Home | Health Guides | Online Store | Ordering & Paying | Delivery Info | Send to Friend | Contact Us | FAQs | Store Site Map

Can Vitamin and Mineral Supplements Boost Health and Prevent Aging?

Custom Search

Related Topics 10 Simple Steps to Controlling Your Blood Pressure High Blood Pressure: The Major Risk Factors General Information About High Blood Pressure How to Interpret Your Blood Pressure Readings Why Home Monitoring of BP is a Wise, Life-saving Move What Counts in a Home-use Blood Pressure Monitor Clinical Validation of BP Monitors: What it Means

Other Health Subjects Diabetes and Blood Sugar Heart Health Kidney Disease Body Fat and Obesity Diet and Nutrition Exercise and Fitness Cholesterol Control

The quest for vitamin and mineral supplements intake has heightened globally in the last decade, raising questions as to whether they are totally healthy to consume and whether they truly boost the health condition of the user. No doubt, our bodies need vitamins and minerals to function properly - we learnt that many years ago even while in the primary school.

That, however, was supposed to come from carefully selected vitamins-rich food sources, part of the much-vaunted balanced diet. Now, 'plug-and-play' delivery of these vital body requirements holds sway. A lot of big business has sprung up on the basis of the production and delivery of nutritional supplements, the other name for vitamin and minerals supplements. The question to ask: "beyond the hype, is it all good for you as a user and if so, how much of what should you consume?"

To begin with, vitamins are organic food substances. They are found only in plants and animals. Mostly, the body does not produce them. Its requirement of each must be supplied by consuming it, usually in food.

We Do Need Vitamins and Minerals
Yes we do need vitamins and minerals, medical science has firmly determined. They help the body to function properly, support growth and provide energy. Babies and growing children need the right supply of individual nutrients to develop and grow properly. Interestingly, beyond the general body maintenance benefit of these substances, some have been credited with very critical functions in the body system.

Take some examples. Birth defects such as spina bifida and anencephaly were quite common before it was discovered that folic acid deficiency was a factor in this. When research showed a strong link and because most pregnant mothers didn't get enough through normal meals, folic acid supplement became a regular prescription for pregnant mothers. The results were impressive. The frequency of such birth defects was substantially cut down.

Similarly, vitamin C gained some level of recognition in the prevention of infections, including colds. It was also seen to have tackled scurvy which easily sent sailors to their grave before the 1932 discovery of vitamin C. Today, scurvy is no longer the dangerous scourge it was.

Most vitamins have definitive health benefits they have been associated with. A lot of research is also on-going on various suspected benefits that have not been conclusively established, especially in alleviating chronic disease conditions. Vitamins that have shown potentials in the cure or management of major diseases include some vitamin Bs and folic acid for heart disease and cancer, vitamin D in prostate, colon and other cancers, etc. For more information on vitamins and what they do for you, view a summary chart here.

Still, Your Diet is the Primary Source
Ideally, all your vitamin and mineral requirements should come from dietary sources. They are all found in food items and this remains the natural and safest source of the vitamins and minerals you need. Health authorities also recommend food sources as the first line of action in securing our required intake of the vital nutrients. How do you know which food source contains what vitamin, especially in a significantly valuable dose? Our guide here should be of help.

The problem, though, is that even in the richer economies where per capita income is much higher, vitamin deficiency is still a problem, indicating that a rich diet that meets the body's need for various vitamins and minerals may not be easy to place on the table. In poorer societies, even the middle class may not comfortably boast of very healthy meals. And for the majority, it is a far-fetched possibility. Besides, various other factors, including poor information, work and business pressures, penchant for outdoor fast-food outlets, etc, really mean that most citizens do not get an adequate intake of the vitamins they need, just because they don't get to eat enough of the right meals. Add to this the weak health information system, which hardly provides meaningful information to the citizenry on appropriate standards and health requirements. All said, most of us are still short on vitamin intake

Supplements to the Rescue!
That's where the supplements come to the rescue. It is because of the key role of these vitamins in protecting the body and enhancing its function that the use of vitamin supplements has become popular. People, across the globe, are getting to believe that they aren't getting enough from meals. Some bit of marketing hype from producers must have played a role, but in reality, even health authorities in the USA and Europe have lent some support, if only by tabulating supposed daily intake requirements of various vitamins and minerals. Ultimately, it is up to the individual to judge. If you think you aren't getting enough of what your body requires from the meals you eat, the right step is to find some supplements to beef up. To guide you determine how much of each vitamin or mineral you need, check out the vitamins chart.

Some caution though. As always said, first get advice from your doctor. Two, you may just focus on the critical requirements. Thirdly, there should be authentication from regulatory authority for whatever you consider consuming, including supplements. Also, always buy a quality product from a reliable source. Again, watch the dosage: while most vitamins may not readily pose dosage problems, it is actually possible to have adverse effects with some, especially if you exceed recommended doses. Synthetic products will also be less preferred. In the end, focus more on getting your body's requirements of these nutrients from food sources as much as possible.

© Copyright 2008 MyHealthKit.net