Most of us are looking for daily health tips that will help us maintain good health. That’s why millions of Americans take vitamins on a regular or at least semi-regular basis. In fact, vitamin use is so prevalent in our society that vitamin sales top 12 billion dollars annually, with their numbers growing daily. Vitamin C, vitamin A, B complex, multivitamins, women’s vitamins, men’s vitamins … the list seems endless. But what benefits are we getting from our vitamins? Are there multiple benefits from each? And does age or gender really matter when it comes to the vitamins you take? Of questions, there are many. Following is a list of the most important vitamins and how each works in the body.
It’s no secret that we’re supposed to obtain nutrients from the foods we eat. Sadly, that isn’t necessarily the case any longer. Did you know that most Americans eat a diet that is so loaded with processed foods they get little to no nutritional value directly from foods? In fact, this type of pathetic diet is often referred to today as ‘the American Diet.’ Additionally, because of chemical processing and ground fertilizing, the ground in which we grow our fruits and vegetables is able to add little or no nutritional value to the fresh produce you’re eating, meaning those fruits and veggies you eat may not contain anywhere near the nutrients you think they do. The answer can be vitamin supplementation. Here is a breakdown of how certain vitamins work within the body that can help you make wise choices regarding which vitamin supplements you take.
Vitamin C
Just a few of the things vitamin C does include helping to promote wound healing, as well as boosting the health of teeth and gums.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A helps to promote healthy teeth. It’s also a vital nutrient for bone health. Additionally, vitamin A helps maintain healthy mucous membranes, skin, and soft tissue.
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 is a powerhouse when it comes to metabolism. Without its essential properties, your metabolism simply cannot work properly. Vitamin B12 also helps red blood cell formation and it aids in the central nervous system’s proper function.
Vitamin B6
Vitamin B6 is important for breaking down proteins. Additionally, without enough vitamin B6, normal nerve function isn’t possible. It also aids in blood cell formation.
Biotin
Biotin is vital for metabolizing carbs and proteins. It also aids in the proper production of hormones.
Niacin
Niacin is important for maintaining healthy nerves. It also promotes healthy skin. Another significant function of Niacin is its cholesterol-lowering capabilities.
Pantothenic Acid
Pantothenic acid is crucial for metabolizing food. It also aids in the production of cholesterol as well as hormones.
Folate
Folate, along with vitamin B12, aids in the proper formation of red blood cells. One other vital function of folate is its necessary addition to the production of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), which controls cell function as well as tissue growth.
Thiamine
Thiamine, or vitamin B1, helps the cells change carbs into energy. It’s also vital for healthy nerve cells, as well as healthy heart function.
Riboflavin
Riboflavin, or vitamin B2, is important for the production of red blood cells.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D aids the body in absorbing calcium, a nutrient vital for healthy bones and teeth.
Vitamin E
Vitamin is a rock star antioxidant that aids in the formation of red blood cells. Antioxidants help to fight cancer.
Vitamin K
Without the right amount of vitamin K, your blood cannot properly coagulate, which means it can’t properly heal from bleeding wounds.
The bad news is that many of today’s processed foods contain little to no vitamin content, especially since vitamins have been all but depleted from much of the soil in our nation. The good news is that vitamins can help to assist the foods you eat in aiding your body’s biological processes. Naturally, whether or not you take vitamins is your decision. It is important, however, to know that many of the nutrients we once received from our foods but don’t any longer can be consumed in vitamin form. Most vitamin researchers consider that there are 13 essential vitamins we all need to keep our bodies functioning optimally. That means if you’re not getting enough of each, your body may not be performing as it should. And if you’re eating the typical ‘American Diet,’ it’s practically a given you’re headed for health problems, with digestive disorders likely topping the list. Talk to your doctor for more daily health tips about how vitamins work and how they aid digestive processes in order to make your body work more smoothly.
