Vitamin Supplements, Minerals, Diet and Nutrition Information

The body needs vitamins to stay healthy and a varied diet usually gives you all the vitamins you need. Vitamins have to come from food since they are not manufactured in the body. There are 13 essential vitamins and each one has a special role to play within the body, helping to regulate the processes such as cell growth and repair, reproduction and digestion.

Essential Vitamins - The 13 essential vitamins are divided into two groups - Fat soluble and Water soluble vitamins. Vitamin A, D, E, and K are fat soluble and can be stored by the body. The B vitamins and Vitamin C are water soluble; except for Vitamin B 12, they cannot be stored in the body.

Vitamins and Nutritional Supplements

Most people get enough vitamins by eating a varied diet and do not need to take a vitamin supplement. Others, however, do not eat a varied diet and may become deficient in some vitamins. Elderly people in particular may not eat enough different kinds of food and may benefit from a vitamin supplement.

Some research suggests that the body uses up more vitamins when it is under stress, either from illnes or daily life. Many people therefore take vitamins when they are busy feeling run down or have a cold coming on. Smoking and drinking alcohol make it harder for the body to absorb vitamins, so if you smoke or drink heavily, you should either pay special attention to your diet or take a vitamin supplement.

Critical for carrying the oxygen in the blood to every cell in the body, iron helps create the energy we need for both our body and brain to be active. If you have low iron levels you may be experiencing difficulty in exercising and concentration.
These are the building blocks of protein, required for growth and development. It is crucial in helping our bodies and brain function normally.

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Role of vitamin in food and health

There are several roles for vitamins and trace minerals in diseases: (1) deficiencies of vitamins and minerals may be caused by disease states such as mal absorption; (2) both deficiency and excess of vitamins and minerals can cause disease in and of themselves (e.g., vitamin A intoxication and liver disease); and (3) vitamins and minerals in high doses may be used as drugs (e.g., niacin for hypercholesterolemia).

Why take vitamin and mineral supplements?

People may consume diets that are deficient in one or more nutrients for a variety of reasons. For healthy people, supplements may help prevent vitamin and mineral deficiencies when the diet does not provide all necessary nutrients. They can also supply amounts of nutrients larger than the diet can provide. Larger amounts of some nutrients may help to protect against future disease.

What is the benefit of Multiple Vitamin-Mineral Supplements?

Multiple vitamin-mineral (MVM) supplements, sometimes known as multivitamin-mineral supplements, contain a variable number of essential and non-essential nutrients. The primary purpose of Multiple vitamin-mineral supplements is to provide a convenient way to take a variety of supplemental nutrients from a single product, in order to prevent vitamin or mineral deficiencies, as well as to achieve higher intakes of nutrients believed to be of benefit above typical dietary levels.

	For smokers, at least 100 milligrams of vitamin C is needed daily.

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You may eat regularly two or three times per day as much as you want, provided the proportion is generally correct and each mouthful is thoroughly chewed. It is best to leave the table satisfied but not full. - Dilly

Very helpful and concise page. It had all the information I was looking for in a simple format that was a quick read. --Mac

Proper chewing is important for good digestion and assimilation of nutrients. - Park

For the deepest and most restful sleep, retire before midnight and avoid eating at least 2 to 3 hours before sleeping. - Smith