B5 rich foods would include, fish, dairy products, poultry, lean beef, yeast and vegetables in the cabbage family. Also rich in vitamin B5 are white and sweet potatoes as well as peanuts and peas.

6. Vitamin B6 (pyroxidine)

Fruits like bananas, watermelons and tomatoes are known sources of vitamin B6. Other common sources are chicken, broccoli, spinach, potatoes, white rice, peanuts, oats and fortified cereals.

7. Vitamin B12

Meat, poultry, fish, shellfish and dairy products comprise the rich sources for vitamin B12.

8. Folate

Green and leafy vegetables are the largest source of folates, although this vitamin can also be found on tomato juice, peas, wheat germ, oranges and mushrooms.

9. Vitamin C

The most common sources of vitamin C are the citrus fruits and their juices like strawberry, melon, cranberry, grapefruit and others. Most other fruits and vegetables also contain small amounts of vitamin C.

10. Vitamin D

The largest sources of vitamin D are dairy products, poultry, and cereals. Aside from these food sources, the body also synthesizes vitamin D when the skin is exposed to the heat of the sun.

11. Vitamin E

Vitamin E is mostly derived from plant oils and products made from it, like margarine and mayonnaise. Other sources include peanuts, whole grains, wheat germ, corn, nuts, olives, spinach and other green and leafy vegetables.

12. Vitamin K

Leafy and green vegetables like cabbage and spinach are the primary source of Vitamin K. Other sources include soybeans, cereals, fruits, beets, potatoes, dairy products, meat products and poultry. Bacteria found in the stomach and in the intestines can also synthesize vitamin K.

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Jaundice is the result of a buildup of bilirubin in the blood. This buildup causes a yellowing of the skin and eyes. Bilrubin is a yellow-brown substance that results when old red blood cells break down. If this waste product is not removed from the bloodstream by the liver, as it should be, a backup of bilirubin in the blood occurs, which produces the yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes that is associated with jaundice. Those with jaundice may have darker urine than normal, while the stools may appear lighter. Jaundice may be accompanied by fluid retention in the trunk of the body, fatigue, generalized itching, nausea, rashes on the skin, and vomiting.

Jaundice is not a disease in itself, but rather a sign of any one of several blood or liver disorders. Some conditions that can cause jaundice include cirrhosis of the liver, pernicious anemia, hepatitis, and hemolysis which is the abnormal destruction of red blood cells. Jaundice can also be a sign of an obstruction in the path of the bile flow. Bile flows from the liver through the bile ducts, to the gallbladder, and then to the intestinal tract.

If, for any reason, any part of the biliary tract is obstructed, the bile passes back into the bloodstream instead of into the digestive system. This flow of bile, which contains bilirubin, then produces jaundice. Sometimes, jaundice can be caused by some form of parasitic infestation like a tapeworm or hookworm. Jaundice can also be caused by a bite from a flea or mosquito that carries a viral, bacterial, or parasitic infection. It can also be caused by a tumor, a gallstone, or inflammation.

Some degree of jaundice is especially common in newborn babies, especially those that are premature. This condition is not considered to be serious in babies. Generally, this condition occurs because a new baby’s liver is limited in its ability to process bilirubin. In most cases, the condition will quickly resolve itself.

The following nutrients are considered to be very important in treating and preventing jaundice. Coenzyme Q10 should be taken as directed on the label to promote tissue oxygenation and remove toxic substances from the body. Colostrum should also be taken as directed on the label, as it improves immune function and protects the liver. Grape seed extract should be taken as directed on the label, as it acts as a powerful antioxidant and aids the liver in removing toxic substances from the body.

L-glutathione should be taken in dosages of 500 mg daily to protect the liver, while raw liver extract should be taken as directed on the label to assist in building the liver. SAMe aids in relief of stress and depression, eases pain, and produces antioxidant effects that can improve the health of the liver. It should be taken as directed on the label. Vitamin B complex is necessary for proper digestion, absorption of nutrients, and formation of red blood cells. It also helps to maintain the health of the eyes, liver, and skin.

Vitamin C should be taken in dosages of 3,000 to 6,000 mg daily, as it combines with toxic substances to render them harmless and remove them from the body. Additionally, burdock root, red clover, celandine, chaparral, dandelion, oregano, and Silymarin (milk thistle) are very beneficial herbs for helping with jaundice.

If you choose to take natural supplements for jaundice just remember that this is a sign of a more serious issue in the body that must be addressed. Always consult a physician before starting vitamin supplements. Natural vitamin supplements like the ones listed above are available at your local or internet health food store.

*Statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Natural vitamins not intended to diagnose, treat and cure or prevent disease. Always consult with your professional health care provider before changing any medication or adding Vitamins to medications.

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Many people these days including many medical practitioners believe we need natural vitamin supplements to compliment our unsatisfactory diets.As in this day and age as most of us lead very fast paced lives, often we do not take the best care of ourselves and our bodies leaving us tired and unfit.

Of course, if we all made sure we ate a diet rich in all the valuable sources needed then there would be no need for supplements at all. But lets face it on a whole we do not.Most couples work long hours and then spend lots of time driving their kids around to different activities and find the convenience of fast food very tempting indeed. Advertising doesn’t help either with enticing ads that get our taste buds watering and our kids screaming for take away.

While we find convenience in eating this way we are depleting our bodies of important nutrients so we look for help in other areas such as vitamins to replenish what we are not allowing ourselves to get naturally through food. This isn’t a bad thing but what you do have to watch out for however is what are in these vitamins.

Are they worse for you than not having them at all. This is where natural vitamin supplements come in to play. There are many reputable manufacturers of natural vitamin supplements that can be found online. Using natural ingredients is the healthier way to go.

The best idea is to do some research online and take a good look at what these companies have to offer and what their natural vitamin supplements have in them. You should always look for the healthier option when looking after yourself. If you lead a busy life and do not eat a perfect diet all of the time then you should be compensating with a safe alternative such as natural vitamin supplements.

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